ITALY. Autogrill has entered the maritime channel by securing a contract to provide food & beverage and retail services onboard eight vessels in the Grandi Navi Veloci (GNV) fleet.
The contract begins this February and runs for five years. Autogrill expects to make sales of around €20 million a year on the eight vessels.
The company will operate 23 snack bars, eight self-service cafeterias, five à la carte table service restaurants and 14 shops offering a range of products from book, newspapers, toys and snacks to clothing and accessories. Autogrill has recruited 70 people who will work alongside GNV’s onboard personnel to provide the services.
Grandi Navi Veloci operates mixed passenger and cargo lines in the Mediterranean. The lines operated by GNV’s ten-vessel fleet are Genoa-Porto Torres, Genoa-Olbia, Genoa-Palermo, Civitavecchia-Palermo, Livorno-Palermo, Genoa-Barcelona, Genoa-(Malta)-Tunis, Civitavecchia-Tunis, Palermo-Tunis, Genoa-Barcelona and Barcelona-Tangiers.
In holiday periods and long weekends, and also on a charter basis, Grandi Navi Veloci also provides three to four day mini-cruises.
Autogrill said that it had tailored a special system of on board services for the shipping line’s customers, who are typically of various nationalities. In particular, it said, menus feature the cuisine of the different regions where the vessels stop off and are designed to satisfy the needs of a multi-ethnic clientele.
“We’re very satisfied with this result,” said Autogrill Italia Chief Operating Officer Aldo Papa, “as it gives Autogrill its debut in the maritime onboard F&B market alongside a major operator of the caliber of Grandi Navi Veloci. Given the positive outcome of the test we did in 2007, we think this channel is very interesting and we’ll be considering opportunities for developing it in the future”.
GNV General Sales Manager Ariodante Valeri added: “We’re very happy to welcome aboard Autogrill, a group that’s a guarantee of quality service and which can boast a consolidated track record in the F&B business. It will be able support GNV’s growth on international markets and develop innovative and long-term projects with us. We’re also looking at the possibility of integrating our “˜shore’ offering by involving our common client base of private passengers and haulage contractors.”
In 2007 GNV carried over 1,200,000 passengers.
[comments]
Your post will appear – once approved – in The Moodie Forum on our home page
MORE STORIES ON AUTOGRILL
Autogrill EBITDA up by +8.9% on +24% revenues rise; Aldeasa sales grow +14.7% – 27/01/08
World Duty Free field narrows after indicative bids; markets turmoil yet to dull interest – 23/01/08
