TORONTO, April 26, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SSP Canada, the Canadian division of SSP, the leading operator of food and beverage brands in travel locations worldwide, is officially celebrating today, the grand opening of Mill Street Brewery Pub in Terminal 1 of Toronto Pearson Airport. The festivities will be accompanied by a ribbon cutting ceremony, live entertainment, mini pairings and education on the brewing process from one of Mill Street's own brew masters.
"SSP is pleased to open Toronto's iconic brew pub within its hometown airport and give travelers passing through a refreshing taste of its award winning craft beers. We are proud of our partnership with Toronto Pearson and Mill Street Brewery," commented Les Cappetta, President and CEO of SSP Canada, "and delighted with the great response we've already received from guests within such a short period of time. We are dedicated to providing truly authentic dining experiences to travelers—and Mill Street Brewery Pub is another demonstration of SSP's passion and ability to uphold that commitment."
"We are so excited to welcome Mill Street Brew Pub to Toronto Pearson," said Pamela Griffith-Jones, Chief Marketing and Commercial Officer for the Greater Toronto Airports Authority. "We have made a commitment to create unique and memorable experiences for our guests at the airport and to showcase the best of what Toronto and this region has to offer, and Mill Street is a great example of that. Our guests are going to love the opportunity for great beer and great food in a fun and interactive environment while they are at the airport."
Mill Street Brewery Pub opened its doors at Toronto Pearson one month ago, offering airport passengers 10 best ranked brews on tap. The impressive transformation of the 312 sq meter facility was led in conjunction with leading design firm, Smart Design Group. The restaurant features rich red and cinnamon tones, deep textured wood panels, and sleek copper panels that complement contemporary wood upholstered furniture and the backdrop brick wall, a signature element found at every Mill Street Brewery location. Wooden slats adorn the ceiling above while there is more than enough room for twenty-five hungry travelers to grab a bite at the bar. The signature frosted beer tap extending down from the ceiling reinforces the strong brand presence of Mill Street Brewing Co. and drives home the fact that "Great Beer Lives Here". Travelers unable to stop in for a bite can pick up conveniently packaged items to go from the take out area adjacent to the restaurant/bar.
Event goers will get a sampling of the delicious restaurant menu with mini fish and chips served with tartar sauce, chicken tikka masala skewers served with mango chutney, angus beef sliders topped with mill street stout bbq sauce, chicken wings served with blue cheese and maple glazed salmon served on a potato pancake.
Guests can also try the Mill Street's famous pulled pork tacos served with Quebec Oka cumin crème fraiche, duck confit crostini topped with frambrozen beer poached pear and cranberry relish, crispy dry riblets served with chipotle bbq sauce and stout and balsamic glazed portabella mushroom flat bread. Then they can wash down any one of these perfectly prepared bites with a sample of one of six offerings of the pub's cold brew.
Steve Abrams, Co-founder of Mill Street Brewery commented, "We are thrilled to showcase our award-winning beers in Canada's largest airport, giving air travelers the craft beer experience they've grown to demand. We look forward to a continued successful partnership with Toronto Pearson and SSP."
The event will commence at 3:30 pm and will be open to all Toronto Pearson travelers flying domestically through Terminal 1. Mill Street Brewery Pub is located between gates D20-D22.
About Mill Street
Launched in 2002, Mill Street Brewery connects Canada's proud brewing heritage with today's innovative craft beer scene. Based in Toronto, Mill Street has gained a reputation for offering unique, award-winning beers in draught, bottles and cans across Canada. Mill Street's celebrated draught portfolio includes a combination of lagers and ales, including an array of seasonal specials.
About SSP
SSP is the leading dedicated operator of food and beverage brands in travel locations, operating restaurants, bars, cafes, food courts, lounges and convenience stores in airports, train stations, motorway service stations, shopping malls, conference centers and other leisure locations. With a heritage stretching back over 60 years, today SSP has 30,000 employees, serving millions of customers every week. It has business at over 140 airports and over 250 rail stations, and operates more than 2,100 units in 30 countries around the world.
SSP operates an extensive portfolio of over 200 international, national, local and specialty brands. These include Upper Crust, Starbucks, Caffè Ritazza, M&S Simply Food, Bonne Journée, Caviar House & Prunier, and leading Japanese noodle brand Ajisen Ramen as well as stunning bespoke concepts such as the Montreux Jazz Café in Geneva and Sydney and the Bambini Wine Room in Sydney. Its brand portfolio is tailored for each specific location, depending on variables such as passenger profile, consumer need states, location type, size and design.
About SSP America/Canada
SSP America/Canada operates in more than 40 airports across North America bringing a variety of local, regional and national brands to the traveling consumer at a vast array of price ranges. Third party brands in the company's broad portfolio include The Palm Restaurant, Einstein Bros. Bagels, Gordon Biersch, Panda Express, Tigín, Peet's Coffee & Tea, T.G.I. Friday's, Tim Hortons, The Great American Bagel and Buffalo Wild Wings. SSP America's brand portfolio also includes strong, local award-winning icons such as Laurelwood Public House & Brewery, Harry & Izzy's, Nonna Bartolotta's, and Alterra Coffee.
About Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA):
The GTAA is the operator of Toronto Pearson International Airport, Canada's biggest airport and one of the largest airports in North America in terms of passenger and air cargo traffic. In 2011, Toronto Pearson handled 33.4 million passengers and is ranked 4th largest in international passenger traffic in North America. The focus of the GTAA continues to be on competitiveness, growing the airport's status as an international gateway, meeting the needs of our guests and ensuring the long-term success of the organization, our airline customers and the regional economy. Join Toronto Pearson on Facebook and Twitter (@torontopearson).
Contact:
Christie Klein
SSP Canada
(571) 528-2330 (c)
christie.klein@foodtravelexperts.com
Toronto Pearson
Media Office
(416) 776-3709
Irvine Weitzman
Mill Street Brewery
(416) 759-6565 ext.233
(416) 843-5904 (c)
iweitzman@millstreetbrewery.com
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The following pictures are available for download:
| [Image] | Mill Street YYZ |