b'90 IND CONCESSIONSAirport PerspectiveThe new concessions concept was selected during a 2019 competitive bid process. David Shaw, director of Concessions and Airport Experience at IND, recalls putting the former Wolfgang PuckDAVID SHAWExpress space out to bid. The restaurant menu highlights Indiana agriculture. We had multiple companies bid on it, but ultimately, we felt most confident in the operator, SSP America, partnering with Indiana Grown to develop what you see in that space today, Shaw says. It was a natural, perfect fit that is the benchmark for Concourse B. It is so warm and welcoming, he says of the ample space equipped with various seating options and charging stations. If you want to cozy up to the bar and have a local beer or glass of wine, you can do that. If you want to buy local produce, jams or candles, you can do that.Bob Stanton, vice president of Business Development for SSP America, adds that Indiana Grown was an ideal choice because it focuses on local produce and agriculture, andBOB STANTONfills an attractive niche in the airports overall lineup. Indiana Grown is an amazing organization that represents thousands of local Indiana vendors, farmers and purveyors, Stanton says, noting that SSP works to bring a taste of place to all the airports it serves. They simply needed a bigger stage to showcase their products on. The concessions specialist helped brainstorm a restaurant concept that would appeal to a wide range of passengers while effectively incorporating Indiana-grown ingredients into its recipes. The central challenge we thought we might have is coordinating the procurement of products, Stanton recalls. But by leveraging the services of our distributor Piazza Produce, that problem was solved. Overall, operating restaurants in airports is a complex task compared to street-side restaurants, but we have an incredible team May | June 2023AirportImprovement.com'