Areas opens Italy’s first Paul outlet at Rome’s Termini Station

Paul’s debut Italy outlet at Rome’s Termini Station | Photo credit: Areas Italy

Travel concession operator Areas has opened the first Paul outlet in Italy at Rome’s Termini Station. 
 

Areas, which operates in Italy as MyChef, has opened the store in partnership with Grandi Stazioni Retail, which operates commercial units at Italy’s 14 largest rail stations. 

“We are happy to have brought Paul to Italy and to inaugurate the first station store in Rome. Customers will now be able to experience the most traditional French boulangerie on the Termini Terrace. This opening further consolidates our presence in Italian stations and in the travel retail sector, allowing us to enrich our brand portfolio with another international brand,” said Sergio Castelli, CEO of Areas Italia. 

Founded in 1899, Paul is owned by French food conglomerate Groupe Holder. The bakery-café chain has approximately 780 stores across 40 countries globally.  

Paul is the latest international coffee chain to enter Italy’s heavily domestic brand-led coffee shop market. 

In June 2022, London-based boutique café group EL&N became the first branded coffee chain to enter the Italian market since Starbucks and Dunkin’ in 2018. Fellow UK chain Pret A Manger made its Italian debut with a store at Milan Malpensa Airport in May 2023 amid plans to reach 40 outlets within the next few years.  

Meanwhile, global travel concession operator SSP Group will open LEON’s first outlet in Italy at Rome’s Termini Station in October 2023. 

Areas operates 1,900 food and beverage units across 10 countries, predominantly at airports and railway stations. Alongside outlets at Termini and Bari rail stations, the travel concession operator’s Italian presence includes 66 stores at 13 airports and units at 20 motorway service stations. Areas’ other licensed coffee brands in Italy are illycaffé, Caffé Vergnano, Berry & Coffee and Caffé Roma.