It’s been a tough few years to be operating in airports, but that hasn’t dried up Focus Brands’ enthusiasm for the market.
The vast majority of the company’s airport locations are open and performing “pretty well” as the industry continues its recovery from two years of COVID-19 pandemic-based struggles, said Tom Richards, vice president of non-traditional franchise sales.
The company signed eight new agreements in 2021, six of which will be open this calendar year. In addition to a Jamba that opened at Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) in January, Focus Brands will bring that concept to John Wayne Airport (SNA) and Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC). Cinnabon locations will open at Sioux Falls Regional Airport (FSD) and Billings Logan International Airport (BIL). A McAlister’s Deli will open at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) and a Moe’s Southwest Grill is scheduled for Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL).
The company has also signed deals to bring an Auntie Anne’s to SLC and a Jamba to DFW. The company has nearly 100 airport locations across its seven brands.
The company’s concepts in many cases rebounded quite quickly, company officials say, in part due to the widespread awareness surrounding the seven concepts Focus Brands has in airports.
“We’re in a new era now,” added Matt Von Klemperer, director of non-traditional franchise sales. “Operators in airports need brands they can count on, they need dependability, they need performance, they need support. You can’t get those things from local restaurants or celebrity highflyers. You need real support and we have that.”
Its mix of specialty brands and sit-down restaurants gives the company an opportunity to compete in a variety of airports, Von Klemperer says, though the company spends considerable time studying each market before bidding. Finding quality operators is key, as is ensuring that the company has sufficient supply chain support and a brand that fits an individual location.
“We really try to hone in and pre-screen them to do what makes sense,” he said. “Operating in an airport is very challenging. We lean heavily on people who understand the environment.”
Focus Brands has partnered over the years with large companies like HMSHost and SSP America, and smaller local players, including those certified in the Airport Concessions Disadvantaged Business Enterprise program. The latter has become a greater focus in recent years.
“It’s something we really support,” Van Klemperer said. “We’ve been working with [the Airport Minority Advisory Council] on a lot of their programs and have been getting more involved with them as real partners.”
Airports were one of the two strongest non-traditional sectors for Focus Brands in 2021, along with convenience stores and travel plazas. The company also had success in amusement parks. Slower to pick back up have been universities and colleges, as not all students had returned to campuses. That should pick up more consistently this fall, Richards said.
Meanwhile, both said the company has built up some deal making momentum and it’s working to maintain that through staying innovative and fresh. The company is testing Jamba by Blendid, a robotic kiosk concept, at a couple of universities and a mall and is in talks with several additional venues, including airports, about expanding that new option.
“We’re pretty excited about what that can be across the non-traditional landscape including airports,” Richards said.
