Southern Grounds coffee house is to launch at Jacksonville International Airport, Florida, in autumn 2020.
The local business is being brought to the airport by US airport food specialist HMSHost, and will be based in Concourse A. BurgerFi, also a Florida firm, will open in Concourse B at a later date, to be determined by the progress of construction work currently underway at the airport.
The two new locations are part of a 10-year contract, valued at approximately US$60m, that the Jacksonville Aviation Authority awarded to HMSHost, and its Airport Concessions Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (ACDBE) joint-venture partner Lee Wesley Group.
“We’re thrilled to partner with the Jacksonville Aviation Authority to bring local businesses into the airport, especially one like Southern Grounds that has deep local roots and brings a beloved community gathering place to the concourse,” said HMSHost vice president of business development Stephen Douglas. “We’ll be sending travelers off with one last bite and sip of a hometown favorite.”
Southern Grounds, which makes its airport debut at Jacksonville, will offer breakfast, lunch and dinner, plus snacks, pastries and other bakery items, along with gourmet coffee and teas. Grab-and-go items will also be available.
The Concourse A location is easily accessible from all gates, and the new outlet will provide ample dedicated seating, as well as options for travelers to sit by the concourse for people watching, or near windows overlooking the tarmac for plane spotting.