Airport Experience® News - ACDBE Issue 2026

ADVERTORIAL

As Paradies Lagardère’s Senior Director, Specialty Markets, Brenda deBuono leads the evolution of Farm to Flight , a locally driven hybrid market concept built around fresh food, regional makers and a true taste of place. In this interview, she shares how the concept supports farmers and artisans, resonates with travelers and delivers a strong model for airport partners. F armto F light : i ntentionally C urated , d istinCtly l oCal

Farm to Flight was created around the idea of turning local food culture into a true traveler experience. How do you describe the way Farm to Flight brings “a taste of place” into the airport? Customers want to experience the regional expressions of the places they are passing through, and our menu intentionally takes that a step further. Our

Travelers want fresher, more intentional food. What does this look like inside a Farm to Flight, and how does your team deliver that to airports? Our intention, effort and execution go beyond local sourcing. We prepare our food fresh in-house every day, throughout the day, and most of the menu is made to order with seasonal rotations. Our airport chefs are encouraged to experiment with what each season offers, so guests see specials and new creations similar to what they might find at a favorite farm-to table streetside restaurant. Where space allows, the experience can also include more robust fresh food offerings, such as brick oven pizza and rotisserie chicken, giving travelers high-quality, freshly prepared options that feel far beyond traditional airport grab-and-go. You can see this model come to life in locations such as Napa Farms Market at SFO, Berkshire Farms Market at BOS, NY Farms to Flight at JFK, and Southern Farms Market at ATL. We also partner directly with farms to forecast crop needs ahead of the growing season, giving local growers a more predictable revenue stream beyond farmers markets and CSA customers. That makes us more than a wholesale account; we become a stable outlet they can plan around.

assortment is not just anchored in local flavors and regional signatures, but in the makers, artisans, farms and producers that help define that place. From coffee roasters and bread and pastry bakers to chocolatiers, hot pepper sauces and spices, we incorporate ingredients from local farms, dairies and butchers into our menu, naturally delivering that taste of place. Just like wine, each of these items has terroir and reflects the unique flavor integrity of locally grown ingredients. That local approach also supports the freshness, quality and sustainability we’re committed to. By reducing the distance these items need to travel, we help preserve peak freshness while reducing our carbon footprint. It is a climate-conscious practice that supports clean eating and allows the integrity of the ingredients to shine. Together, those elements create an experience that goes beyond the menu. Farm to Flight is designed to feel like a third place within the airport — not work and not home, but a place to step away from the rush of travel.