An initiative inspired by the recently announced Travel Food & Beverage Manifesto 2035 will convene leading airports, hospitality operators and researchers to co-create the next era of healthy, sustainable and delicious airport dining, say the partners.
INTERNATIONAL. The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) and tRetail Labs have launched the Airport F&B Pathfinders Committee (APC), a new industry platform designed to bring together forward-looking airports, hospitality operators and research leaders to guide the next generation of travel dining to 2035.
The partners will explore how the CIA Menus of Change Principles of Healthy, Sustainable Menus and tRetail Labs’ data insights on traveller behaviour can help “redefine how food & beverage contributes to the future passenger journey”.
The initiative builds on the momentum of the Travel Food & Beverage Manifesto 2035, which calls for a new vision for food & beverage in travel environments that balances culinary excellence, sustainability, consumer wellbeing and commercial performance.
Through the APC, the CIA and tRetail Labs aim to create a collaborative forum where industry leaders can exchange ideas, support research initiatives and develop practical frameworks for the evolving airport hospitality landscape.
Among the first members to join the initiative is Munich Airport via its hospitality subsidiary Allresto, widely recognised for its progressive approach to airport gastronomy.
Munich Airport has long set benchmarks for integrating hospitality into the travel journey. Through Allresto’s extensive portfolio of restaurants, cafés and bars, the airport has consistently elevated food & beverage beyond a functional service, positioning dining as a defining part of the passenger experience while celebrating Bavarian culinary identity alongside international concepts.
For Allresto, the APC reflects the growing importance of aligning culinary innovation with broader sustainability and wellbeing priorities.
Munich Airport Chief Commercial Officer and Chief Security Officer Dr Jan-Henrik Andersson said the initiative provides a timely platform for industry collaboration.
“Airports today are places where travel, culture and gastronomy intersect in powerful ways. The Airport F&B Pathfinders Committee creates an opportunity for the industry to exchange ideas and explore how dining concepts can remain commercially strong while responding to the growing demand for healthier and more sustainable food choices.”
Allresto Flughafen München Hotel und Gaststätten Managing Director Andreas Reichert said the initiative offers an important opportunity for airports to contribute to shaping the future of travel hospitality.
“Food & beverage has become a defining element of the airport journey. It is no longer simply a supporting service but an experience that shapes how passengers perceive the airport as a whole.
“By joining the Airport F&B Pathfinders Committee, Munich Airport looks forward to sharing its forward-thinking operational perspective, collaborating with global partners to help define what the next generation of airport dining could look like.”
From the CIA’s perspective, the initiative aligns closely with its broader mission of advancing culinary leadership and sustainability across the global food system.
CIA Center for Food and Beverage Leadership Director of Health and Sustainability Programs and Research Abby Fammartino added that the initiative also builds on the momentum of the Menus of Change movement.
“The future of food service lies in making healthy and sustainable choices, the most delicious and appealing choices, and the APC brings this industry- proven Menus of Change framework into airport-ready concepts that make healthier food both desirable and commercially successful.
“We are also pleased to welcome Munich Airport as the first airport and founding member of the APC, setting a strong benchmark for industry collaboration.”
tRetail Labs Founder and CEO Sushanta Das said the next phase of airport dining will require deeper collaboration across the industry.
“I am delighted to welcome Munich Airport as the first airport and founding member of the APC,” he commented. “Airport food & beverage is entering a new chapter. The coming decade will require closer collaboration across airports, operators, chefs and researchers.
“Traveller expectations are evolving rapidly. The APC is designed to create a shared space for the industry to experiment and learn together. It will help shape a clear roadmap for what airport dining should look like in 2035.”
Das continued: “It is indeed great to have Dr Jan Henrik Andersson and Andreas Reichert onboard to help champion this vision. The Airport F&B Pathfinders Committee will support collaborative research, industry dialogue and knowledge sharing across the sector as airports continue to evolve into complex hospitality environments rather than simple transport hubs.
“Munich Airport and Allresto’s participation marks an early step toward what the teams at CIA x tRetail Labs hope will become a global coalition of airports and hospitality leaders committed to shaping the future of travel dining.”
A call for broader industry collaboration
The 2035 Travel Food Manifesto and its 2035 Airport Food & Beverage Manifesto focus on airports is intended to establish a credible foundation and roadmap for rethinking food across travel and visitor environments in the next decade.
This work brings together public health, culinary practice, behavioural insight and operational realities to develop shared definitions, frameworks and evidence that can inform planning, policy and design decisions over the coming decade.
The future of food in travel is best shaped together. You can learn more about CIA x tRetail Labs’ mission via this link.
Reach out to Sushanta Das at sushanta.das@tretaillabs.com, Professor Dr Thorsten Merkle at thorsten.merkle@tretaillabs.com or Abby Fammartino at abby.fammartino@culinary.edu to contribute your voice, support or experience to this initiative. 
