Nutritious fast-casual brand brings good vibes to its hometown airport
Washington travelers are in for a treat: South Block, the fast-casual chain serving up açai bowls, smoothies and cold-pressed juices, has landed in Concourse D at Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) bringing its refreshing menu and community-focused spirit to a new location.
The new IAD South Block offers fresh, healthy options for families, frequent flyers, visitors and airport staff alike. Whether guests are embarking on a journey, passing through or arriving at their destination, they can fuel up on grab-and-go or made-to-order items crafted with real ingredients that deliver bold flavors and a boost of nutrition.
“We are beyond excited to bring our delicious, fruitful menu to Dulles International,” said Amir Mostafavi, CEO and founder. “This new location allows us to spread our mission of building healthier, happier blocks to even more people and make them feel awesome. Whether you’re catching a flight or working at the airport, you can roll with us to grab a quick, nutritious meal while enjoying our signature good vibes.”
The better-for-you brand is keeping customer needs at the forefront, not only supporting its local communities but also other local businesses as well. South Block will be operated by D.C. based Baldi Management Group (BMG). “We are extremely grateful to have this opportunity and am excited to bring great local brands to our hometown airport!” said BMG President and founder, Stephen Baldi. BMG operates several successful brands at Dulles International and Reagan National airports, including Dunkin Donuts, Smashburger, Auntie Anne’s, and Potbelly.
BMG and South Block have teamed up with D.C.-based Procure Impact to include packaged snacks produced by local social enterprises. Additionally, the store will feature on-the-go sandwiches and salads from D.C.-based, women-owned Wellfound Foods, making it easy for travelers to enjoy nutritious meals that are both delicious and convenient.
“We are excited to welcome South Block, another prized local fast-casual brand, to our program. This new addition will provide Dulles travelers and staffers alike with another fantastic food option,” added Alyson Murphy, Vice President of Fraport Washington, concessions program manager at Dulles. “Our program centers around partnerships, and the collaboration between this health-conscious brand, its D.C.-based operator BMG, and ties to social enterprise and women-owned businesses from our region is an excellent example of this. This results in greater variety, convenience, and local flavor for passengers and the airport community, all sourced from our area.”
The Dulles International South Block is open from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily and marks the acclaimed acai brand’s 18th location. Known as Northern Virginia’s first cold-pressed micro-juicery, South Block has been serving fan favorites like the Super Green Smoothie and iconic Warrior Bowl since 2011. For more information or to find the nearest location, visit SouthBlock.com.
South Block opened its first location in Arlington, Va. in 2011, with a mission to build healthier communities one block at a time. It specializes in fresh, made-to-order smoothies, açai bowls, toasts and cold-pressed juices. The name was inspired by its first location on the south side of a block in the Clarendon neighborhood. South Block now has 18 locations across DC, Maryland, and Virginia. Mostafavi also started a nonprofit for South Block called Fruitful Planet, which helps provide fresh fruits and vegetables to underserved communities. Learn more at SouthBlock.com.
Savory is an innovative private equity firm that combines over $750 million in assets under management with a growth playbook and expertise that has been developed over 16 years of operating in the restaurant industry. Savory partners with high-potential, profitable, emerging restaurant brands to deliver financial capital, industry expertise, growth and revenue opportunities, profitability enhancements and new location development. The Savory team contributes directly to all aspects of growth and replication by using a proven playbook and methodology. Founder involvement in the expansion of a brand is a central theme of the Savory approach as founders carry the tribal knowledge around the uniqueness that has energized early success and is essential to future growth. Savory is currently invested in the following brands: Swig, R&R BBQ, PINCHO, Via 313 Pizzeria, Mo’ Bettahs Hawaiian Style Food, 86 Repairs, Saigon Hustle, Hash Kitchen, The Sicilian Butcher, Houston TX Hot Chicken and South Block. For more information, visit SavoryFund.com.
For over 15 years, Baldi Management Group (BMG) has been creating exceptional customer experiences for travelers. Led by Stephen Baldi, BMG is a D.C.-based, ACDBE-certified company that currently owns and operates restaurants at Reagan National Airport (DCA) and Dulles International Airport (IAD). Our growing portfolio of strong national and local brands includes South Block, Wellfound Foods, Founding Farmers, Smashburger, Dunkin’, Auntie Anne’s, and Potbelly Sandwich Shop with more to come!! Visit BaldiManagement.com for more information.
Wellfound Foods is a modern grab-and-go food company founded by Sarah Frimpong and based in D.C. Sarah is a previous member of the board of directors at DC Central Kitchen who has sought to introduce healthier ingredients into grab-and-go foods. The sandwiches, salads and bowls are simple, fresh, and made with premium ingredients. Wellfound Foods brings a seasonal and local restaurant partnership to its menus, creating a truly unique approach to the pre-packaged market fresh category. Visit WellfoundFoods.com for more information.
Procure Impact exists to maximize the dignity of work for underestimated populations. We partner with corporations that want to leverage their purchasing power and put core values into action to accelerate social impact by purchasing high-quality products manufactured by social enterprises in the United States.
Procure Impact connects corporate buyers with vetted social enterprises based on the quality and reliability of their products, capabilities to handle increased purchase orders, and the depth and breadth of their social impact. We act as a bridge, creating more sustainable futures for Americans across the country, by aligning corporate values, supply chain, and community impact. Visit ProcureImpact.us for more information.
Fraport USA is the developer and/or manager of the retail, food, and beverage programs at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, Terminal 5 at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport, Nashville International Airport, Newark Liberty International Airport’s Terminal B, Ronald Reagan National Airport and Dulles International Airport. Fraport USA’s projects rank among the highest for passenger spending and consistently receive accolades for innovation and customer service. Fraport USA is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Fraport AG Frankfurt Airport Services Worldwide. Based in Frankfurt, Germany, Fraport AG is active at some 30 airports on four continents around the globe. For more information, visit Fraport-USA.com.
The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority operates the U.S. Capital Region’s gateways to the nation and the world, Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and Washington Dulles International Airport, the Dulles Airport Access Highway, and the Dulles Toll Road. The Authority also managed construction of the Silver Line, a 23-mile extension of the Washington region’s Metrorail public transit system through northern Virginia, which began service to Dulles International in 2022. Visit MWAA.com for more information.
