High Flying Foods
High Flying Foods is a privately held, family-led airport restaurant operator that runs over 40 food and beverage locations across seven U.S. international airports by partnering with more than 100 established local restaurant and chef brands.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1996
- HeadquartersSausalito, United States
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What High Flying Foods does
High Flying Foods is a privately held, family-led restaurant hospitality company that operates more than 40 food and beverage locations across seven U.S. international airports: San Francisco (SFO), San Diego (SAN), Denver (DEN), Chicago O'Hare (ORD), Oakland (OAK), Sacramento (SMF), and Dallas Fort Worth (DFW). Founded in 1996 in San Francisco with the Firewood Cafe concept, the company entered airport dining in 2000 by bringing that concept into SFO and has since built a portfolio of over 100 brand partnerships with established local restaurants, chefs, coffee roasters, breweries, and spirits brands including Peet's Coffee, Gott's Roadside, Phil's BBQ, Stone Brewing, Puesto, A16 Pizzeria, and Cutwater Spirits.
The company's core competency is adapting beloved local restaurant concepts for the operational constraints of airport terminals while preserving each brand's identity, menu, and customer experience. There is no proprietary technology platform; the offering is operational hospitality, including site buildout, staffing, supply chain, and concession management under multi-year contracts with airport authorities. Headcount is stated at over 500 employees company-wide, with executive leadership including CEO Glenn Meyers, Co-Presidents Zac Meyers and Colton Meyers, COO Kevin Westyle, and CCO Roxana Schwettmann.
High Flying Foods generates revenue through direct, transaction-based food and beverage sales to travelers at its airport locations. Pricing varies by location and concept, reflecting typical airport dining premiums, and is not publicly disclosed at a company-wide level. The go-to-market is direct-to-consumer via physical restaurant operations in airports, while the underlying commercial counterparties are airport operators seeking differentiated F&B programming. No external institutional investors, parent companies, or funding rounds are disclosed in the available data.
High Flying Foods firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- High Flying Foods
- Legal name
- High Flying Foods
- Website
- https://highflyingfoods.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1996
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- High Flying Foods is a privately held, family-led airport restaurant operator that runs over 40 food and beverage locations across seven U.S. international airports by partnering with more than 100 established local restaurant and chef brands.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
High Flying Foods industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Airport Restaurant Operations
- NAICS
- Full-Service Restaurants (722511), Restaurants and Other Eating Places (7225)
- SIC
- Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Airports, Flying Fields & Airport Terminal Services (4581)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Airport Food & Beverage Concessions (THABALAD)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Fine Dining Restaurants (THAFACAA)
Keywords
Where High Flying Foods is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Sausalito
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
High Flying Foods business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Food and Beverage Sales: Operating restaurants and eateries in airport terminals, generating revenue through direct food and beverage sales to travelers. Revenue is transaction-based, driven by foot traffic from airport passengers.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels2 records
High Flying Foods product offering
Product offeringCore offering
High Flying Foods operates a portfolio of over 40 restaurant and food/beverage locations inside 7 international airports, partnering with established local restaurants and chefs to bring authentic, brand-true dining experiences to travelers. The company earns revenue primarily through direct food and beverage sales to passengers in airport terminals, while maintaining operational partnerships with over 100 local brand concepts across categories including coffee, BBQ, Mexican, pizza, craft beer, and spirits.
Product overview
High Flying Foods is a restaurant hospitality company that operates a portfolio of over 40 local and chef-driven restaurant brands across 7 international airports (San Francisco, San Diego, Denver, Chicago, Oakland, Sacramento, and Dallas Fort Worth). The company specializes in adapting beloved local restaurant concepts—including coffee shops (Peet's Coffee, Lofty Coffee, Temple Coffee), BBQ and grill concepts (Phil's BBQ, Farmerbrown), Mexican restaurants (Puesto, The Taco Stand, Nixtaco, Calavera), breweries (Stone Brewing, New Belgium Brewing), cocktail bars (Cutwater Spirits), and various other food concepts—into airport environments while preserving each brand's distinct identity and culinary offerings. The company was founded nearly 30 years ago and employs over 500 people across its locations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Peet's Coffee (airport locations)
Companies that use High Flying Foods
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
High Flying Foods technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
High Flying Foods partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
19 partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Gott's RoadsidecoreLocal restaurant brand partner operating in San Francisco airport, known for classic American roadside dining with quality burgers, shakes, and casual fare.
- Peet's CoffeecoreSpecialty coffee partner with multiple locations at San Francisco airport (Terminal 2, Terminal 3, Express), bringing premium coffee experience to travelers.
- Phil's BBQcoreSan Diego's beloved BBQ brand operating at San Diego airport, bringing authentic Texas-style barbecue to the airport.
- Better BuzzcoreSan Diego-based coffee and food brand operating at San Diego airport, known for great coffee and casual dining.
- Cutwater SpiritscoreSan Diego craft spirits brand operating at San Diego airport, bringing cocktail bar experience to travelers.
- New Belgium BrewingcoreColorado-based craft brewery operating at Denver airport, bringing local craft beer experience to the airport.
- The Taco StandcoreSan Diego-based taco restaurant operating at San Diego airport, known for authentic Mexican street tacos.
- PuestocoreSan Diego-based Mexican restaurant concept operating at San Diego airport, known for architecturally designed spaces and upscale tacos.
- Stone BrewingcoreEscondido-based craft brewery operating at San Diego airport, bringing award-winning craft beer to travelers.
- A16 PizzeriacoreOakland-based pizzeria operating at Oakland airport, bringing authentic Italian pizza to travelers.
- Kettner ExchangecoreSan Diego restaurant and bar operating at San Diego airport, known for upscale dining and craft cocktails.
- Temple CoffeecoreSacramento-based specialty coffee roaster operating at Sacramento airport, known for quality single-origin coffees.
- NixtacocoreSacramento-based taco restaurant operating at Sacramento airport, bringing elevated Mexican cuisine to travelers.
- Bronzeville Bar + BitescoreChicago-based restaurant concept operating at Chicago airport, bringing South Side Chicago flavor to the airport.
- Urban RootscoreLocal brand partner mentioned in context of Chicago operations, contributing to authentic local dining experiences.
- Lofty CoffeecoreSan Diego-based specialty coffee roaster operating at San Diego airport, known for artisanal coffee and breakfast items.
- SantocoreDenver-based restaurant concept operating at Denver airport, known for authentic Mexican cuisine.
- CalaveracoreOakland-based Mexican restaurant operating at Oakland airport, bringing Day of the Dead themed dining experience.
- OaklandishcoreOakland-based brand offering Oakland-inspired merchandise and potentially food, operating at Oakland airport.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
High Flying Foods competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Starbucks: Operates coffee locations across nearly all major US airports, including some of the same airports as High Flying Foods. While a broader incumbent, it represents direct competition in the airport coffee segment where HFF operates Peet's Coffee, Lofty Coffee, and Temple Coffee.
- Gate Gourmet: Largest independent airline catering and airport hospitality company globally. While primarily focused on in-flight catering rather than terminal dining, it operates in the same airport ecosystem and competes for adjacent food service contracts.
Direct peers
- Delaware North: Hospitality and food service company with significant airport dining operations across the US. Operates restaurants and concessions in major hub airports and competes directly with High Flying Foods for terminal dining programs.
- Concessions International: Airport food and beverage concessionaire operating in several major US airports. Directly comparable in business model — operating multi-brand restaurant portfolios under airport concession agreements.
- OTG: Airport hospitality operator focused on chef-driven restaurant concepts at major US airports. Closely comparable to High Flying Foods' model of partnering with local restaurants and chefs to deliver elevated dining experiences.
- Areas (Areas USA): International airport concession operator with US operations, providing F&B and retail services in airports. Competes with High Flying Foods in the airport dining space, particularly in larger hub airports.
- SSP America: Global airport F&B operator with a large US presence, partnering with regional brands to bring local flavor to airports. Directly comparable to High Flying Foods in business model, brand curation strategy, and target airports.
- HMSHost: One of the largest airport food & beverage concession operators in North America, operating thousands of restaurants across major US airports including SFO, ORD, and DFW. HMSHost is High Flying Foods' most direct competitor for concession contracts and concept curation.
- Paradies Lagardère: Airport retail and dining concessionaire operating in major North American airports. Competes with High Flying Foods for terminal food & beverage concessions and shares the model of curating local and national brands for airport environments.
Emerging players
- Restaurant Associates: Hospitality food service company operating restaurants and cafes in airports, museums, and corporate settings. Has overlapping airport F&B operations and shares the curated dining approach with High Flying Foods, though with a broader venue footprint.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
High Flying Foods social profiles
Digital presenceHigh Flying Foods financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
High Flying Foods leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
High Flying Foods funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
High Flying Foods M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about High Flying Foods
What does High Flying Foods do?
High Flying Foods operates a portfolio of over 40 restaurant and food/beverage locations inside 7 international airports, partnering with established local restaurants and chefs to bring authentic, brand-true dining experiences to travelers. The company earns revenue primarily through direct food and beverage sales to passengers in airport terminals, while maintaining operational partnerships with over 100 local brand concepts across categories including coffee, BBQ, Mexican, pizza, craft beer, and spirits.
Is High Flying Foods a public or private company?
High Flying Foods is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was High Flying Foods founded?
High Flying Foods was founded in 1996. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is High Flying Foods based?
High Flying Foods is headquartered in Sausalito, United States, in the North America region.
How does High Flying Foods make money?
One revenue line is on record: food and Beverage Sales.
Who are High Flying Foods's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Starbucks and Gate Gourmet. Direct peers are Delaware North, Concessions International, OTG, Areas (Areas USA), SSP America, HMSHost and Paradies Lagardère. Restaurant Associates is listed as an emerging player.
Does High Flying Foods have an API?
No public API is recorded for High Flying Foods.
What industry is High Flying Foods in?
High Flying Foods's product category is Airport Restaurant Operations. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THABALAD, Airport Food & Beverage Concessions, with a secondary code of THAFACAA, Fine Dining Restaurants. Its NAICS code is 722511 and its SIC code is 5810.