Momentum Leisure Activates F&B and Retail Strategy at Its Theme Parks

(eap) Momentum Leisure, the company specializing in the development and operation of leisure facilities in Central and Eastern Europe and operator of the Majaland parks in Poland, is placing increased focus on two high-margin revenue sources within its parks: Food & Beverages (F&B) and Retail. Through the strategic enhancement of these segments, the company aims to strengthen both profitability and guest loyalty. To support this repositioning, Momentum Leisure is welcoming two experts to its leadership team: F&B specialist Lee Edwards and retail professional Mark Schiffmann.

According to the company, newly developed culinary concepts, optimized points of sale, and digital services such as mobile ordering and self-checkout are expected to contribute to a higher per capita spend in the F&B segment. Lee Edwards, a trained chef and experienced food product developer, spent ten years of his career at Merlin Entertainments, where he was responsible for improving food quality across the operator’s attractions on an international level. In 2014, he also founded his own consultancy, Peppercorn Food Solutions. Over the next twelve months, Edwards will support Momentum Leisure’s F&B development: “I’m excited to embark on this food and beverage (F&B) project with Momentum Leisure. This collaboration perfectly aligns with our experience and passion for creating exceptional F&B experiences in the visitor attraction sector. Momentum Leisure has established a strong foundation in the industry, and our goal is to elevate the food and beverage offerings to enrich the overall visitor experience. By infusing creativity and quality into the F&B services, I aim to complement the attractions and make each visit even more memorable,” Edwards said.

In parallel, Momentum Leisure aims to further develop its retail offering through IP-based shops, curated merchandise, and product drops synchronized with streaming releases. Central to these efforts are established IPs such as “Maya the Bee”, “The Smurfs”, and characters from the Nickelodeon universe, including “SpongeBob” and “PAW Patrol”. Mark Schiffmann, former Retail Director at Movie Park Germany and experienced consultant for international leisure and cultural attractions, will play a key role in shaping the company’s new retail strategy. “I am looking forward working together with Wouter Dekkers again and to be a part of the exciting journey of Momentum Leisure. On top of that, the newly addition of Nickelodeon to the IP portfolio brings me back to familiar characters like Sponge Bob, Patrick and Paw Patrol – it feels a little bit like a family reunion to me. Together with the world-known Smurfs and the beloved Studio 100 characters it offers a world of possibilities to create an amazing and successful retail environment,” Schiffmann commented. In the Majaland parks in Poland, the new retail strategy will be implemented by Dorata Piatkowska, newly appointed as Retail Manager Poland.

The company recently announced the introduction of dedicated Nickelodeon zones at its three Polish parks: Majaland Gdańsk, Kownaty, and Warsaw – the new area in Gdansk is already open. (c.f. EAP News of 28 April 2025). ■