Monday, September 27, 2010 at 10:21 PM - For Immediate Release
Sacramento International’s Recommended Central Terminal B Food and Beverage Concessions
Board of Supervisors Reviewing Recommendations Oct. 5
SACRAMENTO, CA. —Travelers eagerly anticipating the debut of Sacramento International Airport’s state-of-the-art Central Terminal B in late 2011 have another reason to hunger for the opening. On Oct. 5, 2010, the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors will be asked to approve the evaluation panel’s recommendation to award contracts to four concessionaires - SSP America, Host International, Famiglia -DeBartolo, LLC and Taste, Inc. – for six food and beverage concessions packages in the new terminal.
“The panel’s recommendation offers a diverse portfolio of restaurants that represent the local food trends and are focused on quality, local products,” said G. Hardy Acree, Sacramento County Airport System’s Director of Airports. “The restaurant mix should offer passengers a sense of place reflective of Sacramento’s role as the Gateway to Northern California while enhancing the overall travel experience.”
The concepts offered by the recommended concessionaires represent a mix of local and nationally recognized brands with some notable local restaurateurs on board to ensure that the concepts will serve food comparable to their well-known street side locations. Locally-sourced products will be offered wherever possible and the proposed concepts will offer variety to the new terminal’s passengers. The recommended concessionaires and their concepts are as follows:
SSP America
Airside Concourse Locations:
Jack’s Urban Eats, Dos Coyotes, Cafeteria 15L, Peet's Coffee,
Landside Terminal Locations :
Peet’s Coffee, The Gateway Bar, Camden Food Company
Local Connection: Local restaurateurs Griselda Barajas, Bobbin Mulvaney and Mason Wong will each hold a 10% interest in a newly formed joint venture with SSP. The partners will have a key role in management of all SSP restaurants including the general manager, ordering product, quality control and customer service. Tony Babcock and Greg Virga of Jack’s Urban Eats and Bobby Coyote of Dos Coyotes are also local restaurateurs who will be closely tied to the airport quick service versions of their street side restaurants.
Host International
Airside Concourse Locations:
Esquire Grill, Burgers and Brew, Starbucks
Local Connection: Local restaurateurs Randy Paragary and Esquire Grill and Derek Zawaydeh of Burgers and Brew will be directly involved to ensure that the airport locations provide the same quality food and service customers enjoy in the street-side locations. For example, Randy Paragary of Esquire Grill will select the chef and create an approved vendor list for product ordering.
Famiglia- DeBartolo, LLC
Airside Concourse Location:
Famous Famiglia Italian
Established in 1986 and present in 21 airport locations, Famous Famiglia Pizzeria serves pizza by the slice and Italian fare including pastas and stromboli.
Taste, Inc.
Airside Concourse Location:
Vino Volo
Vino Volo has already become a favorite of travelers in International’s Terminal A concourse. The new location will ensure that all passengers at Sacramento International Airport will never be far from a Vino Volo location.
The recommendation has received support from the Sacramento chapter of UNITE HERE, the union that represents workers throughout the U.S. and Canada who work in the hospitality, gaming, food service, manufacturing, textile, laundry, and airport industries.
“We enthusiastically support the airport’s recommendation of HMSHost and SSP America,” said Christopher Barton, a member of UNITE HERE Local 49 and bartender at Sacramento International Airport. “Both of these companies have provided quality jobs and will ensure a smooth transition to the new terminal. We’re excited to provide the best Sacramento customer experience in the new terminal restaurants.”
In addition to providing services necessary for a satisfactory customer experience, airport concessions generate non-airline revenue. The Airport Revenue News (ARN) 2009 Fact Book indicates that average sales per square foot of $951 for food and beverage programs at airports other medium hub U.S. airports. For year one of their respective agreements, all recommended concessionaires are expected to exceed the accepted industry average.
A total of 20 proposals were received for six concession packages that grouped the 12 available food and beverage spaces in the terminal. Packaging provides a balance between the sales opportunities available and the best mix for services through the new facilities. Of the 20 proposals received, 17 were qualified for evaluation. Twelve finalists were invited for interviews.
The Sacramento County Department of Airports is responsible for planning, developing, operating and maintaining the county’s four airports: Sacramento International Airport, Executive Airport, Mather Airport and Franklin Field. Sacramento International Airport offers more than 155 daily nonstop flights on 12 domestic and international carriers to 36 destinations. The regional economic impact of the Sacramento County Department of Airports is more than $4 billion annually. For more information, visit sacramento.aero.