East Rutherford, NJ – April 5, 2013 – Burlington International Airport (BTV) has selected a joint venture led by premier travel retailer Hudson Group as the winner in its recent competitive bid process for the airport’s retail concessions program. The Hudson team has been operating newsstands at the airport since 2004.
The new five-year contract includes three Hudson travel essentials stores (the latest generation newsstand concept). The two post-Security Hudson stores will also carry the branding of two famous Vermont icons – Lake Champlain and Mount Mansfield. In addition, the new pre-Security Hudson will include a Discover Vermont section.
“The Hudson concept is a state-of-the-art travel convenience store, the next generation of Hudson News,” explains Hudson Group President and CEO Joe DiDomizio. “Hudson features a redesigned interior that focuses on changing customer needs for electronics, healthy snacks, travel essentials and authentic souvenirs. Fresh signage highlights sections within the store: Media, Essentials, Marketplace and Destination.”
In keeping with the airport’s vision, the new stores will ensure an authentic Vermont look and feel. The Discover Vermont storefront sign, for example, was designed by a local firm and depicts the progression through the seasons: from ski season to maple sugar season to haying season and right on through to harvest time.
Hudson’s Merchandising team has scoured the area for vendors whose unique, high quality wares truly reflect the lively artisanal culture of the Green Mountain State. The result is a cross-section of products from small and large vendors, such as the Vermont Farm Store, Ben & Jerry’s and the Vermont Teddy Bear Company.
“Hudson is a great partner of Burlington International Airport,” says Gene Richards, Director of Aviation. “We believe that with their proven track record for excellence in store design, local product mix and customer service, the passenger experience at BTV will continue to be well served.”
HG Burlington JV is a joint venture between Hudson Group (HG) Retail and Branded Works, a Massachusetts-certified ACDBE that partners with Hudson in Boston Logan and Newark Liberty International Airports, among others.
About Hudson Group: Hudson Group, the largest duty-paid travel retailer in North America, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of international travel retailer Dufry AG (DUFN) of Basel, Switzerland. The company operates some 700 Hudson News, Hudson Booksellers, cafes, specialty retail and duty free shops in 70 airports and transportation terminals in the United States and Canada, and additional newsstands in 12 more countries around the world. Dufry operates over 1,200 stores in 43 countries and 155 airports and transportation terminals.
