British bakery chain Greggs is opening its first overseas outlet in nearly two decades at Tenerife South Airport later this month, in partnership with Lagardere Travel Retail. The shop will sit in the international departures area and target the roughly 13 million passengers who pass through the terminal each year, around half of them travelling to and from the UK.
The opening marks Greggs‘ return to international territory for the first time since the brand ran stores in Belgium; a venture that ended in 2008. With a capacity of up to 92 seats, the new outlet will give departing travellers a chance to enjoy a steak bake or a sausage roll before boarding, without straying far from the familiar.
Greggs’ first international footprint since Belgium, almost 20 years on
When Greggs closed its Belgian stores in 2008, the brand retreated to its home market and spent the following years consolidating a UK network that now spans thousands of locations. The decision to reopen abroad has therefore been a long time coming. Choosing an airport rather than a high street signals a deliberate strategy: test international appetite in a captive, British-heavy environment before committing to a broader rollout.
A Spanish Omelette Roll and freshly squeezed juice alongside the classics
The menu will carry the full range of Greggs staples; bakes, sandwiches and sweet treats, but two additions nod to the setting. A Spanish Omelette Roll will join the breakfast line-up, paired with freshly squeezed orange juice bottled in-store daily. Greggs describes the combination as a nod to “a refreshing taste of island life”. A small concession to local flavour without straying too far from the brand’s identity.
13 million annual passengers, half UK-bound: why Tenerife South fits
Tenerife South handles around 13 million passengers a year, with roughly half travelling between the island and the United Kingdom. For a brand whose entire customer base is domestic, that ratio makes the airport unusually well-suited as a first test location. Greggs framed the opening as “the perfect way to round off a trip without breaking the bank”. A value-for-money pitch that travels well regardless of the flag on the terminal building.
Lagardere Travel Retail: 5,000 outlets and a ready-made international platform
The new store is being launched with Lagardere Travel Retail, which operates more than 5,000 travel outlets across the globe. The partnership gives Greggs immediate access to airport retail expertise and an established logistics framework, lowering the operational risk of a first international trial. Whether the Tenerife South opening becomes a proof of concept for further airport locations, or a standalone experiment, will likely depend on how quickly the site builds a regular customer base among UK departures.
