Airport Experience® News - Customer Service Issue 2024

airports with more on the way. Claude Guillaume, senior vice president of the company’s dining division, says brand name recognition has been an important factor for the success of these autonomous coffee machines. “Many coffee vending offerings have a reputation for dispensing barely drinkable, generic coffee; it can be a challenge to convince travelers to try the newer generation of machines,” he says. “But Costa carries international brand recognition, so travelers know they’re getting a good cup of coffee, made with real, fresh milk.” Prepango LLC , in partnership with Illy , launched the first Illy coffee vending machine at John Glenn Columbus International Airport (CMH) in 2021 and now operates the machines in 17 airports. “We’re looking to grow further, including expanding into Canada, where we will soon be launching at Vancouver International Airport (YVR),” says Prepango founder and CEO Marcos Modiano. “Like anything, if the quality is there, the demand follows. We’ve seen robotic vending for many years now, but the quality of the cup has struggled and ultimately people want their coffee to taste great regardless of how they’re getting it. With our machines we’ve been able to provide barista-level coffee on a reliable basis. Illy is the perfect partner because the quality in every cup is consistent no matter what.” In-Demand Service Tom Saunders, senior director of restaurant development and brand portfolio for North America for Avolta , points out that getting coffee in an airport is often synonymous with long lines, so “speed of service is king” and because of this, automated solutions like those provided by a robotic or vending machine concept are in-demand. “For travelers, they offer convenience at all hours; for airports, they help accommodate high traffic and can also be deployed in areas of the terminal that are open 24 hours but that may not justify having a full-service café. For operators they allow us to offer a highly desired product in an efficient way. A huge benefit is that these machines are smart, so we receive notifications when there’s an issue that

Left: Cafe X debuted two robot barista machines at San Francisco International Airport five years ago. The machines have been a hit and the company is currently transitioning from its two-machine trial at the airport to a five-year contract for three machines.

and this latest iteration of the machine is even more sophisticated. “Whether for those who appreciate the novelty of a new experience or for those who prefer to skip the line and grab their coffee on the go, this advanced autonomous concept aligns perfectly with our goal of continually improving the passenger experience and introducing new options when we can,” she says. “Given Austin’s innovative culture, we’re confident that these new machines will be another hit with our travelers.” While widespread adoption of machines like Studio hasn’t quite occurred over these last 20 years, several coffee brands are confident the time has finally come for autonomous and robotic coffee machines to grow more prevalent in airports, thanks to advancing technologies and the continued need to impress and delight customers. Finally Taking Off In late 2019, Café X debuted two robot barista machines at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) and in 2023, the concept opened at Northwest Arkansas National Airport (XNA), where it’s owned and operated by Onyx Coffee Lab , one of Café X’s commercial customers. The concept offers signature coffee drinks and rotating seasonal items, as well as snacks like Nutella-stuffed chocolate chip cookies and Belgian waffles. Café X has been a hit at SFO, with founder and CEO Henry Hu noting that the company is currently transitioning from its two-machine trial at the airport to a five year contract for three machines. “We’re

currently operating one robotic coffee bar in Terminal 3 West, which will be relocated to Terminal 3 East in November due to the $2.6-billion modernization project. Our location in Harvey Milk Terminal 1 closed at the end of August and will reopen soon at a new location within Terminal 1. Additionally, a third machine is planned to be included in the Terminal 3 West modernization project.” He adds that while the company is currently focused on ensuring success at SFO, they’re evaluating opportunities at other airports that have expressed interest in the Café X machine. In addition to its new Studio robotic coffee offering, Costa Coffee offers a coffee vending machine option called the Smart Café, around 50 of which are currently found in airports across the country. “Costa Coffee Smart Café boasts many robotic features including a scheduled self-cleaning feature and the ability to brew over 200 hot and cold coffee drinks in a kiosk format that eliminates the need for a full-time barista,” Rex says. “The machine also captures and reports rich sales data in real time.” Whether a vending option or a more advanced robotic barista, the quality has to be there to encourage widespread use, notes Max McClelland, senior manager of brands and concept development for Delaware North’s Travel Division. “If the option presents itself and it’s done in the right way, more people are open to the idea of it, but it’s important that the machine can deliver a delicious, barista-level quality and consistent product.” Paradies Lagardère currently operates Costa Coffee Smart Cafés in five

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AX NEWS OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2024