On July 5, the food street on the fourth floor of Incheon International Airport's Terminal 1 was already crowded with travelers, even before lunchtime at 10 a.m. The 'Food Empire' food court, managed by Our Home, was nearly full, making it hard to find an empty seat. After expanding its size by opening the eastern section in October last year, Food Empire now features Korean dishes like Hanokjip Kimchi Stew and Namsan Wang Donkatsu on the west side, and Cheongjindong Sundubu, Kontai (Thai), and Nimat (halal) on the east side.
Navin, an Indian traveler who ordered halal dolsot bibimbap at Nimat, expressed his relief, saying, "It can be challenging to find strictly halal food at airports or in Korean cities, so I’m glad to enjoy familiar Korean cuisine here without worry."
Nearby, a robot barista from Hanwha Robotics caught the attention of travelers as it prepared espresso at the 'Aero Robot Bar.'
Taking the escalator down to the first floor, the 'Plating' food court operated by Lotte GRS faced a Lotteeria outlet across the aisle. Plating features popular Korean brands such as Sodam Bansang, Hyoja Gomtang, and Gongpyeongdong Donkatsu.
Distinctive features set some stores apart. At the Paris Baguette in the departure area of Terminal 2, a display of gift products was prominently featured. The airport-exclusive 'Annyeong Sandwich' quickly gained popularity, selling over ten boxes in less than a minute among both local and international customers.
Located in the basement of T2, Our Home's 'In the Box' store is filled with refrigerated and room-temperature products, offering easy-to-grab items like keto gimbap, sandwiches, and salads. A customer named Kim remarked, "I was looking for something quick to eat before my flight, and it’s convenient to buy without waiting."
◆ Incheon Airport, with 74 million annual passengers, emerges as a K-Food hub
The surge in passenger numbers has prompted companies to invest in airport concessions. According to Incheon International Airport Corporation, the annual passenger count reached 74.07 million last year, surpassing pre-pandemic levels of 71.17 million in 2019. On February 14, during the Lunar New Year holiday, a record 247,104 travelers visited the airport in a single day. Projections suggest that this year's total could reach as high as 78.55 million.
The bustling 'Incheon Airport commercial area' commands significant rental fees. In the bidding for food and beverage complex operations at Incheon Airport in 2023, Our Home proposed an annual rent of 27.3 billion won, while Paris Croissant offered 18.9 billion won, and Lotte GRS bid 11.1 billion won. The food court area designated for departing passengers was secured by Lotte GRS (10.5 billion won) and CJ Freshway (10.3 billion won), while the lounge operation rights went to Pulmuone Food & Culture (12.7 billion won).
Following the acquisition of operational rights, companies are aggressively expanding. CJ Freshway opened the 'Gourmet Bridge' food court in both T1 and T2 earlier this year, establishing a foundation with a total of four locations and 1,500 seats. Lotte GRS recently opened an A/S location in T1, completing its system with five food court locations and 49 outlets at Incheon Airport. SPC operates over 30 brands, including Paris Baguette and Pascucci, throughout the airport. Our Home also manages over 30 outlets, including Food Empire and Hansik Sodamgil in T1 and T2.
While the airport concession business is now a growth engine for promoting K-Food, it faced a dark period just a few years ago during the COVID-19 pandemic. Passenger numbers plummeted, causing major food and beverage contractors to see revenues drop to one-tenth of normal levels, with store operating rates falling to around 30%.
With the recovery in passenger numbers, the Incheon Airport concession business has become a significant revenue driver for dining companies. Lotte GRS reported sales of 1.1189 trillion won last year, re-entering the 'trillion club' for the first time in eight years, thanks to growth in the airport concession business. CJ Freshway also saw a 70.1% increase in concession sales in the fourth quarter of last year compared to the same period the previous year, while Our Home's airport concession revenue rose by 7%. Notably, the business is recognized for its role in introducing K-Food to the influx of foreign tourists.
An industry insider stated, "With the clear recovery of airport passenger numbers post-COVID-19, concessions have firmly established themselves as a core business for large corporations. As there is high demand for brand placement among foreign visitors, this will become an important foundation for stable profits in the future."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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