USA. Evolvending and Canteen are set to significantly expand the automated dining offer at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport after securing a concession covering almost 30 locations across the gateway.
The Metropolitan Airports Commission approved the partners’ appointment on 22 September as part of its Automated Retail and Food Service Concessions programme.
From January 2027, Evolvending and Canteen will begin a phased introduction of branded food kiosks and automated dining concepts across the airport, featuring a range of established restaurant and specialist food names.
The line-up includes TGI Fridays, Twisted Taco and Garbanzo, all making their airport debuts, alongside California Pizza Kitchen, Wow Bao, White Castle, The Amish Pretzels and Farmer’s Fridge, among other brands.
Canteen – part of Compass Group North America – will serve as prime contractor, with Evolvending providing specialist hot-food vending expertise, equipment and ongoing operational support.
The partners – already working together at Minneapolis-St. Paul International and other US airports – said the programme is notable for the scale of its focus on food-specific automated vending.
Evolvending noted: “The Metropolitan Airports Commission and MSP are expanding travellers’ access to convenient dining options and creating a model that other airports may consider as demand for automated food service grows.”
Canteen District General Manager Heinrich Von Mende said: “When people travel, every minute matters. By making quality food easier to find throughout the airport, we’re helping guests spend less time searching for a meal and more time focused on their journey.”
Evolvending CEO and Co-Founder Valentina Ellison commented: “This award reflects the power of bringing together Canteen’s national scale and operational excellence with Evolvending’s specialty automated-food expertise and unmatched variety of brand partners.
“Together, we are giving MSP travellers convenient, around-the-clock access to an extraordinary range of trusted restaurant favourites and innovative food concepts – setting a new standard for automated airport dining.”
Founded by Ellison and sister Irina Viveiros-Capcelea, who left corporate careers to establish the business, Evolvending also operates automated retail and food & beverage solutions at airports including Boston Logan International, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International and Southwest Florida International. 
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