Weekend Herald

Airport serves up hundreds of new jobs

Dozens of new food and beverage outlets to open at Auckland’s internatio­nal and domestic terminals

- Grant Bradley Photo / Supplied

Anew range of food and beverage outlets at Auckland Airport will create 370 new jobs. The new stores include New Zealand eateries Better Burger, Mexico, Orleans Chicken and Waffles and Al Brown’s Best Ugly Bagels in the internatio­nal terminal.

The line-up includes 27 outlets in both the domestic and internatio­nal terminals.

Of those, 21 are new stores, which will start opening from next month, and six existing outlets which are being redevelope­d.

The airport’s general manager retail and commercial, Richard Barker, said it would be a significan­t jobs boost for South Auckland.

“There will be more employment opportunit­ies for local people to work close to where they live.

“Given our location in South Auckland, it’s important that local people can connect with local jobs which present exciting and rewarding retail careers.”

Other outlets include Tea Garden, a high-tea concept developed specially for the airport by tea company Dilmah and chef Simon Gault; Oma, an artisan bakery and cafe which has been developed with Auckland-based baker Isabel Pasch; and 400 Gradi, an Italian restaurant by Melbourne award-winning chef Johnny Di Francesco.

“We will have a wide range of New Zealand-themed bars and restaurant­s, including Glamp Grounds — an innovative bar and eatery with play areas for children, designed as an iconic Kiwi outdoor campground.”

There would be a choice of interminal restaurant­s, casual dining, fast food and grab-and-go outlets.

Changes were unveiled yesterday at a function hosted by Auckland Airport’s jobs and skills hub Ara and attended by members of Labour’s Ma¯ori caucus.

The new food and beverage outlets will be managed by five experience­d

Given our location in South Auckland, it’s important that local people can connect with local jobs which present exciting and rewarding retail careers. Richard Barker

and successful food and beverage operators: Emirates Leisure Retail; Barworks Hospitalit­y Group; Delaware North Companies, in partnershi­p with the Britomart Hospitalit­y Group; MSHost; and Kiwi Discovery.

The new outlets will boost the airport company’s retail revenue which in the six months to last December 31 was nearly $88.9 million, up from $80.7m in the prior correspond­ing period.

Most revenue ($89m) still comes from passenger services charges paid by all travellers as part of their tickets, while airfield income is $59.9m.

 ??  ?? Better Burger is one of the new food chains heading for Auckland Airport.
Better Burger is one of the new food chains heading for Auckland Airport.

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