CHILE. Morpho Travel Experience (MTE) is set to introduce the US restaurant brand California Pizza Kitchen (CPK) to Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport’s new international terminal in Santiago. The company has invested US$1.5 million to bring the well-known chain to a Latin American airport for the first time.
The new 535sq m restaurant has capacity for 180 diners. MTE is preparing to open a second CPK restaurant next January at Juan Santamaria International Airport in its home territory of Costa Rica.
MTE noted that CPK is known for its “unexpected flavour combinations and high-quality ingredients”. Original BBQ Chicken Pizza is one of its most popular dishes worldwide, while the company claims its Cauliflower Pizza Crust was the first veggie-pizza to be prepared from cauliflower.
Morpho Travel Experience Director of Food & Beverages Byron Mora said: “Now passengers have the option of exploring a diverse menu that even offers options for visitors with special diets. The menu will go beyond the signature pizzas; it will also offer creative salads, bowls, salmon, and hand-crafted beverages prepared with fresh ingredients. We are combining high-quality dishes with a culture of exceptional service for passengers.”
CPK – which has a strong foothold in the US airport F&B market – has a global footprint of more than 200 establishments in eight countries and US territories, including 40 international franchise operations.
The Food and Beverages Division of MTE has a presence in Mexico, Costa Rica, Peru and Chile, in 14 locales with formats including bars, restaurants and coffee shops.
Morpho Travel Experience CEO Adriana Echandi said: “We have always looked for ways to create unique shopping and enjoyable dining experiences everywhere we operate. It was with that mission that Morpho Travel Experience found in CPK the way to strengthen a business division, while at the same time we hoped to revolutionise the gastronomic offering for increasingly more demanding passengers through a fresh and healthy food menu.”
He added: “We are still extremely focused on airport growth in Latin America for consolidating our experience. The return of airport activity after an unprecedented crisis has demonstrated our resilience and especially our ability to detect new opportunities and growth in the near future.”
The growth of Morpho’s Food & Beverages Division in Chile has created 60 new jobs, including bartenders, stewards, cooks and servers.
*Registration remains open for the Airport Food & Beverage (FAB) Conference, set to take place virtually on 12-13 September. Click here for free registration through our dedicated website.
