AUSTRIA. Aïda, the Vienna-headquartered coffee and pastry shop operator and franchisor, has told The Moodie Davitt Report that it intends to build a worldwide airport presence after its initial foray into the channel exceeded its first annual revenue target in just seven months.
The company, which was founded 107 years ago and is currently responsible for 34 stores primarily in its home market, claims to be the largest family-owned confectionery producer and coffee shop brand in Europe. It has over 100 pastry chefs producing three tons of cakes, snacks and pastries daily, alongside 30 types of ice cream.
Its debut travel retail store, situated landside close to the main entrance of Vienna Airport, was opened in partnership with Lagardère Travel Retail in April 2019, as part of an exclusive rights agreement for travel retail locations in Austria. In December, the partners built on the relationship by inking a contract to collaborate on a new 300sq m Aïda outlet in the main train station of the Austrian city of Graz.
Now, the two companies are in discussions about possibilities airside at Vienna Airport. Aïda is already on the ground post-security with a small coffee and pastry pop-up store which Dominik Prousek, Executive Director and fourth generation member of the family business that runs Aïda, says is achieving outstanding sales results and receiving “great feedback” from passengers.
“It is a shame that no Viennese café house concept has made it out there internationally, but we are ready to fill that gap. We have already had amazing results at Vienna Airport and we are ready to take that to the next level in travel retail.” – Aïda Executive Director Dominik Prousek
Prousek told The Moodie Davitt Report: “I want as many people as possible to experience the taste of our coffee specialities and my family’s original recipes, and there is no better environment to achieve that in than travel retail. Our partnership with Lagardère Travel Retail in our home country is the first step to achieving that – Vienna Airport is proving to be a fine testing ground.
“Aïda stores located at major traffic points, such as airports or main train stations, will be frequented by travellers from all over the globe. With the help of the travellers, we are therefore carrying a piece of Viennese tradition out into the world, spreading an unforgettable Aïda experience.”
Prousek revealed that Aïda has already put the groundwork into taking the brand to travel locations outside Europe with a potential partner such as Lagardère Travel Retail by opening pop-up stores in countries including China, Saudi Arabia and Kazakhstan.
Here, logistical issues such as exporting Aïda products, related customs paperwork and the mechanics of operating stores have been successfully tried and tested. The pop-up stores have also achieved trading results which Prousek says provide “sufficient encouragement” to bring the Viennese Café Konditorei experience to new markets.
Prousek has closely watched the rapid expansion of non-Austrian coffee shop chains such as Starbucks not only in multiple domestic markets but also in travel retail. He believes the time is right to introduce Austrian coffee and pastry expertise to the wider world, in the shape of Aïda.
He said: “This is my dream, it’s what drives me every day. The Viennese are the inventors of the coffee and pastry shop concept, yet we are scarcely represented in this market outside Austria.
“It is a shame that no Viennese café house concept has made it out there internationally, but we are ready to fill that gap. We have already had amazing results at Vienna Airport – hitting 100% of our first annual revenue target in just seven months – and we are ready to take that to the next level in travel retail.”
Lagardère Travel Retail Austria General Manager Astrid Meyer-Hentschel believes Aïda can succeed in the wider travel retail market. She told The Moodie Davitt Report: “Together with Aïda we are achieving ambitious revenue targets well within the timeframes we have set. Their concept fits perfectly with our own strategy and I believe the brand can offer a great customer experience for travellers well beyond its home borders. There is great potential to develop our partnership further.”
*We are on location in Vienna to get the inside story on Aïda’s travel retail operations and its plans for expansion; an in-depth feature on the brand will follow via The Moodie Davitt Report.
NOTE: The Moodie Davitt Report also publishes FAB, the world’s only media focused on airport (and other travel-related) food & beverage. The FAB Newsletter is published every two weeks and The FAB eZine every month.
Please send all news of food & beverage outlet openings, together with images, menus, video etc to Martin@MoodieDavittReport.com to ensure unrivalled global exposure.
The company also organises the annual Airport Food & Beverage (FAB) Conference & Awards. FAB 2020 will be held in Istanbul on 23 and 24 June. Istanbul Airport will host the event, which will be a celebration not only of the best in international airport dining but also of Turkish cuisine and culture. FAB 2020 will be supported strongly by Tum & Ictur, the concessionaire managing 34,000sq m of food & beverage space at Istanbul Airport.
