HMSHost International Partners with McArthurGlen in Designer Outlet Centres

HMSHost International will expand into designer outlet shopping centres thanks to a new partnership with McArthurGlen, Europe’s leading owner, developer and manager of designer outlets. The partnership will come into play by the end of 2016. This strategic move will see HMSHost International diversify its operations beyond airports and railway stations. By the beginning of 2017, eight concepts and one mobile kiosk at McArthurGlen’s Roermond Designer Outlet will be operated by HMSHost Nederland BV. A 10-year contract has been signed with an estimated sales value in excess of €100 million.

Roermond Designer Outlet, the most successful designer outlet shopping centre in the Netherlands, attracted 5.6 million visitors in 2015: its visitor numbers have grown 10 percent, year on year, for the past three years. McArthurGlen, the owner, developer and manager of 22 designer outlets throughout Europe and North America, sought a food & beverage operator that could harmonise the positioning of the shopping centre with the profile of its visitors: those from the Netherlands and neighbouring countries of Germany and Belgium, as well as Asian tourists visiting Europe..

HMSHost International will introduce and operate a variety of new food & beverage concepts at Roermond Designer Outlet including Kamps Backstube, which will not only serve delicious freshly-baked goods including traditional German pretzel products, but also a wide range of freshly prepared cold and hot snack choices. Besides guests will be welcomed at Doner Kebab & Pommes Frites and Entrée Bakery Café. And for the world’s most famous coffee, visitors can head to two new Starbucks locations which will be the first ones in the southern part of the Netherlands. Additionally, HMSHost will operate German F&B concept Käfer, gourmet burgers at Burger Federation and Sausage Company featuring a varied selection of the best local and international gourmet quality sausages.

Walter Seib, CEO of HMSHost International, said, “HMSHost International has clear ambitions for growth. We aligned this at airports before moving into railway stations. Now designer outlet shopping centres are the focus of our next strategic move and we are thrilled to work closely with McArthurGlen. We are focusing on enhancing the experience by analysing the customer journey and providing value for their time and money.  Our vision remains: to be the world’s undisputed and most reliable Food & Beverage operator.”

Mr. Pieter van Voorst Vader, development director of McArthurGlen, said, “At McArthurGlen Designer Outlets we welcome guests from all over the world offering them a unique shopping experience. It is our priority to connect with these different nationalities, whether long or short haul travellers or visitors from our local catchment and we continuously adapt our business to their needs. Visitors to McArthurGlen centres come not only for our strong mix of designer brands but also because we offer them a wide choice of dining experiences which play a key part in achieving all round customer satisfaction. We are, therefore, happy that in HMSHost International we have found the right partner for Designer Outlet Roermond.  A partner that not only shares our values but through their strategic concepts meet our needs and more importantly those of our consumers.”