USA. Areas USA has joined the Airport F&B Pathfinders Committee (APC) as its latest founding member, extending the Committee’s reach beyond Europe and introducing the Culinary Institute of America’s (CIA) Menus of Change framework to the US travel dining market.
Launched by the CIA and tRetail Labs, the committee recently welcomed Munich Airport’s Allresto as a founding member as it works to shape the next generation of airport food & beverage through to 2035.
Areas USA, a subsidiary of global travel hospitality operator Areas, becomes the committee’s largest member by portfolio scale following its 2025 acquisition of Delaware North’s Travel Hospitality Services, a deal that established the company as the largest privately held travel hospitality operator in the US.
Areas USA CEO Carlos Bernal said: “The future of airport dining is an opportunity to redefine the traveller experience while creating lasting value for airports, operators and our industry.
“The Airport F&B Pathfinders Committee brings together leaders committed to advancing sustainable innovation and shaping the next generation of airport food & beverage.”
With Areas USA now onboard, Bernal and his operations and culinary leadership are exploring how to apply the Committee’s vision across one of the industry’s largest airport hospitality networks.
Areas USA Vice President of Operational Excellence Steve Byrne said: “Turning that vision into reality requires collaboration, practical solutions, and a willingness to rethink how we serve today’s traveller.
“The Airport F&B Pathfinders Committee gives us the opportunity to share best practices, embrace smarter operations and use tools like the TFF Diagnostic Lens and Menus of Change principles to test and scale innovations that deliver lasting value for travellers, airport partners and our industry.”
An expanding global alliance
The APC’s founding membership is designed to include no more than 20 organisations globally, ensuring early participants play a visible leadership role as the committee’s frameworks are tested and refined.
Munich Airport, through its hospitality subsidiary Allresto, became the first airport to join the initiative as a founding member earlier this year.
The CIA views this membership as a key milestone in advancing the committee’s vision.
The Center for Food & Beverage Leadership Director – Programs and Special Projects Jennifer Breckner said: “Bringing an operator with the scale and reach of Areas into the Airport F&B Pathfinders Committee means the frameworks we have built are immediately being tested against the realities of a large, multi-terminal US portfolio.
“That is exactly the kind of proof point the committee was designed to generate.”
tRetail Labs Founder and CEO Sushanta Das added: “Munich Airport showed what a single, deeply integrated model can achieve. Areas shows what happens when the same thinking is applied across dozens of terminals in a highly competitive market.
“Two very different starting points, the same conclusion: healthier, more sustainable food is a commercial advantage, not a compromise. I am delighted to welcome Carlos, Steve, Pablo and the Areas team as our newest founding member.”
As a new founding member, Areas USA will adopt the same three-phase pathway underpinning the committee’s work.
These include the TFF Diagnostic Lens to identify gaps across traveller well-being, hospitality, sustainability and travel relevance; the Menus of Change framework for implementation; and nrtureAI to measure post-implementation impact across Areas’ US portfolio.
Airports, operators and concessionaires seeking to participate in the Travel F&B Fit (TFF) Framework, the Menus of Change evaluation or the Airport F&B Pathfinders Committee can access further details via ciaindustryleadership.com/airport-fb.
Organisations interested in sharing their expertise, support or experience with this initiative can reach out to Sushanta Das at sushanta.das@tretaillabs.com, Mark Angela at mark.angela@tretaillabs.com or Abby Fammartino at Abby.Fammartino@culinary.edu. 
