Global win for food & beverage at Auckland Airport

8 June 2019

Delivering a food and dining experience with a uniquely New Zealand flavour has landed Auckland Airport top honours at the 2019 Airport Food & Beverage (FAB) Awards in Dallas.

Auckland Airport’s new look international terminal restaurant precinct took out the Airport Food & Beverage Offer of the Year – recognition of the best and most innovative concepts in travel-related food and beverage around the world.

As Auckland Airport continues to grow New Zealand’s flight connections to the world, we are striving to deliver a world-class experience for every customer that passes through our doors, said Richard Barker, General Manager Retail & Commercial at Auckland Airport.

“The FAB Awards are the global food and beverage Olympics in our industry. Auckland Airport was competing with very high-profile global airports and we are absolutely delighted to have been recognized for our approach to creating an airport dining offer that Kiwis can be proud of,” said Mr Barker.

“The last 18 months has seen the airport change and update more than 27 food and beverage offerings across the airport, and the international terminal offers recognised by this award represents the lion share of these.”

Completed in phases during 2018-2019 as part of an expanded international terminal departures area, the 14 brand new food and beverage outlets post-security offer everything from award-winning Italian, Vietnamese and authentic Chinese dumplings, to popular high street brands such as Al Brown’s Best Ugly Bagels, Mexico and Better Burger.

Much of the transformation reflects customer requests for more variety – from restaurant-style meals to modern grab and go food.

Dining options have more than doubled, as has seating areas, with an overall design that embraces the unique views onto the runway and harbour, allowing people to relax and enjoy the final stages of their pre-departure journey.

Auckland Airport is host to more than 10 million international passengers each year, servicing 9 out of 10 of New Zealand’s long-haul international flights and almost 75% of all international arrivals to New Zealand.

“As the major gateway to, and face of, NZ we take our responsibility of hosting our guests seriously. At the heart of everything we do is the guiding principle of manaakitanga – hospitality, kindness, generosity and respect for others,” Mr Barker said.

This year’s FAB Awards were the most hotly contested in the event’s eight-year history, according to Martin Moodie, Founder & Chairman of The Moodie Davitt Report, organiser of the annual FAB Awards.

“Auckland Airport’s overall success – and those of its individual operators – was particularly notable in the face of white-hot international competition, including some of the world’s most renowned airports, ones known for their outstanding food & beverage offers, such as Dubai International, Singapore Changi and Hong Kong International,” said Moodie.

“Besides the eclectic mix of outlets and the consistent high quality shown across the board, it was the transformation of offer that ultimately won the day,” Moodie continued. “It appeared to the judges to be a transformation borne out of a philosophy. One involving, to quote the airport operator: ‘A refusal to accept standard (old, out-dated) mass airport F&B where the customer is believed to be a captive.’ We applaud both that thinking and the compelling end result.”

Auckland Airport’s world-class food and beverage offering received several category awards, including:

• Airport Food & Beverage Offer of the Year

Winner: Auckland Airport International Terminal

• The FAB Innovation Award

Winner: Auckland Airport, Glamp Grounds Bar (location: after security, international terminal)

• Airport ‘Food to Go’ of the Year

Regional winner (Asia Pacific): Auckland Airport, Hayama Sushi & Noodles

• Airport Casual Dining Restaurant of the Year

Regional winner (Asia Pacific): Delaware North Companies NZ Retail, Blue Marble Lane Bar & Bistro, Auckland Airport (location: before security, international terminal)

• Airport Food & Beverage Offer Best Reflecting Sense of Place
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Regional winner (Asia Pacific): Auckland Airport, Glamp Grounds

• Outstanding Airport Restaurant Design of the Year

Regional winner (Asia Pacific): Delaware North Companies NZ Retail, Blue Marble Lane Bar & Bistro – Auckland

ENDS

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