TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – I-Mei Gourmet Supplier Corporation (義美吉盛), an affiliate of veteran Taiwanese food provider I-Mei Foods Co. (義美食品), opened the “Atlas of Taiwan Gourmet” (美味旅圖) plaza at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport Wednesday (June 5).
The area is the company’s second food court at the airport, following “Bees’ Journey” (蜂賦食趣), which opened last December.
The new plaza is also located at the airport’s Terminal 2, but on the B2 floor, close to the gate to the Airport Mass Rapid Transit station.
At the opening of the “Atlas of Taiwan Gourmet,” Transportation Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said that with 46 million passengers moving through the airport each year, presenting Taiwan’s typical foods to an international public was a key task. Due to the presence of the Airport MRT, the airport had turned into a shopping destination, and food played a crucial part, Lin said.
Taoyuan Mayor Cheng Wen-tsang (鄭文燦) reminded his audience of the times when travelers criticized the airport for only offering a limited choice of food, including beef noodles priced at NT$200 (US$6.38). Airport management had remedied the situation, and the new food court would offer the best of Taiwanese food products, the mayor said.
Cheng pointed out that in addition to the 100,000 passengers per day, the airport’s 40,000 employees would also see the “Atlas of Taiwan Gourmet” as a popular place to eat.
I-Mei Gourmet Supplier Chairman Luis Ko (高志明) said that 95 percent of I-Mei foods were produced at the company’s two plants in Taoyuan, showing how the company and the city had as it were merged into one. He also emphasized the company’s philosophy in using the best of Taiwanese ingredients since the group’s founding 80 years ago.
I-Mei invested NT$80 million (US$2.55 million) in the “Atlas of Taiwan Gourmet,” using environment-friendly design to finish the project over the past five months.
The new area included 21 brand-name establishments, with a total of 420 seats, as opposed to 228 in its previous configuration, the company said.
There was a wide choice of food on offer ranging from Taiwanese, Korean, Japanese and Thai dishes to Starbucks, Comebuy, McDonald’s and Beard Papa’s.
I-Mei Gourmet Supplier expected 3 million consumers to visit the food court, resulting in an estimated NT$400 million in revenue, reports said.
Source Taiwan News
