Leading global food and beverage operator SSP arrives at Sydney Airport
SSP News Release 17-October-2008
SSP, the leading dedicated operator of food and beverage brands in travel locations worldwide, has won the tender for Sydney Airport’s newly revamped International Terminal. In its first foray into the competitive Australian market, it will open five new outlets at Sydney Airport. The global food giant was awarded the highly anticipated contracts in the International Terminal’s new AUS$500 million re-development opening in 2010.
SSP operates restaurants, bars, cafés, food courts and convenience stores in airports, rail stations, leisure venues and onboard trains around the world. It partners with international, national and local brands which range from market-leading, iconic names like M&S Simply Food to niche experts such as Caviar House & Prunier. From baristas to Michelin-starred chefs, SSP employs over 26,000 staff in 31 countries across Europe, Asia and North America and serves millions of customers every week.
At Sydney Airport’s International Terminal, SSP will merge the best in Sydney brands, including offerings from local favourites Danks Street Depot and the Bambini Wine Room, with a diverse range of high profile international brands. The five winning concepts, which also include Itacho Sushi, Trattoria Prego and Caviar House & Prunier, will be ready to serve T1’s 10 million visitors annually once the Terminal’s refurbishment is complete in about 18 months.
Derek Larsen, General Manager, Retail for Sydney Airport Corporation Limited said; “This is quite a coup for Sydney Airport. To have a world leading travel food brand create dining experiences in our airport is a first for Australia. It was a highly competitive tender process and we received outstanding submissions from food and beverage operators around the globe.
“SSP demonstrated an inherent understanding and appreciation of the challenges faced by food operators at airports. Sydney Airport was impressed with SSP’s unique, proven ability to feature a dynamic mix of food and beverage brands specifically tailored to different locations.
“SSP have accumulated fantastic experience and a long heritage combining food and travel over 60 years in the industry. We are confident they will offer exceptional food and a great experience for the millions of customers who travel through Sydney Airport annually,” Larsen added.
Daren Lau, Managing Director, SSP Asia Pacific, said, “Sydney International Airport represents an extraordinary opportunity for our first venture into the Australian market. The redevelopment of Terminal 1 will clearly reinforce Sydney Airport’s reputation as one of the world’s leading airports. Sydney Airport has some of the highest reported retail sales per square metre of any airport in the world and 38,000 passengers travelling through Sydney Airport daily, so we’re absolutely delighted that it will be the location of our debut in the Australian market; and in fact, the 32nd country for SSP.”
“We are very pleased to be partnering with SACL at such an exciting time in the airport’s development. We are now focused on building a strong team in Sydney, to work closely with SACL to deliver the new units and to establish a solid base for our developing business in the region.”
As the most profitable retail asset (per square metre) in Australia (double the annual turnover per square metre of some of Australia’s largest shopping centres1), Sydney Airport offers a lucrative opportunity for domestic and international retail outlets. Currently servicing over 10 million passengers annually, passenger numbers are expected to more than double to 79 million a year over the next two decades.’