If you have needed a snack, drink, magazine, book, headphones, cough drops or other miscellaneous travel necessities prior to a flight, chances are pretty good you shopped at a Hudson Group store. With over 450 stores in 70 airports, bus terminals and train stations, it would be difficult to venture out on your business trip without encountering a Hudson Group store such as Hudson News, the newly branded Hudson, or CNN Newsstands.
Hudson News has saved me on numerous occasions during travel. Whether I forgot my headphones or was feeling sick on a travel day, I always head to Hudson News to find whatever I am missing for my trip. I am constantly impressed with the amount of healthy snacks and drinks that Hudson Group Stores offer.
I interviewed Laura Samuels, the Vice President of Corporate Communications, at The Hudson Group to learn more about the driving factor for the increase in healthy travel snacks offered at this well-known airport staple.
Every Hudson Store is unique
It may be hard to believe, but there are no two Hudson stores that are stocked with the exact same items. The General Managers at each store choose their stock based on demographics, travel type (bus vs. air travel vs. train) and destinations (long haul vs. short haul). This explains why you may find Quest Bars at a store in one California airport, but will not find them in another. If you are in an airport location you will find some stores have more items than others based on the terminal location.
Laura added, “As a point of differentiation from our competitors, our GM’s have profit-and-loss responsibility for their locations, so an entrepreneurial spirit has always been at the heart of the company’s growth and success.” The ability to customize product selection for each market and maximize customer expectations is very important to the Hudson Group.
Providing Healthy Travel Snacks
Over the last few years Hudson stores have experienced a high demand for healthier snacks and responded quickly with a major increase in healthier products. Laura stated, “With the incorporation of open coolers and the expansion of healthy snacks, we now offer a wide variety of products such as: yogurts, fruit, incremental beverages and gluten free products.” You may have seen one of the 120 newly branded Hudson locations (no longer called Hudson News) which include a Marketplace section with fresh fruits and vegetables.
Laura went on to explain that Hudson has seen a strong increase in “grab-and-go” foods, as a result of airlines cutting back on in-flight meals. “Seasoned travelers understand that they are on their own for meals, so they make a point of bringing a meal of their own choosing on board with them.”
Our “stance” on the healthy snack category is to stay focused on what our customers want and desire. It is our goal to always be “The Travelers Best Friend.”
Selecting a Healthy Travel Snack
While you may be tempted to get a candy bar, remember that a healthy snack will keep you full longer and provide more nutrition to you than a sugar filled treat. Make sure that you are aware of the serving size for the snack you purchase. Snacks that come in larger bags have multiple servings, so it is important to check the number of servings.
Are you wondering what healthy snack options you should choose during your next trip? If you are lucky enough to find a Hudson Store with the market place cooler, you should choose fresh fruit, fresh cut veggies, or a Greek yogurt. Even though every Hudson Group Store carries different items, you can expect to find the following healthy snacks at just about every store:
- Mixed Nuts, Almonds and Pistachios
- Luna and KIND Bars
- Dried fruit such as Bare Fruit or Peeled Snacks
- Sabra Hummus
- Snap Pea Crisps
- Fit Popcorn or Pop Chips
- Natural juices like Odwalla or Naked Juice
- Protein Shakes
- Milk
Business Travel Life
Business Travel Life is an online resource supporting the road warrior lifestyle. We give business travelers the tools they need to maintain their wellness and productivity when traveling. The topics we cover include business travel tips, travel workouts, healthy travel hacks, travel products, general travel tips, and industry trends. Our goal is to make business travel a healthier experience – and to make healthy travel practices more accessible to all road warriors.
