Every month, more than 2 million people walk or run along the corridor leading to the boarding gates of Terminal 2, the busiest at Guarulhos Airport, São Paulo, intended for domestic flights. For the past three months, however, few have passed by the new branch of burger restaurant Patties without slowing down to at least take a look.
Designed by the Ohtake architectural firm, the 100 m² corner store has an aviation theme. The agents dressed as flight attendants are led by a manager dressed as a pilot. Orders are delivered using a luggage-like conveyor belt and are presented in suitcase-shaped bags, designed by Allbags.
Founder of Patties, Henrique Azeredo invested R$3.5 million in the new branch and developed a business plan that was curious to say the least. The goal, he says, is to earn enough to cover expenses, which are not small — starting with rent, which he is contractually prohibited from disclosing.
Market professionals, heard by the Leafestimate that an area of this size at the boarding point of Terminal 2, the airport’s filet mignon in terms of traffic, costs no less than R$500,000 per month.
“I would be happy if I broke even, but I’m already starting to get a little bigger,” says the entrepreneur, who delivers 300,000 burgers a month, including sales from the two high street stores, the Shopping Tamboré unit and delivery.
To prepare the project for the new branch and define the price scale, Azeredo spent an entire day inside the terminal, observing the customers of the stores that would be its neighbors. Not having obtained authorization from the security services, he bought a ticket only to access the restricted area.
In one cafeteria, he found that 60% of people checked the menu and left. “I felt two things: that airport customers are always in a hurry, so I went for an attention-grabbing design, and that price is a sensitive issue. Many people curse attendants.”
Other major brands have invested in airports. T2 in Guarulhos was also Nestlé’s choice for the first and, so far, only Mundo Ninho store in the world. At the counter, brigadeiros at R$9.90 and other delicacies share space with souvenirs.
Entirely yellow, the color of powdered milk packaging, the store is the first one sees when leaving the x-ray area. The point, according to Patricia Tigre, director of milk marketing at Nestlé, was chosen for its visibility.
“We chose a very busy place, where we can offer an emotional break. The impact was enormous, the atmosphere is Instagrammable and many people come to take photos,” explains the manager.
This month, T2 also became the new address of the Garoto chocolate factory, which belongs to Nestlé. The brand has been investing in airports since last year. With units already operational in Vitória and Goiânia, it plans to reach ten stores by 2026.
“The one in Guarulhos will be like a mini factory. Consumers will be able, for example, to choose the mix of chocolates for the box and buy gifts, such as cups and napkins,” explains Paula Munhoz, marketing director of Nestlé Chocolates.
The multinational’s bet is supported by the successful experience of the Nescafé brand, which has had cafes in airports since 2018. The first was in Congonhas, in São Paulo.
“At the time, going directly to the consumer in a B2C (consumer sales) operation was a test. It worked, we will end the year with more than 30 stores in airports,” says Leonardo Tauil, drinks manager at Nestlé Professional.
The Living HNK brewery network, which the Heineken group has established in Brazilian airports since 2015, is also experiencing rapid growth: it now has 39 units.
“The first operation, in Terminal 3 of Guarulhos, has 252 m² and started as a test, which resulted in the largest of all, in Terminal 2, with 3,000 m²,” explains Ricardo Piccoli, regional director of the group for São Paulo and the South.
Prices are high. 300 ml draft beers, priced at R$27.90, accompany burgers created by chef Dalton Rangel, starting at R$89.90.
Guaranteed traffic is the bargaining chip offered by dealers. According to Juan Sánchez, commercial director of Aena, which manages 17 airports, including Congonhas, the rent for each point is calculated based on expected revenues.
“Congonhas welcomes 100 thousand people a day, including passengers, their family members and the airport community, from 4 a.m. to 11 p.m. The income is double that obtained by a street store.”
According to Sebrae-SP marketing consultant Silmara Regina de Souza, consumer behavior at airports deviates from the general rule and contributes to increasing cash flow. “The person is stuck there, in travel mode and over time. In the psychological context of the traveler, the desire to buy changes and there is more propensity to spend,” he says.
High rents are not the only drawback in the price mix. Safety standards, particularly in boarding areas, increase the complexity – and cost – of simple tasks, such as repairing equipment or replacing goods.
“Everything is x-rayed, even the envelopes, and unregistered cell phones are confiscated. During the work, even the paint cans were opened and inspected,” says Henrique Azeredo. For these and other reasons, the Nestlé brands, as well as Heineken, have preferred to enter airports in partnership with Grupo Fit, specialized in this type of activity, with more than 50 operations.
According to consultant Sebrae-SP, the extension of opening hours, which requires the creation of teams in several shifts, with more managers, also increases costs. Patties, for example, is open from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. and was forced to develop a breakfast menu for the new branch.
A phenomenon that coincides with the privatization of Brazilian airports, the increase in commercial zones is only just beginning, as stated by the director of Aena. In Congonhas, the expansion will not be limited to the new remote boarding space, opened in August: the company is investing 2.4 billion reais in works that, among other improvements, will result in 20,000 m² dedicated to commercial areas by June 2028.
The trend, the executive warns, is spreading throughout Brazil. In October, the company announced that it was expanding its store space in four airports in Pará, three in Minas Gerais and three in Mato Grosso do Sul. “With this new proposal, which improves the passenger experience, those who only spent R$20 to buy water and cheese bread will spend four, five times more.”
X-ray patty burger
Foundation: 2019
Thirsty: Sao Paulo
Employees: 488 Stores: 4 physical stores and 7 delivery hubs in São Paulo
Competitors: Bullguer, Madero, Cabana Burger
About The Author
