Concessions International

What Concessions International does

Concessions International, LLC is a privately held, family-owned food and beverage airport concessionaire founded in 1979 by Herman J. Russell, headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. Ranked among the top six largest F&B airport concessionaires in the United States, CI operates approximately 40 food and beverage locations across 8 major airports (Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta, Denver, Dallas/Fort Worth, Washington Dulles, Reagan National, Miami, Seattle-Tacoma, and St. Thomas USVI). Its brand portfolio spans 30+ concepts including national franchises (Starbucks, Chick-fil-A, Shake Shack, Panda Express, Einstein Bros. Bagels), licensed celebrity chef concepts (Bobby Flay, Michael Symon, Geoff Tracy, Vagn Nielsen), and proprietary brands (Roast Coffee House, BrewTop Social, Pemberton Café, Fresh Exchange, Proof of the Pudding Fresh Gourmet).

CI operates primarily as a B2B concessionaire winning competitive bids from airport authorities, frequently structured through joint ventures with ACDBE-certified minority-owned partners (H&H Hospitality, MBC Concessions, Grove Bay Hospitality, Seattle Food Partners). Revenue is generated through direct restaurant sales at airport locations, with brand partners receiving franchise royalties and CI retaining full margin on proprietary concepts. The technology stack includes industry-standard POS systems, an in-house back office platform developed by VP IT Michael Rodgers for consolidated cross-platform reporting, QR-code-enabled digital menus, first-of-kind tabletop iPad ordering at Hartsfield-Jackson, and a 5-airport partnership with Grab for mobile pre-ordering. CI's ACDBE certification, derived from its founding under Herman J. Russell as a minority business enterprise pioneer, provides structural advantage in airport procurements requiring diversity participation. As of September 2025, CI is a $120M+ organization undergoing leadership transition from Donata Russell Ross to Nikki Tinsley Harland as CEO.

Name

Concessions International

Legal name

Concessions International, LLC

Website

https://cintl.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Concessions International is a family-owned airport food and beverage concessionaire operating approximately 40 locations across 8 major US airports, serving 30+ national, celebrity-chef, and proprietary brands under franchise and joint venture structures, with $120M+ annual revenue.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Airport Food and Beverage Concessions

NAICS

Food Service Contractors (722310), Full-Service Restaurants (722511), Limited-Service Restaurants (722513)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

Airport Food & Beverage Concessions (THABALAD)

Keywords

• Airport food concessions
• Airport restaurant operations
• Food and beverage concessions
• Airport dining services
• ACDBE concessionaire

Headquarters

HQ city

College Park

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Airport Food and Beverage Concessions: CI generates revenue by operating food and beverage concessions in airports under contracts with airport authorities. Revenue comes from direct restaurant sales across quick service, casual dining, bar, deli, snack, and cafe concepts at approximately 40 locations in 8 airports.
2. Franchise and Licensing Fees: CI serves as a franchisee operating national branded concepts (Starbucks, Chick-fil-A, Shake Shack, Panda Express, Einstein Bros. Bagels, Fresh to Order, etc.) under franchise agreements, paying royalties and adhering to brand standards.
3. Proprietary Brand Revenue: CI develops and operates proprietary concepts (Roast Coffee House, Proof of the Pudding Fresh Gourmet, BrewTop Social, Fresh Exchange, Pemberton Café) that are wholly owned, capturing full margin on sales.
4. Joint Venture Revenue Share: CI forms joint ventures with ACDBE partners (H&H Hospitality, MBC Concessions, Grove Bay, etc.) to win airport bids. Revenue is shared per joint venture agreements.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Concessions International is a food and beverage airport concessionaire that operates approximately 40 restaurant locations across 8 major U.S. airports and St. Thomas USVI, serving travelers with a portfolio of more than 30 national, regional, proprietary, and celebrity-chef-licensed brands across quick service, casual dining, bars, delis, snack, and cafe formats. The company functions as a franchisee for national chains and as the developer/operator of proprietary concepts, generating revenue from on-site food and beverage sales and operating under long-term contracts with airport and port authorities.

Product overview

Concessions International operates as a dynamic food and beverage airport concessions company offering more than 30 national, regional and proprietary brands across nearly 40 locations in 8 airports plus street-side operations. The portfolio includes franchised brands (Einstein Bros. Bagels, Nathan's Famous, Panda Express, Shake Shack, Starbucks, Chick-fil-A, Bobby's Burger Palace, P.F. Chang's), proprietary brands (Roast Coffee House, BrewTop Social), and licensed concepts. The company operates quick service, casual dining, bars, delis, snack, and cafe concessions with a focus on both national brand partnerships and local/regional flavors tailored to each airport market. Beyond airports, CI also manages street-side locations including Paschal's Restaurant and Starbucks in Atlanta's Buckhead neighborhood.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Roast Coffee House: Proprietary coffee brand serving Peet's Coffee and coffee drinks, breakfast sandwiches, pastries, salads, sandwiches, and paninis. Operates in Seattle and Atlanta airports.
• BrewTop Social
• Fresh Exchange
• Pemberton Café

Products and services

• Salty's at the SEA CI's flagship full-service bar and restaurant with grab-and-go service at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport Central Terminal, featuring Pacific Northwest coastal cuisine, seafood, steaks, and award-winning brunch. Operated through Seattle Food Partners JV with Grove Bay Hospitality and Well-Buttered Bread. First LEED-certified retail tenant at SEA Airport.
• BrewTop Social CI's proprietary Pacific Northwest craft brewery concept in an indoor beer garden setting with 16 rotating taps featuring local breweries, located above Salty's at the SEA at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.
• Roast Coffee House CI's proprietary coffee concept proudly pouring Peet's Coffee with breakfast sandwiches, pastries, salads, sandwiches, and paninis, operating in Seattle and Atlanta airports.
• Pemberton Café CI's first proprietary concept opened outside the airport environment at World of Coca-Cola and the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta in 2010.
• Fresh Exchange CI's in-airport proprietary concept opened at Denver's Union Station in downtown Denver in November 2014.
• Paschal's Restaurant Historic Atlanta restaurant with over 50 years of history serving Southern cuisine including award-winning fried chicken. Operated by CI at the Castleberry Hill location in Atlanta and Paschal's Northside.
• Bobby's Burger Palace (Bobby Flay concept) Celebrity Chef Bobby Flay's fast-casual burger concept featuring high-quality, never-frozen, made-to-order burgers with signature sauces, hand-cut fries, and milkshakes, operated by CI in a JV with H&H Hospitality at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
• Bar Symon (Michael Symon concept) Iron Chef Michael Symon's comfort food and tap-house concept at Washington Dulles International Airport Concourse C featuring appetizers, soups, salads, sandwiches, and desserts.
• Chef Geoff's (Geoff Tracy concept) Chef Geoff Tracy's concept with health-conscious dishes including Big Salads, Simple and Healthy offerings, and Gluten Free menus, operated by CI at Washington Dulles International Airport Concourse C.
• Proof of the Pudding Fresh Gourmet Chef-inspired salads, sandwiches, wraps, muffins, parfaits, and snacks on-the-go at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, led by Corporate Executive Chef Vagn Nielsen.
• Hibiscus Café (St. Thomas USVI) CI-operated food and beverage location at Cyril E. King Airport in St. Thomas, USVI, featuring local island favorites and tropical beverages.
• Airport Food and Beverage Concession Operations Core service offering: operating food and beverage concession locations under multi-year contracts with airport and port authorities across 8 major U.S. airports (ATL, DEN, DFW, IAD, DCA, MIA, SEA) and St. Thomas USVI, with approximately 40 locations spanning 30+ national, regional, proprietary, and licensed brands.
• ACDBE Joint Venture Concession Partnerships Multi-party joint venture arrangements with ACDBE-certified partners (H&H Hospitality, MBC Concessions, Southwest Minority Financial Group, Grove Bay Hospitality, Well-Buttered Bread, Nicholas & Associates) to bid on and operate airport food and beverage concession contracts.

Quantifiable outcome

• Ranked #6 largest food and beverage airport concessionaire in the US
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 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

Integration1 record

AI capability2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Seattle Food Partners (Grove Bay Hospitality + Well-Buttered Bread)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 April 2023Seattle Food Partners is a partnership between CI, Grove Bay Hospitality, and Well-Buttered Bread LLC (run by Kate Kingen, daughter of Salty's founders). This JV operates Salty's at the SEA (11,647 sq ft flagship seafood restaurant) and BrewTop Social (CI proprietary craft beer/wine garden) at SEA's Central Terminal — CI's single largest airport dining location and the first LEED certified retail tenant at SEA. CI serves as majority partner.
• Southwest Minority Financial Group (SMFG)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 14 January 2019SMFG operates quick service restaurant locations in Terminals C and E at DFW Airport and Dallas Love Field. CI partnered with SMFG and H&H Hospitality to bring Shake Shack to DFW Terminal C (Gate C7), serving Shake Shack classics plus breakfast menu. SMFG is ACDBE certified.
• H&H Hospitality, Inc.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 25 September 2018H&H Hospitality is an Atlanta-based Airport Concessions Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (ACDBE) founded in 2008 by Hampton University graduates Kevin Holt and Randy Hazelton. CI and H&H form joint ventures to win and operate airport food and beverage concessions, including Shake Shack at Hartsfield-Jackson (Concourse A near Gate 28) and Bobby's Burger Palace at ATL (Concourse B, Gate 26). H&H brings ACDBE certification enabling CI to meet airport diversity requirements.
• MBC Concessions, Inc.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 September 2014CI and MBC Concessions formed the joint venture CI/MBC - DC Metro, LLC to bring concessions to Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). Operations include Taylor Gourmet, Georgetown Gourmet Market, Be Right Burger, Bar Symon, Chef Geoff's, and Drew Pearson's Sports 88.
• H. J. Russell & CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounded by Herman J. Russell in 1952, H.J. Russell & Company is a vertically integrated service provider specializing in real estate development, construction, program management, and property management. H.J. Russell is CI's sister company, both descended from the same founder. Together they form the Russell Hospitality Campus at Castleberry Hill, including Paschal's Restaurant, Clarion Inn & Suites, and The Loft at Castleberry Hill.
• Hibiscus Café / USVI Airport OperationsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCI developed The Hibiscus Café at Cyril E. King Airport in St. Thomas, USVI, featuring local island favorites and tropical beverages. Mike DeLugo serves as Managing Partner for Concessions International USVI.
• Salty's Kingen FamilycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Kingen family founded the award-winning Salty's Seafood Grills in the Pacific Northwest (Seattle, Portland). Their brand, beloved for 40+ years, is anchored at SEA's Central Terminal as Salty's at the SEA — a flagship full-service restaurant with oyster bar, sports bar, dining room, and sail-thru counter celebrating Pacific Northwest coastal cuisine.
• Bobby Flay / Bobby's Burger PalacecoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerCelebrity chef Bobby Flay created Bobby's Burger Palace, a fast casual burger concept. CI operates the airport location at Hartsfield-Jackson (Concourse B, Gate 26) under a licensing deal as a JV with H&H Hospitality. This was Bobby Flay's first airport restaurant and first Atlanta location. The menu features signature burgers, hand-cut fries, milkshakes, and exclusive ATL-specific items.
• Michael Symon / Bar SymonminorOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerIron Chef Michael Symon's Bar Symon is a comfort food and tap-house bar and grill at Washington Dulles International Airport (Concourse C). The chef-driven menu features appetizers, soups, salads, sandwiches, and desserts in a casual dining setting.
• Geoff Tracy / Chef Geoff'sminorOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerChef Geoff Tracy operates Chef Geoff's with five successful restaurants in the D.C. metro area. CI operates the airport location at Washington Dulles International Airport (Concourse C, C14), featuring health-conscious menus including Big Salads, Simple and Healthy offerings, and Gluten Free options. Chef Geoff won 'Best Local Chef' by Washingtonian Magazine (2013).
• Well-Buttered Bread and Nicholas & AssociatescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWell-Buttered Bread is a local Seattle woman-owned business; Nicholas & Associates is a minority-owned ACDBE. Both are partners in the Seattle Food Partners JV with CI and Grove Bay Hospitality, operating Salty's at the SEA and BrewTop Social at SEA Airport.
• Vagn Nielsen / Proof of the PuddingminorOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerCorporate Executive Chef Vagn Nielsen leads Proof of the Pudding Fresh Gourmet at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (Concourse B). Proof of the Pudding has been Atlanta's culinary leader for over 30 years, serving everything from elegant dinners for President Carter to casual fare for Chastain Park concert-goers. Fresh Gourmet offers high-quality, good-for-you salads, wraps, sandwiches and snacks on-the-go.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves17 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Delaware North: Delaware North is a global hospitality and food service company with a sizable airport F&B concession business. Competes head-to-head with CI on airport concession RFPs and operates comparable franchise and proprietary brands.
• SSP America: SSP America, part of SSP Group plc, operates restaurant and bar concessions in airports and travel hubs across the U.S. and globally. Direct competitor on airport F&B contracts with a similar mix of national brand franchisees and proprietary brands.
• Paradies Lagardère: Paradies Lagardère is the largest airport food, beverage, and retail concessionaire in North America (~$1.6B in sales under prior CI executive). It directly competes with Concessions International at major U.S. hubs and shares the same ACDBE-driven contract model with national-brand and proprietary concepts.
• HMSHost: HMSHost (a subsidiary of Avolta/Autogrill) is one of the largest airport F&B concessionaires in North America, operating thousands of locations across major U.S. airports including many of the same hubs where CI operates (ATL, DFW, DEN, MIA). Directly comparable business model and brand portfolio.
• Areas USA: Areas is a global airport and travel hub F&B and retail concessionaire with U.S. operations, directly competing with CI for contracts at major U.S. airports and operating both franchise and proprietary concepts.
• OTG Experience: OTG operates airport restaurants and retail with a heavy emphasis on technology-enabled guest experiences (self-order kiosks, mobile ordering). Direct peer to CI on airport F&B contracts and on the technology-differentiation angle CI is pursuing.
• High Flying Foods: High Flying Foods is a California-based airport restaurant operator and concessionaire that runs a portfolio of proprietary and licensed concepts in U.S. airports, comparable in scale and operating model to CI.

Emerging players

• Vino Volo: Vino Volo operates wine bar and restaurant concepts in airports, focusing on a narrower premium niche. Smaller and more specialized than CI, but intersects with CI's licensed-concept (Bobby Flay, Michael Symon) strategy.

Broad incumbents

• Hudson Group: Hudson Group is a Dufry/Avolta subsidiary operating convenience and food & beverage concepts in airports and travel hubs across North America. While broader than CI (heavier on convenience retail), it is a relevant incumbent competitor for airport contract dollars.
• Marshall Retail Group: Marshall Retail Group operates specialty retail and food & beverage locations in airports and tourist destinations. Broader than CI in scope (specialty retail is core) but competes for travel-hub concession RFPs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

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Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries4 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 Concessions International