Eye on ISOs: Shift4’s Airport Deal; Payroc Snaps up Iroquois Merchant Services

Ontario International Airport in California is adopting Shift4 Payments Inc.s’ VenueNext mobile point-of-sale technology to allow passengers to order and pay for food and merchandise using their mobile phones. The service includes new self-checkout technology that allows travelers to scan a UPC code, add it to a shopping cart, and pay. The airport is the first to use this technology, which VenueNext has already introduced at stadiums hosting National Basketball Association and National Hockey League games, according to Shift4’s announcement.

“Travelers are already using their phones as their boarding pass, which makes our mobile-first approach for airport concessions a natural evolution for a streamlined travel experience,” said Michael Isaacman, Shift4’s chief commercial officer, in a statement.

Ontario International, situated near Los Angeles, cites statistics from Global Traveler, a publication for frequent travelers, indicating it is the fastest-growing airport in the United States. Numbers were not immediately available. For the airport implementation, VenueNext is relying on a partnership between Allentown, Pa.-based Shift4 and Land Air Labs, a Dallas-based technology provider.

The latest deal represents a major move into airports by VenueNext, which has been largely concentrating on payments within sports arenas since Shift4 acquired the company early last year for $72 million.

In other news, Payroc WorldAccess LLC announced late Tuesday it has acquired Iroquois Merchant Services, a Nashville, Tenn.-based payments provider with merchant, government, and nonprofit clients in all 50 states. Terms were not announced.

Payroc, a top 30 U.S. processor by payments volume according to rankings by The Strawhecker Group, sees the deal as a conduit into more markets, including global ones. Iroquois, on the other hand, is expected to leverage Payroc’s technology base, including “our differentiating payment technology, in-house processing capabilities, and experienced support team,” said James Oberman, Payroc’s chief executive, in a statement.

Tinley Park, Ill.-based Payroc has proven to be an acquisitive company in recent months as it looks to expand its merchant-  processing footprint. In January, it announced its acquisition of East Commerce Solutions, a deal that followed its purchase of Bluestone Payments LLC in November 2020, of eConduit in September 2020, and of Gateway Payments in April that year. Terms were not disclosed for those deals.

According to information it released Monday, Payroc processes more than $40 billion annually in volume in more than 40 countries. Its merchant base exceeds 123,000.