Press

Elevate Gourmet Brands, together with Joint Venture Partner Skyview Concessions, and San Francisco International Airport, celebrated the long-awaited grand opening of the new Pronto marketplace today in the Airport’s Terminal 3. Airport Commission Staff, Elevate Gourmet Brands’ leadership, Apryl Stewart, CEO of JV Partner Skyview Concessions, and Pronto’s featured purveyors were on hand to celebrate the new location, Pronto’s second at SFO, and fourth overall.

Pronto takes a unique approach to the airport grab n’ go marketplace: partnering exclusively with purveyors from the Bay Area’s many distinct neighborhoods and communities to offer airport travelers “curated provisions, sourced locally”, packaged and ready for departure– Pronto! Featuring ready-to-eat meals, treats, beverages, and sundries from local brands like Jambar, Indian Bento, Oodaalolly, Burma Love, Voila Juice, Esposto’s, Green Beans Coffee, and Ladle & Leaf.

“We’re very proud to partner with Skyview Concessions to expand our Pronto footprint at SFO with this second location. We’re proud of the relationships we’ve built with our purveyors, and we couldn’t be happier to celebrate with our fellow Bay Area businesses,” Elevate Gourmet Brands CEO Brian Laliberte said, adding, “This new Pronto continues our mission to amplify local brands, and bring more of their unique provisions to SFO travelers and employees.”

“I’m thrilled to partner with Elevate Gourmet Brands on this extremely exciting and forward-thinking concept that showcases and amplifies local, small, women, and minority businesses!” Apryl Stewart, Founder/CEO of JV Partner Skyview Concessions, said. “We’re changing the way grab and go is done at airports. SFO passengers can now experience more of the best of the Bay Area’s flavors and fare at Pronto! This is a win all around – for our travelers, our airport, our JV partnership, and local business owners, as they can reach a much larger customer base.”

Pronto T3F follows the opening of two Pronto locations at San Antonio International Airport’s Terminal B in December of 2023, and SFO’s first Pronto, also in Terminal 3. A fifth Pronto location is under construction in SFO’s Terminal 1 and is scheduled to open summer of 2024.

To learn more about Elevate Gourmet Brands, visit elevategourmetbrands.com

To learn more about Pronto, visit prontoprovisions.com, or follow on instagram.com/pronto_provisions

To learn more about Skyview Concessions, visit skyviewconcessions.com

Pronto, Elevate Gourmet Brands’ community-driven grab n’ go marketplace, is excited to welcome local purveyor NuChoice Foods to their two SAT Terminal B locations. NuChoice is a Texas-based, Veteran-owned company specializing in developing and delivering delicious ready-to-eat meals for travelers on the go.

Founded in 2002 in Dallas, Texas, NuChoice got its start manufacturing grain products. Over the years, the company has expanded manufacturing into fresh food products while also creating a sales & marketing, and a contracting division specializing in the government channel. NuChoice Foods is a certified Minority, Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business, and Texas Hub. Central to NuChoice Foods mission is supporting America’s Service Members. Brokering relationships between brands like Unilever Food Solutions and Florida’s Natural, and the US Military, NuChoice helps bring high quality, nutritious meal options to Service Members.

NuChoice Foods believes their purpose is to create value by providing products and services that meet or exceed their customers’ expectations. Integral to that purpose is to create value in and ensure the sustainability of the communities where they live and conduct business. To that end, NuChoice donates funds, volunteers time and contributes in-kind gifts to help improve the quality of life in these communities. Some of the groups NuChoice supports are Wounded Warriors, Wreaths Across America, USO, Toys for Tots, Habitats for Humanity, Food Banks, Ministries, Breast Cancer Association, American Heart Association, Children Hospitals, and Humane Society.

“We were amazed from the first time we tried their products,” said Director of Operations Preston Stohs. “Their attention to quality and creative, exciting offerings for the airport customers made this a perfect fit for Pronto; how great is it to get a Spicy Chicken & Waffle Sandwich while you’re flying out?! Additionally, Elevate Gourmet Brands and NuChoice Foods share a commitment to purpose-driven business; our companies align in many ways and we are thrilled to have them as a featured purveyor to deliver local, fresh, and travel-friendly foods at San Antonio International Airport.”

Pronto offers SAT travelers a diverse selection of curated provisions sourced locally from San Antonio purveyors. Pronto has two locations in SAT Airport Terminal B, and two in SFO Airport’s Terminal 3, with a third location opening in Terminal 1 in the summer of 2024.

To learn more about NuChoice Foods please visit their website nuchoicefoods.com

Elevate Gourmet Brands^® is thrilled to open Pronto!^® –its eye-catching community-driven grab n’ go marketplace concept– in San Antonio International Airport’s Terminal B Food Court. This is the first Pronto marketplace location at SAT Airport for Elevate Gourmet Brands, and the second overall for the concessionaire after the Pronto at SFO Terminal 3 opened in late 2022. Pronto takes a unique approach to the airport grab n’ go marketplace: partnering exclusively with purveyors from the San Antonio area’s many distinct neighborhoods and communities to offer airport travelers “curated provisions, sourced locally”, packaged and ready for departure– Pronto!

Pronto launches with featured purveyors NuChoice Foods, 88 Acres, Pressed, Scratch Kitchen, and Green Beans Coffee Co. A curated selection of hot and cold grab n’ go products and pre-packaged meals from these purveyors will be available, with additional purveyors being added on a rolling basis. In addition to sandwiches, wraps, salads, and bottled drinks, Pronto features a selection of snacks, treats, and healthy sundries to round out your meal making it a one-stop-shop before your flight.

Elevate Gourmet Brands’ relationship with SAT Airport began in 2011 when the concessionaire opened Green Beans Coffee in the Terminal B Food Court, serving travelers for over a decade. During this time, Green Beans Coffee became an active supporter of Snowball Express, supporting Gold Star Families. In Q4 of 2023, Elevate Gourmet Brands converted the Green Beans Coffee location to their Pronto concept to offer travelers a larger selection of local provisions. A satellite Pronto location is also open in Terminal B across from the United Club.

“We’re excited to continue our relationship with San Antonio International Airport with this new Pronto marketplace,” said regional manager Kim Seyler. “SAT has been an incredible partner for over a decade, and we love serving SAT airport employees and travelers. Pronto allows us to support local San Antonio small businesses by offering their provisions in a high-volume airport setting, as well as amplify their brand stories. And SAT travelers get a taste of local meals they may not otherwise find at the airport.”

Elevate Gourmet Brands will open a third Pronto location in SFO Terminal 3F in January 2024. A fourth Pronto will open in the summer of 2024 in SFO Terminal 1.

Pronto, Elevate Gourmet Brands’ community-driven grab n’ go marketplace, is excited to welcome local purveyor JAMBAR to their SFO Terminal 3 marketplace. Founded in Marin, California, in 2021 by energy bar pioneer Jennifer Maxwell, JAMBAR is an organic, non-GMO, gluten-free energy bar designed to fuel your adventures, and “keep you jammin!” with four flavors travelers can choose from: Chocolate Cha Cha, Malt Nut Melody, Jammin’ Jazzleberry, and Musical Mango.

Ms Maxwell, an avid drummer and runner, and co-founder of the original PowerBar, envisioned JAMBAR as an instrument of positivity. Influenced by the free-wheeling music festivals she enjoys, the organic food movement, and her love of the great outdoors, Ms Maxwell began mixing unique flavor combinations with her KitchenAid mixer. Believing energy bars are only as good as their ingredients, she used only certified organic, whole food ingredients, ancient grains, berries, nuts, premium chocolate, proteins from sunflowers and organic dairy, and real syrup, juices and honey as sweeteners. Now operating out of a dedicated 10,000 sq ft plant in Marin, California, the ingredients haven’t changed, and JAMBAR is getting real, organic food into the hands of more people, and promoting community on a wider scale every day.

“JAMBARs don’t melt or crumble, making them a delicious, portable snack,” said Ms Maxwell. “Pronto lets Bay Area travelers take a taste of home on the road, while also introducing visitors to some of the area’s best food. We’re thrilled to be one of Pronto’s purveyors.”

Elevate Gourmet Brands was introduced to JAMBAR when Chief Financial Officer Benedikt Reifler attended the Monterey Jazz Festival. Mr Reifler, a drummer and music lover himself, was given some JAMBAR samples at the festival and was blown away by the taste as much as the brand’s commitment to music and the outdoors. JAMBAR donates 50% of its net profits to organizations that support music and active living.

“My wife and I loved the JAMBAR samples so much we had to get seconds,” joked Mr Reifler. “When I was able to speak with the founder and learn more about their mission, I knew they would resonate with our guests at the SFO Pronto. It feels like a perfect fit!”

Pronto offers SFO travelers a diverse selection of curated provisions sourced locally from Bay Area purveyors. JAMBAR joins Bay Area favorites like Indian Bento, Oodaalolly, Burma Love, Voila Juice, Esposto’s, Green Beans Coffee, and Ladle & Leaf with delicious, unique ready-to-eat meals, beverages, and sundries for all tastes. Pronto in Terminal 3 is the first of three Pronto locations Elevate Gourmet Brands will open at SFO. Another Terminal 3 location is planned to open in January of 2024, and a third location is planned for Terminal 1 in the summer of 2024.

San José, CA – Elevate Gourmet Brands’ long-awaited San Jose Mac + Cheese Kitchen celebrated its grand opening today at San José Mineta International Airport in Terminal B, near Gate 18. The new concept features decadent Mac + Cheese creations for all day parts, and hosts a full bar boasting local Bay Area craft beers, wines from the world-famous Central Coast, Napa, and Sonoma Valleys, plus a full menu of specialty cocktails.

San Jose Mac + Cheese Kitchen, a joint venture between Elevate Gourmet Brands and Aimhigh ESG, elevates the great American comfort food to airport indulgence, offering signature macs like the BBQ Pulled Pork Mac with slow-roasted pulled pork, BBQ sauce, creamy cheddar cheese sauce, crispy breadcrumb topping and a BBQ drizzle. Each mac is made to order in under four minutes, and guests have a wide selection of add-ons like crispy jalapenos, smoked bacon, and finishing drizzles, like creamy sriracha or roasted red pepper. Decadent sides like cornbread and loaded tater tots with creamy cheddar cheese sauce, bacon, and jalapenos complete the meal. The menu also includes Grilled Mac + Cheese Sandwiches, and even Breakfast Mac + Cheese Burritos named for San José area landmarks like The El Camino with scrambled eggs, mac + cheese.

San Jose Mac + Cheese Kitchen represents a step up in fast-serve casual operations for Elevate Gourmet Brands, with the launch of the concessionaire’s first full-service bar. A rotating tap and bottle menu with selections from local craft breweries like Lagunitas IPA and 21st Amendment IPA, and wines from Rambauer and Prisoner enhance the Mac + Cheese Kitchen experience. The menu will also feature pairings under the hashtag #macandcheers.

Preston Stohs, Elevate Gourmet Brands’ Director of Operations, has led the launch of San Jose Mac + Cheese Kitchen at SJC, saying, “This is a concept everyone is excited about, and it’s easy to see why. This is not your grandma’s mac and cheese, it’s more like what mac and cheese wants to be when it grows up. We tested a lot of different noodle types, cheese combinations, proteins, and toppings to achieve the final menu. We expect to continue refining in the months ahead in response to our guests’ feedback.” 

Elevate Gourmet Brands’ is moving into liquor service with this concept for the first time, “Adding a bar experience to the mac + cheese concept was something we were passionate about from the beginning of development,” said Mr Stohs. “We really wanted to elevate the mac + cheese restaurant as much as possible and pairing local beer and wine with our signature macs and grilled mac + cheese sandwiches allows us to push the average ticket and increase customer engagement while they wait for their flight. Our bespoke cocktails are just for fun!”

San José Mineta International Airport staff have also been highly anticipating the launch of San Jose Mac + Cheese Kitchen since construction began. SJC Airport Director, John Aitken, noted, “It’s a pleasure to welcome Elevate Gourmet Brand’s newest concept to SJC, and with it, this fun twist to a popular comfort food. This unique concept is another great way to make travelers look forward to their time at the Airport and it contributes to the convenient and inviting experience so many travelers love at SJC.” 

For more information about San Jose Mac + Cheese Kitchen follow on instagram.com/macandcheesekitchen

Pronto– Elevate Gourmet Brands’ community-driven grab ‘n go marketplace at SFO– is proud to welcome newest featured purveyor Oodaalolly to SFO. Based in the innovative San Francisco Bay Area, Oodaalolly is a rapidly growing AAPI-owned confections brand that makes award-winning chocolate exclusively using Philippine-sourced cacao.

Oodaalolly founder Hernan Lauber was born in a rural region of the Western Visayas and then raised in Switzerland and the US, where he learned the finer points of Swiss chocolate making from his father, a classically trained pastry chef, baker, and chocolatier. In 2017 after a decade of living in Zurich and Sydney, Hernan noticed that the craft chocolate using Philippine cacao didn’t have the smooth, creamy, and subtle textures of the Swiss chocolate he prized since youth. So, he combined his two cultures to form Oodaalolly—sourcing cacao from the Philippines to make chocolate the Swiss way. Oodaalolly focuses on direct trade with co-op farmers specializing in rare cacao varietals. Those beans are combined with time honored family recipes and Swiss techniques to make chocolate customers buy again and again. In 2019, fellow NEU alumnae, 3D-designer, and long-time friend, Jeremy Burnich, found himself bit by the chocolate bug after helping out at a well-regarded Filipino Night Market in SOMA, San Francisco. Now a graduate of Ecole Chocolate and an accelerated apprenticeship with Albert Lauber, he rapidly learned and continues to appreciate all things chocolate.

Oodaalolly was introduced to Elevate Gourmet Brands’ through Regional Manager, Angelita Velasco, who discovered the brand at Undiscovered SF Creative Market, celebrating Filipino-American Heritage Month in October of last year. Angelita was blown away by their daring chocolate flavor combinations, and connected immediately with their brand mission.

“From the moment I stepped up to Oodaalolly’s booth to meet Hernan, I was deeply inspired by his passion for the art of chocolate-making, and his desire to bring light to an understated product from the Philippines. From the richness of flavors, to the intricate patterns on the chocolate bars, and the stories behind the artistic packaging, Hernan and Jeremy are forging a bold new path in chocolate. As a Filipino, Oodaalolly strongly evokes what we Filipinos like to call ‘Pinoy Pride.’ I immediately knew their products and story would resonate with SFO travelers, and that they would be a great fit for Pronto, and we’re thrilled to showcase them at our SFO T-3 store!”

May marks Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month and Pronto is celebrating at its SFO Terminal 3 store with purveyor Oodaalolly, and other featured purveyors Burma Love and Epicurean.

Pronto partners with purveyors from the San Francisco Bay Area’s many distinct neighborhoods to offer a curated menu of specialty local provisions, and is proud to offer Oodaalolly’s artisan chocolates to SFO travelers, employees and flight crews at it’s Terminal 3 store; the first of three Pronto locations Elevate Gourmet Brands will open at SFO. Another Terminal 3 location is planned to open in late summer 2023, and a third location is planned for Terminal 1 in 2024.

To learn more about Oodaalolly please visit their website https://www.oodaalolly.com/oodaalolly

To learn more about Pronto, visit https://www.prontoprovisions.com/

May marks Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month and Pronto is celebrating at its SFO Terminal 3 store with featured purveyors Burma Love, Epicurean Solutions, and newest featured purveyor Oodaalolly.

Based in the innovative San Francisco Bay Area, Oodaalolly is a rapidly growing AAPI-owned confections brand that makes award-winning chocolate exclusively using Philippine-sourced cacao. Founded by Swiss-Filipino-American entrepreneurs and chocolate makers Hernan Lauber and Jeremy Burnich, Oodaalolly focuses on direct trade with co-op farmers specializing in rare cacao varietals. Those beans are combined with time honored family recipes and Swiss techniques to make chocolate customers buy again and again.

“We are thrilled to be partnering with our new friends at Pronto Provisions! It’s like the delightful balance of flavors when pairing our subtly sweet Pinch of Pangasinan with a full bodied Napa Cabernet – a perfect match. We can’t wait to see what we can accomplish together.”

Burma Love, with locations in the Mission and Downtown San Francisco, has been bringing the flavors of Burma to the Bay Area for two decades. Burma Love Foods’ mission is to produce a full range of high quality and delicious Burmese food products to enable customers to enjoy the flavors of Burma Love.

Epicurean Solutions offers small batch artisan salads with adventurous flavor profiles. Epicurean Solutions proclaims “our passion is translated through every hand-picked fresh herb, each homemade dressing, and all hand-cut ingredients. Being a vegetarian company does not hinder, but encourages our creativity. Our unique and daring flavor profiles are the product of ingredients not traditionally seen in other salads.”

“Our mission is to change the way travelers ‘grab ‘n go’ at the airport by highlighting exciting local food purveyors,” said Creative Director Greg Rabbitt. “We’re thrilled to celebrate the heritage of Burma Love, Epicurean, and Oodaalolly, three of our amazing partners here at our SFO Terminal 3 store. We’re proud to offer travelers their bold flavors and exciting meal options, and to spread their stories and brand philosophies as well.”

The Terminal 3-E Pronto store marketplace is the first of three Pronto locations Elevate Gourmet Brands will open at SFO; another Terminal 3 location is planned to open in late summer 2023, and a third location is planned for Terminal 1 in 2024.

To learn more about Burma Love, Epicurean, and Oodaalolly please visit their websites: https://www.burmalove.co/ https://www.epicureansolutions.com/ and https://www.oodaalolly.com/oodaalolly

To learn more about Pronto, visit https://www.prontoprovisions.com/

Green Beans Coffee’s SFO International Terminal café hosted students from San Mateo High School’s Culinary Arts Program last week, where they got to experience all aspects of working at the popular fast-paced airport café. Students teamed up with Green Beans Coffee baristas, kitchen staff, and management to learn everything from how to pull the perfect shot and serve Green Beans Coffee’s full menu of coffee drinks, bakery prep, as well as the keys to creating Green Beans Coffee’s signature customer experience.

“After a two-year break we were thrilled to resume our partnership with the Culinary Arts Program,” said Green Beans Coffee Regional Manager Angelita Velasco, who oversees the relationship and oversaw the experience for the students. “Everyone picked up the technical aspects of the job really well. We spent a lot of time talking about how we create our customer experience- keeping in mind that at the core of everything we do is the goal of making a positive impact in every guests’ day and leaving them with a positive feeling at the end of our short interaction with them. Our guests were very impressed with the students,” smiled Ms Velasco.

Ms Velasco visited San Mateo High School earlier in the year to work with students on-site to develop their Class Café, preparing and serving coffee drinks and bakery offerings to teachers and faculty. For the second part of the program students made the trip to San Francisco Airport’s International Terminal to work at the Green Beans Coffee café and put their skills to the test serving airport travelers, employees and flight crews. The program is designed to prepare students for higher education in the culinary arts field. As part of the course, students earn 7.5 Dual Enrollment Credits leading to the Food & Beverage Entry-Level Professional Skills Certificate from Skyline College and FOUR Industry Certifications.

“Green Beans Coffee is a Bay Area company- we’ve been here for over 25 years, and it’s our pleasure to mentor students in the Culinary Arts Program,” said Director of Operations Preston Stohs. “We look forward to seeing what the students go on to do after high school.”

Follow Random Acts of Coffee on Green Beans Coffee’s Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/greenbeanscoffeecompany/

Green Beans Coffee, Elevate Gourmet Brands’ popular third-wave airport cafe brand, is expanding its Random Acts of Coffee social media campaign to BNA and DFW airports after viral success at SFO airport.

The fun, candid campaign follows Green Beans Coffee team members as they randomly surprise SFO airport employees and travelers with popular coffee beverages, garnering authentic reactions and joyful interactions in the process. Random Acts of Coffee became an instant hit in early 2023, garnering over 50K views on Instagram, and SFO airport took notice, promoting the campaign on its own social media.

“At the core of the Green Beans Coffee customer experience is simply making a positive impact in every guests’ day. With ‘Random Acts of Coffee’ we’re expanding that experience from the café to the concourse and beyond,” said Greg Rabbitt, Creative Director. The campaign was conceived by Mr Rabbitt and Social Media Designer James Garcia and launched at SFO with Regional Manager Angelita Velasco.

“We’ve been serving airport travelers and employees at SFO for over a decade, and they’ve made us their favorite café,” Ms Velasco, who hosts the Random Acts of Coffee clips filmed at SFO, continued, “Our flagship location is there, and we’re constantly experimenting with new ways to impact and interact with airport travelers and employees, surprise them with coffee, have a quick chat- we’re happy to brighten people’s day, make them smile, and take them out of their busy day for a moment.”

“Using this winning formula, we’re looking forward to surprising travelers and airport employees at Nashville and Dallas with Random Acts of Coffee this spring!” said Creative Director Greg Rabbitt.

Follow Random Acts of Coffee on Green Beans Coffee’s Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/greenbeanscoffeecompany/