Hundreds of jobs at dozens of new food outlets at Auckland Airport

A new range of food and beverage outlets at Auckland Airport will create 370 new jobs.

The new stores include New Zealand eateries Better Burger, Mexico, Orleans Chicken and Waffles and Al Brown's Best Ugly Bagels in the international terminal.

The line-up includes 27 outlets in both the domestic and international terminals.

Of those 21 are new stores, which will start opening from next month, and six existing outlets which are being redeveloped.

The airport's general manager retail and commercial Richard Barker said it would be significant jobs boost for South Auckland.

''There will be more employment opportunities for local people to work close to where they live. Given our location in South Auckland, it's important that local people can connect with local jobs which present exciting and rewarding retail careers."

Other outlets include Tea Garden, a high-tea concept developed specially for the airport by tea company Dilmah and chef Simon Gault; Oma, an artisan bakery and café which has been developed with Auckland-based baker Isabel Pasch and 400 Gradi, an Italian restaurant by Melbourne award-winning chef Johnny Di Francesco.

"We will have a wide range of New Zealand-themed bars and restaurants, including Glamp Grounds - an innovative bar and eatery with play areas for children, designed as an iconic Kiwi outdoor campground."

There would be a choice of in-terminal restaurants, casual dining, fast food and grab-and-go outlets.

Changes were unveiled today at a function hosted by Auckland Airport's jobs and skills hub Ara and attended by members of Labour's Maori caucus.

The new food and beverage outlets will be managed by five experienced and successful food and beverage operators: Emirates Leisure Retail, Barworks Hospitality Group, Delaware North Companies, in partnership with the Britomart Hospitality Group, MSHost and Kiwi Discovery.

The new outlets will boost the airport company's retail revenue which in the six months to last December 31 was nearly $88.9 million, up from $80.7m in the prior corresponding period. Most revenue ($89m) still comes from passenger services charges paid by all travellers as part of their tickets while airfield income is $59.9m.