Dallas Fort Worth International (DFW) and the Marshall Retail Group (MRG) are partnering to bring specialty products from Bonton Farms, a non-profit sustainable urban farm in Southwest Dallas, to the airport with a travel essentials store and market in Terminal A.
“We are thrilled to award this exciting new contract to MRG and Bonton Farms as part of our ongoing effort to expand DFW’s world-class shopping and dining options,” said Ken Buchanan, DFW’s executive vice president of revenue management and customer experience. “This partnership underscores our commitment to supporting small, diverse, and locally rooted businesses – enabling them to tap into the airport’s economic growth as we expand our concessions footprint.”
Growing local
Bonton Farms provides the community with fresh, nutritious food and job opportunities while also fostering education and health. Through this collaboration, Bonton Farms will bring a taste of its sustainable and community-driven mission to global travelers. The new store will feature an array of Bonton Farms’ signature products, including homemade jams, jellies, sauces and other fresh goods, alongside a curated selection of locally sourced items from small businesses across the Dallas Fort Worth area.
In addition to Bonton Farms’ offerings, the new travel essentials store will feature a diverse collection of products from local North Texas businesses, each committed to sustainability and quality. Some of the featured local vendors include: Sons Coffee, which serves specialty coffee from Fort Worth including freshly brewed drip coffee; Lettuce Cook, which offers gourmet grab-and-go salads and sandwiches from Fort Worth; and Pearl Honey Spreads, a woman/minority-owned business in Fort Worth specializing in honey-based treats.
International market
“We want to express our gratitude to the team at DFW for the opportunity to bring Bonton Farms’ locally sourced packaged goods to travelers,” said Roddy McOwan, chief development officer at WHSmith North America, which owns MRG. “Our partnership with DFW aligns with our company’s mission to deliver hyper-local products in partnership with emerging local businesses to global travelers.”
“We are deeply grateful for this groundbreaking partnership with WHSmith and DFW Airport,” said Gabrielle Madison, president of Bonton Farms. “This opportunity is transformative not only for our organization but also for the Bonton community. For many residents, this may be their first connection with the airport — whether through new employment opportunities or even, one day, becoming concession vendors themselves. Together, we’re paving a path for greater possibilities and growth. It’s an honor to share Bonton’s unique products and mission with a global audience, showcasing the heart of our community to travelers from around the world.”
For more of the top insights into the future of DFW, read Passenger Terminal World’s exclusive case study on its US$9bn capital improvement plan, here.