Summary:
- Düsseldorf Airport and Lagardère Travel Retail launch new food and retail experiences as part of a major terminal transformation programme.
- New concepts include EL&N London, Popeyes, bona’me, Papa Pepe and Rheinbissen, blending international brands with regional Rhineland cuisine and culture.
- Redevelopment expands RELAY and introduces hybrid formats such as RELAY Café, positioning the airport as a leading European hub for experience-led travel retail.
Düsseldorf Airport and Lagardère Travel Retail have launched a new wave of food and retail experiences at the airport, marking a significant milestone in the transformation of the terminal into a more dynamic, experience-led environment. The new concepts are part of a broader redevelopment of key retail and dining areas following Lagardère Travel Retail Germany’s successful bid for a comprehensive master concession covering large parts of the airport’s commercial space.
Together, the partners are aiming to reposition the terminal as a vibrant destination for dining, shopping and leisure, offering travellers a wider and more diverse range of experiences – from quick grab-and-go options to relaxed, sit-down dining. “This is another step towards our ambition of becoming one of Europe’s best airports,” said Lars Redeligx, Chairman of the Management Board, Düsseldorf Airport. “We are creating an environment that inspires, surprises and offers our guests genuine moments of enjoyment. Together with Lagardère Travel Retail Germany, we are deliberately focusing on a high quality of stay and on experiences – because we are convinced that an excellent airport must offer precisely that to its passengers, guests and staff.”
For Lagardère Travel Retail, the Düsseldorf project represents both a strategic milestone in Germany and a showcase for its evolving global airport retail model. “Düsseldorf Airport is of great importance to us in several respects,” said Lucio Rossetto. “It represents a major win in Travel Essentials, further strengthening our leadership in this business line, and reinforces our position as a key player in Dining. At the same time, airports like Düsseldorf – as key regional hubs – are leading the way in innovation, making this project particularly relevant for us.”
A reimagined terminal experience
The transformation introduces a mix of international brands, regional concepts and new retail formats designed to reflect both global travel trends and local culinary culture.
RELAY is expanding its footprint at the airport with new store formats that aim to better serve travellers on the move. The brand continues to evolve its offering of newspapers, books, snacks and travel essentials, while introducing new experiential elements and a stronger focus on local relevance, including readings by regional authors in future.
Alongside this, a series of new food and beverage concepts is reshaping the airport’s culinary landscape, bringing together international lifestyle brands, global QSR operators and regional dining experiences.
Among the highlights is EL&N London, the globally recognised café brand known for its design-led spaces, patisserie and coffee culture, alongside Popeyes, bringing Louisiana-inspired fried chicken to Germany for the first time at the airport.
Other new concepts include bona’me, offering modern Oriental cuisine with open kitchens; Papa Pepe, inspired by Italian coastal dining traditions; and Rheinbissen, which showcases contemporary interpretations of Rhineland cuisine for international travellers.
Blending global trends with local identity
The new offer reflects a deliberate strategy to balance international appeal with a strong sense of place, combining global food trends with regional culinary heritage.
From street food-inspired dining to café culture and local specialities, the aim is to ensure passengers experience both familiarity and discovery as they move through the terminal.
Further expansion is already planned, with eight additional retail and dining locations set to open in the coming months, including new RELAY stores and hybrid formats such as RELAY Café, which will combine travel retail, press, books and food & beverage in a single concept.
For both partners, the long-term ambition is clear: to position Düsseldorf Airport as a leading European hub for integrated food, retail and passenger experience. “Düsseldorf Airport is moving another step closer to its goal of becoming one of Europe’s best airports,” Redeligx added. “We are creating an environment that inspires, surprises and offers our guests genuine moments of enjoyment.”
As airports increasingly compete on experience rather than infrastructure alone, the Düsseldorf redevelopment highlights how food, retail and design are converging to create more engaging, commercially dynamic terminal environments, setting a benchmark for the next generation of airport development.
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