CHINA. Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport has completed a major upgrade of the food & beverage triangle zone in Terminal 2, dubbed the Honqqaio Gourmet Promenade, with an array of brands new to the location, country or region.
The line-up features a diverse array of popular and trendy restaurants and cafés.
Among the recent big-name openings in T2 are coffee house Arabica in a world first, burger brand Shake Shack making its China debut and deli food concept Baker & Spice.
Other newcomers include renowned Taiwanese restaurant Din Tai Fung; and Soup Delice, an offering under the Tang Palace brand that specialises in a wide variety of Chinese cuisines.
They are joined by ramen noodle chain Menya Musashi and popular tea outlet HeyTea. As reported, Hongqiao T2 openings in 2021 also included Italian gourmet chocolate house Venchi with its first airport store outside Italy.
The airport company said that further openings will include branches of two Michelin-starred restaurants, which will open this year, setting a new standard for F&B. Also coming soon is an enhanced food court in the T2 Check-In Hall, building on the established dining zone in this location which opened in early 2018. This space is open to arriving passengers as well as friends and relatives who pick up or drop off at the airport.
Hongqiao Airport commercial management told The Moodie Davitt Report that the approach to F&B had evolved from a traditional model built around low-cost and little variety to a shopping mall model with rich choice and high quality.
Despite the pressures posed by the pandemic which have taken a toll on the business, Hongqiao Airport said that it has been ceaseless in seeking innovation and quality improvements across its F&B operations.
The business operations team, backed by intensive market research and precise analysis of travellers’ consumption behaviour, identified a pool of much-loved brands that are also closely aligned to passengers’ needs. As a result, several renowned F&B brands have been successfully introduced in rapid succession, including boutique brands that have not previously been available at domestic Chinese airports, alongside ‘firsts’ for F&B in the China market.
Across T1 and T2 some 24 new partners have recently entered Hongqiao Airport for the first time, representing 43% of the F&B business.
Hongqiao Airport said that once the situation with the pandemic is normalised, the F&B offer will be further upgraded through the introduction of more well-known brands. This will enrich passenger choice and create an improved and personalised atmosphere, the airport company pledged.
Over the next two years, tenders for restaurant and café outlets will be the focus of the Food Hall in its phase II development. The Food Hall, the only major dining area in Terminal 2 unveiled in early 2018, has 17 outlets with a total area of approximately 2,900sq m planned specially for restaurants and cafés.
Ren He Guan and Tim Ho Wan, two Michelin-rated brands, have already joined T2 and are opening soon, marking their airport debuts in Mainland China. As more brands are introduced to T2, a wider range of culinary options and an even more pleasant experience will be created for both passengers and non-passengers.
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