FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
BAMBUZA HOSPITALITY GROUP WELCOMES
ERIK WARD AS NEW CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER
Prepares to Open First Sambazon in Airport
PORTLAND, OREGON, September 29, 2022 – Bambuza Hospitality Group (BHG), the Portland based traveler experience company, has announced the recent hiring of Erik Ward as Chief Development Officer to oversee expansion and partnerships, and further grow BHG’s airport and street-side portfolio across the country. This news comes alongside an announcement that BHG has been awarded a contract in John Wayne Airport to develop and operate the first airport Sambazon: the mission-driven concept from San Clemente, CA, bringing açaí-based superfood bowls, smoothies and drinks to health conscious consumers.
Erik comes to BHG with experience in both airport and shopping center development. He led the expansion of Gameway, and oversaw the growth of Pacific Gateway Concessions through to its successful acquisition by Stellar Partners in 2019. Erik brings a unique perspective to his new role owing to experience in shopping center leasing with Westfield, as well as in promoting broad-based community prosperity in the San Francisco Mayor’s Office of Economic And Workforce Development.
“I am so honored to join the Bambuza team, having personally watched the company grow from a single restaurant in Portland, to a hospitality group successfully operating both bespoke and partner brands across three states,” said Erik. “My passion is for helping values-driven firms in our industry grow to their full potential, and I’m thrilled to have that opportunity now with BHG.”
“With the dynamic growth of our airport portfolio from PDX to SEA, and most recently to SNA, Bambuza is poised for further expansion,” said Katherine Lam, President of Bambuza Hospitality Group. “We knew we wanted someone with the right experience, relationships, and core values to lead these efforts, and Erik was the obvious choice.”
Bambuza Hospitality Group, the ACDBE-certified travel retail and restaurant specialist, was founded in 2003 to serve guests through our core values of Stewardship, Integrity and Community. Our portfolio of 13 restaurant and retail locations include franchise partners like Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf and Sambazon, as well as bespoke concepts like Bambuza Vietnam Kitchen, Ninth & Pike Artisan Kitchen, Embarqué Whiskey Grill, Vee’s Tea’s, and Happy Deli. We operate retail stores including New Stand, Seattle Made, and Swarovski in partnership with Stellar Partners in SEA. We recently opened Hiep Hung, an innovative grocery experience authentically serving the Vietnamese community in Portland, and offering packaged specialty food products under our signature Bambuza brand.
###
Contact: Erin Frank
(415) 216-3691
erin@bambuza.com