Lagardère Travel Retail to make South American debut after capturing Santiago de Chile F&B contract

CHILE. Lagardère Travel Retail is to make its debut in South America after capturing a contract for 20 food & beverage outlets at Santiago de Chile Arturo Merino Benítez Airport. The company won a tender with Chilean joint-venture partner Global Group Corporation (GGCorp).

The stores will be located in both the existing and new terminals at the airport, covering 3,600sq m in total. They will open July 2021, with the opening of the new International Terminal, and January 2022, when the existing terminal will be remodelled.

GGCorp is one of four branches of Grupo GP Holding, a Chilean corporation with expertise in advertising, F&B operations, parking system management and ground handling.

The winning proposal submitted by the partners includes a mix of international and local food service concepts, as well as in-house brands such as Natoo. A key success factor in the bid, they said, was bringing together “the best of global and local, and to develop concepts that are truly representative of what the Chilean culture and cuisine have best to offer”.

Some of the new dining concepts that the partners will introduce at Santiago de Chile, from top: Emporio Gourmet; Krossbar and La Maestranza, plus existing in-house brand Natoo

Lagardère Travel Retail COO Americas Jean-Baptiste Morin said: “We’re delighted to be stepping foot in South America with a strong partnership with both the airport and GGCorp. The region offers very exciting prospects for growth that we are confident can be fully realised when the sanitary situation will be controlled.

“Arturo Merino Benítez proves it by investing into the future of its retail facilities and by modernising its infrastructure. Most importantly this sends a strong signal of optimism on both parts: we get on with business because we are hopeful for a brighter future and want to be where the growth is.”

GGCorp Director Felipe Elgueta said: “We are very pleased to have the opportunity to work with Groupe ADP and Vinci Airports on the new terminal project in Santiago. Our company has been working for more than 17 years at Arturo Merino Benítez Airport in various businesses from advertising, with Massiva, to gastronomy with GGCorp. We are very proud to be partners of Lagardère Travel Retail and we are sure that together we will be able to improve the experience at the airport, which will have a capacity for 30 million passengers. We strongly believe in the airport industry and its early recovery.”

Representing airport company Nuevo Pudahuel, CEO Xavier Lortat-Jacob commented: “The new international terminal of Arturo Merino Benítez Airport brought together two leaders in airport operations, such as Groupe ADP and Vinci Airports. This new infrastructure will not only allow us to lead Santiago Airport into the front row of the region but also grow the connectivity of the country as we have already done in the past five years. We are very proud that Lagardère Travel Retail and Global Group Corporation will be part of this wonderful and successful project as we aim for excellence and success.”

Lagardère Travel Retail said it expects to hire over 380 local staff by 2023.

Arturo Merino Benítez served 14 million domestic passengers and 11 million international passengers in 2019.

NOTE TO AIRPORT OPERATORS: The Moodie Davitt Report is the industry’s most popular channel for launching commercial proposals and for publishing the results. If you wish to promote an Expression of Interest, Request for Proposals or full tender process for any sector of airport revenues, simply e-mail Martin Moodie at Martin@MoodieDavittReport.com.

We have a variety of options that will ensure you reach the widest, most high-quality concessionaire/retailer/operator base in the industry – globally and immediately.

Similarly The Moodie Davitt Report is the only international business intelligence service and industry media to cover all airport consumer services, revenue-generating and otherwise. We embrace all airport non-aeronautical revenues, including duty free and other retail, food & beverage, property, passenger lounges, hotels, car parking, hospital and other medical facilities, the Internet, advertising and related revenue streams.

Please send relevant material, including images, to Martin Moodie at Martin@MoodieDavittReport.com for instant, quality global coverage.

Food & Beverage The Magazine eZine