UK. The inaugural Airport Food & Beverage (FAB) Conference & Awards starts on Sunday evening at Manchester Airport.
The pioneering event is organised by The Moodie Report and hosted by Manchester Airport at the iconic Concorde Conference Centre. Platinum sponsors are HMSHost and SSP.
Some 150 delegates will attend the event which begins with an HMSHost-sponsored Opening Cocktail on Sunday at the Radisson Blu Hotel.
The conference takes place over the ensuing two days, while the first-ever Airport FAB Awards will be presented at the SSP-sponsored Gala Dinner on Monday evening.
The conference agenda (below) features the strongest line-up of F&B experts ever to address a travel retail industry event.
Anyone wishing to make a late booking for the event should click here for details.
09.00 WELCOME & INTRODUCTION:
Martin Moodie, Founder & Publisher, The Moodie Report
09.10 FOOD & BEVERAGE IN AN AIRPORT’S STRATEGIC CONTEXT:
Andrew Harrison, Managing Director, Manchester Airport followed by Q&A
09.40 FINDING INSPIRATION IN TODAY’S SOPHISTICATED TRAVELLER, FOLLOWED BY Q&A
Elie W. Maalouf, President and CEO, HMSHost, followed by Q&A
When passengers arrive at the airport, they don’t leave their high expectations of a positive experience
at the kerb. Whether taking flight for business or for leisure, an opportunity lies ahead of them – a
chance to combine food and travel, surely two of life’s most enjoyable activities.
Elie W. Maalouf discusses the opportunity airport restaurateurs have to affect the traveller’s experience – from door to door. Focusing on key trends in dining and demographics that inspire excellence in airport food and beverage, Mr Maalouf will use examples to demonstrate that a trip through the airport can be the start of a very exciting culinary journey.
10.30 Coffee Break sponsored by Hong Kong International Airport
SESSION 2
11.00 INTERNATIONAL BRANDS IN AN AIRPORT ENVIRONMENT
Andrew Lynch, CEO, SSP followed by Q&A
11.40 THE GREAT INDIAN AIRPORT TRANSFORMATION
Rajeev Panjwani, Managing Director, Travel Food Services, followed by Q&A
12.10 DELIGHTING AND SURPRISING THE TRAVELLING CONSUMER
Rick Blatstein, President and Founder OTG Management USA, followed by Q&A
The importance of anticipating the travelling consumer’s needs and enhancing their travel experience on the ground is equally as signficant as their inflight experience. Rick Blatstein will discuss his company’s philosophy and approach to this with specific focus on OTG’s newest programme: the Hoodroom Dining Experience.
12.50 Lunch sponsoed by Travel Food Services
SESSION 3 RAISING THE COMMERCIAL AND CULINARY BAR
14.15 ADDRESSING THE KEY CHALLENGES FACING THE AIRPORT FOOD & BEVERAGE SECTOR:
Individual presentations, followed by a panel discussion
– Brian Woodhead, Retail Concessions Director, Heathrow Airport
– David King, Director, The David King Partnership and Convenor of FAB
Judges
15.30 CONSUMER RESEARCH PRESENTATION
– Andy Bull, Vice President, Marketing Intelligence, SSP
16.00 AN AUDIENCE WITH:
Peter Rebeiz, Chairman, Caviar House & Prunier
A living legend of the food industry talks one to one with Martin Moodie about passion, persistence and panache in the airport F&B sector
16.20 Closing coffee sponsored by AMT Coffee
16.35 Shuttle buses to return delegates to the Radisson Blu Hotel
19.00 Shuttle buses to take delegates to the Concorde Conference Centre
Pre-Gala Dinner Cocktails
20.00 Gala Dinner, Sponsored by SSP
Inaugural FAB Airport Food & Beverage (FAB) Awards
23.15 Shuttle buses return delegates to the Radisson Blu Hotel
FAB – TUESDAY JANUARY 25
Conference Day 2
Concorde Conference Centre – Manchester Airport
08.00-09.00 Shuttle buses to operate between Radisson Blu Hotel and Concorde Conference Centre
Registration
SESSION 4
09.00 FACE TO FACE WITH SELECTED FAB AIRPORT WINNERS: plus Director, Security & Facilitation (Airports Council International) Craig Bradbrook on the annual ASQ ratings with an F&B perspective
09.30 CREATING A GRAND CONSUMER STAGE – THE AIRPORT PERSPECTIVE
– Dr Franc Vink, Manager Hospitality & Services, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol
– Puan Faizah Khairuddin, Senior General Manager, Commercial Services
Malaysia Airports
– Chris Annetts, Head of Category for Food & Beverage, Heathrow Airport
10.30 BUILDING A GLOBAL WINE BRAND
– Doug Tomlinson, CEO of Vino Volo, USA, followed by Q&A
One of the industry’s true pioneers of the wine sector talks about the secrets behind Vino Volo’s service and operations success
11.10 Coffee Break sponsored by AMT Coffee
SESSION 5
11.40 WHERE NEXT FOR AIRPORT F&B?
A panel discussion featuring
– Rick Stavast, Chief Marketing Officer, SSP
– Ezio Balarini, Chief Marketing Officer, Autogrill Group
– David King, Director, The David King Partnership
12.50 CLOSING REMARKS
13.00 Closing lunch
14.15 Shuttle buses to return delegates to the Radisson Blu Hotel
