FAB-ulous Finland: Announcing the 2018 Airport Food & Beverage (FAB) Conference & Awards – Registration, hotel booking and award nominations open

FINLAND/INTERNATIONAL. The Moodie Davitt Report and sister title The Foodie Report are delighted to announce that hotel and conference registration and award nominations have opened for the 2018 Airport Food & Beverage (FAB) Conference & Awards, which will take place at The Clarion Hotel in Helsinki on 20-21 June.

Elena Stenholm: “We warmly welcome all industry professionals to our Helsinki Airport, the best connected airport in Northern Europe”

As reported, Finavia Corporation, which operates Helsinki Vantaa Airport, will host FAB 2018, the airport world’s only event dedicated solely to food & beverage.

FAB 2018 will begin with an Opening Lunch on 20 June (preceded by an airport tour), followed by a half-day plenary session and the Opening Cocktail. Day Two will feature a full-day conference, culminating in the Gala Dinner and FAB Awards.

Finavia Vice President Commercial Services Elena Stenholm said: “Finavia, the operator of 21 airports in Finland, is delighted to host the 2018 FAB Conference & Awards. We warmly welcome all industry professionals to our Helsinki Airport, the best-connected airport in Northern Europe.

“We at Helsinki Airport have an impressive track record in the continuous development of the customer experience in close co-operation with our business partners. We are eager to show how our double-digit passenger growth rate and a €900 million development programme translate into different retail, food & beverage and other services.

“To engage with Helsinki Airport in advance, we challenge you to visit http://lifeinhel.tv. Have a look at how a Chinese man who lived in our terminal for 30 days rates Helsinki Airport’s facilities and services. So far, the campaign has had a massive media reach of over 2.2 billion people!”

Martin Moodie: “The excellence and diversity of Helsinki Airport’s food & beverage offer is proving key to how the airport positions itself, not only as a national gateway but as a hub between Europe and Asia”

This year 20 different international awards will be handed out at the Gala Dinner, together with regional winners across Asia Pacific; Europe; the Americas; and Middle East, Africa & India. New awards for 2018 include F&B Team Member of the Year; Outstanding Food & Beverage Design of the Year; Airport F&B offered within a Retail/Convenience Store of the Year; and Airport Street Food Offer of the Year.

MOTORWAY SERVICES AND RAILWAY STATION AWARDS

In an exciting innovation, this year will see a first Motorway Services F&B Offer of the Year award, along with the long-established Railway Station Individual F&B Business of the Year award.

Additionally, the hugely popular Airport Bar of the Year and Airport Casual Dining Restaurant of the Year awards will each be split into two, graded by total sales. This is designed to recognise top-class bars and restaurants in smaller airports.

Appropriately enough in the Chinese Year of the Dog, The #AiroftheDog Great Airport Cocktail Award, sponsored by Copper Dog blended Speyside malt whisky, returns for FAB 2018.

This award places the emphasis squarely on people, on panache, on passion and on product. We’re looking for the best original cocktail (made with Copper Dog of course) created with the airport environment in mind – one that captures the eclectic, exciting travel world in concept, name, suitability, taste and presentation.


First introduced in 2017, the  ‘La spirito de vojaĝado’ (meaning ‘The spirit of travel’ in Esperanto, the universal language) Award will recognise the best original dish created especially for FAB 2018 – one that is relevant and best captures the essence of international travel.

The Moodie Davitt Report Founder & Chairman Martin Moodie said: “We are delighted that FAB 2018 will be held in a city – Helsinki – that showcases the very best of Nordic and world dining.

“Our partner Finavia has shown itself to be one of Europe’s most progressive airport companies, having developed a diverse and dynamic food & beverage offer with its partners in recent years. The excellence and diversity of that offer is proving key to how the airport positions itself, not only as a national gateway but also as a hub between Europe and Asia.

“We look forward to hosting our guests in this beautiful northern city this Summer, and to a hugely memorable FAB 2018.”

Following the success of FAB 2017 in Toronto, FAB 2016 in Geneva, FAB 2014 in Copenhagen, FAB 2013 in Dubai, FAB 2012 in Amsterdam and the inaugural FAB at Manchester Airport in 2011, the seventh FAB promises to be an extraordinary celebration of the best in travel dining.

As in past years, the event will feature a two-day conference and glittering awards ceremony that champions best practices across the global industry. To view details of the FAB Award categories and/or to nominate entries click here.

FAB attracts senior representatives from the world’s leading airports, food and beverage concessionaires and brands to network with industry peers, share insights and celebrate best practice in this burgeoning, ever-changing sector.

Hotel and registration details can be found at the dedicated FAB 2018 website, together with information about the exciting social calendar being organised by host Finavia.

Location, location, location: The Clarion Hotel is one of Helsinki’s best-equipped conference venues and lies at the heart of the city

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