AUSTRALASIA. A powerful food & beverage panel comprising companies from across the industry ‘Trinity’ has been announced for the Australian Airports Association (AAA) Airport Retail & Commercial Forum. The event takes place on 17-19 July in Brisbane.
McDonald’s, Craveable Brands and FoodCo will be represented as will leading airport F&B operator Airport Retail Enterprises (ARE) and Queensland Airports Group.
Organised by a partnership between the AAA, The Mercurius Group and The Moodie Davitt Report, the Forum brings together the key players in the airport non-aeronautical sector. Attendees will include airports from Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands, duty free and specialty retailers, F&B operators, foreign exchange operators, advertising concessionaires, ground transport providers and various advisers and suppliers.
The F&B Panel at the Forum will give voice to domestic market retailers and brands who will give their perspective on how airports and their partners can make their commercial programmes more attractive and better performing.
They will share the podium with ARE, the largest airport F&B operator in Australia/NZ, and Gold Coast Airport (part of Queensland Airports Group), which is refreshing its own F&B programme. The panellists have been tasked with discussing how to accelerate F&B growth in airports. Confirmed speakers include:
- McDonald’s National Property Director Skye Baker
- Craveable Brands Chief Development Officer Simon Thompson
- FoodCo Group Hospitals & Transit General Manager Tony Brusch
- Airport Retail Enterprises CEO John Chapman
- Queensland Airports Group General Manager Commercial Revenue Isabelle Yates
Commenting on the announcement, AAA Chief Executive James Goodwin said: “It’s great to have some of the biggest F&B players represented on this panel. The retail landscape across airports has become very important and this panel will help all involved understand how important F&B facilities are to passengers.”
“To have companies of the calibre of McDonald’s, Craveable Brands and FoodCo join our event is an important testament to how important airports have become as part of the overall retail landscape. And to balance out the panel with key players such as ARE and Gold Coast Airport will make for some interesting discussion for AAA members who all have an interest in F&B.”
The Mercurius Group Managing Director Ivo Favotto said: “The role of international, national, regional and local brands in the development of an airport’s F&B programme is a perennial debate. Last year, the AAA Retail & Commercial Forum heard from some very local F&B operators. This year, we’re going to hear from some of the biggest national and global brands – all in the name of how can we create new passenger spend rate benchmarks for airports”.
The Moodie Davitt Report President Dermot Davitt said: “The Trinity concept of getting input from and collaboration between airport, retailer and brand to drive growth has been an important part of the travel retail industry for the past 20 years, driven on a global level of course by The Moodie Davitt Report’s Trinity Forum. We are delighted this concept has now moved into the F&B sector at this event.” ✈
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.
For all partnership, speaker, content and other enquiries please contact Jeannie Wong, The Moodie Davitt Report Asia Bureau Chief and Head of Marketing & Events at Jeannie@MoodieDavittReport.com
