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.

We first worked with the Oslo team at the old Fornebu Airport, moving with them to the sparkling new terminal of Gardermoen on the night of October 7th 1998 and opening for business the very next morning. From those first days, we tried to offer the best of Norway, alongside the wider international dimension demanded by the global traveller. This approach still stands us in good stead today.

Oslo airport and our own local staff, supported by our global team have always worked closely together, and today, in a world where the most trivial of business liaisons are often glibly described as ‘partnerships’, I believe that ours remains a truly happy marriage.

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.

Of course, with space at a premium, artful design helps to maximise sales. ‘Blending the new ‘walk-through’ duty free and other retail alongside the airport’s food and beverage is working well. Our new YO! Sushi is close to the ARK Book shop, while our Travel Value outlet can clearly be seen from the Norwegian Aquavit Bar. Passengers who have time can be tempted to shop after they’ve eaten, while those who don’t have time will at least know what shopping is available next time they come to the airport. It has been important both for OSL and SSP to work together to enrich the experience on the F&B offers to give travellers a reason to come early to the airport.’

Keeping the offer fresh and interesting for these regular travellers was towards the top of Ettre’s brief when planning the new F&B facilities. ‘The introduction of novel concepts such as FoodMarket, YO! Sushi and Le Grand Comptoir was particularly important. Our passengers are also very diverse and we need to have a full range of bars and restaurants, encompassing everything from fast food, to fine dining. We asked Morten (MD of SSP Norway), and his team to come up with something that combines ‘a touch of the world’ with ‘a touch of Oslo’. I think they managed to do that very well. The numbers do indeed speak for themselves, and so far, sales are by far exceeding our expectations.’

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.’
Trading was similarly brisk at the Starbucks coffee shop, where staff were handling over 1,000 transactions a day. The outlet is the first Starbucks in Norway, and anticipation had been eager as the count-down to the opening began. This excitement was fuelled when staff handed out over six thousand free cups of coffee to airport staff and curious passers-by as they prepared to welcome their first customers. When the big day came, it caused a considerable stir, and the event was featured on national television as well as in Norway’s leading newspapers.

While both Starbucks and YO! Sushi were new to Norway, a number of the brands at the refurbished terminal are already old favourites with passengers at Oslo, and their success in the new line-up was pretty much assured. ‘Our Upper Crust customers are particularly loyal, and when we closed the old unit for the building work, our temporary kiosk was taking the same in sales, which shows the appeal of the brand.’

The right team for the job

Indeed the whole refurbishment – the culmination of one of the largest food and beverage deals in the airport sector – has required considerable skill and expert planning.

But Solberg Nilsen and his team were more than ready to meet the practical challenges of getting such a major operation up and running. When Oslo airport welcomes delegates and speakers to this year’s ACI Europe Airport Trading Conference in April, there is little doubt that Morten will still be smiling.

Having worked at several Michelin starred restaurants, SSP Norway’s executive head chef Bjørn Christian Østrem certainly understands what it takes to cook to the highest standards. When he began planning the new food offer at Oslo, the goals he set himself were no less high.

Spotting and promoting talented rising star of the Norwegian culinary scene Christer Rødset, who now heads up the kitchen at Le Grand Comptoir, was an important milestone in helping him achieve his ambitions. ‘We have a number of great chefs on our team, and this attracts others of the same high calibre.’

The new openings have also inspired the existing team. ‘Our staff can see that we’re doing some very exciting things, and the launch of brands such as YO! Sushi created a real buzz across the airport.’

Airport know-how

While Le Grand Comptoir offers classical French fare, Norwegian foods feature on many of the other menus across the airport. The country’s plentiful supplies of excellent sea foods means there is considerable scope to introduce locally sourced products.

The success of YO! Sushi clearly taps into a growing trend in Norway, and according to Østrem, sushi bars are ‘popping up all over Oslo’. Other brands, such as Upper Crust appeal to more traditional Norwegian sensibilities – ‘Norwegians love sandwiches’ says Østrem.

In the current tough economic climate, Norwegians, like many other nationalities, are turning to the traditional comfort foods of their childhood. Shrimps, and ham and cheese sandwiches are best sellers throughout the terminal, and dishes such as stews with slow-cooked root vegetables are popular.

However, Østrem does not take this as an excuse to be dull. ‘Yes we can offer safe choices, but we always try to think of new ways of presenting them. We also like to give our customers the challenge of trying new culinary experiences and showing them what’s out there.’

Variety is, indeed, the spice of life. ‘Norwegians travel more than most other Europeans and many of our customers are regular flyers. We’re constantly updating what we serve and how we serve it to keep the excitement here alive.’

]]> http://foodtravelupdate.com/food-focus-2/feed/ 0 http://foodtravelupdate.com/winningcombo/ http://foodtravelupdate.com/winningcombo/#comments Wed, 18 Apr 2012 10:01:20 +0000 Helen Magnay http://foodtravelupdate.com/?p=1599 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.’

This doesn’t mean opening up a new outlet at a bustling international airport is without its challenges, and SSP’s expertise and experience were an invaluable help when it came to getting YO! Sushi up and running at OSL. ‘SSP has all the systems in place – from marketing and menu creation, through to operations, design and construction,’ says Coetzee. ‘This made the Oslo project one of the smoothest openings I’ve ever done in 14 years in the business.’

An exciting new brand making its debut at Oslo is FoodMarket.

Inspired by the street food of Oslo, FoodMarket serves delicious home-made food with a dash of theatre. Pizzas are made in front of the customer, while those looking for a taste of Asia can have their choice of stir-fries freshly prepared at the counter. From the grill, customers can choose city favourite the hot dog platter, or the ultimate street food dish the kebab roll. At the bakery, travellers will find traditional waffles, an Oslo-style apple cake or cinnamon rolls.

Just 21 years old, Christer Rødseth is already making a name for himself in Norwegian haute cuisine

According to Bjørn Christian Østrem, Christer Rødseth; ‘really gets à la carte. He understands the feelings behind great food.’ Rødseth first came to the attention of SSP’s management team when he was working at Caffè Ritazza whilst studying at catering college. His love of cooking and can-do attitude shone through, and it was clear that he was destined for great things.

Having worked at Oslo’s Michelin-starred Le Canard restaurant, and trained with the competitive Norwegian national culinary team, Rødseth’s experience and knowledge belied his young age. His bosses knew that he was ready to take on the challenge of running his own restaurant, and when the company was looking for a talented chef to head up the kitchen at the new Le Grand Comptoir, Rødseth was their first choice for the job.

Rødseth quickly adapted to the challenges of working in the pressured environment of Norway’s largest airport, including adapting a menu for the time-pressured traveller. Le Grand Comptoir offers a number of dishes such as lamb shanks and bouillabaisse which are prepared in advance and finished just before serving. ‘This means we can guarantee to serve the customer within ten minutes, but still offer a very high quality dish.’

Rødseth recommends…

Rødseth admits to having something of a ‘thing’ about cinnamon, and this features in one of the dishes from Le Grand Comptoir’s menu he particularly enjoys – fois gras, served with a plum chutney and lightly toasted brioche.

He’s also a fan of fennel, and this makes it into his much-admired bouillabaisse. ‘Using a selection of fish that’s particularly good that day, our bouillabaisse, is seasoned with star anise and saffron to produce a dish that has a complex flavour and a lovely sweetness.’

Another favourite is pan-fried cod, cooked with carrots, shallots and lemon, and finished with cream and butter, which Rødseth describes as ‘fresh and surprisingly light.’ Visitors to the airport will however have to catch this one when they can. ‘We use a special cod called skrei, but it’s only available at this time of year when the fish return to the Lofoten islands in the north of Norway to spawn. The water there is extremely cold, and this gives the fish a unique taste and texture.’

The summer menu at Le Grand Comptoir will, however, contain a number of similar gems. ‘We’ll definitely be including a lot of fish, and we have some wonderful fish to work with here in Norway. Perhaps we’ll think about some trout? Or some pan-fried mackerel?’ Whatever Rødseth chooses, it’s bound to be good.

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.

Commercial success such as this starts with getting the basics right. For us, there is no substitute for offering our customers the very best foods, from a simple ham sandwich, to a serving of the finest caviar.

Three new brands we are introducing are spot on when it comes to delivering what the consumer wants right now. Our new Asian fusion brand nam-po! taps into the current vogue for Thai, Indonesian, Japanese and Chinese foods, cleverly offering each style in a selection of dishes that meets this demand, but also works practically within the travel environment.

When the craze for sushi first started in the UK, it was YO! Sushi that lead the way. Today it’s still the ‘go-to’ brand for an authentic Japanese sushi restaurant experience, and I’m delighted that we’ve added it to our portfolio. Mexican food is another ‘must-have’ and our new brand Mi Casa Burritos, will meet the rising demand for the fresh and spicy flavours of the cantina.

Fantastic food is one of the essentials of our business, and it’s one of the reasons why we’ve been able to deliver outstanding financial results again this year. In 2012 we look forward to developing new relationships and existing partnerships with clients and brand partners around the world. We will continue to make the best of the commercial opportunities the year brings.

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.

On a sunny boulevard outside the terminal there will be a new Gambrinus bar. From the Heineken stable of leading beer brands, Gambrinus will serve a range of beers alongside classic Spanish tapas, including jamón ibérico, tortilla de patata and ensaladilla rusa.

Inside the terminal in the check-in hall, SSP will open a new grill restaurant, named El Teide, after the island’s famous volcano. SSP has joined forces with the leading Canary Island culinary school, Hecansa, to develop the menus for this new restaurant, and foods that will feature include a choice of dishes typical of the region. Here passengers will also be able to visit internationally renowned brand Burger King, and Spanish favourite Café y Tapas. In the arrivals area, an existing Caffè Ritazza will be refurbished.

Airside there will be a free-flow restaurant called La Montaña Roja. Named in tribute to the island’s Special Nature Reserve which is home to over 100 species of birds, the restaurant will feature large windows affording dramatic views over the runways, the mountain, and the sea beyond. A new food court will incorporate a Caffè Ritazza, an Upper Crust, a Burger King and sausage concept Currywurst. New to the airport, Currywurst was chosen for its appeal to the airport’s many German visitors.

In the boarding gate area, there will be an O’Learys Sports Bar. This brand, which originated in Sweden, is expected to be particularly popular with Scandinavian travellers to Tenerife. A SOHO Coffee Co. coffee shop, a Café y Té and a second Gambrinus bar will complete the line-up.

‘We have been operating at Tenerife South for 22 years and this airport was where the history of SSP Spain began,’ said Blanca Ripoll, managing director of SSP’s Spanish operation. ‘It is therefore not only commercially very important to us, but our long heritage at the airport means it is particularly gratifying to continue our operations at this important tourist destination. This new offer is a sound commercial proposition that promises to deliver solid returns. It combines the names our passengers know and love, with new concepts that will continue to ensure that we excite and delight visitors to Tenerife.’

The re-development project will be completed by the summer of 2013, and the new facilities will employ 200 people.