USA. Airport hospitality specialist OTG has struck agreements with four companies that began as entrepreneurial start-ups to offer their products at OTG restaurants and bars in New York area airports.
OTG operates hundreds of dining and retail locations in airports across the country including at Newark, LaGuardia, JFK, Philadelphia, Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport and George Bush Intercontinental in Houston.
The quartet comprises Hella Cocktail Co, a Long Island City, New York-based local minority ACDBE certified company; St. Agrestis based in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, New York; Five Boroughs Brewing Co from Sunset Park, Brooklyn, New York; and SingleCut Beersmiths, based in Queens, New York.
Founded in 2012, Hella Cocktail Co has created an expanding array of delicious options for cocktail consumers, both those desiring bold flavors to mix with traditional spirits and those who prefer a non-alcoholic way to sip and socialise.
During the pandemic, Hella hired out-of-work bartenders to teach virtual classes on how to make drinks.
Hella Co-CEO Jomaree Pinkard is active in mentoring minority entrepreneurs so they can learn from Hella’s success. Hella products will be offered in locations at six OTG airports.
St. Agrestis is owned by brothers Louie and Matt Catizone and their Brooklyn-born partner Steve DeAngelo. The enterprise makes natural spirits and cocktails from organic herbs, spices, and citrus. All products are created in Greenpoint, Brooklyn.
Five Boroughs Brewing Co traces its origins to the founders crafting beer in a college dorm room. Today they make their ‘hyper-local’ product in an old warehouse in Brooklyn that boasts high ceilings, fresh beer, and a massive 2,500sq ft taproom.
SingleCut Beersmiths was founded by Queens native Rich Buceta who loved all things music and beer. All its award- winning lagers and IPAs are named after music and brewed in Queens, New York.
“We are thrilled to partner with these entrepreneur leadership teams and their companies that began as local start-ups, and we are excited to offer their products in our airport locations,” said OTG Founder & CEO Rick Blatstein.
“It is one of our top priorities to find and highlight local businesses so their products can be featured at our locations in the terminals. It allows us to give travellers wonderful choices to make the airport experience that much better.”
Hella co-CEO and Founder Jomaree Pinkard said, “We are proud to serve travellers at OTG locations inside airports from New York to Minneapolis to Houston. We hope the company’s super-premium products – mixers, bitters, and bitters & sodas sparkling aperitifs – help make everyone feel welcome, resonating with the spirit of hospitality as well as the modern diversity, equity, and inclusion movement.
“For a decade, Hella Cocktail Co has worked to raise its profile among mixologists and bartenders. Now, as a fully evolved lifestyle brand, we are happy to celebrate our 10th anniversary with this OTG partnership.”
FAB SUPERSTARS & ESG AWARDSThe Moodie Davitt Report is inviting submissions for the FAB Superstars Awards 2022. This second virtual edition of the awards will again shine the spotlight on the thousands of front-of-house and behind the scenes heroes and heroines who have helped keep the food & beverage community within our industry going throughout the challenges of the last year. In addition, this year’s awards include an important new category, the FAB ESG Awards, which have been introduced to celebrate, recognise and reward those people and initiatives that have made a positive impact in the areas of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG). The FAB ESG & Superstars Awards will be presented on Tuesday 13 September to conclude the Airport Food & Beverage (FAB) Conference 2022, which is taking place on 12-13 September during The Moodie Davitt Report Virtual Travel Retail Week. They will recognise and reward the achievements of travel retail employees across airport, airline, downtown store and cruise sectors, and celebrate the strength of the human spirit, resourcefulness and ingenuity in our industry. |
“When we developed Five Boroughs Brewing Co, our goal was to create an inclusive beer brand for everyone in New York City, locals and visitors alike,” said Five Boroughs Brewing Co Co-Founder and CEO Blake Tomnitz.
“With that in mind, we’re excited to team up with OTG to showcase our products at airports throughout the metro area. This partnership will give travellers a chance to try local and high-quality craft beers whether they call New York City home, are visiting, or simply relaxing during a layover.”
“Queens isn’t just the World’s Borough, it’s the borough of innovation,” said SingleCut Beersmiths General Manager Dan Bronson.
“We pull our inspiration for brewing from the sounds and music of NYC, and are incredibly excited, with the help of OTG, to bring this taste of Queens straight to the new LaGuardia Terminal E.”
“I have been flying from LaGuardia Airport my entire life, and to have our products as part of the transformation of the airport is a thrill and honor. We look forward to partnering with OTG,” said St. Agrestis Co-Owner Louis Catizone.
OTG is one of North America’s leading airport food & beverage providers, with more than 350 restaurants and retail locations across ten airports.
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