LaTrelle's

What LaTrelle's does

LaTrelle's Management Corporation is a privately-held, family-owned franchise management company founded in 1985 by W.A. James Sr. and now led by the third generation of the James family. The company operates a portfolio of approximately 24 restaurant brands—predominantly national franchises (Wendy's, Subway, Starbucks, Dunkin', Buffalo Wild Wings, Jimmy John's, Potbelly, Raising Cane's, Peet's Coffee, Stumptown) alongside proprietary Houston-origin concepts (Hubcap Grill, Fat Cat Creamery, Bullritos, Common Bond, Pinks Pizza, Dish Society, The Rustic, Velvet Taco, LaTrelle's Tex-Mex Kitchen)—across concession spaces in major US airports, sports and entertainment venues, and select Texas neighborhood locations.

The company's core business model is franchise operations executed under airport concessions contracts, supplemented by sports venue partnerships (notably Aramark at Minute Maid Park) and a smaller neighborhood restaurant footprint in the Houston metro area (Kingwood, Conroe, The Woodlands, Lufkin). Revenue is generated through restaurant sales across these locations, with the company paying franchise royalties and concession fees (percentage of gross sales) to brand owners and airport authorities. LaTrelle's is ACDBE-certified (Airport Concessions Disadvantaged Business Enterprise), a federal designation that provides material bidding advantages in US airport concession RFPs.

The firm secured its first-ever prime concessions contract in 2023 at Houston's William P. Hobby Airport (HOU), a 10-year agreement spanning 17,000+ square feet, 10 restaurants, and approximately 300 jobs. That contract alone is projected to generate roughly $334 million in gross sales and $8 million in net profit for LaTrelle's over its term, with Houston Airports receiving approximately $74 million. Beyond Houston, LaTrelle's operates at George Bush Intercontinental (IAH), Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW), Portland (PDX), Seattle-Tacoma (SEA), Sacramento (SMF), and has expanded to Salt Lake City (SLC), New Orleans (MSY), and Cincinnati (CVG). Reported performance highlights include the highest-volume-per-square-foot Wendy's in the system for over 15 years and a 33.72% same-store sales increase at the Hobby Buffalo Wild Wings.

Name

LaTrelle's

Legal name

LaTrelle's Management Corporation

Website

https://latrelles.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

LaTrelle's Management Corporation is a third-generation, family-owned franchise operator managing approximately 24 restaurant brands across major US airports, sports venues, and Houston-area neighborhoods, with a 2023 first-ever prime concessions contract at Houston Hobby Airport anchoring recent growth.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Airport Concessions and Franchise Restaurant Management

NAICS

Food Service Contractors (722310), Limited-Service Restaurants (722513)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

Contract Foodservice Management (Outsourced Catering) (THAFAIAH)

Keywords

• Airport restaurant management
• Franchise operations
• Concessions services
• Food and beverage
• Venue dining

Headquarters

HQ city

Kingwood

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Franchise Restaurant Operations: LaTrelle's generates revenue by owning and operating franchise restaurants across airports, sports venues, and neighborhood locations. The company manages multiple national brands and local concepts, earning revenue through restaurant sales while paying franchise royalties to brand owners.
2. Airport Concessions Contracts: LaTrelle's secures prime concessions contracts with airports, generating projected revenue of $334 million in gross sales over the contract period. The company operates 17,000+ square feet of restaurant space at Houston's William P. Hobby Airport alone under a 10-year agreement projected to generate $74 million in revenue for Houston Airports.

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

LaTrelle's Management Corporation is a family-owned franchise restaurant operator that owns and operates more than 24 restaurant brands across major US airports (HOU, IAH, DFW, PDX, SEA, SMF), sports and entertainment venues (Minute Maid Park via Aramark partnership), and Texas neighborhood locations. The company secures prime and sub-concessions contracts with airport authorities and manages day-to-day franchise restaurant operations, earning revenue through food and beverage sales while paying franchise royalties to brand owners.

Product overview

LaTrelle's Management Corporation is a family-owned and operated restaurant management company that operates a diverse portfolio of 24 restaurant brands across major US airports and neighborhood locations. The company's core offering is franchise management and operations for national brands (Wendy's, Subway, Starbucks, Dunkin', Buffalo Wild Wings, Jimmy John's, Potbelly, Raising Cane's, Peet's Coffee, Stumptown, Olympia Coffee, Pick Up Stix, Pei Wei, Wetzel's Pretzels) and locally beloved Houston institutions (Bullritos, Common Bond, Dish Society, Fat Cat Creamery, Garrett Popcorn Shops, Hubcap Grill, LaTrelle's Tex-Mex Kitchen, Pinks Pizza, The Rustic, Velvet Taco). The company specializes in airport concessions with prime contracts at Houston Hobby Airport (HOU), George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), Portland International Airport (PDX), Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA), and Sacramento International Airport (SMF). LaTrelle's also operates sports and entertainment venue restaurants including Minute Maid Park through a partnership with Aramark.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• LaTrelle's Tex-Mex Kitchen: A proprietary brand offering Tex-Mex cuisine including burritos, quesadillas, bowls, tacos, fajitas, nachos, and breakfast items served at William P. Hobby Airport.

Products and services

• Buffalo Wild Wings Sports bar chain offering wings, sauces, and draft beer. Operated by LaTrelle's at airports for travelers seeking sports-bar dining in terminal environments.
• Bullritos Houston-based Tex-Mex burrito chain offering made-to-order burritos, bowls, tacos and other Tex-Mex items, operated at IAH.
• Common Bond Award-winning bakery and café featuring French-style pastries, artisan breads, custom cakes, sandwiches, and coffee, including Keto, vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options, served at HOU.
• Dish Society Farm-to-table restaurant featuring locally-sourced, organic, and chef-inspired options with 75% of ingredients sourced from Texas producers, served at HOU.
• Dunkin' Largest coffee and baked goods restaurant chain in the US, serving hot and iced coffee, donuts, and bagels to travelers at HOU.
• Fat Cat Creamery Authentic homemade ice cream shop making ice cream the old-fashioned way with pronounceable ingredients, serving travelers at HOU.
• Garrett Popcorn Shops Family-owned gourmet popcorn brand with products made fresh daily in old-fashioned copper kettles using all-natural ingredients and no preservatives, available at select LaTrelle's airport locations.
• Hubcap Grill Gourmet burger restaurant with a cult following, with buns baked fresh daily and fries hand-cut and double-fried, served at IAH.
• Jimmy John's Gourmet sandwich chain founded in 1983, known for fast and fresh sandwiches made with meats sliced fresh in-store and fresh-baked bread, with Unwich (lettuce-wrapped) option.
• LaTrelle's Tex-Mex Kitchen Proprietary LaTrelle's Tex-Mex concept featuring burritos, quesadillas, bowls, tacos, fajitas, nachos, and a full breakfast menu with specialty margaritas and bloody marys at HOU.
• Olympia Coffee Small-batch specialty coffee roaster partnering directly with farmers in nine countries, awarded Micro Roaster of the Year in 2013, served at select LaTrelle's airport locations.
• Peet's Coffee Specialty gourmet coffee roaster founded in 1966 in Berkeley, California, with coffee beans roasted daily and shipped same day, served at HOU, PDX, DFW, IAH, and other airports.
• Pei Wei Asian Express Asian fast-casual dining featuring wok-cooked dishes with no added MSGs, zero trans fat, gluten-free and vegetarian options, and exhibition-style kitchen.
• Pick Up Stix Freshly prepared Asian fare cooked-to-order using traditional woks, with Asia Fit menu items under 400 calories, served at select LaTrelle's airport locations.
• Pinks Pizza Houston-based pizzeria offering gourmet pizzas, artisanal sandwiches, pastas, salads and desserts, all made from scratch with fresh premium ingredients, served at IAH and HOU.
• Potbelly Sandwich shop with charm and local flavor, hand-selecting ingredients for toasted sandwiches, crisp salads, hand-dipped milkshakes, and fresh-baked cookies, served at IAH.
• Raising Cane's Chicken finger restaurant with a simple menu of chicken finger meals, crinkle-cut fries, coleslaw, Texas toast, and Cane's Sauce, founded in 1996, served at DFW.
• Starbucks Premier coffee purveyor with thousands of cafés worldwide, known for a diverse selection of fine roasted coffees, teas, and pastries, served at select LaTrelle's airport locations.
• Stumptown Portland's top gourmet coffee shop using only the finest beans sourced directly from farmers, with a 7,000 sq ft roastery and training lab, served exclusively by LaTrelle's at PDX.
• Subway Largest food franchise in the USA with over 44,000 restaurants in 100+ countries, served by LaTrelle's at IAH, DFW, and SEA; the company previously operated the 'world's smallest Subway' at 144 sq ft.
• The Rustic

Quantifiable outcome

• Highest grossing Bullritos restaurant in the entire franchise at IAH
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and supporting.

• Vino VolominorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 March 2019LaTrelle's partnered with Vino Volo for a new concept called Vino Volo & Moisant Market inside Concourse A of the new terminal at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY).
• AramarkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLaTrelle's partnered with Aramark to manage and finance restaurants in Minute Maid Park, home of the Houston Astros. LaTrelle's is Aramark's largest restaurant partner, operating multiple concepts in the 40,950-seat stadium. The partnership has been successful with exceptional sales and positive reception from fans and visitors.
• SYSCOsupportingOthersEarly in company history, LaTrelle's expanded to distribute prepared foods to convenience stores, vending machines, and institutions via national food distributor SYSCO.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves5 records

Direct peers

• Areas USA: Areas is a global airport foodservice and travel hospitality concessionaire operating in US airports including HOU and other major hubs. It directly competes with LaTrelle's on prime concession RFPs and runs franchise restaurants, proprietary brands, and chef-driven concepts under the same airport contract model.
• Delaware North: Delaware North operates travel hospitality (airport food & beverage) at major US airports and competes directly with LaTrelle's for concession agreements. It also operates in sports and entertainment venues — overlapping with LaTrelle's Minute Maid Park / Aramark-adjacent positioning.
• HMSHost (Avolta): HMSHost is the largest airport food & beverage concessionaire in North America, operating thousands of restaurants across major US airports including many of the same hubs LaTrelle's serves (IAH, HOU, DFW). Both companies operate franchise and proprietary restaurant concepts under airport concession agreements with virtually identical business models.
• OTG Management: OTG Management operates chef-driven and franchise restaurant concepts at major US airports (including IAH) under multi-restaurant concession agreements. Directly competes with LaTrelle's at Houston airports and shares the high-volume, multi-brand airport operating model.
• Paradies Lagardère: Paradies Lagardère is a major US airport retail and foodservice concessionaire operating in 100+ airports. It competes directly with LaTrelle's for both food & beverage and retail concessions, frequently bidding against LaTrelle's in the same airport RFP processes.
• SSP America: SSP America operates branded and proprietary restaurants in over 30 US airports under concession contracts, directly competing with LaTrelle's for prime concessions and sub-concessions at overlapping hubs including DFW. Same franchise-and-local-brand portfolio strategy.

Emerging players

• Tastes on the Fly: Tastes on the Fly is an ACDBE-certified airport restaurant operator focused on West Coast airports. Like LaTrelle's, it leverages disadvantaged business status to win prime concessions, though at smaller scale and a more regional footprint.
• Concessions International: Concessions International is a smaller ACDBE-certified airport foodservice operator that competes with LaTrelle's in the same niche — federal disadvantaged business enterprise status and airport concession focus make it a direct sub-segment peer.

Broad incumbents

• Aramark: Aramark is LaTrelle's strategic partner at Minute Maid Park and operates sports, entertainment, and convention foodservice nationally. While currently a partner, Aramark also directly competes for venue foodservice contracts and represents both the upside (replicable partnership model) and threat (competitor in sports venues) for LaTrelle's.
• Sodexo Live!: Sodexo Live! (formerly Centerplate) operates foodservice at sports stadiums, entertainment venues, and convention centers — directly overlapping with LaTrelle's Minute Maid Park / Aramark partnership business and competing for the same venue contracts at scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/latrellesusa

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about LaTrelle's