Hudson Group has acquired a controlling stake in the assets of OHM Concession Group, a food and beverage concession operator based in St. Louis, Missouri.
The addition of OHM to the East Rutherford-based travel retailer will add notable food and beverage options to its existing concessions and complements its footprint in the quick service restaurant space.
Hudson said it currently operates 50 quick service and cafe concepts throughout the United States and Canada, with OHM adding about 60 units to its existing structure.
Well-known OHM food and beverage concepts include: &pizza, The Kitchen by Wolfgang Puck, the Bracket Room Sports Lounge, Chick-fil-A, Currito, Dunkin Donuts, Jamba Juice, and Einstein Bros. Bagels.
“In 2013, I was fortunate to partner with the Hudson team on the retail program at my home airport, St. Louis Lambert International,” Milan Patel, CEO and president, OHM, said. “Today, I am extremely proud that my relationship with the Hudson family has blossomed into this opportunity. The Hudson team represents the same principles my uncle and father, the founders of OHM, taught me: focus on quality, deliver excellence to our guests and provide our associates with a great place to work. On behalf of over 900 OHM associates, we look forward to an exciting and bright future with the Hudson team.”
OHM was founded in 1998 and is privately held by Patel, who will stay on as partner to manage the transition.
“This acquisition is a pivotal step in accelerating Hudson’s growth strategy within the $6 billion North American food & beverage airport concessions market. It expands our existing stake and adds new capabilities, including full-service, fast casual, sports restaurants and fine dining locations to our portfolio, ultimately bringing unmatched offerings to suit all types of travelers’ needs,” Roger Fordyce, CEO, Hudson Group, said. “The addition of OHM to the Hudson family strengthens our presence in travel concessions and further enhances our ability to compete for additional contracts in existing and new airports. Under Milan’s leadership, OHM has an impressive track record of growth and a strong reputation in the industry. Today marks the beginning of the next chapter in OHM and Hudson’s growth story.”
The deal is expected to close in either the last quarter of 2019 or the first quarter of 2020.
