Autogrill is an Italian-based, multinational catering and retail company, the world's largest in the travel dining sector, which is controlled with a 59% stake by the Edizione Holding investment vehicle of the Benetton family.
Autogrill runs operations in 40 different countries, primarily in Europe and North America, with over 250 licensed and proprietary brands. Over 90% of the company's business derives from outlets in airport terminals and motorway service areas.
Autogrill was founded in 1977 when SME, a division of Italian state-owned conglomerate Istituto per la Ricostruzione Industriale (IRI), purchased then merged Italian restaurant groups Motta, Pavesi and Alemagna. Pavesi had begun to operate a service area on the Milan-Novara motorway in 1947, replacing it with a bridge structure accessible by travellers in both directions fifteen years later.
Having grown both domestically and through foreign acquisitions, Autogrill was privatised by the Italian Government in 1995 as IRI shed its food and beverage businesses.
Edizione Holding, the financial holding company of the Benetton family, acquired a controlling stake through the process.
Edizione floated the company on the Milan Stock Exchange in 1997, sparking a series of acquisitions in overseas markets: by the end of 1998, Autogrill had secured full control of French operator Sogerba (previously owned by Granada Group);] AC Restaurants and Hotels of Benelux[10] as well as 14 branches of the Wienerwald chain in Austria and Germany.
In July 1999 the group made its first entry into both the United States and airport concession markets[8] by acquiring Host Marriott Services, which was then renamed HMSHost.
Other major acquisitions by the group included the Swiss firm Passaggio (completed in 2001), 70% of high-speed train station operator Receco in 2002, Spanish-based airport duty-free retailer Aldeasa in 2005 (50-50 with Altadis) and Belgium's Carestel (completed in 2007).
Autogrill acquired the remaining 50% in Aldeasa for complete control in 2008. It also purchased Alpha Group and World Duty Free in 2008 and merged them with Aldeasa in 2011 to create a super-retailer at Airports.
In 2010, it had €785 million in sales in the United Kingdom and €494 million in sales in Spain.
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