Mega coffee company Starbucks and OTG, one of North America’s leading airport hospitality groups, today announced a new partnership, aimed at reimagining the customer experience in airports across the U.S.
OTG is known for its technologically advanced, industry-leading, best-in-class dining and retail installations in such major airports as Newark, LaGuardia, JFK, Philadelphia International Airport and George Bush Intercontinental Airport (Houston).
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Fast Company Magazine ranked OTG among the World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies, OTG currently operates over 350 restaurants and retail venues in ten airports across North America. Its innovative concepts are designed to create a sense of place in each destination airport, making travelers’ time spent in the terminal a much more enjoyable experience. Its out-of-the-box approach combines award-winning cuisine options with state-of-the-art technology to create world-class hospitality moments while you’re waiting for your flight.
Starbucks, being the world’s largest chain of coffeehouses and a societal icon, is likewise the global leader in the airport food-and-beverage marketplace. In cooperation with OTG, Starbucks now plans to establish various traditional and “experiential” airport locations that integrate cutting-edge technology into their operations in order to deliver a more dynamic and unique customer service throughout the airport environment.
“OTG is thrilled to be forging this new and exciting partnership with Starbucks. Our mission is simple: deliver our guests what they want in the most efficient, frictionless way possible,” remarked Rick Blatstein, OTG CEO, in a statement. “This collaboration will allow us to introduce a fully re-imagined Starbucks customer experience, ensuring guests access to their preferred cup anywhere in the airport.”
One of the hallmarks of OTG airport experiences is the first-of-its-kind implementation of public-use electronic tablets, thousands of which have been installed in terminals across North America, which effectively revolutionized food service in airports. The company’s redesign of various terminals has delivered tech-enhanced and stylish, yet pragmatic, spaces designed to maximize comfort and functionality for airport travelers.
Henry Klein, Starbucks senior national account executive – Travel, expounded, “Our partnership with OTG will allow us to expand our footprint and reach more customers across U.S. airports. We will also bring new innovations to the market and elevate the overall Starbucks Experience for partners and customers. This includes new store concepts and digital capabilities that meet our customers where they are in their particular travel journey.”
These new experiential locations are to be placed strategically among terminals and are intended to move throughout the airport as the day progresses, standing ready to serve up a signature Starbucks experience and craft beverages at the gate upon passengers’ arrival or departure.
For more information, visit otgexp.com.
