Airport Experience® News - Food & Beverage Issue 2024

Right: Bambuza Vietnam Kitchen continues to gain traction as more and more travelers extend out of their comfort zones to try something new.

Jeff Brown, senior director of operations and innovation at Bambuza Hospitality , which operates both Sambazon Açaí Bowls at SNA as well as its own better-for-you brand, Bambuza Vietnam Kitchen , agrees that there is a learning curve to getting passengers to embrace new flavors and cuisines. “Food is personal — it’s hard to tell somebody what to eat,” says Brown. “But as we all know, people are becoming more traveled, especially the younger generation,” and therefore more open to trying unfamiliar fare, he says. “In terms of airports, we’re seeing the globalization of trends,” adds Chief Development Officer Erik Ward, and

“between social media and travel, things that might have taken 10 to 15 years to move from market to market happen almost instantaneously.” Nguyen agrees. “Airports have been pushing in the past few years for healthier brands and fresh food options. Post-Covid, the profile of the traveler has changed. Passengers are more health-conscious and as we see their eating habits shift,

there is a higher demand for fresh and healthy,” he says. “The airports are listening and understand this shift. They want to serve the demands of passengers so implementing more wellness-focused options is a must.” There’s a personal, curated element to smaller, wellness-focus brands, adds Ward. When passengers can see the elements of their food being prepared, from the bowls of bananas at a Sambazon to the assemblage of a bánh mi sandwich at Bambuza Vietnam Kitchen, it allows “people to see the hands that are making this - it signifies fresh,” he says. “Health and wellness is a trend that’s not going away, it’s forcing the hand of the larger chains to change how they do things.” In looking at the overall balance of national fast-food favorites to newer, more health-conscious brands, concessionaires agreed that their strategy was less about pushing one over the other than making sure that they provide quality food across the board. “I feel it’s more about having wellness focused options available versus a certain balance between the two,” says Cheung. “Airports are fully aware that a variety of options in a particular concourse or terminal is a key to capturing traffic, driving sales and surpassing traveler expectations. Including a healthy option in the mix of restaurants would certainly help contribute to those goals.” “The ideal balance in an airport concessions program is to offer passengers a diverse array of food concepts and menu offerings,” adds Nguyen. “While the healthier, better-for-you concepts are increasing and being well-received, it’s still important to diversify the options within the terminals so there is something for everyone.”

35

AX NEWS JUNE 2024