UK. When Manchester Airports Group (MAG) Retail Director Beth Brewster briefed World Duty Free Group (WDFG) about her vision for the 2,850sq m walk-through store which opened at Stansted last year, she made it clear that she wanted – in her own forthright phrasing – the “biggest and the best”. Brewster was equally clear about her ambitions for phase two of Stansted’s £80 million (US$122 million) terminal transformation, which focused on the location’s food & beverage portfolio. As reported, that vibrant new F&B offer was officially revealed earlier this week.
“The vision for F&B was quite clear in my head – I wanted it to raise the bar,” she tells The Moodie Report. “And I was quite clear on the mix I wanted – not necessarily the specific brands – but the right combination of known airport brands, airport firsts, new offers, table service casual dining, and the best bar in the country.”
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(L to R:) Andrew Harrison, Managing Director Stansted Airport, Charlie Cornish, MAG Chief Executive and Beth Brewster, MAG Retail Director declare phase two officially open for business |
Brewster admits it was a big ask. But to their credit, F&B operators big and small rose to the occasion with aplomb. “Over 70 brands submitted tenders for just 12 units,” she confirms. “I was expecting a good response, but I wasn’t expecting that. And luckily the F&B operators, from the major players like SSP, TRG and Host, to a number of smaller independent names, understood what we were trying to do and saw the potential of Stansted – previously a sleeping giant in need of vision and redevelopment, which is now very much awake. Choosing from those 70 brands was one of the best headaches I’ve ever had in my career.”
She underlines: “It was really important to get the mix right. If you took it on a purely commercial basis you’d just put in six coffee shops. But that is absolutely not what the passenger wants – or the vision that we had for Stansted. We were really clear about what we wanted each and every unit to do. And we’ve tried hard to make sure that we offer something for every single passenger that comes through this airport, regardless of budget or taste.”
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Beth Brewster: “We’ve tried hard to make sure that we offer something for every single passenger that comes through this airport, regardless of budget or taste.” |
The result is a world-class F&B portfolio, built around a commitment to quality and consistency, imbued with a tangible dedication to differentiation. Even the most familiar names, such as Starbucks, Burger King and Pret A Manger, have fine-tuned their offer to deliver real diversity.
“With the established brands, it was a case of “˜give us your best’,” Brewster explains. “Give us something different, even if we love you and you’ve traded at Stansted for years. We especially pushed them all very hard on design, and to be fair, they all responded. Every single unit has elements that make you say “˜wow’.”
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Wetherspoon’s new Windmill pub covers more than 7,000sq ft across a ground-floor and mezzanine level | |
Those familiar fascias are complemented by a number of airport firsts, such as the debut James Martin Kitchen, the bespoke Halo Fizz Bar, the first airport Harris + Hoole door and the first Coast to Coast American diner in a UK airport. How much of a risk was it to take a chance on so many “˜unknowns’?
“I don’t see those units as a risk,” responds Brewster, with feeling. “I see them as an opportunity – but again, you have to get the balance right. I don’t think any airport operator could put in 12 firsts all at once. When you work with an operator that’s trading in an airport for the first time, you have to hold their hand a bit. And that’s OK. That’s all part of being a good partner, and I don’t use that word lightly. So it’s not a risk, it’s just a slightly different process from that of working with the more established operators, and you have to help them through. And don’t forget, for example, James Martin has the backing of SSP, which “˜de-risks’ it significantly.”
With phase two done and dusted, phase three is very much underway. “That will involve retail, and much more speciality retail,” Brewster confirms. “I can’t tell you the line-up today, but we are in our final conversations and hopefully everything will be official within the next six weeks, with a view to going live pre-Christmas.”
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Healthy living option Itsu invites travellers to ‘eat beautiful’ at Stansted |
Once again, the tender has generated an impressive response, with 80 brands showing an interest in the 16 new retail doors, which are scheduled to open around October/November.
“I can promise another really good line-up comprising high street brands, airport firsts, accessible brands and slightly more high-end names,” enthuses Brewster. “It will be amazing. If phase two – the F&B – is the cake, phase three will be the icing on that cake.”
Interestingly, as the two-year Stansted project draws to a close, Brewster is literally in the process of exploring pastures new – although for now, the finer details are firmly under wraps. “I am going to work for MAG in the USA,” she explains. “It’s something completely different. We’ve been doing a lot of business development out there and the time has come to set up with a bit more intent.”
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The Stansted F&B portfolio combines known airport brands and several airport firsts |
But the foundations Brewster has laid at Stansted are strong, and fit for purpose for the next decade. “We’ll be as flexible as we need to be in terms of any changes that we deem necessary, but when we look at our passenger numbers, we’ve got enough capacity now to cope for around eight to ten years,” she observes. “At that point, we’d need to do something new anyway, because that’s the lifecycle. At that stage you’ve got to refresh, revamp and re-do.
“When we have finished everything, we will take a breath and let the units settle. Then we will evaluate and make changes if we need to.”
Nonetheless, Brewster is excited about the new routes that are in the pipeline for summer 2016 – and the potential commercial upside they represent. Next year, for the first time, Thomson and First Choice will operate long haul flights to Cancun Mexico and Orlando Sanford. This July Thomas Cook Airlines will begin long-haul services to Las Vegas.
“We are really pleased to once again be the UK’s fastest growing airport,” Brewster concludes. “That’s always a nice place to be.”
Stansted’s F&B portfolio: the full menu
WETHERSPOON
The new Windmill pub at London Stansted is a Wetherspoon – but not as you might know it. Described by Brewster as “the most amazing airport pub I have ever seen”, it is Wetherspoon’s biggest airport outlet, covering more than 7,000sq ft across a ground-floor and mezzanine level.
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Leon’s John Vincent and HMS Host’s Walter Seib sing the praises of healthy fast food |
The centrepiece of the £2.7 million fit-out is a show-stopping windmill (minus sails) located in the heart of the unit. There is also a compact, external “garden area”.
The Windmill specialises in real ales, including a range of beers from local and regional brewers and microbrewers, plus a range of craft beer and lager from around the globe. Showcasing the best of British, the pub serves a range of English and Scottish gins (including Portobello, Sipsmith, Martin Miller and Hendrick’s) as well as Chapel Down English wines from Tenterden Vineyard in Kent.
Food is served from 4am until the last flight, seven days a week. The Windmill incorporates flight information boards, a recharging area for mobile phones and laptops, dining booths, an open galley kitchen and a see-through cellar.
“We’re delighted to be part of the fantastic new-look Stansted,” noted Wetherspoon Chief Executive John Hutson. “The Windmill pub has been a feature of the terminal for more than ten years, and travellers can now enjoy an even better experience at the new pub. We look forward to serving millions of customers in the many years ahead and to being an important part of the travellers’ experience at the airport.”
ITSU
Healthy living option Itsu takes the form of an eye-catching “island” unit within the terminal, and features a striking, bespoke lighting installation created by Cinimod Design.
“We’re super excited with our “˜Eat Beautiful’ mission to try and get as many locations as possible for customers to sample our products,” noted Brand and Product Director Roisin McCart. “We are heavily concentrated in London, but have been opening in other areas such as Brighton and Oxford. We will soon be in Cambridge too.”
She continued: “We are so excited to come into Stansted. The advice before flying is to eat light, and all of our food and drink is so healthy and beautiful.”
The Itsu offer comprises a wide selection of low-calorie and low-fat menu choices that are nonetheless high on taste and enjoyment, despite being almost entirely dairy-, wheat-, fat- and mayonnaise-free. Sushi, soups, noodles, brown rice “potsus” and colourful low-carb salads dominate the offer. In addition, the Stansted door is the first location in the UK to offer breakfast dishes such as porridge and eggs.
Other innovations include a choice of three “beautysmoothies” that are blended fresh at the till, plus a new coffee selection. Evening menu innovations are also in the pipeline.
PRET A MANGER
Pret A Manger has been serving handmade food and organic coffee to passengers at Stansted for more than a decade, but the new 24-hour store features an evolved menu and exclusive shop design. “We are particularly proud of this unit because we’ve been allowed to do some special things here that you won’t see in any other Pret,” noted Area Manager Lykke Vad.
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Pret A Manger’s on-site kitchen produces on average 4,600 fresh sandwiches every day |
That includes the installation of a tree-inspired feature wall that aims to “bring the outside in”, and the creation of several travel retail exclusive items such as hot baguettes and special protein pots. In addition, the on-site kitchen produces on average 4,600 fresh sandwiches every day.
LEON
Leon, the high street chain that offers naturally fast food, operates at Stansted in partnership with HMS Host. Its menu is bursting with quick and healthy options aimed at travellers on the go, according to Co-Founder and CEO John Vincent. Main meal options include Leon’s hot boxes such as chilli chicken and Moroccan meatballs. Superfood salads, burgers, noodle soups and wraps are complemented by breakfast options including salmon and egg, porridge and bacon and sausage muffins.
“We wanted to make it easy for everyone to eat well, and fast food was the way to do it,” notes Vincent. “People especially need to eat well in airports. We partnered with HMS Host in King’s Cross, as our first travel door, and from there the relationship has blossomed.”
“Today we operate six Leons, and are introducing the brand to a much wider audience. The customer feedback is enormously positive, and we feel this concept has great potential, not just in the transportation channel, but in many markets and many sectors in the world.“ |
Walter Seib CEO HMS Host |
“We are constantly spotting concepts and trends around the world, and when we saw Leon we saw enormous possibilities,” explains HMS Host CEO Walter Seib.
“Today we operate six Leons, and are introducing the brand to a much wider audience. The customer feedback is enormously positive, and we feel this concept has great potential, not just in the transportation channel, but in many markets and many sectors in the world.”
He adds: “Leon is all about the food, and we are an F&B company with a duty and obligation to serve good food to consumers. If you have a lousy product and lousy service you die, and rightly so.”
Leon has around 22 high street stores, with more planned, but both Vincent and Seib recognise that more can be done – particularly via social media – to further raise the brand’s profile.
“Before, we concentrated on marketing only when people came to our stores,” observes Seib. “Those days are over. Now we need to do much more before the journey, at the airport, and after the journey.
“We also need to get more space from the airports,” he states. “Today the trend is for the F&B spend to outperform that of retail. People have different choices today, and different priorities. But in some locations airport planning has not evolved to reflect this; nobody has recognised the shift in human behaviour.”
Speed of transaction is also key, Seib believes. “Today people want to be the master of their own time,” he declares. “I believe time is the currency of the future.”
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Stansted is the first ever airport location for artisan coffee company Harris + Hoole |
Not an issue in Leon, where passengers can be in and out in just 22 seconds if they pay contactless, according to Vincent. “That’s faster than, say, a sandwich shop,” he observes. “We are twice as quick, with good, hot food.”
Nonetheless, Vincent is generous with his praise for the operators he considers to be his main rivals (Pret, Itsu, Burger King) – all of which are close F&B neighbours at Stansted. Is that a problem, to be so close to his key competition?
“No,” he replies. “We are different. We are trying to re-invent fast food and premiumise fast food, and hope that people will value food enough to pay the little bit more they have to, to enjoy what we produce.”
“I genuinely believe in competition,” underlines Seib. “If your competition is not good, you don’t raise the bar. Of course, in one sense we like to have as little competition as possible, but really it is good for the business. And ultimately the customer will decide, which is correct. If you have a bad proposition, you have no right to exist.”
HARRIS & HOOLE
Stansted is the first ever airport location for artisan coffee company Harris + Hoole, the brainchild of three siblings, Nick, Andrew and Laura Tolley.
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Quality coffee: In 2014 Harris + Hoole was voted the UK’s best coffee chain |
“We wanted to enter the airport business for a number of reasons,” explains CEO Nick. “It was a bit opportunistic. We’re a young brand and a young business. And from a commercial perspective it’s hard to deny the opportunities of working somewhere like this – this door is probably two to three times busier than the next busy unit in our estate. It is exceeding all our expectations, and we haven’t even got to the peak summer period yet. So the best is yet to come.”
He adds: “But we also understood MAG’s vision for Stansted, and thought we’d be a good part of that fit.”
Harris + Hoole is all about coffee for connoisseurs. Customers can choose their beans and even stand right next to the barista as their coffee is prepared. The company’s beans are speciality grade (ie. graded at least 84 points out of 100) and sourced directly by Union Hand Roasted, who in turn source from the coffee farmers themselves. In 2014 Harris + Hoole was voted the UK’s best coffee chain (Costa came second and Pret was third).
At Stansted the coffee selection is complemented by a popular food offer that features everything from fruit salads to meat pies.
“Working with MAG has been tremendous, and they have understood the fact that we are a little bit green regarding the airport business,” noted Tolley. “It’s been a very good partnership and we are learning all the time.”
MAG Head of Retail Steven Foster added: “As you’d expect, the [tender] competition for coffee was fierce, but these were the only guys who really ticked all our boxes. We love what they do and what they stand for and were not put off by the fact that they have never operated at an airport before.”
HALO
The Halo Fizz Bar is one of seven sites operated by The Restaurant Group (TRG) at Stansted. It is a premium bar with a prime centrepiece location that offers a little taste of luxury via its menu of Champagne, cocktails and sparkling wines, accompanied by a selection of light bites.
“This site was a fantastic opportunity for our creative team to let their imagination run riot,” explains TRG Managing Director Nick Ayerst. “We worked with designers, executive chefs, and our wines and spirits suppliers to create an offer and environment that reflected the premium positioning set out by MAG. This is the place to see and be seen.”
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The Halo Fizz Bar was created specially for Stansted by The Restaurant Group |
There’s even a cocktail dedicated to the airport authority. The MAG (Magic and Glitter) features Prosecco, Stolichnaya citron vodka and a generous sprinkling of edible glitter.
Champagne is a big seller in retail terms at Stansted, and in a similar vein Halo is already proving popular with a number of different passenger segments. “We attract all sort of customers, from second homers to business travellers to hen parties,” confirms Ayerst. “Within the “˜fizz’ market, we have products at every price point, so there’s something that appeals to everyone, from bottles of Bollinger to Frizzenti on tap.”
He concludes: “We wanted to create a brand that encapsulated the new ambition and attitude brought to Stansted through its latest developments. Halo is modern, independent, confident – and unique to the airport.”
GIRAFFE
Another TRG unit at Stansted is the family-friendly Giraffe, which began trading at the location in February. “While Halo is a brand we’ve created, Giraffe is an external company that we franchise at UK airports,” noted Ayerst. “It offers an excellent range of all-day dining, and appeals to all passengers, whatever type of trip they’re on.”
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The family-friendly Giraffe franchise is making its debut at Stansted Airport |
The extensive menu showcases international favourites such as pastas, ribs, quesadillas, salads, club sandwiches, breakfasts, a kid’s menu – and the famous “˜croque’ giraffe.
“I’m hugely excited to [have opened] our first Giraffe at London Stansted, building on our existing portfolio of airport sites,” commented Co-Founder and Managing Director of Giraffe Restaurants Andrew Jacobs. “We aim to deliver on quality, efficiency and great value dishes, with a focus on healthy global food delivered with speed in a relaxing, casual dining environment.”
COAST TO COAST
Coast to Coast (another TRG unit) – inspired by the Lincoln Highway – is a first not just for Stansted but for any UK airport. The American restaurant and bar aims to offer a diverse range of authentic US flavours, serving everything from hearty morning breakfasts to colourful cocktails. Highlights include burgers, deep pan pizzas and pancakes with maple syrup.
“We are really pleased to open Coast to Coast’s first airport site within the Stansted redevelopment,” noted Ayerst. “This brand naturally lends itself to an airport location with a comfortable yet sleek environment and American menu that’s filled with quality, freshly cooked breakfasts and main menu dishes.”
BURGER KING
A highlight of the Stansted Airport Burger King (operated by SSP) is the Coca-Cola Freestyle machine. Designed by Ferrari, this touch-screen soda fountain offers well over 100 different varieties of customised Coca-Cola drinks, of which 60 are diet or low calorie. Customers can return and refill as many times as they like.
The machine is described as simple to use, and significantly speeds up service time and transactions. It is the first such machine in any airport, although there are also some trial locations within Burger King’s high street portfolio.
STARBUCKS
Stansted Airport is the debut UK location for the launch of Starbucks Evenings, a new initiative that sees the global coffee brand extend its offer to include alcoholic beverages and a curated food menu.
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American diner Coast to Coast is another brand making its airport debut at Stansted |
Operated by SSP, the Starbucks unit aims to create a “third place” that allows passengers to relax and escape the stresses of the travel environment. “As the name suggests, we want to increase the opportunities for travellers to enjoy the Starbucks brand in the evening, not just the day,” explained SSP Senior Brand Manager Victoria Robertson.
“The Evenings menu features a mix of small cold and hot plates, designed to suit the growing food trend of sharing dishes. It’s a very social way to eat. Since debuting it at Stansted, we have also introduced the Evenings concept to Edinburgh Airport.”
In the US, where the Evenings concept originated, the extended menu is available from 4pm onwards. At Stansted, however, the Evenings offer kicks in from midday.
The Stansted Evenings menu includes truffle mac and cheese, pulled pork chilli with crème fraiche, and flatbreads topped with Mediterranean vegetables and cheese. The wine offer includes whites, reds, rosés and Prosecco, in addition to Peroni Nastro Azzurro beer and Magners Original Cider.
CABIN
Another Stansted first, Cabin (operated by SSP) aims to add a touch of luxury to the travel experience. Inspired by the nostalgia of the Orient Express in its heyday, it offers fine wines and a specialist menu of contemporary British delicacies created in an open kitchen.
“This is our third Cabin to open (and the largest Cabin to date) and represents a real success story for SSP,” noted SSP UK Group Marketing Director Lucy Knowles. “Cabin satisfies the customer desire for small indulgence and high quality.”
British tapas and meze boards underpin the offer, alongside wines supplied by former owner Corney & Barrow.
JAMES MARTIN KITCHEN
Stansted is the launch location for the first ever James Martin Kitchen, created by the namesake celebrity chef in partnership with SSP. The unit is a premium bakery that offers a wide variety of products made with farm-fresh ingredients, to both eat in or grab and go.
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Above left: Burger King’s Coca-Cola Freestyle soda fountain; above right: Starbucks’ Evenings menu makes its UK debut | |
The concept took two years to execute and Martin joked he had aged five years in the process. “The logistics of working in an airport are very new to me,” he admits. “There are so many restrictions, and at times, it hasn’t been easy. But the airport (MAG) and SSP have been very good to me. I’m a newbie, I’m a foodie; I don’t have a business background. My whole career is food, flavour, taste, so this has been totally new. But it’s important to me to get everything right. Because it’s my name on the door and I want everything to be quality. It’s been a huge learning curve, but very interesting and I have enjoyed it.”
Martin is open to the idea of creating more James Martin Kitchens, but firmly rejects the idea of establishing a wider airport empire. “If we did open a second Kitchen, hopefully it would be easier, because we can apply what we’ve learned here,” he observes. “But I don’t want a million restaurants. I’ve only got one and I’m quite happy with that – I was cooking there last night and we fed 240 people. I don’t want to be Gordon Ramsay, or some global chef superstar.”
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Yet another Stansted first, Cabin, aims to add a touch of luxury to the F&B experience |
What he does want, however, is quality – a word that crops up again and again during the media meet-and-greet. “I’m a farmer’s kid, I know my stuff and I want to deliver quality British produce,” Martin underlines. “Everything – the bacon, the ham, the bread – has to be exactly right. I have spent two years researching and sourcing ingredients and products for this [store].”
Martin singles out the carrot cake (baked on-site and adapted from his granny’s recipe), the waffles, the bacon butties (made from dry cured, streaky bacon) and a craft lager from Scotland called Schiehallion, which he described as “the best beer you’ll ever taste”. “I love it so much I’ve got it on draft in my house,” he cheerily admits.
“We’re only four weeks in but I’m already looking at what we can offer next – different ideas for sandwiches, and I’d love to have Yorkshire pudding here,” Martin concludes. “But I won’t do anything unless I am happy with the quality and the consistency. You always have to exceed the customer’s expectations.”
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Quality is the watchword for the first ever James Martin Kitchen, a premium bakery concept created by the namesake celebrity chef in partnership with SSP |
