MAG to roll out a new food and beverage brand, “Proof”
- Concept to be introduced at East Midlands Airport in Summer 2018.
- Bar operated and managed entirely by MAG’s own team.
- Food-led environment focusing on small plates and artisan gin.
MAG, the UK’s largest airport group, is to introduce ‘Proof’ - a new food-led bar concept which will be entirely owned and operated by MAG’s in house team.
Proof is a modern and flexible bar concept, designed to focus on fresh, high quality food alongside a superior, spirits-led, drinks menu. The concept will be rolled out initially at MAG’s East Midlands Airport in Summer 2018 but is designed to then be introduced at its other UK airports, Manchester and London Stansted. The move signals the continuation of a strategy by MAG to offer more of its own products to its passengers, from the car park right through to the departure gate. MAG’s strategy of building its own brand and operations in the food and beverage space is unique among major UK airports.
Proof will be operated by the MAG lounges team, who are also behind the Group’s successful Escape and 1903 Lounge concepts, with seven lounges in the UK and four currently open in the USA. The catering and bar operation for MAG’s UK Escape Lounges was also all brought in house last year, giving MAG end-to-end control of the operation of its airport lounges.
MAG is innovative in the UK in establishing its own in-house food and beverage product.
Each Proof bar will be numbered, with the number denoting the year in which the host airport commenced commercial flight operations. The first bar at East Midlands will, therefore, be called Proof 65. The venue will ‘nod’ towards the local history of the airport and area, and will also feature the work of local artists on its walls.
Proof 65 at East Midlands Airport will feature a varied menu of small plates, with Mediterranean flavours fused with regional ingredients, such as Egg & Red Leicester Cheese Frittata, and Hot Smoked Salmon Fish Cake with Gin Aioli. Its drinks menu will feature 15 different gins, and local specialities including Two Birds (Market Harborough), Burleighs (Loughborough) and Nelsons (Uttoxeter) featuring alongside favourites such as Sipsmith & Hendricks, beers, wines, spirits and soft drinks.
The opening will create job opportunities at East Midlands Airport, beginning this summer, and MAG are currently recruiting for a General Manager, for both Proof 65 and the airport’s popular Escape Lounge.
Beth Brewster, Executive Vice President, Lounges, MAG, said: “MAG is innovative in the UK in establishing its own in-house food and beverage product. Ultimately, we are trying to give our passengers the best possible choice of environment as they spend time in our terminals, whether that’s at an airport lounge, at a MAG-operated bar, or at one of our fantastic partner brand restaurant, bars and coffee shops."