USA. Fast-casual Asian restaurant chain Wow Bao has launched at Salt Lake City International Airport in partnership with the OHM Concession Group.
The Chicago brand is famed for its restaurant, home delivery and supermarket steamed buns, noodles, rice bowls and potstickers (crescent-shaped dumplings known as jiaozi in Asia).
The restaurant – situated on Concourse A East – marks the western-most storefront to-date for Wow Bao, which is one of the fastest-growing healthy fast-food concepts on the market.
“We are proud to join the award-winning concessions programme at Salt Lake City International Airport,” said Wow Bao President and CEO Geoff Alexander.
“This location is a significant opportunity for Wow Bao to further expand our brand presence across the country. Airport stores are a key channel that amplifies Wow Bao and demonstrates our commitment to serving quality, fast-casual Asian street food to a broader audience that expects unique flavours and convenience.”
Wow Bao has six other US airport outlets in Boston, North Carolina, Chicago, Cleveland and Washington (two).
Salt Lake City Department of Airports announced a request for proposals for F&B and other retailers last year as part of a US$4.1 billion upgrade for the airport.
Salt Lake City Airport said it was looking for a mix of local, regional and national brands, while also taking into “high consideration” reasonable pricing.
OHM Concession Group President and CEO Milan Patel said: “OHM and our team at Salt Lake City are excited to bring Wow Bao to the passengers of this amazing airport. Moreover, we are proud of this relationship with the Wow Bao team and look forward to working together.”
Travellers will be able to order from bestsellers on the menu including Teriyaki Chicken, Spicy Mongolian Beef and BBQ Pork Bao or Spicy Kung Pao Chicken over Jasmine or Fried Rice.
In 2019, several months before the COVID pandemic wreaked havoc on the industry, Wow Bao was one of the first F&B brands to adopt the concept of dark kitchens – shared commissary cooking spaces.
In a business move that was unprecedented at the time, Wow Bao began selling a how-to basic training package for its bestsellers so that anyone with a qualifying kitchen space could open a franchise for as little as US$1,000.
The Dark Kitchens programme now runs alongside the main business with more than 600 participating kitchens in more than 85 cities around the world. ✈
