Philadelphia International Named Airport with Best Concession Management Team

Philadelphia International Airport’s award-winning concessions program added to its long list of industry recognition when it was named “Airport with the Best Concession Management Team” in the Large Airport Division in the 2011 Airport Revenue News (ARN) Best Airport & Concessions Awards. The awards were announced at the annual Airport Revenue Conference & Exhibition earlier this month in National Harbor, Maryland.

The Airport’s concessions are managed by Marketplace Philadelphia Management, LLC, a partnership of Marketplace Development, a Boston-based retail development firm. Since taking over as developer and manager of the Airport’s concessions program in the mid-1990’s, Marketplace has partnered with the Airport to transform PHL’s retail, food and beverage program into one of the finest in the country; the Airport’s concessions have consistently earned a variety of industry recognition including Best Overall Concessions Program.

“The ARN awards are considered the most prestigious in the airport concessions industry, and we are very honored that PHL has once again been recognized as being among the best,” said Airport CEO Mark Gale. “Marketplace is an industry leader, and we are very proud of our partnership. Marketplace has consistently achieved excellence in providing our customers with quality and innovative retail, food and beverage choices.”

Marketplace Food & Shops features more than 160 national brand and local retail, food and beverage concessions throughout the Airport’s seven terminals. The company’s flagship at PHL is the shopping mall style venue along the Terminal B/C Connector, which was complemented in December 2008 by the opening of the D/E Connector featuring 10 retail, food and beverage locations. Marketplace Food & Shops on the B/C Connector was named “Best Food and Beverage Program” among large airports in North America by Airports Council International in 2008.

Airport executives voted for concessions companies and concessionaires cast votes for airport programs. According to ARN, more than 1,400 votes were cast in five airport categories and 15 specialty retail, news and gifts and food and beverage categories.

“Every year, the bar for excellence is raised higher and higher as airports revamp their programs and offer fresh, high quality brands and concepts to the traveling public,” ARN President and CEO Pauline Armbrust noted in a press release issued by the company. “The winners of this year’s competition faced fierce contenders and should be commended for achieving the ‘best’ status, especially through these difficult times.”

In addition, several concessionaires that have locations at PHL received awards. Among them are Hudson Group, a news and gift retailer in Terminals A-West and F and the International Arrivals Hall; The Paradies Shops, which have a variety of retail shops in the Airport; Famous Famiglia, a pizza shop operator in Terminal A-West; Blackberry, which has a store on the B/C Connector; Taxco Sterling, an upscale jeweler in Terminals A-West and B, and the B/C and D/E Connectors; Vino Volo, a wine bar on the B/C and D/E Connectors and in Terminal B; Midfield Concessions Enterprises, which operates Cantina Laredo in Terminal E; Dunkin Donuts, which has locations on the B/C Connector and in Terminal D; and Travelex Currency Services, which has locations in Terminals A-West, A-East and D, the International Arrivals Hall, and in the UPS Store on the A/B walkway.