ITALY. Travel restaurateur SSP Group has entered the Italian travel food & beverage market with an opening at Turin’s Porta Nuova rail station. Further venues are scheduled for key stations in Rome and Milan.
The concessions – which arise from an agreement with Grandi Stazioni Retail, the organisation responsible for the commercial operations and advertising spaces at Italy’s 14 main railway stations – include six units at Rome Termini station and new outlets at Milan Central.
At Porta Nuova station in Turin, SSP has launched Tosca, a Tuscan dining brand created by entrepreneur Pietro Nicastro.
The openings scheduled for Rome Termini include a second Tosca, Belgian restaurant concept EXKi, known for its healthy cuisine, Japanese-style brand YO! and LEON.
Venues planned for Milan Termini station include a YO! outlet and a venue from Milanese cuisine brand Prima.
SSP Frabel (France, Belgium and Luxembourg) and Italy Managing Director Gérard D’Onofrio said: “With a strong presence across mainland Europe and a history on the continent that dates back to the 1960s, our debut in the Italian market is particularly exciting. We work with our clients and brand partners to offer travel dining of the highest quality, and our collaboration with these outstanding partners builds on this commitment.
“These latest ventures mark the first steps in SSP’s robust plans for expansion in the Italian market.”
Italy is home to the fourth-largest high-speed rail network in Europe. More than 150 million travellers pass through Rome Termini station annually, and 186 million more use Milan Central and Turin’s Porta Nuova each year. 
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