Airport concession ACDBE program (1990s–present)
Congress required large airports to run Airport Concession Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (ACDBE) programs, reserving a share of retail and food contracts for certified minority- and women-owned firms. The rule gave small operators a defined path into terminal space long dominated by a few big concessionaires.
Airports adopted ACDBE goal-setting, and certified firms gained leverage in bidding for concessions.
The program created a durable class of minority-owned concessionaires, though national operators still lead the market.
Diversity Food Brands' ACDBE certification is the mechanism that lets it pursue MSP concessions, and the airport runs such a program.
