Sept. 6 – With a restaurant business active in more than 140 airports in 26 countries and retail and duty free stations in 66 airports in 18 countries, Autogrill operates in all major airports for passenger traffic: Atlanta, Chicago, London, Los Angeles, Dallas, and Frankfurt. Its international profile is linked to airport activities, that the group has further enhanced by signing, through its HMSHost International division, an agreement with Novikov Group and Ginza Project for the establishment of Autogrill Russia. Newco will manage food & beverage in Pulkovo International Airport in St. Petersburg. “Under the terms of the agreement – explains Autogrill in a footnote – the new company, 60% owned by HMSHost International and the remaining 40 % equally by the two partners, leaders in the Russian restaurant industry, will manage 8 sale points at the airport for a period of seven years.” It is estimated that in the 2014-2021 period, the grant will generate total revenues of approximately €130 million. A very interesting business perspective, considering that “Russia – said the note – has experienced in recent years an intensive development phase, which resulted in a significant increase in living standards. The outlook for the future confirms a sustained increase in GDP, and, among other things, the development of transport and infrastructure in relation to the 2014 Winter Olympics and the 2018 World Cup (source: OECD, 2013). “The catering selection within the store, placed between terminal A and the new North Pier dedicated to intercontinental routes, will feature an original mix of local and international offers. Autogrill inserted local brands such as Kamchatka, a 70s Russian pub – created by celebrity chef Arkady Novikov with Russian specialties – and O’Reilly’s Irish Pub. There will be also concepts developed internally, such as Puro Gusto, coffee shop & bakery,and Ice Bar, a metropolitan style lounge bar. Airports are the means through which Autogrill strengthened the most its presence in the restaurant and in the retail & duty free sectors. Today, the group, through its subsidiary HMSHost, is the first operator in the world in airport catering services, a position of leadership also held in the airport retail and duty-free sector.
