Airport Experience® News - Leadership Issue 2025

Left, Below: Villa Russo Café recently opened in JFK’s Terminal 4. Prior to the entering the IOC program, owner George Russo scanned LinkedIn for connections and information on operating in an airport.

Patricia Chinander, founder of IOC mentor brand Love from USA Group (who are now partnering with IOC grads BklynBlend , Beautiful Amore and Rincon Salvadoreño), agrees. “Coming from a background in operations and product development, I understand the many layers it takes to build a successful brand,” says Chinander. “Seeing that same hunger and drive in these entrepreneurs gives me such a sense of pride and a genuine desire to pay it forward.” Russo, whose airport outpost launches this winter in Terminal 4, says he has had “a tremendously positive experience” with [operational partner] HMSHost. “They respect and understand my expertise and what I’m bringing to the table,” while providing crucial support for the volume expected at one of the world’s busiest airports, he adds. “There’s 26 million people that go through Terminal 4, and if you split those in half [for enplanements and deplanements], there’s 13 million enplanements – it’s like drinking out of a firehose,” he says. “Another thing that was really brought home to me was, this is 365 days a year, 15 hours a day minimum, because you have to be open before the first flight, and you don’t close to the last flight. If it’s delayed by snow or wind or rain, you have to remain open and operate full-throttle every day of the week,”Russo adds. “That was another reason why we decided to hook up with a company that’s been there before, that’s learned and that knows this space.” Opening and operating at JFK “wasn’t easy,” adds Danielson, but the experience has been “one of the most powerful moments of my journey. I went from local markets and small pop-ups to welcoming travelers from all over the world, [with] people rushing to flights, pausing just long enough to experience a moment of calm, love and self-care at our kiosk.” Despite the challenges, “every lesson from the IOC showed up when I needed it most,” she adds. “The training on airport structure, operations, badging and navigating partnerships was invaluable. It helped me speak the same language as developers and decision-makers.”

how to move with confidence in spaces where representation is still growing,” she adds. “But what made it truly special was the sense of community and mentorship. I met people who genuinely wanted to see me win.” Bedford-Stuyvesant-based café Bklyn Blend founder Keishon Warren found the IOC to be “both transformational and inspiring,” he says. “As a small business, Bklyn Blend – and particularly myself – went into the cohort with no knowledge, acumen or confidence in operating in the airport. The institute provided educational insight, structure and a sense of inclusion, which allows businesses like ours to scale into an environment that may provide the ability for our mission to evolve through generations.” “The airport world moves differently,” adds Danielson. “It’s not your typical retail or food and beverage environment. There are layers of compliance, logistics, and partnerships that require both preparation and patience.” Alumni like Russo noted that some of the most crucial learnings came not only from being taught the ins and outs of buildout costs and pricing strategy, but from the IOC’s courses on food safety standards and security clearances. “If someone gets sick from your food, and they get on a plane, and that plane has to turn around – that’s a big problem,” says Russo. “Safety issues are paramount.”

Warren, who is set to open locations in both JFK’s Terminal 6 and Terminal 8 through licensing agreements with MERA and Onsite Retailers , says going through the cohort “gave us the insight and confidence needed to approach conversations from financial modeling to compliance and operations,” he says, adding, “This process has also reinforced the importance of preparation and patience. We’ve learned to think more strategically about logistics, buildout timelines, and operational systems.” Mentor Viewpoints For industry mentors like Avolta (whose representatives from brands Hudson and HMSHost have mentored and partnered with IOC grads like Villa Russo, Rincon Salvadoreño , Harissa Hot Honey , QNSY Sparkling Cocktail and Neir’s Tavern ), the process of shepherding small businesses into the airport concessions space has “been tremendously rewarding and inspiring,” says Bridget Biagas, vice president of business development for Hudson. “Avolta is deeply committed to fostering relationships in our communities, and connecting with these passionate entrepreneurs and learning about their journeys deepened my appreciation for the dedication and creativity they bring to their businesses.”

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AX NEWS DECEMBER 2025 / JANUARY 2026