About Us
A leading travel food & beverage operator in Asia
Who we are
A different model for airport dining
TGU operates restaurants, cafés and lounges in airports and travel hubs across China. The company was founded in 2018 by Li Yang, a veteran of the travel food and beverage industry, with capital provided by Artal Group, a long-term investment holding group, and strategic support from Invus, as the exclusive investment advisor of Artal Group.
Terminals are difficult places to run a restaurant: kitchens are small, service windows are short, and passenger flows shift by the hour. TGU was built for those conditions. We curate a brand portfolio for each terminal, adapt every concept to the way it will actually be used, and hold the same operating standards across all of our sites.
In seven years we have brought the first Michelin two-star restaurant brand into a Chinese airport and assembled a roster of close to 100 Chinese and international brands, many of them Michelin-recognized. Airport operators have recognized that work with repeated awards.
Our history
Led by Li Yang and backed by Invus, a team of travel F&B veterans founded TGU to become a leading travel dining company.
The first locations opened at Shanghai Pudong Airport and performed strongly from the start.
Strengthened operations through the pandemic and entered several new airports with restaurants and lounges.
The first international-terminal restaurant opened at Pudong and ranked among the airport's top performers.
Locations in Beijing Capital's international terminal became benchmarks in their categories.
Expanded into second-tier hubs including Guiyang, Wuxi and Hangzhou.
A premium travel dining concept debuts at Shijiazhuang Airport, with more multi-category outlets to follow across the city.
Leadership team
An international team with airport operating experience
TGU's senior team comes from aviation, airport retail and premium hospitality. They combine international management experience with the ability to execute in the Chinese market, working across strategy, commercial development and operations to get dining brands open and running well inside complex travel hubs.
Deep aviation expertise
Senior members of the team have held management roles at the International Air Transport Association (IATA), Air China and UPS. That background shapes how we read passenger needs, service standards and the daily realities of a travel hub.
Proven commercial expertise
Team members have worked in business development at international travel dining operators including SSP and HMSHost. They have led major airport tenders and brought new brands into terminals, turning traffic patterns and passenger profiles into brand portfolios that make commercial sense.
Operational expertise at scale
The team has run close to 40 chain brands and more than 80 outlets across multiple formats in Shanghai and Beijing, and has supported the planning and daily food and beverage operations of several airline lounges.
Our investor
Backed by a global evergreen investor
TGU has partnered with Invus, the exclusive investment advisor of Artal Group, a long-term investment holding group with over $10 billion under management. Founded in 1985, Invus invests with a long-term horizon and works alongside management teams and aspires to build industry transformative businesses. Invus has investment teams in the United States, Europe and Asia, and has supported consumer, technology and healthcare companies globally. As a long-term partner, Invus and Artal Group support TGU with patient capital, strategic guidance and access to a global network of brand and operating relationships.
* Combined across Invus portfolio companies