Andrew Lynch, CEO SSP

Scandinavia, where the story of SSP’s history in the airport business first began over 50 years ago, will always be of special significance to us here at SSP. So we were delighted when we won the contract to run 30 outlets at Oslo back in the summer of 2011, and we’re particularly pleased that delegates to this year’s ACI Airport Trading Conference will be among the first to have the opportunity to visit some of our excellent new restaurants and cafés.

Alongside our range of impressive new outlets, SSP also operates a broad range of established and much-loved eateries, including the eye-catching Monolitten, the Norwegian Aquavit Bar, Salmon House Seafood Bar and the bar Sinnataggen, which have evolved over a long and successful history.
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Espen Ettre, Oslo Airport’s director of business development and real estate explains why food and beverage really matters at OSL

According to Espen Ettre, the fact that over nine million of Oslo airport’s visitors are domestic travellers has a significant impact on the retail mix at the terminal. ‘Our domestic passengers cannot use the duty free shops. To these visitors food and beverage is therefore even more important.’

Because of the traditionally high price of alcohol in Norway however, passengers heading for international flights are always keen to pick up a tax-free bargain, and striking the right balance between all the retail elements is one of Ettre’s key priorities. With the introduction of new F&B outlets with increased seating capacity such as at the brassiere Le Grand Comptoir, the free flow unit FoodMarket, and the sports-bar O’Learys located in the heart of the ‘shopping street’ passengers now have even more reasons to remain in the area.

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New food and beverage facilities take Oslo by storm

SSP Norway’s managing director Morten Solberg Nilsen was a very happy man when he spoke to Food Travel Update just a few weeks after the first of SSP’s new Oslo restaurants had opened. Passengers were voting with their feet, and all of the new outlets were doing a roaring trade.

The new YO! Sushi outlet was a hit from day one, and in its first week of business, sales were up 50% on forecast. With its bright good-looks, and enticing conveyor-belt displays that can clearly be seen by passing passengers, the attraction of the outlet is obvious. ‘Customers started filling the place from the moment we opened at 6 o’clock in the morning – we were just overwhelmed by the reaction,’ says Solberg Nilsen. ‘In this business, it’s not always easy to find something new to tempt customers – but YO! Sushi really is just that – something entirely new.’
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Like sashimi and soy sauce, SSP and YO! Sushi are the perfect pairing

Few brands can move seamlessly from the high street to the travel sector, but YO! Sushi could almost have been designed for the busy airport. ‘It’s easy to see what we offer, which is one of the reasons for the success of our outlets at some of the world’s liveliest stations and airports,’ explains Werner Coetzee, International Operations Manager of YO! Sushi. ‘Customers can control the time they spend with us, whether they just want to pick up a box of nigiri to eat on the plane, grab some gunkan from the conveyor belt, or order a cooked tempura dish.’

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Andrew Lynch, CEO, SSP

There’s no doubt that our industry, as many others, has faced some testing challenges over the last financial year, and these look set to continue into 2012. A measure, however, of our determination and drive here at SSP are the results we have achieved against this backdrop. Our like for like sales grew by 4.8% in the year to September 2011, rising to over £1.7 billion, with some strong growth in transaction numbers and spend.

Alongside a number of significant business wins in 2011, I am delighted that we have also achieved a retention rate of over 85%, in what has been a very busy year.

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SSP Spain consolidates strong market position with new deals at Tenerife South, Ibiza, Gran Canaria and Valencia

The signing of a new €250million ten-year deal means SSP Spain will continue to run all twelve food and beverage outlets at Tenerife South Reina Sofia Airport. As part of a redevelopment of the terminal, a selection of new brands designed to reflect the geography and the cuisine of the popular holiday island will be introduced. A number of existing units, featuring leading brands which have traded successfully at Tenerife over many years, will be redesigned.

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There was another Spanish tale of triumph to tell when SSP secured a contract to continue to operate a number of outlets at Gran Canaria Airport

The company, which has been the sole food and beverage operator at the airport for 18 years, will shortly be opening a bar called Canary TROPICAL, which has been created in partnership with local brewing company Compañía Cervecera de Canarias.

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SSP has sealed a significant deal to operate two new units at Ibiza Airport

The Burger King currently operated by SSP will be re-located and extended. This will be complemented by a Gambrinus bar.

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SSP successfully concluded the last of its four renewal negotiations in December when it finalised a contract to open three new units at Valencia Airport.

Clint Aena was impressed by Caffè Ritazza’s performance at Lanzarote and it was an obvious choice for their extension at Valencia.

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Sushi brand makes Norwegian debut at Oslo.

When YO! Sushi first opened in the UK in 1997, the British had never seen anything like it. The first company to bring the ‘kaiten’ conveyor belts of the authentic Japanese sushi bar to fashionable Londoners, YO! Sushi has since grown into a fifty-strong chain.

Now passengers at Oslo Airport can enjoy the fun, fast and fresh Japanese food that has made the brand popular across the UK, Ireland Portugal and the Middle East. Catering for a range of tastes, YO! Sushi serves an extensive menu which features sushi rolls, sashimi, Asian-inspired salads along with a variety of classic hot Japanese dishes including firecracker rice, yakisoba noodles, salmon teriyaki or katsu curry.

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