A key feature of the new food court, which is operated by SSP, is a selection of street food pop-up offerings, showcasing the best of the local culinary scene.
Olly Swayne, airport business development director for SSP UK & Ireland said: “We have been working with the team at Manchester Airport for some 20 years and we are delighted that this strong partnership and close collaboration is continuing.
“Over the two decades that we’ve operated at Manchester Airport, the ‘eating out’ market has changed dramatically and passengers’ tastes and needs have evolved.
“We are very proud to be providing new food and drink offers that provide them with examples of current food trends and flavours from the North West.”
Among the street food concepts is an ice-cream offer called Ginger’s Comfort Emporium that has quickly gained a reputation in Manchester.
Claire Kelsey, the woman behind the concept, says she serves ice-cream with a ‘twinkle in the eye and nod to the naughty’. Aimed very much at the ‘grown-ups’, flavours include marmalade on toast, which was named ‘best desert’ at the British Street Food Awards in 2012, where Ginger’s also scooped the ‘best of the best’ award.
SSP will vary the pop-up street food offer according to the season. The line-up is being devised in partnership with food journalist and street food aficionado Richard Johnson, who has presented ‘Full on Food’ and ‘Kill It, Cook it, Eat It’ for the BBC among others, and is a regular contributor to Radio 4’s ‘Food Programme’.
The Food Quarter also features one of SSP’s hottest new concepts, Mi Casa Burritos. Specifically designed for travel locations, Mi Casa Burritos captures the intense flavours and the vibrant colours of Mexican street food.
It offers burritos, nachos or salads with either chicken, beef, pork or char-grilled vegetable filling, and a choice of finishing touches of chilli, guacamole, and cheese. All are prepared freshly at the counter and served in travel-friendly packaging.
The Mi Casa Burritos has been designed with striking colours to help the concept stand out in the busiest travelling locations. Since SSP opened the first outlet at London’s Victoria station in February 2012 sales have grown week by week (beating budget by over 40% in the first year), and are now increasing at a rate of over 20% year on year.
Manchester’s T1 Food Quarter offer is completed by two of SSP’s highly popular names – Upper Crust and The Pasty Shop.