Norfolk International Airport’s food selections are getting ready to take off.
The airport recently announced two companies, Avolta and Faber, Coe & Gregg, will help revamp airport concessions and serve up better food options.
Avolta, a Swiss-based concessionaire, has a presence that spans more than 5,100 stores in over 70 countries. The company is in negotiations to renew its longstanding relationship with the airport to run about a dozen new and existing beverage, food and retail locations.
Also in negotiations, Faber, Coe & Gregg, a New Jersey-based company that manages eateries and traveler-oriented stores in U.S airports, offices and train terminals, is planning a food court and central bar located within a three-gate expansion of Concourse A that’s expected to open this spring.
Proposed restaurants and concessions include local spots like Stockpot, Warriors Taphouse, Pale Horse Coffee, Pinup Coffee Co., Town Center Cold Pressed, Cova Brewing Co. and Ghost Kitchen. Prospective national brands include Buffalo Wild Wings, Jimmy John’s, Dunkin’, Bojangles, Rusty Taco, Starbucks, Pei Wei and Baskin-Robbins ice cream.
The airport also announced on social media that The Playmakers Group, a Dallas-based developer, is planning to bring a sports-themed bar and restaurant called 200 Sack Club, in tribute to Hampton Roads native and former NFL star Bruce Smith, to Concourse B. While Smith is on the Norfolk Airport Authority board, the airport said he was not involved in the selection of the proposal.
In fiscal 2024-2025, 5.5% of airport revenue came through the sale of food, beverage and retail products, and those sales help fund the airport’s operations, airport spokesperson Chris Jones said
“We believe revenue will increase from the changeouts. That was a key driver in moving away from the status quo,” Jones said. “More and better products should entice more sales revenue, as will the addition of new locations.”
The new concepts and eatery changes will occur in phases and depend on ongoing discussions with the businesses, Jones said. Changes will be gradual as the airport can’t close all sites down at once to renovate or expand. The airport will keep a mix of existing shops open to serve travelers until some spaces can be upgraded. Then once those are ready, more sites will be upgraded.
“As this airport continues to grow in passenger volume and nonstop routes, we recognize the importance of improving our concessions program to give our customers the best experience possible, as well as to maximize revenue generated through non-aviation sources,” said Mark Perryman, president and CEO of the Norfolk Airport Authority. “Hampton Roads offers such a rich array of experiences, and I believe there’s value in sharing those goods and services with travelers at ORF, so their first or last impressions of this community while at the airport truly reflect an authentic sense of place.”
Lee Belote, jlbelote@verizon.net
