Rick Stavast, Chief Marketing Officer, SSP

‘Passion’ is perhaps an overused word in business.

But coffee is a subject it’s easy to be passionate about. Today’s coffee market is gloriously complex and dynamic. The concept of the coffee shop has evolved beyond recognition in just a few years, and a comprehensive, quality coffee menu is now an essential for any bar, restaurant or café.

Perfection, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder when it comes to coffee, and we all have a view on what makes the ideal cup. Similarly, what we want from our coffee can also depend on where we drink it, and who we are drinking it with – enjoying an espresso after a business lunch, sharing a leisurely flat white with the family at the weekend, or simply grabbing a quick cup on the way to work, is a different experience on each occasion.

To meet these many and varied demands, SSP’s coffee brand portfolio is both extensive and diverse. This means that whatever the passenger profile at each location, we can provide the perfect combination of offers to please the most discerning coffee-loving traveller, and provide impressive commercial returns for our clients.  Brands we work with include the international big-hitters such as Caffè Ritazza with its authentic range of high quality coffees specifically tailored to the international travel market, or Starbucks, an instantly recognisable mega-brand of huge market appeal. There are also local iconic brands which meet the demand for familiar much-loved names.  These include Café&Té in Spain, Canadian brand Tim Hortons, or Alterra, Old Soul Co. and Peet’s in the US.

In this edition of The Food Travel Update, we’ll be taking a closer look at our coffee brands, and detailing what makes them so very special. We’ll also be exploring the hard work, expertise and indeed passion that goes into creating the finest coffees at airports and rail stations across the world.

Café&Té made its first appearance in Madrid in 1994, and since that time it has grown to become the leader in the Spanish market. Its flexible format and extensive range of products that incorporates a variety of grab and go and affordably priced items make it ideal for travel locations, where it can be adapted to suit a variety of sites. SSP now operates Café&Té at Malaga Airport, Valencia Airport, Bilbao rail station, and two outlets at Zaragoza’s high-speed rail station.