UK. Lagardère Travel Retail has launched its food & beverage operation in the UK and Ireland with the opening of conveyor belt restaurant YO! Sushi in London Luton Airport’s departure lounge.
In a social media post, the company said: “Travellers at London Luton Airport can now enjoy an all-day offering of fresh Japanese meals. including the first-ever breakfast menu from YO! Sushi. We couldn’t have done it without the great support of our awesome partners at YO! and London Luton Airport.”
YO! International General Manager David Dillon said: “We are excited to be opening at London Luton Airport, where we are confident that YO!’s fresh, healthy and convenient Japanese food offer will be ideally suited for departing passengers.
“Passengers will be able to dine-in at our famous kaiten conveyor belt, or more time-pressed travellers will be able to take advantage of our comprehensive grab-and-go offer. The expertise of Lagardère in travel retail is second to none, and they are the ideal partner for our first franchise restaurant in the UK.”
Lagardère Travel Retail UK & Ireland Managing Director Marion Engelhard commented: “We are very excited for the opening of YO! at London Luton Airport, and are delighted to be working with both YO! and the London Luton Airport team to deliver the best possible experience for our customers. YO!’s healthy and fresh menu offers something for everyone and is perfectly catered to serve London Luton Airport travellers.
“Just as important, YO!’s commitment to sustainability and making a positive difference in the communities that we serve aligns perfectly with Lagardère Travel Retail’s CSR commitments and makes this the perfect partnership.”
London Luton Airport Chief Commercial Officer Jonathan Rayner commented: “YO! will be a fantastic addition to the choice of restaurants available to passengers travelling through London Luton Airport. YO! is an exciting and established brand that is extremely popular with sushi lovers but will also offer diners a mouth-watering range of hot street food, from traditional classics to innovative fusion dishes.
“With a busy summer ahead of us, the timing of this latest restaurant opening couldn’t be better, offering even more choice and underlining our commitment to delivering a simple and friendly passenger experience.”
The new restaurant offers Japanese street food and a wide selection of sushi and sashimi, as well as Katsu Curry, Teriyaki, and yakisoba, among others. The menu also includes hot and cold takeaway food and breakfast items.
Diners can take food from the conveyor or order hot dishes from the kitchen.
The opening of this new F&B concept further extends Lagardère’s foodservice footprint and adds to its global portfolio of more than 1,100 restaurants.
The new restaurant joins the growing list of F&B options at the airport. As reported, London Luton Airport opened two new restaurants in March with Airport Retail Enterprises. These were premium Italian dining venue Nolito and Avalon, an Australia-inspired coffee and grab & go offer. ✈
Note: The Moodie Davitt Report publishes the FAB Newsletter, which features highlights of openings, events and campaigns from around the world of airport and travel dining. Please email Kristyn@MoodieDavittReport.com to subscribe.
The company also hosts The Airport Food & Beverage (FAB) + Hospitality Conference & Awards, which will take place on 12-13 September in Bangkok, Thailand after a four-year COVID-driven absence. Notably, FAB’s remit has been extended this year to feature wider airport hospitality services, including hotels and lounges.
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