Less than a week after announcing the end of its exclusive agreement with airport foodservice company HMSHost — part of travel foodservice company Autogrill Group — Starbucks is already expanding its airport presence with the announcement of two major partnerships: airport retailer and restaurateur Paradies Lagardère and airport hospitality group OTG Management.
Starbucks is entering a licensing agreement with both major airports concessions companies and promises to introduce a “re-imagined customer experience,” with new stores opening at later this year at Paradies Lagardère and OTG airport partners around the country.
This marks the first time Starbucks will be able to work with licensees outside of HMSHost since the first Starbucks opened in an airport terminal 29 years ago.
“In airport locations, we specifically look to licensed business partners that bring the knowledge and capabilities to reach more air travelers,” Starbucks said in a press release. “...We expect to work with other likeminded operators in the growing industry over time to meet increasing demand.”
But don’t expect to see only identical walkup Starbucks experiences at airports across North America. Starbucks envisions new store concepts like a popup Starbucks with digital and mobile ordering capabilities that will be capable of gate-to-gate coffee delivery service for busy travelers who don’t have time to stand in line and wait for their latte.
Starbucks said it plans to use these two new partnerships as a jumping-off point to expand its footprint in airports across North America.
Paradies Lagardère operates in major international airports including John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City, Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey, LAX in Los Angeles, McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas, Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas, Orlando International Airport in Florida and Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in Washington.
“We’re extremely pleased with this new opportunity to work with Starbucks. There’s no doubt that this is a historical moment in our industry and the addition of Starbucks to our brand arsenal aligns perfectly with the growth strategy of our Dining Division,” said Gregg Paradies, president and CEO of Paradies Lagardère.
OTG’s major airport partners include LaGuardia Airport in New York City, Philadelphia International Airport in Pennsylvania, and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Washington, D.C.
“OTG is thrilled to be forging this new and exciting partnership with Starbucks,” Rick Blatstein, CEO of OTG, said in a statement. “This collaboration will allow us to introduce a fully re-imagined Starbucks customer experience, ensuring guests access to their preferred cup anywhere in the airport.”
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