Airport Experience® News - ACDBE Issue 2026

In addition, we source value-added items such as salsas, hot sauces, chutneys and preserves from these farms, featuring them on our menus and selling them in-store. This same model helps small makers build steady business as they scale. A standout differentiator is how Farm to Flight elevates small producers. How do you identify and integrate local makers and regional artisans in a way that scales across multiple airports? We do not default to a national “core” assortment or the predictable better-for you CPG set. Cities like Boston, New York, Atlanta and San Francisco are full of small producers, and this concept gives us a platform to bring those makers into airports in a meaningful way. Where local gaps exist, we elevate select emerging brands from our Farm to Flight cities to round out the offer and give them broader exposure. We also help guide these brands through onboarding, best practices and growth decisions. These relationships are foundational, and signing on with us can feel like joining an incubator. Airports are looking for concepts that feel premium but still operate efficiently. What makes Farm to Flight adaptable while maintaining consistency in the guest experience?

We are, first and foremost, hospitality professionals, incorporating classic merchant best practices into everything we do. Guests can expect premium service standards across the ecosystem, from knowledgeable staff and concierge style greetings to thoughtful presentation across our farm-fresh counters, cafés and merchandising. That experience is supported by sound operating discipline, including FIFO, cost mitigation, guest value, competitive pricing, assortment balancing, merchandise rotation and distributor cost management. We have also tapped into a supply chain network rarely seen outside of artisan cheese shops and restaurant kitchens: specialty foodservice distributors. These partners bring the best of the world to our door while working directly with local dairies, cheesemakers, chocolatiers and butchers to supply chèvre, pâtés, sausages, cultured butter, chocolate truffles, local vinegars, salts and preserves travelers will not find elsewhere. We recently partnered with an Atlanta based packaging company offering eco compostable materials. Composting and recycling infrastructure is also built into every new location design from the start. Together, these practices create a concept that is premium, efficient and financially strong. Farm to Flight markets are delivering high sales per square foot, helping airports drive revenue while giving travelers a fresh, local and differentiated experience.

As you look ahead, what excites you most about the next evolution of Farm to Flight? I love a travel pun, so I’ll throw one in here - the sky truly is the limit. There will always be a new class of small farms, artisans, and makers to source from. And as some of our existing partners graduate to mainstream markets, we celebrate that - it’s part of the goal, to see them reach a next level. We’re exploring a broader world of flavor influences — from savory breakfast dishes to labnehs and fresh, grain centric salads that aren’t anchored in greens. We’re also developing house-made syrups to elevate the coffee bar experience. Looking ahead, we’re considering an in-house pastry program, rotating roaster features, and a food-culture-driven library of books available both for purchase and for guests to enjoy as they check out and savor our third place experience. What excites me most is that travelers are already responding. These markets feel fresh, local and authentic, and guests seek them out. From a business standpoint, Farm to Flight has proven that local, chef-driven specialty markets can drive strong productivity and revenue. We’re adding locations in Atlanta, Boston, and New York this year, with several more cities coming next year. Expect to hear a lot more from us!