Onboard Hospitality 72 September-October 2017

FOR AIR, RAIL, CRUISE AND FERRIES

ONBOARD HOSPITALITY � ISSUE 7 2 � SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017

2018 Awards launch • IFSA preview • Craft beer • Special meals Cover-options6.indd 1

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017 ISSUE 72

Refreshing innovations Creative craft beers and inspiring new ingredients raise the bar on board

IFSA PREVIEW U.S. BROKERS PRODUCT PLACEMENT ALLERGY-FRIENDLY MEALS 2018 AWARDS LAUNCH

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FROM

expert insight TO

customized concepts

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Managing transformation with strategy As trends come and go, they constantly shape our world and influence all industries.

At the LSG Group, we follow a 4-step development strategy to individually help our customers manage these transitions.

Look. Think. Connect. Create. Within the LTCC process, our interdisciplinary Customer Concepts team implements a structured approach based on facts and expertise to generate matching products and services for every task in travel business.

Explore more Watch our LTCC process video on our LSG Group YouTube channel:

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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER / 03

Inside this issue...

27

FOOD 27 34 37 39 41 43 44 46 49 51

U.S. brokers riding high Focus on: Delyse Focus on: Flying Food Group Opinion: Antony Edwards looks back at catering change Take your pick: Instant noodles How to... get Michelin onboard, with American Airlines Sandwich debate: The history of the humble onboard snack Focus on: Irish Rail, 10 years on In conversation... with Beat Ehlers ceo for Rail Gourmet (RG) Opinion: Jeremy Clark has a moan about travelling moaners

54

BEVERAGE 54 62 64 65

Craft beers get on board Focus on: Cheers for beers on rail routes across Europe Take your pick: Local brews In conversation... with Richard Canterbury, talking smoothies

RETAIL 98 Perfect products for retail 102 Opinion: Simon Pont on sales tech 103 How to... help your brand take off, with Portfolio Partners 105 Focus on: A new banking model from Revolut 106 Apps in action 109 In conversation... with Michael Richardson, gateretail

ENTERTAINMENT & CONNECTIVITY 67 69 73 74 78

80 98

66

DESIGN & INNOVATION 80 85 87 89 91 93 95 97

Luxury ingredients add style Focus on: RMT Global Partners How to... launch a Fair Trade range, with Frankenberg Take your pick: Salt In conversation... with Leonard Hamersfeld at Buzz How to... keep on trend, with Monty's Bakehouse Focus on: Galileo Watermark design Opinion: Rob Britton on U.S. customer service

APEX preview Headphones Opinion: Russell Cranfield argues for new feedback tech Rail tech: taking a different approach to entertainment Case study: Singapore Airlines talks inflight telephone services

110

WELLBEING Adapting for allergies How to... make 'scents' of loyalty Focus on: WESSCO Opinion: Liz Warom on wellbeing products to support travellers 118 Opinion: Marc Warde keeps abreast of healthy eating trends 110 114 115 117

VEGAN

REGULARS 07 Industry update / 18 In debate / 22 IFSA show preview / 120 Galley Gossip / 122 Global Perspective / 125 New arrivals onboardhospitality.com

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WELCOME / 05

SALES & EDITORIAL Publisher: Sue Williams

sue.williams@onboardhospitality.com Editor: Julie Baxter

julie.baxter@onboardhospitality.com Deputy Editor: Laura Gelder

laura.gelder@onboardhospitality.com

Star quality…

H

Contributing Editors: Steve Hartridge, Andy Hoskins, Jo Austin (For Taste of Travel

ow entertaining and exciting some award ceremonies can be… glamorous dresses, gushing speeches, endless thank yous and camera flashes, Champagne toasts and iconic trophies.

enquiries: jo.austin@onboardhospitality.com

Contributing Writers: Jessica Pook, Benjamin Coren, Jeremy Clark, Nik Loukas, Roger Williams, Rob Britton, Marc Warde, Ariane van Mancius, Richard Williams, Maria Martinez-Ugartechea. (For IFEC enquiries:

richard@appinpublishing.co.uk)

DESIGN & PRODUCTION Creative Director: Matt Bonner Designers: Louisa Horton, Ross Clifford, Monica Notarnicola, Zoë Tarrant Production Manager: Clare Hunter Production Controller: Steve Hunter Subscriptions: Kay Fisher

subscriptions@bmipublishing.co.uk

Julie Baxter Editor, Onboard Hospitality

Managing Director: Martin Steady Onboard Hospitality is published by: BMI Publishing Ltd Suffolk House, George Street, Croydon, Surrey CR9 1SR, UK Tel: +44 (0) 20 8649 7233 Fax: +44 (0) 20 8649 7234 © BMI Publishing Ltd 2017. Whilst every effort is made to ensure accuracy, BMI Publishing Ltd cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions.

ISSN: 2046-2042 Cover image: ©Heineken Regularly viewed by readers in over 70 countries worldwide. Read this magazine in digital form, share it virtually or subscribe • catch up on back issues • find contact details for key suppliers and caterers in our Directory of Caterers and Suppliers • advertise and search for jobs and promote your events

Don't miss our latest Onboard Entertainment & Connectivity supplement distributed with this issue and at APEX

All colourful and thrilling in their place but as the 2018 Onboard Hospitality Awards open for entries, we’re focused on a very different type of star quality. We’re seeking onboard excellence, plain and simple: noteworthy products and services dripping with star quality within their own field which deserve their moment in the spotlight.

The onboard sector isn’t shy of style or glamour, good looks and eye-catching innovations, but while inspirational branding and mesmerising marketing may grab the headlines, it is ultimately the combined value of many small factors that really make incredible passenger experiences. Hundreds of individual elements chosen for their quality, function and style, their story and their authenticity. Beautifully scented toiletries, a soft-touch fabric, the fine line of a cup or subtle flavours of a signature dish. These are the vital touchpoints we cover in every issue of Onboard Hospitality, and the Onboard Hospitality Awards are designed to give deep and genuine peer-to-peer recognition to those which truly stand out.

Expert judges, thoughtful criteria and insights from industry insiders have all helped establish the integrity and value of these awards above all others, and we are proud to invite you to once again get involved. Full details are on pages 18-19. Good luck!

See you at APEX, AIX and IFSA Long Beach

Get yourself connected online  @OBHMagazine �Onboard Hospitality at linkedin.com

onboardhospitality.com

ONBOARD FINDER

CELEBRATING EXCELLENCE IN AIR, RAIL & CRUISE onboardhospitality.com/awards

Our next generation online search portal is LIVE. It's the quick and easy way to find and promote onboard solutions for air, rail & cruise. Check it out: onboardhospitality. com/finder

STAY CURRENT

For the latest onboard news and interesting quick reads don't miss Onboard Hospitality Weekly, our regular enewsletter, now read by over 14,000+ key decision makers.

Contact: Julie Baxter

AWARDS OPEN

The 2018 Onboard Hospitality Awards winners will be announced in April during AIX & WTCE. Be sure your product is in with a chance. Enter before December 1.

Contact: Sue Williams

RICHARD WILLIAMS

Our specialist writer on entertainment and connectivity, Richard, has his ear to the ground looking for onboard trends and new developments in tech. Catch up with him at APEX

SUE WILLIAMS

At the heart of the magazine for over 15 years, Sue is full of ideas on how to promote your products in print, online and through our awards.

See her and Julie at IFSA, AIX & APEX

onboardhospitality.com

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industry update / 07

industry

Top stories from across the industry

update TOP STORIES FROM ACROSS THE INDUSTRY

Design style

Personalisation

Restaurant service

United Polaris rolls out its new looks and comforts

Buzz gets personal with new TUMI kits for Delta One

Do & Co rolls out new restaurantstyle meals for British Airways

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Mood food Low-cost carrier Monarch pioneers food boxes focused on passenger wellbeing with Alpha LSG onboardhospitality.com

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08 / industry update Top stories from across the industry

United rolls out Business upgrades UNITED Airlines is this autumn and winter rolling out its United Polaris Business seats and experience beyond the 777-300ER launch aircraft to 767-300s and 777-200.

New menus, bespoke branding elements, refreshed interiors and seats, plus redesigned lavatories (with modern finishings and farmhouse-style sinks) are all designed to provide a more tranquil journey. LED mood lighting complements sleep and assists with time-zone changes while textured and softer-touch materials provide a more premium feel and absorb noise. United partnered with Saks Fifth Avenue for its bedding and Soho House & Co's Cowshed Spa for its amenity kits. It is working with three world-class design companies – Brooks Brothers, Tracy Reese and Carhartt – to create new uniforms and will partner with TUMI as its official luggage provider for all flight attendants. united.com

GOL deal for LSG

Group Soi brekkie Eva gets new look

LSG Group is to cater GOL Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes, providing for all national and international flights departing São Paulo International Airport (GRU).

The partnership includes gluten-free, lactose-free and vegan options, beverages, meals and domestic onboard retail. lsg-group.com

ITALIAN snack company Group Soi has launched a new user-friendly breakfast box, Colazione. The box contains Italian pre-packed delicacies such as mini- shortbread cookies, freshly-baked croissants, schiacciatina bread slices and fruit jams. groupsoi.com

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EVA Air has unveiled new service staff uniforms.

Created by Shiatzy Chen and lead designer Wang Chen Tsai-Hsia, the uniforms use colour blocks, geometric patterns and streamlined shapes for a professional classic look. The base colours are shades of green. evaair.com

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industry update / 09 Top stories from across the industry

Do & Co lays on restaurant style British Airways has worked with Do & Co to create a new restaurant-style dining experience for Club World Heathrow-New York.

Travellers select freshly-prepared starters and desserts from new display trolleys, which are served by the crew onto new table settings.

Starters include Loch Fyne smoked salmon tartare with wasabi crème fraîche or burrata and tomato carpaccio; while entrees feature heritage beef, homemade gnocchi and Cornish Dover sole. Desserts include Do & Co‘s double chocolate medley, lemon tart, Viennese-style apple strudel and cheese board.

White wines and Champagnes will be presented on top of the trolleys in large, silver wine coolers, while regiments of red wine bottles stand alongside. doco.com

Vegan inflight PROVEG International is to rank the world's most veg-friendly airlines through a product survey.

The ranking will take account of vegetarian/vegan options onboard and in lounges; survey how customer-friendly the available information is; the ease of ordering/extra costs; retail availability; and future intentions of the airlines in this area.

The results (see our November issue) will aim to increase awareness of vegan-related issues and encourage improved inflight offerings. proveg.com

2017 WINNERS

Amenity Kits Formia & Spiriant

BE A 2018 WINNER!

ENTER NOW onboardhospitality.com

FlyFit Antioxidant Fruit and Nut Mix 4 oz is a pure and healthy snack that provides nourishment, supplies energy and revitalizes the body.

The product comes in a stand up, conveniently resealable bag sized for onboard retail.

WWW.FLYFIT.COM I HELLO@FLYFIT.COM I PLEASE VISIT US AT BOOTH #3257 IFSA LONG BEACH Untitled-5 1

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10 / industry update Top stories from across the industry

Qantas adds Noritake designer tableware Qantas has unveiled a new range of inflight tableware by Australian industrial designer David Caon. The range includes crockery by Noritake, cutlery and glassware, the latter supplied

by Galileo Watermark.

Caon is lead designer of the Qantas 787 Dreamliner cabin interiors and collaborated with Qantas creative director F&B and service, Neil Perry, to create modern, lightweight and practical tableware for First, Business and Premium Economy and the Qantas lounges.

The result is an elegant, 16-piece crockery set in fine bone china, a five-piece brush-finished stainless steel cutlery setting and a collection of modern glassware.

Caon combined minimal, classic elegance with quality and function and said: “An organically geometric aesthetic lends continuity of design across the range and to the aircraft.” qantas.com

Galileo Watermark duo GALILEO Watermark has supplied new Premium Economy kits for Alitalia and renewed its collaboration with Australian lifestyle brand Country Road for Qantas.

The neoprene kit for Alitalia (pictured left) is designed to be re-used post-flight either as a smartphone case or to store small personal belongings. Each kit contains a moisturiser and lip balm from Scaramouche + Fandango, socks, comb, earplugs and a fun double-sided eye mask

which passengers can use to let the crew know whether they would like to sleep or be woken up.

For Qantas, the company has developed a new canvas bag kit which replaces the iconic black and white gingham print previously onboard. The simple modern design aims to capture the essence of the Australian way of life and includes a matching Country Road-branded eye mask, black socks and dental kit. galileowatermark.com

FFG award from JAL

Cream tea box

Nom Noms on BA

FLYING Food Group’s Honolulu kitchen has earnt JAL's 2016 Meal Quality Award (Medium Haul).

FFG HNL caters six flights daily for JAL which has been a FFG customer at Honolulu since 2011. FFG has also catered JAL out of New York , Chicago, San Francisco and Los Angeles. jal.com

CRANTOCK Foods has launched a Cornish Cream Tea in a Box for onboard through its premium brand – the Posh Pasty Co. The three key components include a scone by Baker Tom, strawberry jam by Boddington’s Berries and clotted cream from Rodda’s. It is supplied frozen in boxes of 10. crantockfoods.com

Nom Noms World Food has launched a range of healthy wraps and British Airways will be serving them on UK to India routes.

The BA wrap collection includes an Indian veggie kathi wrap and an Indian achari chicken wrap (both 85g), the latter exclusive to BA. nomnomsworldfood.com

onboardhospitality.com

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industry update / 11 Top stories from across the industry

Gastro investor

Heinemann-Scorpio International Holdings (HSIH), owner of inflight specialist Scorpio Worldwide, has bought a majority stake in Gastro Culinary Innovation (GCI).

GCI provides sales, marketing and distribution services for a range of non-competing high street brands, as well as developing and sourcing its own branded artisan savoury and sweet onboard snacks. The company is managed by directors Jacqui Davidson and Caroline Thompson, guided

by Lance Hayward, ex Alpha LSG, as a non-executive director.

Stuart McGuire, chairman of HSIH, said: “It is clear that there are great opportunities to develop both the complimentary and buy-on-board offer for the travel food service sector. We believe that with the GCI product and sales expertise, and our brand management and access to market, we can grow quickly into this rapidly developing sector." gastro-culinaryinnovation.com

2017 WINNER

Textiles

United BE A 2018 WINNER!

ENTER NOW onboardhospitality.com

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12 / industry update Top stories from across the industry

Aeroflot targets new culinary talent AEROFLOT is developing new inflight menus inspired by the winners of the first High Flyers Culinary Competition, held to discover new names in gastronomy.

The competition, held in association with the Russian Restaurant Festival, saw eight chefs from five cities – Moscow, St Petersburg, Sochi, Novosibirsk and Vladivostok, prepare three hot meal suggestions for Aeroflot Business passengers including a fish dish, a vegetarian dish and a final dish of either meat or poultry. First place went to Evgeny Vikentev, head chef at Wine Cabinet and Hamlet + Jacks in St Petersburg.

Internationally-acclaimed chefs, including Michelinstarred ones, have traditionally helped develop Aeroflot’s menu but now the airline is focused on pursuing new and creative ideas from new Russian talents. aeroflot.com

Kaelis for Air Astana Air Astana has partnered with Kaelis to design two new Economy kits for medium- and longhaul flights.

The new collection comprises two sets – Nowen and Zappa – each coming in five different colours.

All amenity kits have a large selection of items to guarantee passenger comfort such as a shoe bag, inflatable neck pillow, toothbrush, hand cream, eyemask, pen, earplugs and slippers. kaelisgroup.com

Laundress onboard UPMARKET fabric care range The Laundress has partnered with Singapore Airlines in an exclusive first-to-market collaboration brokered by Buzz.The Laundress products are being gifted to customers travelling on selected flights out of Singapore in Suites, First and Business. buzzproducts.com

Crepe innovation

GUT Springenheide has launched a Crepe Frutti di Mare product for onboard service.

The savoury offer is made up of golden-yellow, light and fluffy crepes created by using fresh eggs, filled with prawns and flavourful spices. It is available in portion sizes 50-100g and comes individually frozen.

Picture perfect AN original signed sketch by the late Joy Stokes, designer of Gulf Air’s cabin crew uniform, was recently donated by her son to the national carrier. The sketch, which now appears in the airline’s lounge at Bahrain Airport, demonstrates how Mrs Stokes defined the look of the airline. gulfair.com

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Mnhscs

industry update / 13 Top stories from across the industry

Monarch pioneers 'mood food' LOW-COST carrier Monarch has developed a new experimental snack-box offering of 'mood-enhancing food' designed to relax, re-energise and reduce traveller stress.

The ‘Monarch Mood Food’ box was developed alongside leading food psychologist prof. Charles Spence and chef Jozef Youssef of Kitchen Theory.

Prior to take off, passengers are offered black, immunity boosting echinacea and liquorice ice cream, said to have anti-inflammatory and cell protective abilities; while onboard they receive a blend of herbal tea containing chamomile, fennel seed and kelp to combat bloating and aid digestion; a sweet caramelised nut bar coated in umami rich mushroom and tomato powder is offered to re-energise and awaken the senses as passengers arrive at their destination. monarch.co.uk

GLOBAL HEADSET AND LAUNDRY SERVICING SOLUTIONS Traditional ERP Systems can’t cope with Rotable Supply Chains like Headsets and Laundry - so we've developed one that does; ROTIX. Backed by our Performance Operations Team (who aren’t just desk warriors), we deliver...

•An end to feast and famine stock levels. •Reduced costs via best practice processes.

•Improved onboard quality and product consistency. •Single-point managed service levels, network wide •Total client visibility and control.

Sound good? We’d love to hear from you.

Read what our growing list of clients are saying about us.

www.mnhscs.com onboardhospitality.com

14 / industry update Top stories from across the industry

Tableware by Spiriant LUFTHANSA has introduced new Spiriant-designed tableware for its Economy cabin intercontinental flights.

Environmentally-friendly and easier to handle than the previous design, Lufthansa says it should appeal to all target groups and stand the test of time when it comes to fashion trends, thanks to “a clear use of form and elegant, consistent design.”

Lufthansa product management worked together with designers from the LSG subsidiary company Spiriant to design the new tableware from scratch, using a range of materials, colours, shapes and individual components.

Around 900,000 components will go into service worldwide. The range includes new trays, coffee cups, packaging and accessories, all characterised by faceted shapes. Dynamic lines create shadows which give the tableware different colour nuances, depending on the light reflection. Two different surfaces – matt and smooth – ensure a pleasant feel.

Disposable materials will be largely dispensed with, thus significantly reducing volume of waste. spiriant.com

Delta triples choices DELTA has tripled the food choices for customers flying its 12 domestic coast-to-coast routes which offer free meals in the main cabin.

The move is part of the airline’s focus on continuous refreshments and sees distinct complimentary breakfast, lunch and dinner menus that vary on east- and westbound flights, increasing the total number of options from six to 18. Highlights from the menus include a cheese plate with items from the popular Murray’s Cheese Store in New York City, a Luvo harissa roasted veggie wrap, a Greek meze plate, a beef pastrami sandwich and a sesame noodle salad. delta.com

2017 WINNER

Service Equipment

CLIP

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17 09:44

industry update // 17 Top stories from across the industry

Buzz gets personal Buzz is claiming an industry first with two new TUMI amenity kits for the Delta One cabin, which can be personalised post-flight.

Delta’s TUMI hard-case amenity kit, based on the company’s popular 19 Degree collection, will now receive complimentary monogramming at most TUMI retail stores.

The kits will continue to feature Kiehl’s skincare products and will include new amenities such as hand cleanser, a mouthwash stick and TUMI eyeshades as well as updated striped socks.

The kits will feature hard- and soft-cased TUMI options - silver hard-sided kit outbound from the U.S. and a soft-sided black amenity kit inbound.

Allison Ausband, Delta’s senior vp president inflight service, said: “We are excited to offer customers the ability to monogram their amenity kits and create a personalised souvenir to take with them as

they jetset across the globe.”

Customers in the Delta Premium Select cabin, which debuts on new Airbus A350s this autumn, will receive a soft TUMI blue pouch with Malin+Goetz products while Delta Comfort+ customers will receive a refreshed Rest and Refresh kit. buzzproducts.com

Matrix innovates with White London-based design and procurement specialist Matrix and British lifestyle company The White Company have partnered to launch a new range of bedding and amenities in British Airways' Club World.

The new range aims to deliver a great night’s sleep in the sky and is part of British Airways’ £400 million customer investment plan. Launching on Heathrow-New York routings, the initiative is part of a new suite of onboard products including day cushion which doubles as a lumbar support; an exclusively-designed bespoke, soft, large pillow; and white cotton pillowcase. Customers will be given a ‘super-soft’ woven blanket with satin trim and a specially-developed luxury duvet to improve their quality of sleep, as well as a padded mattress topper. The new bedding roll-out will be complemented by The White Company amenity kits comprising an elegant bag, containing the company's 'Restore & Relax Spa Collection', and a soft jersey eye-mask. thisismatrix.com

People on the move Jeremy Waszczuk AMI WINES TO: SENIOR MANAGER, KEY ACCOUNTS FROM: PATRICK CLERGET Jeremy has been a wine export manager for the past eight years selling wines in airline markets in the U.S. and Asia as well as in retail markets. He will be responsible for sales to airlines outside of North America and will assist the AMI wine sourcing team. He will relocate from Beaune, France to work out of AMI’s office in Barcelona, Spain.

Emily Steere FRESHORIZE LTD TO: SENIOR KEY ACCOUNT MANAGER FROM: AVID As Freshorizes' presence continues to grow within the USA, Emily has been brought onboard to maintain client relationships and cultivate new clients throughout North and South America. The Freshorize team is unveiling a new line of core cleaning products to complement its soaps and lotions so it is an exciting time.

Tom Weygers DESTER TO: MARKETING MANAGER FROM: HRD ANTWERP With over 10 years experience in developing marketing communications, PR, social media and content strategies, Tom now transfers his expertise from the jewellery industry to gategroup’s deSter and its innovative food packaging and serviceware concepts for the aviation, hospitality and food service industry. please send your appointment news to laura.gelder@onboardhospitality.com

onboardhospitality.com

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18 / in debate

in debate

talent spotting The onboard sector offers incredible careers but is the industry doing enough to draw in the brightest and best talent?

Julie Baxter asks consultant and student mentor Mike Pooley

JB MP

JB MP

JB

Are students aware of opportunities in tHe onboard sector?

Speaking from personal experience as a mentor in the university sector for the past four years, I have to say not as aware as I would hope. There is no obvious attraction to, or awareness of, the onboard sector in career discussions. I'd like to see our industry recognised more for the wide variety of roles, challenges and global scope it can offer the ambitious.

are students really interested in knowing more?

Yes. I get a lot of questions. Once they get more details there are graduates who readily identify our industry as dynamic, globally dispersed and offering great career and life choices alongside the more traditional routes of hotels, resorts, travel, and other food service roles.

is tHe industry doing enougH to attract the best talent?

MP

It’s not all bad news and I can think immediately of two big inflight catering groups which have developed graduate schemes to bring new

thinking and the spark of youthful energy and enterprise into their businesses. In addition the work done by IFSA and at Surrey University in the UK has raised the profile of our sector and brought students to the wider attention of those happy to advise, educate, sponsor, and in certain cases compensate students.

JB MP

JB

wHat more could it be doing?

Get the topic on the agenda, dedicate time and resource to the possibility of supporting the educational sector in a consistent and systematic way and regularly review the value and results achieved.

How would tHat benefit the industry?

onboardhospitality.com

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in debate / 19

MP

JB MP

JB MP

JB

I think it would drive up the talent pool available and support the industry’s efforts to be more creative, more responsive, and ahead of the curve. Those goals fit well with the educational sector’s aims to find the right careers for its brighter graduates.

How would that benefit individual businesses?

hotel groups, arguably do a much better job of pitching to young talent.

This issue should be on the agenda when companies consider succession planning and recruitment drives. Encouraging placements and internships can have benefits to both parties. It is not just the student’s potential under scrutiny but the chance for a business to understand proper schemes which will effectively “sell” their company and its goals in a positive and passionate way to future talent.

Are there young talent organisations employers should tap into?

Certain countries have strong co-operations with apprenticeship schemes, internships and day-release learning and it is good to see companies contributing to IFSA scholarship programme. There are plenty more good hotel schools, universities and local colleges the industry could tap into by speaking to their leaders about coaching, lecturing, events and workshops which attract student attention.

Does this industry need some clearer professional development goals?

There is a lot of talent in HR and leadership working to identify, recruit, and nurture talent with training and coaching. I hope those in a position to drive these programmes always include such initiatives in their vision and mission going forward.

That said other sectors, such as

MP

JB

How can companies get involved in mentoring young talent?

Consider a formal mentoring programme (in my case, I work with Bacchus at Oxford Brookes University) and use the platform to introduce and further develop the ambitions of our industry to strike a common chord with student aspirations.

Locally, pitch at job fairs, schools and colleges.

Share the ambitions of your company with the student bodies and work hard to appeal to and attract enthusiastic future leaders.

MP

JB MP

What do you see as the sector's key selling point to students?

Our industry offers tremendous hands-on experience of team working situations in a 24/7/365 intense sector. There's client facing, and back office supporting roles, as well as leadership training, and good opportunities to move around globally. This should attract serious-minded and committed students who want something challenging. Many will have had work experience in hospitality and foodservice so they know the sector demands discipline, commitment, resourcefulness and reliability and these are the attributes we want to attract as we serve our ever-demanding, dynamic aviation sector. •

onboardhospitality.com

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20 / AWARDS

2018 AWARDS

LAUNCHED! The Onboard Hospitality Awards are established as the leading awards celebrating excellence and innovation for the onboard hospitality industry in air, rail and cruise with winners unveiled at a dedicated event in Hamburg onboardhospitality.com/awards

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AWARDS / 21

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY September 1, 2017 The 2018 Awards open for online entries. Get involved, this is your chance to shine

December 1, 2017 Closing date for all entries and the start of online voting to identify finalists

April 2018 Winners announced at our Hamburg Awards event. Entry by invitation only

Our elite panel of judges will assess the finalists, looking for: quality, usefulness, durability, innovation and how products enhance the customer experience in categories for:

AMENITIES • BEVERAGE • CATERING INNOVATION • FOOD SERVICE EQUIPMENT • KIDS ONBOARD • SNACKS • SUSTAINABILITY • ONBOARD TECHNOLOGY • TEXTILES • WELLBEING

We will also recognise products not yet onboard in a ONES TO WATCH category for products targeting the onboard hospitality sector

All entrants will also be invited to nominate their Industry Personality of the Year. A star performer or favourite supplier for our judges' consideration

For further details and queries contact:

sue.williams@onboardhospitality.com Full details and online entries will be available from September 1 at onboardhospitality.com/awards

onboardhospitality.com/awards

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22 / EVENT PREVIEW

IFSA Conference & Expo 2017

See you in Long Beach

F

rom the Mid West to sunny California, this year's IFSA (International Flight Services Association) Conference and Expo takes place in Long Beach, just south of Los Angeles this September 25-27.

Building on the success of Chicago's event, IFSA is looking to exceed last year's numbers and attract new delegates with an exciting programme of events.

The event is co-located with APEX and AIX in order to encourage more attendees and larger teams from airlines.

IFSA president Jane Bernier-Tran recently announced that the IFSA and APEX boards of directors have now approved the next steps to formally aligning the two organisations. She said: "Under this new structure, IFSA will remain intact as an independent trade association operating within the broader umbrella of APEX. We will continue to maintain the annual conference & expo, the board of directors, committees, membership and all programmes."

As well as the expo there will be a programme of social events for networking, and demonstrations.

IFSA has challenged top tier inflight industry chefs to enter the Annual Chefs Competition, where they can showcase their skills in a dynamic arena, competing to cook their way to the title of Best

Inflight Executive Chef of 2017.

The annual networking event takes place on Tuesday September 26 and will offer delegates the chance to join more than 250 industry leaders for a night filled with Polynesian cuisine, entertainment, networking and a live cooking demonstration. Chef Choy, who has designed special Hawaiian inspired dishes for American Airline, will cook up his famous poke.

IFSA - THE FACTS

IFSA'S 2017 ANNUAL CONFERENCE & EXPO TAKES PLACE IN LONG BEACH CONVENTION CENTER, CALIFORNIA

IFSA 2017 will see the return of the product showcase, a glass case area helping members promote products ----------------Look out for the New Member Pavilion and a fun cocktail competition

IT'S A NEW ERA OF COLLABORATION:

IFSA, APEX AND AIX CO-LOCATE TO MAKE THE

LARGEST PASSENGER EXPERIENCE EVENT IN THE U.S.

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1. HACO STAND: 3257

Partnering with Coca Cola, HACO will showcase beverage solutions; its portfolio of retail brands including BelVita, Cadburys, Hoppe and Oreo; King Nut Company’s packaged nuts, pretzels, mixes and dried fruit (with optional targeted branding or advertising on the packets); and Nature’s Basics, healthy snacks in five gluten-free and vegan varieties. haco.us.com

2. Oakfields Farm Solutions STAND: 3257

Mainly promoting its frozen entrée range launched last year, which is already flying

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on Lufthansa. The offer was originally designed for the main cabin service but is now being extended to include Business cabins. The company also continues to evolve its range of ambient snack and tapas boxes, dips and kids snacks. oakfieldfarms.com

3. Caffè di Artisan STAND: 3428

This young and proactive beverage brand will be demonstrating its luxury liquid coffee product, which comes in single shot pods and is ready in 60 seconds with no heavy machine needed. The portion-controlled product is additive-free, comes in recyclable

packaging and offers many coffee serving varieties including espresso and creamy cappuccino. caffediartisan.com

4. Daelmans STAND: 3137

This family-owned Dutch bakery group is exhibiting with U.S. partner The Brand Passport, Inc. and debuting the Daelmans chocolate-caramel Stroopwafel. With real chocolate baked into the dough, the product is free from artificial flavours, colours, preservatives and trans-fat. Also available in caramela and honey. daelmansstroopwafels.com

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2017 HIGHLY COMMENDED

Snacks

Flyfit

5. MV Food & Services STAND: 2225 (AIX)

Offers a premium gluten-free Italian gelato range in chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, lemon, cream & cherry, panna cotta and pistachio. Using vegetable fats like coconut oil make it more ‘spoonable’ straight from the freezer. It's lower in cholesterol and saturated fat and higher in carbohydrates. New at IFSA is its new 50g (100ml) cup. mvfood.it

6. DFMi STAND 3161

New products include La Colombe, said to be ‘the fastest growing coffee drink in the USA’, and its Draft Latte, now in a

convenient can. The cold-pressed espresso comes with a frothy layer of lactose-free milk and no added sugar. Also on-stand will be SuperSeedz: snackable, no-shell gourmet pumpkin seeds packed with protein, zinc, iron and magnesium and gluten- nut- and GMO-free. dfminc.biz

7. AMKO STAND: 3141

Showcasing a Modern Rustic dinnerware range made of porcelain with a rustic-look glaze added through a special decoration technique. The practical pieces are designed for inflight and lounges. Small minimum orders are required for custom colours. amkointl.com

8. FlyFit STAND: 3257

FlyFit has added four new flavours to its range of antioxidant 70% dark chocolates: Fig & Hazlenut, Orange, Cranberry & Honey, Pomegranate, and Hazelnut & Blueberry. Also showing at IFSA will be FlyFit’s Happy, Healthy and Wise Snack Mix, comprised of hummus twists, chick peas and ancient grain sticks. flyfit.com

9. AMI STAND: 3351

Promoting Creamer, a dairy stick developed by Lakeland Dairies for cabin service. Each stick contains 7.5ml farmassured dairy cream from Irish family

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IFSA Long Beach is set to be big! With nearly 70 companies exhibiting and even more products and services to peruse on-stand

farms. The packaging is easy to open, hygienic and won’t splash in a pressurised cabin. The sticks require less storage space, produce less waste and weigh 45% less than pots, minimising carbon footprint. amigrp.com

10. FreshBrew Group STAND 3435

With the airline industry since 1994, FreshBrew creates custom blends and specialised roasts for brewing at high altitudes in commercial airline galleys. They also work with partners to create flavours and aromas for bespoke blends, saying "let us roast your special coffee, not ours." freshbrewgroup.com

11. WESSCO STAND: 3330

The company continues to turn its focus on brand collaborations, building on its history of connections with big names including L'Occitane; Neal's Yard for All Nippon Airlines; Eames for American Airlines, and Canadian aromatherapy brand Escents for Air Canada. wessco.net

12. Delyse STAND 3252

Delyse will showcase new High Pressure Processing products in partnership with Cedarlane Natural Foods. The technology creates shelf-stable deli salads, entrees,

dips, wraps and side dishes (see p28).

Delyse also offers new trendy shelf-stable meat and cheese trays, snacks, cookies, chips and tapas in collaborations with high couture snacks brand C’Bon, Lou’s Brandini Toffee, Renaud’s Patisserie, Perky Jerky and many others. delyse.com

13. AirlineMporium STAND 3014

Mozaics Organic Popped Veggie and Potato Chips will debut here – a glutenfree, snack featuring green peas, already in Delta’s First cabin. Crunchicopia Gourmet Pita Chips are also offered, in low airfill bags. airlinemporium.com •

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e r a e W t uni g n i g a k c a NEW: P ck and individualize a p o t e l b a n ow ct your produ Great por6olio of trendy soups

Variety of hot and cold snacks for all classes

Your partner for ights out of Europe Come and visit us at the AMI booth!

American chocolate chip cookies

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U.S.BROKERS / 27

Making

America Great As the onboard hospitality world heads to Long Beach, California, for the IFSA conference, Julie Baxter talks tastes, trends and airline demands with leading U.S. brokers

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his is currently a good time coupled with the bonus of falling oil to be a broker or a caterer in prices. U.S. airlines are making a lot of the U.S. Just as the UK and money at the moment and as we have Europe seem to be moving seen before, this is a circular industry away from complimentary food so when the airlines make money they (witness British Airways), invest and spend on food U.S. airlines seem to be and improve passenger moving back to it, to the satisfaction.� clear benefit of caterers The new buoyancy U.S. airlines are and brokers across the has brought full-service outperforming continent. catering back into Coach, the market and Paul Normand, who heads investing in food especially on transup the HACO brokerage continent flights business, says: “We are operating coast to reaping the benefits of the stringent coast, and passengers cost-cutting that has gone on have been rewarding in recent years to make those making the airlines more efficient, move with

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positive feedback across social media. onboard hospitality sector in the U.S. because most Normand says: “Delta is leading the charge airlines in this market value consistency of product. with this. Customer satisfaction is key and when “If they are serving an omlette or a chocolate complimentary catering gets strong positive cake, they want it to be the exact same omlette feedback through surveys and peer or chocolate cake wherever the to peer recommendations on social passenger boards, right across media that ensures it stays onboard the U.S. To ensure that happens and sees further investment.” you need very robust logistics and There is also a strong trend There is a strong people who fully understand the towards branded snacks in Economy bigger airline operational picture,” trend towards he adds. “Brands are king. Some branded snacks in says Normand. airlines want to be associated HACO has made a strategic Economy with labels that will enhance their decision to focus on big retail brand, others want to find newer brands and brings the likes of Coco cool boutique products to champion as something Cola, Hershey, Minute Maid and Kraft to the airlines.

The company supports brands hoping to navigate different.”

Brokers have long been at the heart of the the onboard sector, highlighting the scale and the capacity commitment they are going to have to make to be successful with airlines.

Normand says: “We have found the most successful strategy for us is to concentrate our core business on big retail brands which often already have a nationwide reach. Smaller individual product suppliers rarely fully appreciate the scale of what is required.”

2017 WINNER Dan Day from AMI also recognises the importance Snacks of big brand names in the U.S. He says: “As inflight Snackbox duty free sales dwindle, airlines are using more To-Go & space onboard for food service products and to En Route upgrade what they offer for buy-on-board. They have been particularly keen to reflect the popularity BE A 2018 of national brands within their range, so we have WINNER! seen increased onboard exposure of Starbucks and ENTER NOW Whole Foods' branded products, items passengers onboardhospitality.com are already familiar with on the ground." onboardhospitality.com

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Optimistic outlook He is optimistic investment in improving the onboard offer out of the U.S. will continue and notes: “In the U.S., airlines have in recent times actively worked to greatly improve the buy-onboard products they offer, with many freshlyprepared products now included on their menus.

The trend towards a fresh retail offering seems to be growing and we are seeing more demand for this and less for snack boxes. Airlines are beginning to recognise that they need to continue improving on quality because so many of their passengers buy from airport concessions and then bring the meals onboard. They need to compete with the offer on the ground.”

AMI has teams based in the key city hubs for the major U.S. airlines to better support their product development with personnel in Dallas, where American Airlines is based; in Chicago for United Airlines, and in Atlanta for Delta.

for shelf-stable snack boxes that are increasingly adapted to provide healthier options.

“Passengers are looking for cleaner labels, 'real food', and most airlines now seem to have special boxes that meet the passenger’s individual concerns regarding food consumption,“ she says.

She also detects strong passenger desire for hot foods, an enthusiasm most U.S. airlines cannot currently meet as they do not have ovens for heating on domestic flights. Brown says: “The return of complimentary food (that can be served cold) is currently being tested on selected longhaul domestic flights for all classes. Results

Quality rising Kim Brown, DFMi, agrees that the buy-on-board menu is set to remain an important part of the onboard mix. “Onboard sales are growing in the USA with every year that passes. Passengers seem to expect to purchase items (as opposed to receiving them complimentary) and therefore the stigma around paying has disappeared. This shift in the passenger mindset gives the airlines a greater ability to provide quality food in their retail programme so they typically include fresh salads, sandwiches and cheese/fruit trays. “ Brown, like the others, reports a trend towards gluten free and non-GMO products and a demand onboardhospitality.com

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have not yet been published but passengers who have experienced the service are pleasantly surprised by this addition to their flight experience.”

DFMi has added greens and grain salads, pre-made sandwiches (fresh and frozen), pre-sliced deli meats, all natural, shelf stable meat snacks, bagels and spreads to broaden the healthy choices on offer to passengers.

Competitive edge Brown concludes: "U.S. airlines are very competitive as to who will be the 'first' or 'biggest' or 'best' at what they do.

Passenger feedback and ratings have become very important to customer service and marketing departments, as they all vie for the top spots for awards in the industry, including the food they serve. Most

importantly, they strive to maintain loyal customers by offering improved flight services and Club/Lounge options where they now serve hot and more substantial food choices throughout the day.”

While responding to change is clearly key, Normand with 35 years' experience in the business sounds a note of caution.

He says: “Consumers often think they want new, niche, on-trend products, they like the idea of them but the truth is that the mass of airline travellers want mass market product. Passengers say they want super-healthy products but they actually buy the indulgent, familiar treats. It is also worth remembering we are in a circular business. Currently, U.S. airlines are doing well, so we can do well, but no doubt if they start to do badly in future vb catering will once again be among the first things to go.” •

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Positive pressure This year, U.S. manufacturer Delyse celebrates 25 years of food innovation with a new partnership set to revolutionise the ambient meals sector. Julie Baxter discovers more

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rom the outset Delyse, led by founder Elisabeth Galvin, has been on a mission to provide healthy food with a Mediterranean feel.

Within its first five years it was producing over 250 million onboard cocktail snacks through a sponsorship programme, Inflitepak, and the subsequent launch of Airmarket broadened the range of organic and natural foods, fresh salads, entrees and side dishes it could offer.

The launch of NorthStar Connect added software support to optimise onboard inventory, pre-ordering and buy-on-board andthe company's range of airline clients continues to grow.

Now Delyse is working on a new project in a collaboration with Food Case, a specialised food company developing ambient food solutions for airlines using an innovative new process.

Developed by a team of food scientists, chefs, nutritionists, designers and packaging technologists, the ambient products are based on new technology methods from Wageningen University in the Netherlands.The university positions itself as the world’s leading food university and has worked with Food Case for three years to develop these ambient food

concepts, now being delivered to over process is that products remain natural, 35 European airlines from facilities in the ‘clean label’ as there is no need for Netherlands and Spain (an Asian base will chemical preservatives or additives; the open soon). food is safe and pathogen free with no Delyse will partner with Cedarlane degradation in quality, taste, texture, Natural Foods to create ambient deli colour, vitamins and phytochemicals”. salads, entrees and HPP ensures a longer side dishes using a shelf life and has been process of High Pressure recognised by the FDA Pasteurisation (HPP). as the preferred food This revolutionary safety intervention for This uses cold water process gives fresh RTE meals. Wet salads to generate ultra high produce a 60-day pressure which can containing vegetables, shelf life destroy pathogenic fruits, grain, pasta and and spoilage organisms seafood’s, and hummus without heat. and dips have 60 days shelf life (unopened) Foods are subjected to pressure from compared to 10-24 days for most all all directions at 87,000 psi (imagine natural products. Recent applications have the pressure of being 40 miles down in included dips, deli salads, wraps, soups and ocean) without any damage to sensory meal solutions and Delyse will present the and nutritional qualities of the produce. new HPP line and new trendy shelf-stable Excited about this new collaboration, meat and cheese trays, snacks, cookies, Galvin explains: “The advantage of the chips and tapas options in the U.S. •

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Buzz introduces a world-first in amenity kits, TUMI 19 Degree for Delta Air Lines with complimentary monogramming.

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Serving the USA In an aviation region whose hallmark is change, Flying Food Group remains a catering constant in the U.S. Julie Baxter discovers more from executive vp sales & marketing, Nicolas Rondeau

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lying Food Group sits at the heart of U.S market, a dynamic region seemingly always in flux. Its position in the market has solidified and grown in the past five years, bolstered by a solid performance for its customers that has resulted in numerous awards for excellence.

The company has secured a 30% growth through new customers and expanded services to up its market share.

Key to this growth says Rondeau is the commitment to customer service.

Rondeau says: “Customer service is our credo – it is at the core of our commitment as a company. We pride ourselves on culinary excellence and on consistently providing quality products and service, 24/7. Our primary ambition is to remain an industry leader, setting the bar on service and dependable quality. Our daily model is partnership – working closely with every valued customer. We aim to anticipate and address their needs. For example, we remote cater products from our San Francisco and Los Angeles kitchens to regional airports, to support customer requests.

Recently, we added a new unit in Kona, Hawaii, to support a customer’s international expansion."

It appears to be a strategy that works. In 2016, FFG welcomed more than 10

new routes as customers added to their new facilities and renovating existing U.S. presence and new carriers debuted. ones to meet and anticipate needs. A Its diverse portfolio now includes 80+ new cutting-edge Washington Dulles customers, among them names such as facility – launched in late 2015 – has HA, JAL, ANA, LH BA and QF. welcomed five new customers in the The growth is past 16 months – in supported by over addition to launch 5,000 employees, customer Virgin based in a network of Atlantic.

Our team structure 22 facilities stretching Rondeau adds flexibility and from Honolulu to JFK. concludes: “FFG shortens response The company HQ values and fully times is in Chicago but its supports every management teams customer, regardless are nationwide, broadening its ability to of size, and as a result loyalty to FFG offer responsive, strong service. Rondeau is exceptional: over 12 international adds: “Our team structure adds flexibility airline customers have been with us for and shortens response time and more than 15 years continuously. That customers tell us repeatedly they value is an accomplishment of which we are our personalised service.” tremendously proud. It is earned meal by Looking ahead, the group is adding meal and flight by flight.” •

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Unparalleled Quality For over 30 yearss Gourmet Foods Inc. has provided our Airline, Rail and Cruise Line customers a wide range of high quality products.

Through our strict quality control programs, we have achieved SQF Level 2 Certification, guaranteeing the quality and care put into hand crafting every single product.

In order to continue enhancing our products quality, Gourmet Foods has completely eliminated man made trans-fats, artificial colors, preservatives and other chemicals from our core line of products.

Cage-free eggs, expeller-pressed oils, wild-caught shrimp, hormone-free dairy products, American Homestead pork, Mary’s Non-GMO enhanced animal welfare chicken, and sustainably farmed smoked salmon are just a few examples of what you can expect when you are considering our family of gourmet products.

This is Gourmet Foods promise to you: Whether it’s First or Business Class components, sauces, soups, hors d’oeuvres or special meals, we bring quality and sustainability to the table for the satisfaction of your customers.

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www.gourmetfoodsinc.com 310-632-3300

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OPINION / 39

Antony Edwards

Looking back Former catering manager Antony Edwards won our 2017 Onboard Hospitality Lifetime Achievement Award. Here he looks back at how times have changed since he joined the industry over 35 years ago

When I joined the industry in 1982, airline food and supply logistics seemed to deserve the poor reputation they had with the public and the media.

Through the 1970s the complications of supplying and delivering food and inflight service had become increasingly complex with specialist inflight caterers forming and larger airlines opening their own kitchens and catering centres. Hotel companies and independent caterers developed airline expertise too and competition became intense. In some countries restrictive, monopolistic situations existed where governments wanted to keep control but by the early1980s competition was really aggressive, in London at least, with nearly a dozen flight kitchens in operation, all competing for the business. Whilst this drove prices down it did little for catering standards or staff training.

Catering change

PROFILE

Antony Edwards graduated from Hotel School in 1975 and after some years in hotel management, switched to airline catering, initially with Qantas and Trans World Airlines. For the past 28 years, prior to his recent retirement, he worked as regional catering manager Europe & Middle East for Cathay Pacific Airways.

By the early 1990s however things began to change. The cost pressures on fully-catered Economy services delivered in the traditional way was becoming unsustainable. Airlines cut costs by reducing crew numbers and onboard services had to be simplified to be deliverable.

First class catering remained pretty good overall but as cabin sizes gradually reduced so too the opportunity for caterer profits was reduce. The launch of Business class saved the day for both airlines and caterers alike. Business cabins provided the oxygen for catering budgets to grow a little and a decent product could be developed. Catering company skills and expertise could be maintained.

BE A PART OF IT!

Visit our awards page on our website

As the trend towards outsourcing took hold, the aircraft catering industry increased enormously. Some caterers fell away, some airlines divested themselves of catering units and new catering giants such as Gate Gourmet and LSG Sky Chefs began putting together global offers and flexible specialist services tailored to each airline type.

Branded products began to find their way onboard, trusted, known names that passengers appreciated and recognised. In mature markets such as Europe and the USA, this trend has more or less guaranteed product quality, consistency, food safety and supply chain.

It’s a significant change which has opened the door to pure logistics companies such as DHL. They’ve brought high levels of IT expertise to compliment food supply chain, delivering good, safe, recognisable food costeffectively, on time every time.

The jury is still out on whether buy-on-board logistics can work for long-haul and my guess is complimentary F&B in Premium cabins is likely to be served for a while yet. •

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Noodles As buy-on-board choices broaden, a growing range of increasingly good quality instant noodles are coming to the onboard table, says Maria Martinez-Ugartechea NISSIN/BATCHELORS

HART & SOUL

Probably the best known noodle company in the world, Nissin makes the original Cup Noodles flying on Hawaiian Airlines and Spirit Airlines. It is also in a strategic partnership with Premier Foods which will launch four Batchelors Super Noodles flavours – chicken, BBQ beef, curry and bacon in February. nissinfoods.com; premierfoods.co.uk

Using low-calorie and glutenfree konjac (an Asian tuber) noodles, this Australian company makes GMOfree pots with no artificial flavours or preservatives. Its Vietnamese Pho is available on New Zealand-bound and domestic JetStar flights. hartandsoul.com

CAMPBELL'S This American company, best know for its canned foods, also makes Campbell's Hearty Noodles, which are baked not fried. Flavours include beef, oriental hot & sour, and chicken, offered on Air Canada’s Café menu. campbellsoup.ca

MR LEE'S NOODLES KABUTO NOODLES Gluten-free and low in calories, salt, sugar and saturated fats, these noodles have a higher nutritional content and longer shelf life thanks to their freeze-dried ingredients, including chunky bits of meat and vegetables.

They already feature on South-West Trains catering trolleys in the UK, and the Hong Kong Street Beef flavour is flying on Jetstar in Australia. mrleesnoodles.com

From Pho to Ramen, this company produces various noodle styles including a gluten-free range made with rice flour. Flavours include Chicken Ramen and Vegetable Laksa, which contains coconut, sweet corn and peppers. Kabuto is currently sold on Norwegian Air, easyjet and Monarch Airlines. It also makes rice pots. The products contain no additives, preservatives or plastic. kabutonoodles.com

SHIN RAMYUN Produced by the South Korean food company, Nongshim, these spicy beef and red-pepper sauce noodles are exported to over 100 countries. They contain no trans fats or preservatives and can be found onboard LCC Scoot’s fleet. eng.nongshim.com

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how to... / 43

How to...

...take Michelin onboard British Michelin-star chef Mark Sargeant partnered with American Airlines to re-work the dishes served in First. Laura Gelder finds out how Set your mission As a Michelin-star chef, Sargeant is known for his gourmet take on very unfussy food and wanted to take his no-nonsense style onboard. “The aim was a high-end restaurant in the sky with a global menu,” he says. “Seasonal and quality ingredients and good husbandry were top priorities but we knew being hyper seasonal would be a challenge so we aimed to be as clever with purchasing as possible and source the best we possibly could. We looked across the menu and planned it as a whole meal rather than a selection of dishes.”

Consult the onboard experts Sargeant met with menu planners and attended a workshop with flight attendants to see how the step-by-step process of putting a meal together works in the air. It also gave him an insight into the restrictions in place – such a limited 'movements'. Says Sargeant: "Some flight attendants are foodies and some aren't so you have to allow for this. We made sure each meal had two to three components maximum, plus a garnish. adapt to the environment The menu includes monkfish curry because the robust white fish works well when cooked in a sauce, retaining its moisture and flavour. Sargeant was also on a mission to remove the ubiquitous fillet of beef: “Everyone loves fillet but it doesn’t always work and is incredibly hard to get right on a plane. A shin of beef, however, is moist and delicious and is full-proof because it re-heats so well. It

doesn’t always have to be the top pricepoint to taste the best!"

Fact file Sargeant's menu is available on flights from Heathrow to Chicago O’Hare, Los Angeles, New York JFK, Miami and Dallas Fort Worth.

seaside town Folkestone, and The Duke William in Ickham. He’s also chef director of Plum and Spilt Milk at The Great Northern Hotel in London.

Sargeant owns three UK restaurants: Rocksalt and The Smokehouse in

It's not his first airline venture. He worked with Gordon Ramsey and SIA.

Give things a little twist To combat the loss of taste in the air, Sargeant’s dishes use Asian spices, sharp flavours and ingredients packed with umami. He explains: “My celeriac soup uses sautéed wild mushrooms, turmeric, cardamom, cloves, cumin, chili powder and mustard seeds while the barbeque short rib has a paprika and vinegar sauce which adds sharp hot and sour flavours, and the monkfish curry incorporates the tart taste of tamarind which also stands up well." it's the little things Sargeant jokes that his little box of garnishes were every flight attendant’s nightmare but was also insistent that these were added: “A garnish makes a dish special and for me it brings it to life, visually and taste-wise. •

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44 / SANDWICH DEBATE

Sandwich

When is a ‘reasonable’ meal service no longer reasonable?

George Banks, former inflight caterer, looks back to a time when it wasn’t just social media or the consumer who decided

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oday’s customer complaints about buy-on-board food may seem like a new criticism against the humble sandwich but they have put me in mind of sandwich wars from the past.

Criticisms now range from the quality to the price, the choice to the availability, and of course the offerings do vary, but maybe things aren’t quite as bad as some passengers seem to think. Those, like me, who can look back to the late 1950s, will remember when the International Air Transport Association [IATA] set standards for the new Economy class [previously Tourist] to make it available at much cheaper fares. A nice goal you may think but the rigidity of the catering rules that came with those standards would surely shock the caterers of today.

At a two-day conference in Paris, in 1957, airlines were set strict guidelines on what food items they could offer for free in Economy. A simple sandwich, it was agreed, was a 'reasonable meal', as long as it was: 'simple, cold and inexpensive'. Who would consider that sufficient on a long flight across the north Atlantic today I wonder, and in the 1950s it was even less generous as journey times were even longer until jets arrived in the 1960s.

Pan American [PAA] and Trans World Airlines [TWA] followed the rules, serving American-style sandwiches such as tuna on rye, or roast beef, egg salad or ham and cheese placed between two slices of bread and wrapped in plastic wrappers. TWA went so far as to remove the crusts, PAA did not. It was not a lot to offer on a trans-Atlantic flight of seven hours, and even less on a pistonengined aircraft which could take 12.

Who would consider a European airlines showed a little more creativity simple sandwich a in their interpretations of the prescribed ‘simple 'reasonable' inflight sandwich’. Air France offered elegant collations meal now? of bread topped with poached salmon 'chaudfroid' or maybe glazed charcuterie, or poached onboardhospitality.com

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battle lines

Right: An inflight chef of SAS silver serves their famous Smørrebrød; trays of sandwiches in the SAS kitchen show in the variety of toppings offered in the 1960s

chicken mayonnaise. While SAS served the famous Smørrebrød, a range of six delicious open sandwiches including roast beef with mustard mayonnaise, smoked salmon with shrimps, and Danish cheese or Leverpostej on rye with bacon and gherkins.

Swissair offered main course sandwiches followed by dessert sandwiches on sweetened bread (brioche) and offered canapé style.

All these interpretations of the IATA sandwich rules caused uproar.

Pan Am officially complained to IATA that SAS was breaking the rules, and the airline was duly fined $20,000.

SAS used the experience as a publicity coup running ads saying: “On SAS aeroplanes you won’t find rubbery indigestibles wrapped in cellophane” and showing photos of their product alongside the more modest American offerings.

In the end SAS was allowed to continue serving the famous Danish Smørrebrød, providing the garnish did not cover the whole slice of bread, and at least 2.5cmsq of the bread had to remain visible.

The sandwich debacle faded away, but IATA still laid down strict catering and

inflight service rules and it was decided that a main meal, lunch or dinner in Economy had to follow a tightly controlled specification: fruit juice, soup or one canapé; one main course entrée with two vegetables, or one vegetable and a salad; one piece of fruit, a pastry or one piece of chocolate; bread, butter, biscuits and cheese.

Again many airlines circumvented the rules by using artistic licence or high quality ingredients. The French airline UTA [Union Transports Aérien] for example offered in Economy on its long haul DC-8 flights from Paris in 1975 a dinner of foie gras, smoked trout, a hot veal in cream sauce, camembert and Port Salut cheeses, crusty bread and butter, and apple tart. Caviar was also served as an appetiser on some routes!

The seemingly petty restrictions meant many airlines (such as Cathay Pacific, China Airlines, JAL, and Thai International) chose not to join IATA at first so they could offer better hospitality. Cathay (non IATA) in the 1970s served a main meal of shrimp cocktail, chicken kiev, sautéd eggplant, grilled tomatoes and croquette potatoes, a crisp apple dessert, fresh fruit basket, warm rolls and butter, teas, coffees and a complimentary bar.

Consumers, caterers and airline operators alike can probably agree allowing carriers to set their own standards does make much more sense. It would be impossible to police this kind of IATA catering guideline now and would be seen as very anticompetitive. But you do have to wonder exactly how they might define ‘a reasonable meal’ for those travelling today. •

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Services revisited Independent catering consultant Roger Williams revisited the Irish Rail catering service he helped launched in 2007 to see how it was operating now

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hey say you should never go back, but it was the ten years since RG launched onboard services on Irish Rail (IR), and I couldn’t resist seeing what it was like now.

Transforming the service from a low quality, loss-making operation into one offering modern and efficient catering as good as any in Europe, was something to be proud of after all!

Back in 2006, it was obvious that years of no investment in equipment, staff, training or products meant customers couldn’t rely on the service and most were avoiding it. Things were so bad that even Guinness refused to have its products onboard.

Together with IR, we set about bringing a complete culture change.

Simultaneously, we created a new company and introduced a new supply chain, onboard product range and two new generations of trains, whilst recruiting and training 150 new staff. By the time we launched in March 2007, we had a young, dynamic team and all the old bad habits had gone.

I joined the 07.00 Dublin Heuston to Cork formed by a Mark 4 Intercity train. This being a key business route, the single First coach was already 75% full and RG’s customer host was already offering menus. All meals are on a retail basis so good marketing

is essential and the menu choices looked many services can match that level of very appetising. productivity.

I ordered the Full Irish Breakfast and The return service concept was similar it arrived 10 minutes later, served in with the breakfast replaced by a Bistro seat order from the menu of hot and kitchen end of the cold snacks. I opted coach. It was great to for Danish Pastries This catering model is and a pot of Barry’s see everything is still cooked freshly by a tea – specially one of the most proper chef. chosen to meet the productive and The galley has Irish love of home efficient on rail in a great set of products (and of Europe equipment, with course it is great tea). two grills, a four ring hob, three ovens This retail catering model is one of the and, usefully, a serving hatch to aid the most productive and efficient anywhere service flow. Using individual trays helps on rail in Europe. maintain the presentation quality often Overall, it was 10 out of 10 for the lost with silver service on a moving train. services we encountered and it was In addition to serving in First, the crew particularly rewarding to see such a high of four also served a second sitting of quality freshly cooked menu offering breakfast in Standard in the café bar being maintained by RG on behalf of seating area, plus operated a café bar Irish Rail. They had definitely passed and an at seat trolley service – not the test! •

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IN CONVERSATION / 49

WE NEED TO SHOW CUSTOMERS THE VALUE WE CAN ADD Beat Ehlers, new ceo at Rail Gourmet, explains how he's bringing a career in highend hospitality and a love of cooking to his rail role

I

n today’s market, contract decisions are not merely based on good relationships – we need to show customers the value we can add to their business, and so that’s the plan!

Joining RG I recognised at once the experience, consistency and passion of my new colleagues and the pride they take in their roles. That inspires me and will ensure RG can develop well.

My priority is to meet all our clients and explore how we can build even better relationships. We want to maintain our high performance levels whilst finding innovative ways to be more competitive.

Targets include improving retail sales by providing brands and concepts that rail customers will love and utilising high standard technical and operational systems. We will also invest in our teams so we can deliver great service at all times.

I’m from Lucerne in Switzerland and have worked in high-end hospitality and

travel for most of my life. Starting out as a flight attendant and training as a chef, I appreciate the detail in great customer service. I understand front line operations and know accurate logistics mean the right service, first time, every time.

I enhanced my culinary experience at Swiss Hotel Management School and later gained a MSc in marketing.

Previously Gate Gourmet's md of global lounges and business development in the Middle East and Eastern Europe, I know the RG role is a great opportunity to work on something different whilst still staying in the catering industry.

I am keen to be based in Europe too - there is so much hospitality and culinary diversity across Europe where RG operates. That really grabbed my

attention. Also SSP, the parent company, is one of the world’s leading food travel businesses, so it offers great opportunities for synergies. RG is well positioned for growth across the international travel market, and my experience working in a similar industry sector, in countries such as Germany, Switzerland, Italy, India and the USA means I can help in new markets.

Personally, I love cooking for my family and friends, and I am really passionate about using the freshest ingredients.

I have just bought some new copper cooking pots from Portobello Road Market in London. They’re my favourite items of cooking equipment!

I also love to ski and mountain bike but that is perhaps not quite so relevant to my new RG role! •

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OPINION / 51

Jeremy Clark

Moaning madness

WWW.NICKBREMER.COM

Jeremy Clark has a moan about the moaners and offers some positive advice to those travellers determined to complain

I seem to have earned a you’re flying with a decent airline you’ll have an reputation for being a bit of a allowance. You paid for it – use it. moaning-minnie in this column Security. Everyone moans about the liquid ban but today is different. I’ve been but frankly if you can’t manage a five-hour trip reading up on gripes from alleged seasoned without your face cream then don't leave home. travellers and I shall now defend them with Luton has cashed in on these must-have-mypositive vibes oozing from my every pore. lippy types and charges a quid for the plastic First up: 'hidden' charges and the $5 flight bag! That’s your own fault. Pack the stuff in your that ends up costing $975. Easily fixed - book a case and avoid the stress. different airline.

I also read this from one reporter on airports: Next: shops. People “With a few exceptions, seem to hate airport overcrowded and poorlyshops and want seating designed. Gates are too instead. Here’s some far from security and It is as if complainers advice: Don’t spend the seats - with rigid haven't yet discovered money in them, buy that when flying, as with immovable armrests - are before you go like all things, you get what impossible to sleep on”. everyone else. Use the Really? I have two words you pay for savings you make for a for those trying to sleep Business ticket and the in airports: “Holiday” and lounge access will resolve your seating problem. “Inn”. Also, pick your transit airport. If I could Carry-ons. There is huge confusion over size/ transit through Changi on every trip, I would. weight/dimensions allowances. The answer is to The journey. Here complaints are largely check in everything - carry as little as possible. If about people who talk loudly, put their feet on armrests, suffer with excess wind, are drunk, leave urine puddles in the loo, or ask you if you have found Jesus (is he missing? Didn’t know), and of course, top of the list, children.

Sounds like a cross-channel ferry on a Saturday night, but all of this can be avoided by booking the right cabin and the right airline. Of course it costs more – but it’s as if these complainers haven’t yet discovered that when flying, as with all things, you get what you pay for. Travel can – and is – still exciting and a joy if you plan it right and treat yourself with respect.

Interestingly, my research revealed far less concern about airline food than I expected, which means, as far as the readership of Onboard Hospitality is concerned, we are all doing something right. •

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54 / CRAFT BEERS

Something's brewing Multinationals are losing sales to micro breweries as craft beer takes the world by storm, but volumes and logistics often hamper smaller brands' efforts to make it onboard. Laura Gelder examines the market

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y its very definition, craft beer is a tough product to get onboard. Small batch brewers may have expertise in hops but when it comes to distributing in large volumes they often need a helping hand.

US beer giant MillerCoors has a few small breweries on its books, including Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company from Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin – which is currently flying its Season Summer Shandy on Southwest.

These kind of partnerships allow small breweries to use the beer giant’s distribution network and expertise as a route to market, while MillerCoors gets a stake in the lucrative and growing craft beer market at a time when mass market beers are

looking sluggish in comparison.

But it’s not always multinationals which facilitate flying craft beers. SAS partnered with Copenhagen brewery Mikkeller back in 2014 and was the first to make its very own bespoke beer – the Sky-High Wit – served in a can with special designs inspired by vintage SAS posters.

“We have brought craft beers onboard for everyone, in every class, and we’ve done this by brewing limited editions suited for both beer novices and connoisseurs, says Peter Lawrance, onboard product and services, commercial, for SAS. “We started out with a weiss beer, after a lot of flavour tastings to get the bitterness and carbonation just right, before moving on to a

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CRAFT BEERS / 57

dark Danish-style pilsner and since then we’ve using honey from the Hong Kong’s New Territories, launched several ales including the flowery Cloud longan fruit sourced from Hong Kong markets and Hopper and the malty Plane Ale.” English fuggle hops from Kent.

The collaboration has seen ten different styles Betsy is a wheat beer, a choice made to reduce and brewing techniques, six of which come in 75cl the bitterness that other beers have at altitude; bottles designed for premium classes, like Sweet it is unfiltered to allow the makers to add layers & Sour, a fermented beer with mango made to of texture and complexity; and has 10% more celebrate the carrier’s new carbonation than standard route to Hong Kong and beers for improved ‘mouthfeel’. bottled in 1888 bottles, a “Higher CO2 levels are known reference to the number eight, Cathay Pacific's Betsy is to stimulate flavour receptors a symbol of good fortune in a wheat beer, a decision on the tongue,” says Simon Chinese culture. The latest is Pesch, brew master at Hong made to reduce the Northern Trails, a 6.6% classic Kong Beer Co. bitterness that other IPA which mixes bright crisp beers have at altitude Kiwi beer flies east citrus with a light malt flavour Even more unlikely is a on the nose.

“We will continuously be releasing new beers from partnership between a Kiwi microbrewery and Asian flag carrier Singapore Airlines. Garage Project's Hapi Mikkeller,” says Lawrance. “The aim is to present a Daze (Hapi means hops in Maori) – selection with different styles and origins to meet a Pacific pale ale brewed with all kinds of taste profiles and requirements. Also New Zealand barley matching the beverages with the food onboard is and hops – has been a challenge that is always top of mind! Less-known available in all cabin styles and origins are welcome as long as the classes on SIA's 18 quality is there.” weekly New Zealand Fusion flavours departures since the Following in SAS’ footsteps, Cathay Pacific start of June. approached the Hong Kong Beer Company to The partnership create a bespoke brew for quaffing at 35,000 feet. came about Betsy was released this summer and is created to after the brewer, reflect Cathay Pacific’s ‘life well travelled’ philosophy, which sells 90%

Clockwise from left: A tasting selection of craft beers; Fourpure Brewing Co. has now canned its entire core range and thinks metal is the way forward for quality beer

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of its stock within New Zealand, served beers at the launch of a new flight route linking Singapore with Canberra and Wellington last year. It was the specially brewed SQ292, a pilsner brewed with Asian flavours jasmine and tamarind, which kicked off the dialogue between the two parties.

The Wellington microbrewery’s brew batches range from 50 to 2,000 litres, with as many as 35 different beers on offer each month. It’s this small output that allows for experimentation and unique flavour combinations like real milk stout, a dessert beer brewed with corn flakes, oats, chocolate wheat and milk sugar.

At capacity, Garage Project’s output is a little over a million litres – small compared to its US counterparts who produce up to 100 million litres, and this makes its Singapore Airlines contract even more impressive.

Know your limits It shows, however, that anything is possible, “as long as you understand the parameters,” says Shane McCarthy, founder of Ireland Craft Beers.

This export, distribution and marketing company is flying the flag for Irish craft beer and has exported its local tipples to the UK, France, Scandinavia and even the Middle East.

The parameters, McCarthy thinks, are economy and scale. “The market is driven by consumer trends and we’ve seen a shift to artisan suppliers, but there are other forces at play when it comes to airlines, including oil prices. If a small brewery does manage to get onto a carrier it might just be a short contract of a few months and they may have to scale up to meet demand. It’s not worth that expenditure if you lose the contract a few months in, and for this reason it’s not an easy relationship to facilitate – it requires a lot of give and take.”

McCarthy’s first onboard success story is getting White Hag Brewery’s Yule Christmas Ale onto Eurostar last year and it continues to pitch for contracts with travel companies but finds it’s usually beaten by competitors on price.

He’s not put off though: “We try to give the best Ireland has

to offer: a taste of Ireland worldwide," he says.

McCarthy believes airlines offer a significant marketing opportunity for small brands, which may even be worth operating at a lower margin. He also sees First and Business lounges as a natural prequel to the onboard market.

Above: the full SAS range of Mikkeller craft beer.

Below: Now serving on Southwest - Lagunitas

Test your metal Traditionally, real ales and craft beers were bottled and cans were the preserve of mass market lagers.

This too has changed and now many craft brewers choose to package in cans, making the product a lot easier to get onboard.

Fourpure Brewing Co. was the first London brewery to can its entire core range, using a 12,000 can-per-hour machine for both 330ml and 500ml variations (the former being the preferred size onboard) and high-volume production output. This, says Fourpure, offers many 2017 WINNER Service benefits to both the business Equipment and the consumer.

Qantas Co-founder, Dan Lowe, says: “Aluminium cans look after the beers more BE A 2018 effectively than their WINNER! glass equivalents, offering ENTER NOW superior protection from onboardhospitality.com light and oxygen, key onboardhospitality.com

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60 / CRAFT BEERS

Clockwise from left: White Hag Brewery's Christmas Ale which got onboard Eurostar; craft brewers checking the latest sample; SAS' special Sweet & Sour brew

factors contributing to ageing and deterioration. Beer maintains a higher quality taste for longer in a can as opposed to a bottle. There are also clear environmental benefits with aluminium cans being infinitely recyclable in as little as 60 days from fill.

Their weight is 5% of that of a glass bottle, helping to reduce the carbon footprint caused through transportation.”

Worldwide trends The United States Alcohol, Tobacco, Tax & Trade Bureau issued 7,190 brewery permits in 2016 – an all-time high. The Brewers Association reported the market is valued at $105.9 billion, with craft beer representing $22.3 billion or a share of 12.2%. Delta certainly thinks it’s a trend worth noting and serves a whole range of regional craft beers on its flights, including Brooklyn Brewery, Samuel Adams and SweetWater Brewery.

In the UK, the number of craft breweries 2017 WINNER Beverage has risen dramatically since the last Labour Virgin government halved beer duty for companies Australia that make less than 5,000 hectolitres a year (3,055 barrels or 880,000 imperial pints) and the country now boasts the highest BE A 2018 number of breweries per capita in the world, WINNER! approximately one for every 42,000 people.

ENTER NOW Asia’s craft beer culture is currently led by onboardhospitality.com Japan, where small batch brewers have been

free to produce since the mid-1990s. Many other countries, including South Korea and Thailand, have laws which prohibit microbreweries but find ways to get around them. Thai beer makers Stone Head brew in neighbouring Cambodia instead. Beertopia is the region’s largest event dedicated to craft beer and this November the sixth annual show will include some 500-plus beers.

In Latin America, sales of craft beer are growing at a rate of 20-40% a year, according to Daniel Trivelli, president of Copa Cervezas de America, one of the region's biggest craft beer competitions. Brazil is at the upper end of this scale and is brewing using indigenous tropical fruits and ageing beers in barrels previously used to store cachaca, the sugarcane spirit in its national cocktail, the caipirinha.

Africa’s beer market is expected to grow faster than that of any other region in the world over the next five years, but it is multinationals which dominate the scene here.. South Africa leads the charge for craft but other notable names in the region include Mauritiusbased Flying Dodo Brewery and Ghana’s

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Island Microbrewery, which focuses on traditional African recipes using the hardy local crop sorghum, a crop that also happens to be gluten-free.

Craft beer encompasses just as wide a range of beers as the mass market does, covering lagers, bitters, IPAs (Indian Pale Ale) and dark beers like porters or stouts. However, it’s the IPAs which appear to currently dominate the scene and this looks set to continue.

What’s your flavour?

“IPAs are still trendy, but are expanding out in all directions,” says James Yeomans, founder of Hop Stuff Brewery in London. “It’s not only about big hoppy monsters, but the creativity in deviating from the now established US West Coast style. Session IPAs (lower alcohol content beers designed for social drinking sessions) are the meeting of old world beer and craft – balancing big flavour with ‘drinkability’.

The potential for session IPAs is that they exist in travel companies who do want to offer something that bracket of beer people enjoy 70% of the time.” very different there are plenty more varieties and Irish Craft Beer’s McCarthy predicts New England styles gaining in popularity. Yeomans mentions three IPA is the next big thing to watch: saisons (fruity, spicy in this category. A cloudy and highly-carbonated pale and unfiltered beer which, ales at around 3% ABV), dark Craft beer encompasses IPAs and Vienna lagers (copper according to BrewDog which just as wide a range of has recently launched its to reddish brown coloured beers as the mass market beers characterised by a slight own NEIPA, is known for two things: “a characteristic sweetness and malt aroma does but it’s the IPAs haze and hop-led flavours.” and flavour with a toasted which dominate BrewDog describes the style and/or slightly roasted malt as a gateway IPA perfect for craft virgins: “subtle, character). And for those with an acquired taste, balanced and fruity, they major in stone fruit and McCarthy picks out sour beers and barrel-aged berry elements, as opposed to the tongue-lashing beers, particularly those aged in whiskey barrels. • citrus bitterness and the sap-like resins of their West Coast IPA cousins,” says the brewer.

Indian Pale Lagers (IPL)) are another ‘bridge beer’ that is gaining traction and could be the balance between the crisp, refreshing drinkability of lagers and the hoppy taste of IPAs which risk averse airlines are looking for.

McCarthy says:: “IPLs are something which many brewers wouldn’t offer in the past but they are trending now.” But for

Below: Hop Stuff shows off its range including IPA, pale ale and pilsner

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Cheers for beers?

With the current popularity of craft beers, Roger Williams takes a look at the style of beer offered onboard Europe’s railways

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nboard drinks average about 75% of rail sales, but as around 80% of these drink volumes are coffee, tea, juices, carbonates and water, perhaps it’s not surprising some caterers pay only lip service to their beer selections.

Caterers are also often restricted by corporate purchasing agreements and, with just five brewers owning over 50% of the world’s production, that limits choice.

Few craft or bright beers actually find their way onto train menus but this ignores craft beer’s rise in ‘out of home’ retailing, and certainly a better choice of beers on evening and weekend trains would raise sales and improve the customer experience.

Although draught beer is served in half a dozen countries, not one UK mainline operator makes the effort. It would provide new revenue if only companies invested in the equipment, but thereby lies the problem. Whereas European train cafés are often designed with draught beer equipment, UK trains are not.

Gate Group showed a draught beer trolley for airlines at WTCE and there’s talk of other companies producing a version for trains, although nothing has emerged yet. In my view, any train caterer that can

provide a ‘first to market draught, cold microbrewery is located beside beer trolley innovation’ will inevitably Brakerøya station and so also provides have a great selling point. real line of route provenance.

Of course, the question of beer choice In the UK, of the two pale ales on Virgin is down to personal Trains - Tilting Ale on taste, but with ‘beer VT West Coast, brewed sommeliers’ now being

by Red Willow Brewery part of a caterer’s in Macclesfield, and There is no excuse armoury, a good range Hop Onboard, on VT for simply offering of bottled craft beer, East Coast, brewed by generic canned rotated regularly, York based Rudgate brands should always be Brewery, I’d go for the available. Certainly Tilting Ale simply for there seems no excuse for simply its purer IPA pedigree and amazing story. offering generic canned brands.

For draught beer, the ice-cold Czech The best craft beers I've found onboard Pilsner Urquell 1842, brewed in Plzen were in Norway and the UK. NSB stocks (Pilsen in English) for 175 years is served Dresin Pale Ale, by Haandbryggeriet. This on Czech Railways. It consistently pours light, refreshing ale has a particularly well and its hoppy and honeysuckle malty aroma and satisfying finish. aroma is followed by caramel tones and Brewed in Drammen, locally-produced pleasing bitterness to finish. hops give it a fresh flavour and rounded These three at least provide some beer bitterness. The Haandbryggeriet cheer for railway customers. •

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64 / TAKE YOUR PICK

Local brews FENI

Serving local speciality drinks onboard offers airlines the chance to add the character and colour of their home or top destinations, says Maria Martinez-Ugartechea

A spirit produced exclusively in Goa, India from either cashews or coconuts. It is distilled in small batches to retain some of the delicate aromas and flavours of the juice from which it is produced. It is said to have a sweet aroma and bright flavour with hints of citrus, pineapple and cashew.

CHICHA DE JORA A traditional Andean beverage prepared since the Inca times in a similar way to beer but its main ingredient is jora corn. The end result is a frothy fermented drink with sweet notes and a 'sour, cider like after taste'.

PATXARAN Also called Pacharan, this Spanish digestif is usually served chilled or on ice.

Made from sloe berries and sometimes flavoured with coffee beans, cinnamon or anise, the liquor is sweet with a reddish-brown colour and contains 25-30% alcohol.

AKVAVIT

MAKGEOLLI

Often drunk as an aperitif, this Scandinavian spirit dates back to the 15th century and its name translates to “water of life�. Clear to pale yellow in colour, it is distilled from either grain mash or fermented potatoes, similarly to vodka. After that it is re-distilled and flavoured with herbs like anise, caraway, cardamom, fennel or dill and then filtered with charcoal.

Dry in flavour, it typically contains 40% alcohol.

Korea's oldest alcoholic beverage is traditionally made from rice. With 6-8% alcohol, it has a cloudy colour and it is slightly sweet and tart. Served chilled it can be enjoyed on its own or 'swirled into cocktails'. Some brands of Makgeolli are flavoured with corn, chestnuts, apples or other produce and some variations made from wheat.

BREM This fermented rice drink from Indonesia can either be white, red or golden in colour.

The taste is acidic ranging from very sweet to semisweet. Usually consumed chilled as a thirst quencher, it can also be served at room temperature with a meal.

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IN CONVERSATION / 65

SMOOTHIES ONBOARD SHOW A COMMITMENT TO WELLBEING The Love Taste Co has been at the forefront of the smoothie market in the UK since 2005. Here md Richard Canterbury turns the focus on the rise of vegetable smoothies

F

ruit smoothies have become a mainstay of the beverage business as they offer a quick and easy way for those on the move to pack in some nutrition and hydration fast. And now vegetable flavoured smoothies are fast moving up the menu.

Five years ago green smoothies were met with indifference from consumers, but there has now been a turnaround.

Even those who actively dislike vegetables can manage smoothies as they combine veg with fruit and apple juice.

There’s also been something of a cultural shift in society. People now look at something that’s green and think "that has to be good for me".

Consumers are now more interested in seasonal offerings too and smoothies have that element to them.

Interestingly,

in the UK demand for fruit smoothies follows a circular pattern, awakening in March and pushing higher through the summer months before dropping off in the autumn. But this sales spike doesn’t happen with vegetable options, indeed, we see a lot of strong sales throughout the winter because people want a way of getting vitamins and minerals into their bodies. They may be fighting a cold, or flu, and see a green smoothie, or something packed with ginger and carrots, as a way of battling the elements. This appeal also plays into the onboard market, where increasingly passengers are keen to buy or receive products that are good for them and support health while travelling.

In the UAE and Australia consumers drink soft drinks all year round.

The UAE in particular has a strong juice culture already

because they don’t drink alcohol, so they are hugely receptive to new offerings.

Research and development in this sector is exciting with ideas like sweet potato smoothies, cold brew and cacao smoothies and other innovations expected in 2018.

Smoothies sell across many sectors – retail, gyms, on-the-move – and the convenience of the product is key. We sell the fruit and veg in frozen sachets which means that even the smallest of kitchens or galleys can operate like a fully-functioning smoothie bar. The fruit is picked and frozen within two hours, giving it a two-year shelf life. We’re also trialling a new thicker pouch which can be kept in the fridge for five days, due to launch in the autumn.

For airlines, cruise and rail operators looking to show their commitment to passenger wellbeing and stay on trend, clearly smoothies packed with fruit and veg tick all the right boxes. •

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Want more tech talk?

Check out our dedicated supplement at: onboardhospitality.com

66 / OEC UPDATE

Onboard Entertainment & Connectivity

Grab your copy today

O

nboard Hospitality has launched its latest Onboard Entertainment & Connectivity supplement, distributed with this issue at the IFSA, AIX and APEX Expos in Long Beach, California and online. This edition includes news and views, industry predictions for the future, company profiles and product developments.

THE CHANGING FACE OF ONBOARD TECH The inflight connectivity and entertainment sector is changing fast. We ask three major IFEC providers how airlines can keep up. Dominique el Bez, vp of strategy Sitaonair; Jon Norris, senior director corporate sales and marketing for Panasonic Avionics, and Blane Boynton, vp of product management for Gogo share their insights into the onboard passenger experience ahead. Follow the full debate in our Onboard Entertainment & Connectivity supplement.

GET THE BEST FROM IFE Content provider Inflight Dublin explains how to make your IFE stand out from the crowd. Learn more in Onboard Entertainment and Connectivity.

Opportunities are there to dramatically improve the passenger experience as we know it

SATELLITES EXTEND THEIR REACH Inmarsat now has 13 satellites in operation supporting Global Xpress wifi connectivity and a range of onboard services. Most recently its European Aviation Network satellite launched.

Richard Williams discovers more from Frederik van Essen, vp strategy and business development, in our latest Onboard Entertainment & Connectivity supplement.

DAVE NIEUWSMA, ROCKWELL COLLINS

TIME TO GET PERSONAL Global Eagle Entertainment is broadening its product options and winning awards for its easy-fix connectivity solutions in the aviation and cruise sectors. Read an indepth interview with Alexis Steinman, senior vp digital media solutions, in the latest Onboard Entertainment & Connectivity supplement and discover how he sees technology becoming increasingly personalised and intuitive as passenger demands start to change.

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IPC PHOTOS

APEX ESSENTIALS This year the APEX Expo and Conference is at Long Beach Convention Center, California, running September 25-28, 2017. The Onboard Hospitality team looks forward to seeing you on the show floor and hearing your latest news.

DID YOU KNOW...

Co-location alongside the AIX and IFSA expos makes this the largest event of its kind in the USA, with more than 330 exhibitors from the IFEC, cabin equipment, catering and aircraft services industries showcasing products.

APEX expects 3,500 industry professionals to attend the three events across the four days.

Representatives of almost 100 airlines are expected to tour the exhibition halls and attend the conferences and networking events.

CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS...

Presented by Ben Thompson, of BBC Business Live, the conference begins with keynote speeches from industry leaders.

Speakers will include Robin Hayes, president and ceo of JetBlue; Emirates' president Sir Timothy Clark; Spencer Wang, vp at Netflix; Mark Krolick, vp of marketing at United Airlines; and Rob Gurney, oneworld’s svp commercial operations for the Americas.

On Monday afternoon presentations and roundtable discussions will be led by experts in their field focused on three tracks: Technology, Content and Passenger Experience.

2017 WINNER

Technology

Spiriant

APEX IN ACTION

APEX EXPO is the airline industry’s most comprehensive trade show, dedicated to elevating the level of the global passenger experience.

This year's event is co-located with the Aircraft Interiors Americas Expo and International Flight Services Association (IFSA) Expo and Conference. Topics covered during the Education Day will include technology’s role in providing a unified digital experience, future connectivity and deployment roadmaps, and the advance of biometric safety and security. There will also be information and insights into monetising the passenger journey, creating inflight entertainment for ROI profits and content delivery systems. expo.apex.aero

INDUSTRY RECOGNITION

APEX will this year honour Sir Tim Clark, of Emirates, with the CEO Lifetime Achievement Award and Pierre Schuberth, of Thales, with an Outstanding Contribution Award Congratulations!

BE A 2018 WINNER!

ENTER NOW onboardhospitality.com

SPEAKER SPOTLIGHT

APEX EXPO is an exclusive four-day, members-only event and will feature an impressive roster of speakers including Emirates president, Sir Tim Clark (pictured above) and a series of top-notch seminars led by industry leaders. In the Expo halls there will be the chance to see the latest and most comprehensive display of airline-related technologies, products and services. A valuable programme of networking opportunities is also available. expo.apex.aero

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InflightDirect 7991 Valentina Ct.

Naples, FL 34114 USA Tel: +401-714-4190 www.InflightDirect.com

sales@InflightDirect.com

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HEADSETS // 69

making headsets

sustainable As headset styles evolve, Jo Austin reports on how sustainability is moving up the agenda with airlines showing a growing preference for rotable headsets and recycling over the disposable earbud

I

ndustry surveys and Skytrax ratings show passengers on flights of over two hours prefer the over-ear, banded style of headset rather than the ‘in ear’ model, perhaps reflecting the resurgent high street fashion for over-ear headsets which are seen as now decidedly cool.

Customer-focused airlines like Virgin Atlantic, Emirates and Qantas have moved quickly to reflect the trend and have discovered this style of headset not only performs better in terms of comfort and sound quality but can give financial and environmental benefits over their single-use counterparts too.

They may appear to cost more but when these airlines focused on the product’s full life cost, rather

than a unit price, investing in more durable onboard products and ditching disposables made sense.

Disposables are still available but as more airlines think about environmental impact their popularity looks set to fall.

Mark Russell, ceo of headset supplier Linstol (linstol.com), says sustainability is now a part of its social responsibility thinking. He says: “Trends suggest airlines are buying better quality earbuds which passengers can retain and use again.

Historically, this was not the case, they just supplied the cheapest, but this is changing.”

Following a tie up with MNH Sustainable Cabin Services (mnhscs.com) - said to be the world's largest headset refurbisher - Linstol is expanding its recycling options. It is also constantly analysing

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70 / HEADSETS

new materials and says: “If the headset is strong enough for multiple use then there are definitely savings to be made by using rotable headsets.”

2017 WINNER

Sustainability

DHL

BE A 2018 WINNER! ENTER NOW

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Inflight Direct (inflightdirect.com) based in Florida has always favoured rotable headsets as the best solution for the industry. Thomas Mockler, ceo, says: “If an airline has the infrastructure to collect, refurbish and reuse the headset then the Sustainable choices overall cost per use is reduced Australia has been each time. This allows a better Recycled headset parts quality model to be used with ahead of the game with have been used to make larger speaker elements which regards to sustainability and Buzz Products in turn provides better sound swings and picnic (buzzproducts.com) in benches amongst other quality to the passengers.

Melbourne actively seeks “In Economy you will normally things environmentally-friendly see earbuds because of the options for its clients. Leonard Hamersfeld, large volumes but most airlines encourage passengers director, says: “Ultimately it’s the client’s to take these home for use with their personal devices decision but we present a variety of inflight (although they would not now be compatible with audio options.” the new iPhone 7). We are always looking to introduce The company’s recent earbud programme new, low-cost rotable models. As technology evolves, for Delta Air Lines was a brand headsets need to keep up with the changes in both collaboration with Billboard, one of the electronics and the special effects that are now the world’s most authoritative music standard with today’s movies.” brands. Packaged in retail-quality foil pouches, these are positioned as a Eco advantages Virgin Atlantic’s 2017 sustainability report: Change Is passenger gift so more likely to be used post-flight. “It's about creating In The Air, makes inspiring reading. Collaborating with products passengers want to keep,” MNH, the airline has cut cabin waste to 453 tonnes - a says Hamersfeld. reduction of 43%. Headsets are among items diverted When considering rotable items, from landfill, with sponges from rotable headsets instead being used to surface an equestrian centre Buzz looks beyond just the product and plastic parts used to make swings and picnic itself to assess the entire lifecycle including what is involved in benches, amongst other things! refurbishing the product in terms In one effective move, Virgin Atlantic avoided using 12 tonnes of plastic when it redesigned its Change of effort, cost and waste to assess the for Children charity collection paper envelope to fit impact overall. onboardhospitality.com

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HEADSETS / 71

neatly around its headsets, replacing the polythene bag while also reducing 6.5 tonnes of onboard weight.

The multi-purpose Envowrap manufactured on Forest Stewardship Council certified paper was another MNH solution designed to cut plastics waste.

A similar redesign is now used by Qantas. Its Unicef charity donation envelope doubles as a headset tamper-proof package and is used instead of a polythene bag. Coupled with a simple headset wrap in its premium cabin, Qantas diverts 9000km of plastic from landfill every year.

Investing in a reusable (rather than a single-use, disposable headsets), Qantas claims to have diverted the equivalent of two double decker buses worth of plastics from landfill last year.

Rhode Island-based AVID (avidproducts.com) works across six headsets markets. Director of sales, travel, Christine Contant, says: “Our focus over the last five years has been on transitioning AVID from a low-cost provider to a more sustainable value-added provider.

Our clients are always given rotable options and for

those with maintenance logistics and low-cost labour, the rotable solution is the most cost-effective. It is all down to the airline’s business model, while keeping in mind the varied international standards, ecological and logistical requirements”.

Adds Christine: “We offer an earphone recycling programme to all our clients and last year saw our hospitality clients recycle over 150,000 earphones.

Some clients opt in to use third party cleaning services to sanitise, repackage and redistribute headsets for re-use and our low-cost headsets are always designed with a rotable focus. We also offer an earbud recycling solution.”

In the bid to repair and reuse damaged headsets, MNH gives clients the choice of using in-house teams or partner with disabled and prison sector workers in over 30 locations. These provide a highquality output whilst learning back-towork skills and gaining a sense of worth.

Everyone’s a winner! •

Clockwise from bottom left: Over the head headsets from Inflight Direct; AVID's Tempo model; Buzz's Billboard collaboration for Delta and noise cancllation headset from Linstol

IM·PRE·SSION AN IDEA, FEELING, OR OPINION ABOUT SOMETHING OR SOMEONE, FORMED WITHOUT CONSCIOUS THOUGHT.

72 Johnnycake Hill Road . Middletown, RI 02842 USA . 1 888-575-AVID . www.AVIDproducts.com . sales@AVIDproducts.com

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OPINION / 73

Russell Cranfield

Fast feedback Russell Cranfield, sector manager hospitality and travel at Rant & Rave, talks about the evolution of the customer experience and how real time feedback technology is changing the landscape

Every day customers discuss what they love and hate about companies but more often than not, they’re talking to each other, not the brand involved. In today’s “Age of Emotion”, brands that prosper will be those that capture customer feedback at the moments that matter. This means asking a customer about the service they’ve received in real-time, not weeks or months later.

Research shows us that emotion counts for 50% of a customer’s overall experience with a company and 75% of the decision to purchase.

It is therefore imperative that brands capture this in real-time, when customers remember the experience most accurately and are the most emotionally engaged. This will provide gamechanging insight for hospitality businesses.

As consumer expectations are higher than ever, companies are adopting new tailored solutions. A recent article in Bloomberg discussed how Marriott International is testing voice-controlled platforms for hotel rooms, used to turn on lights, switch on the TV and close the curtains.

From a customer experience perspective, Alexa, Amazon’s cloud-based voicecontrolled virtual assistant, now has real-time customer feedback integration powered by Rant & Rave’s sentiment analysis technology, transforming the way customer feedback is captured by enabling consumers to tell brands what they think - and we expect it to transform the nature of customer service.

Imagine a loyal customer who has flown with the same airline for over 20 years and is part of the airline’s executive club membership but has a bad experience while boarding when taking his family away. In the blink of an eye the airline could be about to lose a loyal and frequent flyer. To make matters worse he has the

whole flight and the rest of his holiday to mull over the treatment he has received.

What if an Amazon Alexa device was integrated onto the aircraft and the customer in question could share his feedback in his own words from his seat? The feedback could then be analysed in real-time by the customer service team on the ground who due to the fact the customer is part of their loyalty scheme, already have a detailed profile of him. Upon arriving at his destination the individual can be met by a member of the airline’s team who apologises for the incident and presents him with free air miles as an olive branch and the loyal customer is retained.

Whilst many brands have made significant changes to their approach to customer experience with good results, it’s now about moving from good to great. With competition for customer loyalty fiercer than ever, brands need to realise that good is no longer enough.

With feedback fatigue rife and consumer demands increasing, I would expect to see the adoption of more immersive customer engagement solutions in the months and years to come. Brands need to grasp these innovative solutions to ensure they stay one step ahead of the competition. •

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74 // RAIL TECH TECH

Train tech

spotting Has a lack of investment in seatback screens – so popular on aircraft – turned into an advantage for rail operators as they develop entertainment and connectivity services? Roger Williams investigates onboardhospitality.com

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RAIL TECH / 75

A

irlines have long led the way with seat-back entertainment, whilst train companies have struggled to embrace the concept.

High costs, poor visuals, clunky payment technologies and most importantly, the low levels of customer engagement, all counted against railway investment in screens. Where they did launch, such as on Great Western in the UK which tried seat-back Volo TV, maintenance and content issues put passengers off, with one customer concluding: “Even the picture on my phone is better and with wifi or 4G I can watch whatever I want.”

Unlike aircraft, where the customer is captive for several hours on a point-to-point journey, trains have intermediate stops and higher seat switch ratios. This reduces demand and increases damage potential.

Some railways such as RENFE in Spain got around the original technical issues by having larger screens suspended from coach ceilings but only as an addon in First and with no choice.

Now passengers use their own devices wherever they go and railways have recognised they now have an advantage over airlines. By not investing in seatback screens their 'vision' of the future is now clearer and it’s all about connectivity.

Connecting with passengers Underlining this point, a recent survey of railway onboard entertainment has established that none of the key longdistance rail operators now offer seat back screens. Instead, with smartphones being the most used personal device ever, the ability to enjoy audio-visual entertainment on a train literally lies in the hands of the customers.

Realising the potential for ticket sales and access to big data, improved customer loyalty schemes and ancillary revenues from entertainment and catering, train companies are quickly improving wifi, not just to keep their passengers connected with the outside world, but more to keep connected with their passengers. Excellent examples of free entertainment offers include those from Deutsche Bahn, Eurostar, Virgin Trains, NS, OBB Austria. Eurostar has even pioneered an on-train virtual reality experience.

Quality standards In my opinion, the key to success is not just content, it’s improving the quality of connectivity throughout all routes, especially in tunnels and rural areas to gain the customers’ confidence. Once people trust the service it will become second nature. Otherwise they will simply revert to 4G, and their loyalty to a railway operator's system and the opportunity to engage will be lost.

System usage monitors, such as those on GWR’s wifi log-in help passengers understand what to expect, but onboard signal strength must be able to cope with hundreds of passengers all connecting at the same time and be able to maintain internet connection all journey, which many do not.

Domestic train services need robust equipment – servers, routers and antennas that can handle the variations of speed and signal capture. Within the borders of one country each railway will generally feed off one network but this might require more flexibility for roaming between providers to benefit from regional variations.

Things get a bit more complicated for crossborder services such as Thalys and Eurostar, where inter-operability is essential to make the service work, but whilst all this still presents technical and financial challenges, it is worth the effort.

In Austria for example, OBB has invested in a new technology which has made it one of the first to offer 'live TV', and simultaneously provides interruption free Austrian TV video on demand in breathtaking quality.

Elsewhere, SBB in Switzerland has gone down another route entirely by avoiding wifi onboard, investing instead in 4G and mobile signal amplifiers and repeaters. It contends that repeaters already offered a good signal strength and reception on the move and that wifi would offer very little bandwidth. If installed, wifi would be in addition

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to 4G and at extra cost to the customer, so why bother? Their customer surveys show that wifi would only be used by Swiss travellers if it was free of charge, so SBB has opposed it on the basis it would need to pay hefty 3G/4G data charges, meaning it would effectively be subsidising its passengers’ communications – something they oppose as a policy for a publicly-funded organisation. It’s an interesting approach and one that perhaps should be considered by other railways as a way to reduce costs.

commonality in e-ticketing, Germany has over 400 apps for timetable information alone.

Meanwhile, in the UK, where there are multiple independent train operators, the statistics speak for themselves. With approximately 700 stations now on the digital network, over 2.75 billion entries and exits from stations were recorded in 2016, double the number in 1998. Although there has been little in innovation in the ways to pay for, collect and carry tickets, programmes are in place to take the country from the ‘paper age’ to the ‘digital New innovations age’ through mobile ticketing.

Other examples of 'good tech' A number of operators have include SJ in Sweden. Its versatile already rolled this out including All railways talking app has seen 800,000 downloads, Virgin Trains and Cross Country the same digital 15% of which use it every language will mean and benefits include ‘faster to buy’ day. Often called the Silicone and more ‘convenient to carry’, seamless ticketing Valley of Europe, typically with added real-time information and more there is a SJ Lab to develop feeds about route delays, platform and test the next digital changes and connections. innovations. They say it could include Plans are ambitious and progress platform mapping to show where to stand sometimes may appear slow but it to access a door nearest your seat, and a is a huge project and protection for ‘chat bot’ to answer FAQs. 4G upgrades are customers and companies from online 2017 HIGHLY COMMENDED also on the way. fraud – estimated in the UK at over £10.9 Technology On the wider stage, the EU has launched billion a year – needs to be a priority.

Virgin Trains initiatives to standardise customer However, managed effectively communications in rail envisaging this type of innovation will the benefits of all railways talking elevate the UK and EU railways BE A 2018 in the same digital language for to the levels of service and WINNER! seamless ticketing and more. convenience seen in Japan – ENTER NOW Whereas Denmark, Switzerland and that’s certainly worth onboardhospitality.com and The Netherlands share the wait! • onboardhospitality.com

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78 / CASE STUDY

Plane talking SINGAPORE AIRLINES is among carriers that have pioneered inflight telephone services Dominique El Bez of service provider SITAONAIR explains the product's appeal

S

itaonair’s inflight mobile telephony service, Mobile ONAIR, is deployed on over 20 of the world’s long-haul airlines, across more than 500 aircraft. Around 37% of passengers choose to connect to the onboard network when they fly, which makes a total of 19 million passengers connecting to the inflight mobile services last year.

Since the Mobile ONAIR launch, adoption and use of the service has continued to grow, as has the average inflight mobile usage per connected passenger – for some operators this use has increased by 15 times.

The greatest demand from passengers

is for inflight mobile data services, with voice calling and SMS messaging also popular. Three-quarters (74%) of billed passengers in 2016 used onboard mobile data services, while 45% used voice or SMS. Some interesting regional variations turn this on its head: 2016 figures found 81% of billed passengers with a Philippine SIM card, and 61% of billed passengers with an Egyptian SIM card, opted to use the inflight voice or SMS services.

In an aviation industry first, SITAONAIR is advancing inflight mobile services by deploying cutting-edge inflight 3.5G mobile network services over the high-speed broadband satellite

connectivity of GX Aviation. Enhanced 3.5G capabilities will be available to all airline customers through SITAONAIR's Mobile ONAIR application by the end of 2017. This new technology will provide passengers and crew with high-speed, seamless connectivity, similar to the home experience.

We are confident mobile telephony services have a good future despite the continuing ban on voice calls in the U.S. For most international long-haul airlines there is only marginal overflight over the USA – less than one percent of flight time – so the ban hasn’t impacted the operational or service experience. •

THE MOBILE ONAIR PROJECT WITH SINGAPORE AIRLINES SINGAPORE Airlines first began offering inflight connectivity back in 2012 and it is now available on the airline’s B777-300ER and A380 long-haul fleets. In 2015, mobile data was the most popular service, used by 65% of those connecting. SITAONAIR built a partnership with local mobile network operators to offer SIA passengers daily inflight data bundles for

unlimited mobile data usage. These allow passengers to enjoy an unlimited roaming experience, without the shock of an unexpected bill from their mobile phone operator when they get home.

M1‘s customers, for example, receive unlimited inflight data roaming from 25 Singaporean dollars (US$17.50) per day. Starhub offers the service for the same price, and Singtel’s is priced at SD$29.

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80 / LUXURY INGREDIENTS

g n i t a v o Inn with style Luxury ingredients are expensive so it is perhaps surprising that in cost-cutting times airline chefs are showing an enthusiastic desire to innovate and design with them onboard, discovers Jo Austin

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LUXURY INGREDIENTS / 81

P

ersonally I am happy to avoid kopi luwak coffee beans (passed through the digestive system of the palm civet) but I'll give Kobe or Wagyu beef a go n ot least for its low cholesterol and tenderness, not achieved by a daily massage and a diet which includes beer.

Caviar is an acquired taste and the eggs of the rare albino sturgeon in the Caspian Sea can no longer be harvested, but there is plenty of excellent sustainable caviar still featured on First and Business menus. And while you might think a vanilla pudding is pleasingly humble, when you discover vanilla flowers only bloom for a couple of hours once a year and that vanilla is the second most sought after spice in the world you realise it truly is an exotic, luxury dessert.

Then there are truffles – white and black – so loved by chefs as a garnish yet so difficult to cultivate; and the delicate saffron taken from the stamens of the crocus. There is the supreme and paramount North India, and saffron and truffles from Kashmir. We extra virgin olive oil and of course somewhat bizarre flavour with pepper, cinnamon and cardamom from ingredients determined to impress such as 24 carat Kerala and our fresh exotic vegetables are grown on gold leaves, and ketchup ‘leather’ created to solve the our own Oberoi farm. We source scallops and cheeses soggy bun problem! from France, salmon from Scotland; balik salmon from Michel Roth, Michelin-starred chef and member of Switzerland and chocolate from Belgium.” the Studio Culinaire at Servair, Gerard Bertholon, chief is currently the signature chef strategy officer at Cuisine in La Première on Air France Solutions, considers luxury and finds no surprise that Luxury ingredients only ingredients from a different onboard chefs want to include angle: “To my thinking it is work onboard if used such luxury ingredients. He very hard to deliver a luxury creatively and with says: “Fine ingredients reflect a meal on a plane due to the respect for the cabin luxurious environment. Truffles limitation of equipment and environment and lobster are at the very heart staff qualifications. Caviar and of haute cuisine worldwide foie gras are luxuries of the inspiring chefs to create great dishes. The high quality past. The best experience comes from delivering of these ingredients makes them prime partners thoughtful ingredients with integrity such grass fed, because they blend with many others to create new antibiotic- and hormone-free; good animal welfare but familiar flavours. The truffle, for example, can be or organic. used with a mashed potato, with fresh egg pasta “Unique meals come from knowing how to cook or with poultry, bringing delicacy and excellence and designing a dish that can be served on a plane without distorting the taste of the recipe”. as it would be at a high-quality restaurant In India, Oberoi Flight Services (OFS) is winning or by a great chef. For example, a filet accolades for its commitment to culinary expertise onboard. Sudhish Pande, head chef development explains: ”We realise that treating passengers to a special culinary experience makes all the difference in winning their loyalty and we procure the freshest of ingredients for our menus such as trout from the pristine rivers of the Himalayas; prawns, lobsters and crabs from Kerala; lamb from the rich pastures of

Above: Michel Roth is focused on the finest ingredients for Studio Culinaire, Servair Below: Sustainable caviar production methods mean it is back on the menu

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82 / LUXURY INGREDIENTS

Above: Lobster is at the heart of haute cuisine worldwide and infused oils add a final touch Below: Olive oil is a staple 'luxury' for Castello Monte Vibiano

mignon is the most expensive cut of meat, but 80% of the time it will be served over-cooked onboard because of the variables involved. Cooking it perfectly is close to impossible.

“Using expensive ingredients does not necessarily mean you create a luxury meal, but being smart with your ingredients and the abilities and facilities available onboard will help you serve the best experience to your customers.”

Luxurious oils Encouraging onboard caterers to focus on quality ‘luxury’ staples is at the heart of what they do at Castello Monte Vibiano, proud owners of more than 12,000 olive trees, located in the hills surrounding the family-owned castle in Umbria. The producer only bottles the first cold pressing, ensuring all of its oils are ‘extra virgin’ quality.

Its range of olive oils infused with balsamic vinegar, chilli, truffle, basil and oregano have been so successful that the company has gone on to explore new combinations such as vanilla, cinnamon, caramel, tangerine and others. The oil is unfiltered and picked, pressed and frozen in 10ml bottles all in the one day for private jets, First and Business class worldwide.

Lorenzo Fasola Bologna, ceo, says: “I do believe that serving top quality olive oil onboard is as important as the quality of the Champagne, wine and chocolate”.

Serving saffron Group Soi has also helped bring a little luxury to the onboard table with its focus on saffron. The world's most expensive spice, saffron’s culinary story began with the cultivation of the Krokus by a 14th century Italian Friar who planted bulbs in Abruzzo. To this day harvesting and processing in Italy is still done completely by hand, with around 200,000 flowers and 500 hours needed to produce a single kilo of saffron.

In a bid the meet onboard demand, Group Soi is involved in a highly-ambitious project to cultivate true saffron (Crocus sativus) and herbs in the traditional method without any chemicals. The company planted 50,000 bulbs in August 2016 in Nepi, north of Rome. The organically-grown flowers are harvested by hand at the end of October in the early morning when still closed and each containing three crimson stigmas. The stigmas (saffron threads) are then extracted, one by one, and dried in special ovens. They are packed in elegant Crocus d’Oro Zafferano di Nepi glass jars certified for food use, sealed and placed in transparent boxes ready for its distribution. (crocusdoro.com) Today, chefs and passengers can drizzle some of Group Soi’s saffron-infused olive oil directly onto their appetiser or salad and enjoy organic saffron threads in recipes such as bouillabaisse, paella, risotto as well as desserts, tea and bread. It costs €30,00 per gram

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Below: The 't' truffle brand aims to inspire trust and traceability Following page: Crocus d’Oro Zafferano di Nepi glass jars

with each gram containing 500 precious stigmas.

Around 10-12 threads are used in each dish.

True truffles Supplying some of New York’s most exclusive restaurants with fresh truffles from the forests of Transylvania, Truffoir is a young Hungarian company producing truffle products from its own bio-certified plantation. The company has created a top quality line specifically for the catering industry, t di Tartufo, offered in aluminium tins with a two-year shelf life.

Oszkár András Fekete, co-founder and managing director of t di Tartufo, insists: “Truffles are currently very popular and they are being grown and/or harvested in countries and continents that are new to the industry.

High quality, genuine truffle products can now be

enjoyed not only by the very rich, but by anyone who likes true gourmet products.

His ‘t’ truffle brand aims to reflect core values of trust, traceability and transformation. The letter ‘t’ also stands for truffle, trüffel, tryffel, tartufo. Fekete adds: “Unfortunately there are a lot of ‘fakes’ out there using low quality substitute materials like champignon or even Chinese truffles instead of the Périgord. We want trust to be rebuilt around truffle products to ensure genuine, high quality, tasty and enjoyable products.”

He believes traceability and origin can often be misconstrued and explains: “Truffles are perceived to originate from Italy, however most summer truffles (Tuber aestivum) arrive from countries like Romania, Bulgaria or Hungary. The legendary Périgord truffles (Tuber melanosporum) do not come from France anymore, but Spain. In the summer we see an abundance of high quality Melano (black truffles) from Australia and Chile. Meanwhile the famed white truffle (Tuber magnatum) from Piemonte is increasingly found in Croatia and surrounding

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countries. We can have excellent white truffles in Hungary one year and in Piemonte the next and customers need to know the true origin as this has deep implications on harvest sustainability.”

(Tditartufo.com)

Classic caviar Once the preserve of Russian tsars and British royalty, caviar seemed destined to disappear from menus amid concerns that harvesting the roe killed the sturgeon producing it. Now, however, ethical caviar, can be produced without harm to the fish, so it's back.

King’s Fine Food was founded on this delicacy and continues to thrive as the largest importer of caviar to the UK. With over 30 years’ experience, Laura King is regarded as one of the UK’s leading caviar experts.

She says: “We select the finest farmed caviar from around the world and supply British Airways and Qantas. Most larger airlines buy caviar. It elevates the experience in First or Business and is a point of difference because it denotes pure luxury. Caviar makes you feel spoilt and as the price is high and it is sometimes rare, this adds to the ultimate experience”.

Sweet treats And to conclude. Chocolate. A sweet treat with the rare ability to be both mass market and luxurious. In its luxury form its creation is driven by a passion for sourcing the best cacao and purest ingredients. It’s been an onboard staple from the earliest days and among those at the forefront of pushing the quality message onboard is Lily O’Brien’s.

Sourcing ethically-traded ingredients from sustainable sources is key to the company’s luxury range. Ingredients such as coconut, kalamansi lime and Argentinian dulce de leche, Peruvian passionfruit and floral Italian Bergamot to name but a few.

Why would one ever travel Economy? •

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Sweating the small stuff RMT Global Partners is fast broadening its reach beyond the U.S. where it has been wellestablished for many years. Richard Tuttle explains how and why it is going for growth

P

erhaps few onboard suppliers have their feet so firmly on the ground as RMT Global Partners.

Rooted in hands-on airline experience, the team is highly focused on delivering products that work for both passenger and crew. While that might sound like a pretty obvious goal, it has driven a customer service philosophy that governs all that they do.

Founder Richard Tuttle explains: “I started my aviation career with Continental working on equipment design and gained a wealth of knowledge from flight attendants that has proved a great foundation for everything we do. We represent a very eclectic mix of products but they all have one thing in common – they work for the crew, and if a product works and the crew are happy, the passengers will be happy too.”

RMT’s portfolio ranges from stir sticks and pillows to ice scoops and Tuttle says: “We aren’t just interested in big and glamorous contracts, we like to sweat the small stuff too. The small stuff really matters and we just love to supply the equipment that is slightly under the radar. We like to take the challenge and work on it, then design something that really improves life onboard.

By showing you can deliver the small things, you earn respect and a chance of earning bigger contracts too.”

The team has

2017 HIGHLY COMMENDED Textiles RMT Global Partners

worked consistently with Delta and is turnarounds. That is challenging and particularly pleased with collaborations requires great people and processes that such as its tidy kit, which saw it reinvent respond efficiently, intelligently and with the tools crew are given to clean the attention to detail.” onboard lavatories inflight. Tuttle says: The company has expanded in recent “Such a thing sounds small, but the impact months, with Roland Standaert taking on of getting it wrong is huge. We gave the the European and Middle Eastern markets, crew the tools to do the job painlessly, and and it is looking to continue spreading its that helps ensure they name in other areas. do a good job.”

“You have to have The company also passion to stay the developed an innovative course in this business.

You have to have thermos which airlines, passion to stay the You have to call and including Delta, Air meet people, look course in this France, KLM and Virgin them in the eye and business America use to keep demonstrate to the soups hot at 140 degrees customer that what for up to 24 hours. RMT was also part they have to say is important to you. of the United Polaris launch, supplying It’s all about building relationships and the dessert dishes, bowls and wooden matching products to their needs. We are presentation pieces such as pepper mills not interested in just giving airlines a sales and tea boxes. pitch; we want to discover how we can “The aviation industry works fast, it help them and you only discover that by requires instant solutions and quick listening, not talking.” •

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HOW TO... / 87

How to...

...launch a Fair Trade range Already recognised for its high-quality frozen meals, Frankenberg has now turned its focus onto ethical Fair Trade credentials too. Helga and Laura Friedrichs tell us how THE CHALLENGE Strong sustainability and healthy provenance tags have long been key for family-run caterer Frankenberg so how hard could it be to extend its ethical food attitudes to include Fair Trade [FT] products in the range? Answer. Quite!

2017 ONE TO WATCH

Frankenberg

SET YOUR GOALS The first issue is, why do it? Why restrict a range and potentially increase costs?

But the answer came back very clearly: “It’s what we believe to be right,” says Helga and that ethic governs all decisions the Frankenberg team makes. It feels right to them, and it is right on many levels. Frankenberg looks at this as an investment in the long term, believing that in time more companies will see the benefits of Fair Trade, not just for those who benefit directly, but all those in the supply chain who want to be seen to be contributing. That, however was not their key driver.

UNDERSTAND THE RULES Frankenberg already has a reputation for advanced ecological thinking in food and packaging. All consumables are, wherever possible, from sustainable sources so it was a logical continuation to bring FT into the mix. The rules surrounding FT however are stringent and highly regulated worldwide – set by an NGO – with a series of criteria which must be met before the logo is applied.

MAKE A REALISTIC PLAN It was not simple. The team couldn’t just start replacing ingredients in

existing products. To achieve 100% FT compliance across all ingredients on something as complex as a cooked multi-component meal was impossible so Frankenberg instead selected the best of FT ingredients and built new dishes and then a new range around them.

FACT FILE FT is good for business, it’s good for the consumer and it’s good for the planet.

To consider FT, pick your products and build a concept around the ones you can use.

Ethics drove the projects but there are major quality spinoffs too.

Ultimately, it's a profitable venture with bells on!

Pay careful attention not just to FT ingredients, but to the packaging and logistics too. It all counts.

BE PROUD Apart from the warm fuzzy feeling of really doing something to contribute to the welfare of others, there are also real taste, texture and quality benefits to be proud of. FT often also means better quality and a great benefit for the enduser as they can buy into the FT story. It never hurts any company to be seen to be doing the right thing and while shy about its successes, Frankenberg was proud to win a One to Watch Award for the FT range in the 2017 Onboard Hospitality Awards. Clearly, to be a market leader in this noble cause, is good for everyone. •

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TAKE YOUR PICK / 89

SMOKED FLAKES Traditional cold smoking adds a sophisticated subtle smokiness to this sea salt, guaranteeing an extra frisson of flavour with fish, meat and poultry. Maldon Smoked Sea Salt Flakes also work well in sauces, salsas, soups and marinades. Available in 125g boxes and 500g tubs. maldonsalt.co.uk

Salt

Once a simple seasoning found on virtually every dining table, salt's image is evolving. It is building on its historic role in our diets to offer new subtleties and interest, says Jo Austin

HIMALAYAN PINK

KOSHER Traditionally kosher salt is used for removing surface blood from meat in the koshering process. The meat is soaked in water, drained, covered with salt and left to stand. The compact flakes adhere well to food for flavour enhancement and are chosen by chefs for their taste, texture and ease of use. mortonsalt.com

Sourced from ancient sea beds crystalised long before modern pollutants were introduced, Himalayan salt is widely said to be the purest salt on earth. Mined from deep within the Himalayas, its pink colour is a result of the varied trace minerals found in the region, notably iron.

This popular flavouring is also available in larger chunks and stones, perfect for grating at the table. seasalt.com

DESERT SALT BALI BABY KECHIL This delicate, coarse, crunchy salt is extracted from seawater in the Lombok Strait connecting the Java Sea to the Indian Ocean.

The uniquely hollow crystals are a natural phenomenon and when the makers are asked how, they simply say: "Taksu"... by the hand of God. salthouseandpeppermongers. com

Oryx Desert Salt is a natural, crystal-white salt – unrefined, sundried, and harvested in a sustainable manner from an ancient underground lake in the remote and pristine area of Kalahari Desert, South Africa. The salt contains the essential, natural minerals and trace elements recommended for vitality and health. Its taste enriches the flavour of food. oryxdesertsalt.co.za

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IN CONVERSATION / 91

PARTNERSHIPS GIVE US THE POTENTIAL TO GROW Buzz and Delta partnered to bring modern Alessi design to the skies. Director Leonard Hamersfeld explains the challenges

T

he project began three years ago from the seed of an idea: to link a globally-renowned design company, Alessi, with Delta and bring a modern, stylish new look and feel to the Delta One and domestic First cabins.

The partnership brings together Alessi's contemporary iconic designs and Delta’s determination to redefine the inflight experience through thoughtful innovation.

It’s Alessi first time onboard in such a comprehensive programme and we are very proud of the collaboration. It's a design exprience which opens the door to a new world of passenger comfort and indulgence. It really brings added value.

Creating the range involved six renowned designers bringing their inspiration to 86 bespoke products, which were produced in 10 manufacturing hubs across four countries. The Alessi for Delta range includes flatware, cutlery, glassware, ceramics, tabletop accessories such as napkin rings and salt and pepper shakers, servingware and trays. The logistics, product variety and the sheer

2017 WINNER

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Buzz

scale was a challenge. The Buzz team designed, produced, tested, coordinated and delivered all the products, working alongside Alessi to retain its design vision.

THE CHALLENGE One of our challenges was to try to mirror the restaurant dining experience at 30,000 feet. We needed to make modifications.

Size and weight are always important onboard and there are many constraints in the cabin. Alongside Delta we strove to improve the functionality of serviceware, and ensure it worked seamlessly with the carts and food preparation systems.

Over dozens of test flights the team collected feedback from flight attendants, tested, and continually refined and improved the serviceware. Considerations such as stackability, and ease of carrying without slippage were important.

Many of the designs are lighter than the

original retail products but the cutlery, for example, is somewhat heavier than the previous range. Passengers actually pick up the cutlery so preserving the weight was important to give that premium feel.

THE INSPIRATION Alessi’s inspiration for the range was to make its use a sensory experience. The sound, look and feel all contribute to the overall dining experience and allow Delta to bring an uncompromising level of elegance and service onboard.

As inflight experience specialists, Buzz is renowned for facilitating partnerships.

Others for Delta have included the Delta One TUMI amenity kits featuring Kiehl’s skincare, as well as Billboard earbuds. We aim to stay ahead of the curve to bring the best to our partners. With any good partnership there are always opportunities to grow together. Watch this space! •

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HOW TO... / 93

How to...

...keep on trend Brands need to keep up with changing trends to ensure their products remain relevant.

Lucy Stowell, senior manager marketing & insight for Monty's Bakehouse, explains how FOCUS ON INSIGHT Identifying and reacting to trends is a challenge facing most businesses.

It's a struggle to keep up with the overwhelming deluge of information but the answer is 'insight'. It's a term used increasingly about products and services that claim true and deep understanding designed to help a business stay relevant and ahead of the trends.

SCAN AND ANALYSE Often displayed in an attractive and digestible way, true insight comes from scanning the environment for information and analysing it in such a way as to provide clear actionable direction for your own business. It is something of an art form and requires diligence and resilience paired with a questioning mind, plus a healthy dollop of the ‘gut feel’ that comes from deep industry understanding. Scanning is key, reviewing a large quantity of information sources to build a picture of the environment and active drivers without getting bogged down.

LOOK FOR PATTERNS Personally, as I scan, I look for emerging patterns and subjects that become reinforced over time across a range of different platforms. Social media is a great global source, but look closely to identify the difference between a trend and a fad. Trends continue to increase in popularity over a longer period and answer a concern. Take the emergence of gluten free products for example, where a trend emerged and escalated,

crossing markets. Fads move much faster, emerge, peak and disappear before you can say Unicorn Toasties!

FACT FILE In early 2016 Monty's Bakehouse insight team spotted comforting foods and American classics gaining popularity The company's executive chef took the insight and designed a range of ovenable snack boxes

which allowed miniature American classics to be paired with crispy French fries in one pack.

Consumer testing followed and the Classic Beef Slider with Cheese & Crispy French Fries was born just as the indentified trend took hold.

BUILD PICTURES Scanning is a skill and must be a continuous process of building pictures.

Look for ideas that actively challenge what you and your business think you know - if you can’t disprove it then chances are you are onto a trend you need to take note of.

CONVERT INSIGHTS INTO ACTION Interpreting insights into action is a crucial step. At Monty’s Bakehouse the insight team works very closely with the executive chef, Phil Sumnall, who is inspirational in interpreting insights and converting them into products in the kitchen. We then run internal taste panels and external focus groups to fully define new recipes and evolve our offer into cost-effective onboard products. •

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Design with a purpose Galileo Watermark has been turning heads with quirky innovative amenity kit designs.

Julie Baxter discovers more from the creative team

F

ollowing the merger of Galileo and Watermark a new and vibrant design team has been working hard to position the company as leaders in onboard innovation.

The diverse team is made up of experienced product and graphic designers, spread across three time zones, providing a continuous creative service throughout the day. Creative director, Alexander Atkinson explains: “Our mission is to deliver the world’s best guest experiences with design and innovation at our core. We look to innovate through problem solving with an eye towards adding value and improving efficiencies."

2017 HIGHLY COMMENDED

Sustainability

Galileo

Blue-sky thinking Whether working on a client brief or its own in-house innovations, the process always begins with research. They study trends, passenger needs, product use and environment, materials and manufacture.

Atkinson adds: “We want to form a true understanding of our client brief and their customers, their specific requirements, brand values and design ethos.”

They find that most blue-sky innovation starts with the

question: "What problem are we solving." studying architecture too to glean ideas Atkinson insists: “It's not innovation for and fuel the process. “Our inspiration also innovation’s sake, but about finding comes from an innate curiosity and a solutions for problems, both old and new.” healthy and skeptical dissatisfaction with Among those innovations catching the status quo,” adds Atkinson. attention is the X-FORM New ideas are not geometric bag design only generated by which emerged from the design team. studies into ways to Every department is It's not innovation create transformable encouraged to share for innovation's sake its thoughts, with a bag architectures but to find solutions set of tools in place that would save to problems space and adapt to encourage this. to a wider range of Inevitably there’s a user needs. It came bit of push and pull through strong collaboration between to find the right compromise between the design and operations teams. creative expression, technical possibility, The team takes scheduled ‘design and business practicalities but as Atkinson days out’ to draw inspiration concludes: “There’s no formula but it from both digital and real life works if everyone is aligned towards enviornments, visiting museums delivering the best possible solution for and innovative stores, and our clients.”•

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OPINION / 97

Rob Britton

On-time service Could it now be time to fix some basics in the U.S? Rob Britton looks at how improved air traffic control could reap rewards for reliability and customer satisfaction levels too

In the U.S., many elements of politics out of the picture, bypassing a broken airline service quality have procurement process. The new system been improving, often with would reduce delays, and enable more little public or media notice. direct routings, saving time and money, and Flight cancellations, for example, have reducing emissions. Customers and airlines decreased substantially – in 2016 Delta Air would both win. The new system would Lines, for example, flew for 200 days without handle future growth more effectively and a single mainline flight cancellation, in the an independent ATC entity would charge process carrying 157 million passengers user fees, ensuring all users pay their fair on nearly a million flights. Similarly, there share. Separating ATC services from the FAA’s are improvements in safety function would baggage handling. also remove potential For decades, airline conflict of interest customer surveys have (and follows the U.N It's time to fix U.S ATC so recommendations for consistently shown a airlines can deliver the large positive correlation civil aviation). on-time performance between on-time Furthermore, 60 passengers love performance and nations have already passenger perception of done it starting with service quality. Simply put, when the plane Australia in 1995; and in 1996, Canada which is on time, flight attendants are friendlier, created NAV CANADA, an independent, cabins are cleaner, and the entire experience non-profit user cooperative. Although there is better. But when it comes to this crucial was initial opposition and skepticism, every on-time dependability, airlines are stymied. stakeholder group was quickly converted, and Although in 2016, 81% of U.S. airline flights 20 years later the system works superbly and arrived on time, that at lower cost than in the U.S. number has improved The current system is safe (there has not little since the federal been an midair airliner collision in decades) government began but it’s outdated. Radar, the core ATC tracking reliability in technology, was awesome in the 1930s, but the late 1980s. Carriers not today, with satellite-enabled solutions know the problem: an based on GPS. antiquated Air Traffic The idea of reforming ATC has bounced Control (ATC) system. around Washington for 30 years, in initiatives And they know the from both major parties. This year is different: solution: reforming ATC President Trump has gotten behind the by converting it from a idea, and legislation has been introduced to government function to spin off the ATC function. Nearly all major an independent, non-profit stakeholders support separation, including, organisation. That change critically, the ATC controllers and their union, would allow the introduction who understand the system is broken. It of a “next gen,” satellite-based really is time to fix the basics.

ATC system as it would take Congress and rob.britton@airlearn.net •

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98 / RETAIL PRODUCTS

Perfect

products A buy-on-board listing can transform a product’s fortunes. Nik Loukas discovers just how airlines identify the perfect retail product and how they ensure sales soar as it takes to the skies

CHOOSE ME!

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RETAIL PRODUCTS / 99

E

very week I receive email queries and LinkedIn messages from suppliers keen to break into the airline retail world.

For many it’s their first foray into the industry, they feel their product is perfect for airline retail but there are many variables they need to consider well before sending out samples in hope of a listing.

Talking to very different players in the European market to get an insight into some of their best sellers and their standard practice when it comes to selecting products for retail, one thing soon becomes clear: success depends critically on the airline’s current offering, its business model and its culture.

The airline’s top selling items include Swiss watches, travel gadgets like Consider Edelwiess for example. Edelweiss, a the Ögon travel wallet, Skyroam wifi Zurich-based airline, has 10 aircraft in its fleet and hotspot, an action camera, premium is a subsidiary of SWISS. It operates to destinations cosmetics and fragrances. Bayer believes in Europe and as far as Thailand and Brazil. that these products sell well due to the Predominately a leisure/charter airline, it offers a fact that Edelweiss passengers are on complimentary inflight service for all passengers holiday. Bayer says: "They are already and inflight shopping. Cabin crew are encouraged well prepared but we surprise them to be creative and dress up their inflight sales with an attractive assortment and good trolleys with props provided to presentation to tempt them. them to draw attention to the Our crew have tested the service. They attend annual roadproducts and share that shows too to sample the products, experience to help passengers Onboard retail receive sales tips and learn about decide what to buy onboard.’’ should surprise best practice.

Crew are also incentivised to passengers and First and foremost the airline sell through regular competitions inspire them always asks itself: “What will our and themed trolley promotions. passengers need when they are Currently the airline has a onboard our aircraft, on holiday or on their way “California feelings – surfing the big waves” trolley home?” The buyers look for specific products theme supported by props such as shells and passengers may need for their destination, fish nets. Passengers are being offered such as an action camera for underwater savings of 30% on the California photography in the Maldives perhaps. products, while the crew with the Secondly the retail team focuses most appealing trolley-top design will on offering customer services. For win a surfing course in San Diego. example an inflight product that For Edelweiss, success is influenced allows passengers to send a bottle by the presentation of the product, the of Champagne to neighbours as a profile of the brand and pricing. It is thank-you for taking care of the plants keen to feature new and exciting topor pets. selling, well-known products but does Daniel Bayer, manager inflight sales work with lesser-known brands too. at Edelweiss, explains: “With every For these it’s important there is a back product we sell, we want to sell a story attached to the product to assist positive experience, a lifestyle and a the sales process. Passengers are often special moment.” buying something they cannot try as

Leisure sales

Pictured: SAS puts the focus on local connections through its range; big brands work to position themselves as a familiar favourite; and gift sets such as Bottega's aim to inspire travellers to spend

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100 / RETAIL PRODUCTS

Above: Themed trolleys draw attention to the inflight range Below and opposite: New names or flavours and established brands add to the buy-on-board mix

samples are unusual inflight so creating stories around the products seems to work well.

Edelweiss is currently selling a product from Bern, for example, a unique fragrance called Edelweiss that captures the scent of Switzerland. It was first introduced to customers via a story in the onboard magazine which, coupled with knowledgeable cabin crew, helped make the product a success.

For Bayer, success can mean one of two things: "When it comes to volume versus profit we look at both. Whilst one product could be sitting in an inflight trolley for two to four flights before the crew sells it, there are other products which are sold out after every flight. However the first product may carry a higher profit."

Classic sales For the 71-year old Scandinavian airline SAS it’s a somewhat different process and it is all about heritage when it comes to the inflight retail.

Years ago the airline decided to remove complimentary meals on selected European flights to compete with lower-cost carriers. Whilst coffee and tea are always free, SAS has sourced locally for other choices. It works with Mikkeller beer for example to win Monocle

magazine’s "Top onboard tipples" recognition. More recently the airline launched "New Nordic by SAS" – a food concept where the inspiration comes from passengers and the Nordic food philosophy where local, seasonal ingredients are key. Passengers can experience these tastes alongside the airline’s new cube packaging which was two years in the making and designed to be user-friendly.

Peter Lawrance, head chef and manager meal planning, onboard product and services, commercial for SAS, explains: ‘’We have brought local quality craft products onboard and we are not limiting it to only selected cabins and routes, everyone in all cabin classes on all flights can experience these products.

We have designed a large and unique range but kept the products in limited small batches of everything.’’

Some of this unique range includes hand-baked butter cookies made for generations in Lidköping; Larsson crisps and Polarbrod offerings. And whilst the airline is interested in all high quality products, Lawrance says: ‘’We do prefer products with a Scandinavian heritage which come with a story and are produced with responsibility.’’

Product USPs Aoife Ryan’s customers at Retail inMotion include large low-cost airlines where top-selling items inflight tend to be the drinks. Ryan believes when customers get something they really enjoy, they buy something else to go with it, as a treat.

She is keen on travel exclusives and a great price point for onboard retail and says: "The passenger needs to have an opportunity to buy something different to that which they find on the High Street."

And whilst appropriate packaging rates highly on her list of needs, product USPs and pricing are also key. "What makes your product different from any similar product on the market, and does it offer the margin requirements? We always look for neat packaging too as these products

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RETAIL PRODUCTS / 101

take up less space in the trolley, allowing airlines to have done research, research, research. maximise what they sell," she explains.

Once a supplier has a true understanding of For her airline customers Ryan juggles a number the airline, it needs to think about the product of variables to get the product mix right. "It’s a story, the packaging and dimensions. If they magic formula of understanding buy their own Atlas drawer passenger profiles, knowing they can also run fitting tests what’s trusted in the mainstream on the product - something Ask yourself: how is the airline will certainly do market, and knowing what people your product like to eat inflight, combined with to see how many units of a different from others product they will be able to a smattering of data to justify it in the market? What carry onboard if listed. all," she says. margins can it offer?

It’s not a one size fit’s all If you’re looking to get approach either when it comes onboard, arm yourself with to inflight retail, every airline is information and you stand different and each reacts differently a stronger chance of getting your to a product proposition. Those trying foot in the door of an airline. If to enter this market need to ensure you are organised and ready, they understand the airline they are you can hope to leave your pitching too, have read their inflight competitors grounded as your magazine, know what the current product takes to the skies where product mix is like and can show they ultimately the passengers will decide. •

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22/08/2017 13:31

8/30/17 03:33 PM

102 / OPINION

Simon Pont

Modernising sales Simon Pont, ceo, ECR Retail Systems, explains how mobile point of sale technology can help drive onboard revenues and enhance the customer experience

Globally, airlines are facing tough times as they strive to drive profitability and compete.

Beyond selling seats, the focus is on driving ancillary revenues through new service offerings and with this, customer experience and personalisation has become a key differentiator for the sector.

The challenge for airlines lies in the customer journey. The entire customer sales journey from web research to ticketing, time at the airport and inflight purchase of ancillary goods presents countless opportunities for airlines to form richer connections with customers.

Personalising this experience across every payment touch point is which takes effect at the fundamental and made end of 2019. This means possible through access that merchants accepting to data. Passengers payments from global The time for airlines to buy through multiple modernise their payment payment networks must channels and progressive establish contactless systems is now. A airlines use data sourced positive MPoS strategy payments as a standard. from these touch-points In addition, airlines will be key to sales to personalise the offer. globally must evaluate Assuming airlines if their current multiplehave the necessary e-commerce, payment piece MPoS systems are suitable for the modern and logistics technologies in place for crew and passenger. Legacy technology has personalisation, they then need to consider meant that crews have needed to carry two whether their current payment methods or three individual devices in the airline aisles and equipment are up to the task. Are they when selling ancillary goods and services. modern enough to accept the varied needs This approach comprises an MPoS device, of passengers today? Do they support card reader and receipt printer, and can be multiple currencies, loyalty programmes, cumbersome, time-consuming and less destination attraction ticketing services economical for staff to carry, store, charge and and do they have the necessary back-end utilise. Airlines should investigate using modern technology to support analytics? Can all-in-one, contactless, MPoS technologies their inflight mobile point of sale (MPoS) that not only take payments, but support systems support contactless payments? personalised sales, and enhance the experience.

Unfortunately, many airlines across The time for airlines to modernise is now. the world are still ill-equipped to accept Driving onboard ancillary revenue opportunities contactless payments. This will need to is key, and a positive MPoS strategy will be change soon, with the looming VISA key. To act now will undoubtedly contribute to and Mastercard’s contactless mandate future commercial success. •

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How to...

...help your brand take off Portfolio Partners specialises in partnering with F&B suppliers to smooth a product’s path to inflight success. Jessica Mitchell, Portfolio supplier & product manager, explains how Understand the market Typically, the onboard market is split into two sectors and products tend to suit one or the other. Complimentary products often have to be supplied in smaller sizes to fit the confines of a trayset; volumes are larger and the price point lower. Buyon-board products may be ordered in lower volumes but with a dramatic peak during the summer months. Well-known retail brands tend to work well onboard because they are familiar. Most need to be ambient with a long shelf life to reduce the potential for wastage.

Recognise the challenge Often suppliers underestimate airline requirements and aren’t aware of the complex distribution network behind the scenes or that products have to be supplied to caterers across multiple countries. The process can take up to 12 weeks from delivery into a single distribution hub and then onwards to every airport the airline serves. Shelf life and product size are key. Products need to be space efficient within the trolley and robust enough to withstand distribution.

Have patience We welcome the opportunity to work with new partners whose products will excite our customers and bring something new to our range but suppliers need to be flexible in what they supply and the volumes they can supply it in. Opportunities may start with a relatively small contract but that can quickly turn into a large scale operation if it is received well.

Target your efforts Each airline has its own style. Some products may be ‘timeless classics’ while quirky products fit a particular airline’s customer profile, perhaps reflecting their British heritage by opting for British brands or conversely only wanting products with pan-European appeal.

Get expert support FacToids 1 in 3 passengers buy a hot drink onboard Ryanair carried 12.7million passengers in July 2017 – more than the populations of Ireland, Denmark and Latvia combined!

In the height of summer bar sets can be packed with over £7,000 of stock easyJet has reported that it makes over 15 million transactions onboard each year

Learn more: tryportfolio.com

Working with industry specialists such as Portfolio is a cost-effective way to bring travel catering sales and marketing expertise into a brand's team – between us we've over 70 years of experience in the industry! We can share knowledge, encourage relevant product development and help them navigate the distribution networks. We also promote their products to crews. Airlines know and trust us as an independent company to bring them the trending and tasty choices they need. We currently supply products from over 30 brands and as a single point of contact can save them valuable sourcing time. •

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Currency savings A new banking model could help take the hassle out of multi-currency transactions and boost sales by cutting user fees, reports Clare Ruel

N

ew challenger bank, Revolut, claims it is disrupting the foreign exchange transactions industry with a new international multi-currency bank account, designed to encourage easy, cashless shopping worldwide.

Streamlining foreign exchange, the bank aims to give control back to the user and provide a safe digital payment method for travellers, who’ll save up to 6% across all spending.

Using a contactless Mastercard account, holders will be able to pay digitally in up to 25 different currencies, including Turkish lira, euros and Australian dollars. It can be used onboard and anywhere else that accepts Mastercard.

The multi-currency current account was the inspiration of Revolut’s ceo and founder, Nikolay Storonsky (pictured with the Revolut team) who spent a huge amount on hidden exchange fees.

Andrius Biceika, head of business development at Revolut, says: “The launch was driven by how much Nikolay spent on hidden exchange fees. He couldn't find an international account to do multi-currency banking, so decided

to create one, and the rest is history. to be the only provider to offer a Businesses experience the same issues, comprehensive range of currencies and they are overcharged by banks and save businesses money immediately misinformed; they experience the same by quoting the interbank exchange hidden foreign exchange fees and a lack rate. These rates usually remain of transparency.” hidden so that banks can turn a profit.

The company now Although users offers small to mediumwill be charged for sized businesses, and withdrawing cash Using a contactless consumers the best abroad, they will Mastercard, account possible exchange rates save money if they holders will be able to pay digitally using with which to carry pay digitally in up to out international trade, their Revolut card. allowing users to be paid 25 different currencies There will be no and make payments in charge incurred for local currency. It intends to make all the user or business on digital payments, spending on the Revolut for business and there is no bottom spending limit. account cards free in non-local currency.

Biceika adds: “We launched just two Compared to similar services that months ago and are still developing traditional banks offer or other multimany features. We already have a waiting currency accounts such as the Travelex list of almost 5,000 businesses and are Money Card (which offers 10 advocating a cashless society where we currencies), Revolut claims can pass all the savings to the user.” •

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APPS in action Jeremy Clark considers the growing choice of pre-order apps and questions whether this really is catering progress

O

ver many years airlines have - rather craftily - moved the responsibility of managing the journey away from themselves and onto us, the traveller.

And as if the stress of managing travel were not enough, the catering option is now also becoming one of the burdens you have to think about before a journey starts. We book our own flights without a travel agent; we navigate baggage allowances, interlining restrictions, seat allocation and space ourselves, and now we even have to decide what to eat, often weeks before we travel.

Thankfully, some say, there is now a growing number of apps that claim to make this easier. You can actually be at the gate and still order a meal that will be whizzed up to you just before you board. Some of these apps are better than others, some may survive well in the market, some may not.

Apps for that Food on the Fly claimed to be the first iOS appbased mobile food delivery service behind airport security. Essentially, they deliver food from quality food vendors already established in the airport to any location within the airport terminal. They allow advanced ordering and track flights, making

adjustments to delivery times and locations for you.

B4 You Board had a similar concept but is no longer available from the App Store; while DeliSky, the Swiss VIP catering provider, looks as though it offers this service but as with Absolute Taste – you have to be in a private jet to get it.

Specialist providers who claim to be able to deliver food from restaurants directly to your seat via the crew are emerging too. Ifleat offers restaurant quality meals, stylishly served and delivered to seat – provided you remember to order it. And likewise AirGrub lets travellers order and pay for food from airport restaurants. Users order and pay via the app and collect from the concessionaire en route to the gate.

And airlines are getting in on the act too. Alaska Airlines began offering a pre-order app service featuring items such as shepherd's pie, artisan burgers, breakfast sandwiches and cheese platters last year. The app allows passengers to order from restaurant chain, Tom Douglas, up to 12 hours before they take-off.

They don’t have to pay for the food until it is delivered to them onboard. Alaska’s, mobile product manager, says: “Reserving your meal item like you do a seat will ensure customers get their favourite foods and also helps us reduce food waste.”

British Airways offers long-haul Economy pasengers

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the chance to pre-book a meal upgrade and Stress-free alternatives In an age where we are all under stress, airlines Singapore Airlines has had a Book the Cook option in might want to offer solutions to help. They've given Business for some time. us better seats and more comfortable planes, and All very nice BUT... all this alleged choice comes with their advertising often stresses the no-stress USPs. issues still to be resolved. Firstly, the service is often However, the reality could easily be that after a hectic not available everywhere. Most app services seem to day, travellers are about to board a flight starving be U.S. based and only in selected airports. Ifleat is hungry. Knowing the best on offer will be a mediocre only at nine airports, three of which are U.S. based. I, sandwich and tea in a paper like many frequent fliers, flew cup at an exorbitant cost will out of 62 airports last year so I not impress them. If they are could hardly rely on using that faced with the stress of preregularly.

In an age of stress, ordering something or finding it Secondly, it’s not always the aren't pre-order meal with possibly no idea of what’s same system. Some get the food apps just another available at that particular to your seat, some to the gate, others you have to collect. Some anxiety for passengers? airport the stress will mount.

Then more angst follows as they you must pre-book, some you wait with baited can order on the go. Yet more complexity to remember. The services also rely on your breath to see if the meal makes it to the gate before they get offloaded for ability to master the apps and on having connectivity delaying the flight. which can be poor or hard to access in many airports.

Wouldn’t it be far simpler to just cater Finally, it’s not cheap. Your meal comes with the a nice breakfast/lunch/tea/dinner to the added costs that cover the airport concession fees, the seated guests on the flight with none cost of packaging it up, and the logistics of getting it of the fuss? Stick $10 on the flight. Trust to wherever you are, and that’s not even counting the me, they’ll pay it sooner or later. • cost of the technology to drive it. onboardhospitality.com

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in conversation / 109

To elevate retail, we have to be more imaginative and really innovate Onboard retail needs to focus on Generation C, connected consumers looking for experiences, explains Michael Richardson at gateretail

G

eneration C is the modern, connected consumer. Many are millennials (under 35s) but the term is wider and refers to those of any age who live their lives through their online devices. The C stands for connected but these people also curate, create and consume within community.

This always-connected group has a different attitude to retail and different expectations. They don’t watch TV much so promoting to them has to change.

It is about peer reviews, social media messages and the opinions of friends.

There are different traveller types within the group, and geographical and cultural influences make a difference but they are all looking for experiences rather than just acquiring stuff.

Recent retail innovations to respond to this have included dedicated beer, coffee

or ice-cream trolleys. Our ice-cream trolley trialled on LATAM and can be used as either a complimentary or buy-onboard service, using existing equipment adapted for innovative offerings.

Likewise our MiniBarBox launched on Norwegian for buy-on-board and has been trialling successfully all summer. The launch was pushed by bloggers and the product positioned as a ‘cool’ experience.

It can be consumed onboard or bought as a gift to take away. Every product that goes onboard has to pay its way and this kind of double value is becoming key. reinventing retail Onboard retail has to look beyond food, beverage, duty free and perfumes and we have a well-established three-step process to bring new concepts to the market. Currently we are progressing

technology and learning innovations for onboard.

We see strong potential for virtual reality headsets – either complimentary or through rental – and potentially around gaming too. VR is already a big retail trend and needs translating to the onboard environment.

We are also looking to trial onboard learning opportunities. Activities are limited by the space constraints but we believe passengers want activities other than movies and magazines.

The Nordic model of pre-ordering is also likely to grow. From Sweden and Norway passengers now pre-buy from extensive catalogues for in-seat delivery and this is also happening on Cathay Pacific and others. It is just a question of educating passengers to the possibilities.

In short, it’s time to really innovate. •

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Often the first thing you’re asked as you sit down to dine these days is: ”Do you have any food allergies?” It’s a question onboard caterers increasingly need to have a ready answer for. Jo Austin reports

I

n today’s super-sensitive world of special diets, it seems allergy awareness is moving up the agenda. Figures from the European Centre for Allergy Research Foundation (ECARF) show over 30% of Europe's population is directly affected by one or more allergy and each year the number of sufferers increases. More passengers now expect their wellbeing issues to be addressed onboard.

In Britain alone there are now 1.3 million people living on a gluten-free diet and national charity Coeliac UK, recently launched ‘Gluten Freevolution’ (coeliac. org.uk/glutenfreerevolution) a guide to caterers trying to expand their gluten-free options.

Some manufacturers and airlines such as SWISS now make allergy-awareness a speciality but more broadly the onboard environment is rather about offering 'free from' options and accurate communication of glutenfree, dairy-free, egg-free, wheat-free, lactose-free, nutfree, soya-free products, to suit every anxiety.

There are currently 14 allergens within the 27 special meal categories that airline caterers must be aware of. EU labelling legislation now applies to all buy-on-board products and frozen meals and means it is mandatory for ‘back of pack’ nutrition labelling to be added to all pre-packed food. This includes details of any of the major allergens which have been

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intentionally included, as well as energy values, fat, saturates, carbohydrates, sugars, protein and salt.

It has become common to hear cabin address messages asking passengers not to eat nut products they have brought onboard when there is a highly allergic passenger onboard; and in case of a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis), crew now carry an EpiPen for emergency treatment.

Co-founder of Kafoodle, Tarryn Gorre, is a leading authority on technology which can deliver food transparency and allergen awareness. She says: “Correct labelling is absolutely crucial. It’s literally a life and death matter for an increasing number of people and yet it continues to be something that hospitality and catering businesses of all sizes struggle to comply with.” (kafoodle.com) Erdmann Rauer, CEO of LSG Sky Chefs, has acknowledged the challenge saying: “Our international chefs have been developing a range of product and packaging options for our frozen meal concepts with particular attention to allergens. We have removed all preservatives and E numbers as some of our recipes were shown to be not very healthy. Labelling is driving a big change towards more healthy meals with less fat and calories, and airlines are keen to show they are helping their passengers to stay healthy.

This is especially so in Europe and increasingly in North America.”

Food is still

VEGAN

Above: Holy Moly has their negative experiences through online comments. launched three new veganAs food is still the cheapest and most effective way friendly dips Above: Paleo to make airline passengers happy and emotionally Foods is reinventing breakfast without the grains attached to a carrier, there is every reason for airlines to concentrate on and expand their SPML range.

Our Frankenberg research and development team is constantly researching the free-from markets to develop recipes and meals suitable for vegetarian, vegan, wheat- and gluten-free requirements as well as many other SPML codes.”

Restaurateur, ready meal and special meal manufacturer, the cheapest Marc Warde has trebled his and most effective way turnover since turning his The power of publicity London restaurant, Niche, to make airline Frankenberg is among 100% gluten-free, and passengers happy suppliers tailoring solutions recently launched ‘Libero’ to special needs. Managing for the onboard and hotel director, Helga Friedrichs, says: sectors. Passengers or guests can “We see a growing demand for order a sealed meal which meets special meals spurred by allergies, their exact and officially-certified ethnic backgrounds and personal requirements. Responding to the 2017 WINNER preferences. As these passengers special Wellbeing GRAIN FREE meals generally place a high importance Swiss on nutrition, they tend to be more market likely to write feedback and post however does have its price. their comments and pictures on Warde is building an entirely new BE A 2018 social media. Positive experiences kitchen costing over £2 million WINNER! with the special meals can help to meet strict regulations for ENTER NOW ensure a high satisfaction rate while the production of gluten-free onboardhospitality.com  unhappy clients are likely to share as well as vegan, diabetic

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New products Damien Lee, the founder and ceo of Mr Lee’s Pure Foods, is championing noodles as an alternative for allergy sufferers and recently saw his gluten-free Hong Kong Street Beef go onboard Jetstar. He says: “Airlines now know and anticipate that they will have customers with certain dietary requirements beyond vegetarian. Our noodles mean coeliacs or those with other gluten intolerances can be offered a desirable bit of nosh that will bring the same flavour-filled goodness as everything else on the menu.” (mrleesnoodles.com) Doves Farm has launched a new Freee brand featuring gluten-free products including glutenfree flours, pizza base mixes and baking products for caterers, plus maize and rice pasta, oat bars and biscuits. (dovesfarm.co.uk) and vegetarian meals. Warde says that for airlines Paleo Foods Co. (paleofoodscompany.com) aims to the cost is often too great to have certified kitchens disrupt the breakfast category with products which and fully-trained kitchen staff so instead they provide avoid cereal grains, instead using toasted nuts and wide disclaimers. “Some airlines do really well with seeds. It first 100% vegan offering comes in a chia and their special meals and Singapore Airlines hemp flavour. Ingredients include coconut blossom has made a huge nectar and toasted almonds.

GLUTEN FREE investment. UK One of the most airlines could do comprehensive resources Airlines now know and for free-from information is better whereas anticipate they will have foodsmatter.com featuring Qantas, Air New Zealand and Japanese airlines are improving. passengers with certain updates and innovations for American airlines all carry gluten-, wheat-, dairy-, lactose-, dietary requirements disclaimers for their special egg-, nut- and soya-free ranges. meals,” he says.

Among products it recently noted were the WOW Cake Co’s (wowcakecompany.com) Ultimate gluten, Airline allergy first wheat and nut-free sponge cake, carrot cake and With great foresight in 2014, SWISS decided to take brownie mixes available in 3kg catering packs; new allergies seriously with a raft of wellbeing initiatives company Holy Moly’s (holymolydips.com) range of that included changing seat covers, improving airthree vegan, gluten and dairy free avocado dips; conditioning and introducing new menus. and Vita Coco's (vitacoco.com) new milkIt is now the first airline in the world to free, dairy-free coconut milk alternatives. achieve the European Centre for Allergy Major, the chefs base (majorint.com), Research Foundation (ecarf-label. manufactures gluten-free, coeliac org) seal of quality, and can cater society approved, vegan, to all food intolerances. Glutenvegetarian and halal and lactose-free meals and stocks, bases, pastes, snacks are available as standard, powders, gravies, Above: Mr Lee's Hong Kong there's lactose-free coffee and marinades, pastes, jus, Street Beef noodles; Right: chocolate bars and crew are broths and fruit bases. • Lactose-free coffee options on trained to respond to an allergic SWISS emergency in.

NUT FREE

DAIRY FREE

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How to...

...make scents of loyalty Luxury cruise line Seabourn has collaborated with Molton Brown to create bespoke beauty products, Laura Gelder discovers why Find a brand which fits Seabourn Cruises has been partnering with British beauty brand Molton Brown for 15 years and its products are well known and loved by its customers.

Molton Brown has a royal warrant and is used in luxury hotels around the world.

Ask the passengers' opinion Seabourn’s stewardesses were charged with asking their guests what their favourite fragrances were and what scents evokes their memories of a cruise. Seabourn’s UK managing director, Lynne Narraway says: “We have a very high repeat rate among our guests and they are all very engaged and love to feel part of the brand.”

Fine-tune with the experts Molton Brown helped develop the products, creating a top note for the initial scent, middle note for the bathing experience and bottom note for the lingering scent. The team also had to contend with some unusual challenges, such as creating a product which would work with the ships' de-salinated water. tell a story The Seabourn collection plays on scent's power to evoke memories and aims to embody the spirit of cruising by using ingredients from the exotic locations which it visits: basil oil from Vietnam, aromatic vetiver from Haiti, plus mandarin, cardamom and violet. It also draws on ingredients with marine qualities such as fresh samphire from the sea. There is also a pillow spray

which is used during turndown on the cruise and given to customers on their departure. Theresa Haughey, director hotel services and administration, explains: “The idea is to take the Seabourn experience on land. These scents will evoke happy memories and induce relaxation.”

Fact file Molton Brown sourced the exotic ingredients for the new range from 12 Seabourn destinations.

Passengers’ favourite scent was eucalyptus.

Seabourn chose to create four products covering body

(shower gel and body lotion) and hair (shampoo and conditioner).

Cruisers receive 50ml tubes in regular suites, 80ml bottles in top-end suites and can buy the 300ml versions (pictured above) in the onboard shop.

Make a point of difference Although the products are co-branded, the tubes are not transparent as is usual for Molton Brown, instead using opaque sea shades of green, blue and white. The retail bottles are pure white, to reflect Seabourn’s gleaming ships and include hand-drawn illustrations of the ingredients by British coast-based artist Angela McKay. These were sold in Molton Brown stores for six weeks.

Says Narraway: “We love being a unique limited edition. People can buy it in the stores for a short time but otherwise they have to go on a cruise to get it •

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Re-defining luxury WESSCO has specialised in onboard comfort and wellbeing products for almost 50 years.

Julie Baxter discovers what it takes to thrive for so long in such a competitive industry

W

ESSCO has a global presence today but that reach was not built overnight. Formed in the late 1970s, 'WESSCO' was the telex abbreviation for 'West Side Supplies Company' and was founded by Bob Bregman with just three people.

Initially supplying hotels, the company's first airline order came from Western Airlines in 1979 for 1,500 coffee pots but it moved into the amenities sector fast after Sharon DeHerder and Anita Gittelson (now retired) joined in 1987.

Petros Sakkis, vp of international operations, joined in 1999 and his vision has seen the business position itself as an industry leader. Innovation has been at the heart of its pioneering design concepts such as a Longchamp-inspired tote for Varig First; the introduction of children’s brands Barbie and Hot Wheels; and prestige brands such as L’Occitane which helped dramatically expand that brand’s footprint worldwide and saw it fly with Delta Airlines, Aeromexico and Varig.

Now the focus is on re-defined luxury, being authentic and offering a personalised approach with initiatives which have, for example, integrated American Airlines’ heritage with

2017 WINNER

Textiles

Wessco

American icon, Eames, and American introduce branded bedding onboard by brand Dermalogica; connected Air presenting luxury mattress brand CocoCanada with Canadian aromatherapy Mat for Etihad’s First. And in coming brand Escents and linked Copa Airlines months a new collaboration with a U.S. with Biomuseo, the first museum in brand said to be revolutionising mattresses Latin America designed by Frank Gehry. will also launch onboard through WESSCO. Bringing Ferragamo The team has built a onboard China reputation as a trusted Eastern was an eyepartner that delivers catching collaboration, on-trend programmes Well thought out while currently social that surprise and brand collaborations exceed passengers’ media is making a big are key. Branding is noise about partner expectations. the name of the game Cowshed and it’s ties Sakkis says: with Soho House.

"Relationships built WESSCO has won awards for its buy-onon trust and an understanding of aviation’s board collaborations too with an exclusive unique logistics are central to what we Bed, Bath & Beyond coupon for American do, along with tailored programmes Airlines; and a Café Kit for Air Canada and product development which always which won a 2017 Onboard Hospitality looks ahead to tomorrow's traveller. Well Award. thought out brand collaborations are key.

It was one of the first companies to Branding is the name of the game now.“ •

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Liz Warom

Feeling great Liz Warom, founder of Temple Spa, detects a change in attitudes to wellbeing and encourages airlines to use nuturing brands to tap into the traveller’s fast emerging new psyche

According to Forbes.com there has been a shift in consumer perception with health and wellness now being viewed as more important than material goods.

The way in which wellbeing is defined has also shifted with people viewing it as a daily necessity rather than a luxury, whether that means committing to a fitness class or simply eating well. Consumers are increasingly spending their time and money on experiences, products and activities which benefit their mind and emotions, not just their physical health.

In response to this skincare and wellbeing product creators are shifting their focus too.

Products now need to offer exceptional and creative experiences that leave clients wowed and restored through our products, we want and keen to return to that product again and them to always trigger a high feel good factor. again. For onboard use, Wellbeing products are that should translate into expected to do so much amenity kit products that more than just moisturise, Amenity kit products are truly enjoyable to use cleanse or tone – although onboard should be truly that is still important – but and add to the passenger sense of wellbeing. enjoyable to use and add now they can also play Wellbeing is to the passenger sense of a role in improving selfunquestionably high esteem and wellbeing, wellbeing on travellers’ personal encouraging relaxation or agenda because stress is now an accepted inducing the conditions for sleep. condition of life and anything that counters that Thankfully our brand has been shaped by this is worth attention. Offering quality toiletries and philosophy from the outset with travel therapies cosmetics to and miniature spa kits which include toning passengers mists, lip balms, Aaaahhh! products that sooth can convert aching feet and limbs, aromatherapy creams, a journey full moisturisers and eye creams, as well as all the of hassles into bathroom essentials. a real ‘me-time’ Nature has provided us with a plethora of experience. botanicals and when formulating our range we We’re never just take a formula off-the-shelf but work increasingly with the best in breed to create the bespoke putting a lot texture-aroma-performance objective we've of thought into set for the product. We source plants, fruit and making users feel legume extracts with the provenance of the Med reassured, relaxed to create a really pampering range •

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Eating well

Health onboard Culinary consultant, Marc Warde, considers how onboard wellbeing can be supported by keeping abreast of trends in healthy eating

Today's passengers expect to hit the ground running and don't expect to compromise on nutrition, sleep or wellbeing while in the sky. Keeping up with the latest health trends has become a must for the industry.

Here are some wellbeing suggestions to help ensure you deliver them in top condition…

Hydration Will it be birch, maple, black water, bamboo, honey, coconut or real fruit enhanced? Whilst the claims for the purest, highest mineral content or most hydrating water continue to leave many gasping for something stronger, the evidence is undeniable – hydration helps passengers avoid that post-flight grogginess.

Power salads

based proteins too. There are now some fantastic cakes, snacks and bakes all made without sugar, gluten and dairy and no buy-on-board menu worth the name should be without these options, many of which now taste surprisingly good. There is a growing choice of vegan and free-from cocktails too.

Move over superfoods, it's time for power salads full of humble herbs, edible flowers and seeds to add nutritional power and crunch. Whilst Chia seeds are praised for their hydration benefits, flavour is paramount in the Organic air and special dressings such As consumers demand to as verjuice (unfermented Passengers expect know more about how their grapes) offer a less acidic options to match food is produced, the organic alternative to lemon and their lifestyles trend continues to grow vinegar. Stronger flavours and plays well with those are emerging - think Middle focused on wellbeing. Many argue organic food Eastern salad meets insalata for this new fusion. just tastes better but it also gives your menu a Free-from wholesome back story. Sourcing, sustainability Sugar has moved high and provenance of produce are all-important. up the 'baddies' list Coconut and is a prime target The coconut craze continues with coconut in the ‘free from’ flour now having its moment appearing in era of elimination, cakes, pastries and more. The term coconut can alongside vegan refer to the palm, the seed, or the fruit, which, and vegetarianism botanically, is a drupe, not a nut. Passengers lifestyles which are still want to eat it, drink it and spread it all over for a on the rise. Plant-based wellness boost. eating has seen the rise of soya-

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Immune boosts Passengers are breathing recycled air and good old hand sanitiser has become the traveller's best friend. Taking vitamins A, C or multivitamins supplements (with a higher RDA) can boost the immune system but the market is also offering fortified chocolate and snacks as well as meal replacement drinks. Nootropics - nutritional foods with function - is a fast evolving trend and probiotics or fermented food are growing in popularity for the health benefits they bring.

Japanese and Asian bakes Japanese and Asian bakery products such as daifuku (a rice cake often stuffed with a sweetened red bean paste), dim sum buns, light milk breads and dango (a dumpling made from mochiko) are becoming increasingly mainstream. They are lighter, fruitier and less stodgy than their western counterparts so give a sweet treat without that heavy feeling.

Happy home flavours Out with burger snobbery, in with home comforts. If wellbeing means happy, give passengers what they really want - a familiar dish that makes them feel at home and happy, as opposed to complex menus that can alienate them. A signature dish which they recognise and will enjoy, perhaps with a twist of something special, leaves diners satisfied and happy - surely a wellness winner if not exactly top of the healthy list. •

Where great cleaning began Exactly 90 years ago, our founders were overflowing with ideas for better cleanliness and hygiene. Those ideas turned into success. Today, MEIKO is the global expert in clean solutions for professional warewashing, cleaning and disinfection. And the MEIKO story isn‘t over. Be inspired by our spirit and ingenuity.

Celebrate with us and discover a new side to your partner, MEIKO. Find out more at www.meiko.info/90-and-now

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120 / GALLEY GOSSIP

Talking trolleys George Banks won the 2016 Onboard Hospitality Lifetime Achievement Award after a long career in inflight service. Here he recalls the changing face of the trolley

T

he terminology for airline meal trolleys is confusing with caterers, suppliers and airlines themselves all referring to them conflictingly as carts, trolleys or service vehicles. In addition airlines also often differentiate between the First class and Business class food service trolley or cart and the versatile half or large trolley used in Economy class, which has a multi-purpose use.

In the U.S., the Coach (Economy) trolley is generally called a cart, while some suppliers refer to it as a trolley.

The service trolley for premium cabins has less flexability

1930s

Since the earliest passenger flights, there have been many different food service styles on numerous aircraft types. At the very start well-trained white gloved stewards offered an individual cold meal service of six courses, as on the Handley Page 42 airliners travelling between London and Paris (above).

and is generally used to showcase elaborate First class and Business class menus, with plates, glasses, wines and Champagne often included, to ensure a professional premium service can be offered.

While the global terminology of the trolley may change by continent, cabin or airline, the aim of providing efficient, enjoyable service remains the constant challenge. As larger aircraft have been introduced and galley space reduced to allow more seats, and the pressure on airlines continues to reduce costs, the humble trolley (or cart!) remains at the heart of onboard service.

1940s 1950s The Flying Boats of TEAL, Qantas, BOAC and Pan Am offered a lavish silver service in the 1940s with starched white cloths and napkins, crystal glasses and silver cutlery (below right). Stewards served hot meals direct onto the passenger’s plate with a spoon and fork. Food was loaded in huge wicker laundry baskets. In the late 1940s-early-1950s Avro York aircraft took over some of the flying boat routes with British South American Airways' hostesses having to hand carry meals on trays (below left).

The fold flat trolley was introduced in First by BOAC in 1954 and enabled cabin crew to offer a more visually attractive and speedier service.

The trolley held the food for each course plus glasses, plates, wines and liqueurs. It displayed the options and offered panache and elegance, with champagne in a silver ice bucket and fresh flowers set alongside the food (as pictured on Britannia,1957). Succulent joints were carved from the trolley. Some airlines had a second trolley so the next course could be prepared in the galley. (making the service even quicker).

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By the 1960s 90% of the world’s airlines used the trolley in First as to aid efficiency. From 1968 Malaysia Singapore’s Boeing 707 First featured an all-trolley service on long haul sectors (above) with caviar served in a pale pink ice sockle lit by a hidden torch, along with lobster and foie gras. The trolley was dressed with fresh flowers and white linen. Lights were dimmed in the cabin at night so the light shone through the ice to add to the cabin ambiance.

The crew carved meat or game in front of the

1970s

Over the years, the size of the First class meal service trolley has increased, and changing priorities and tastes now suggest the service trolley is regaining relevance. Singapore Airlines used a large trolley for its First service on the 747s in 1974; while Air India (pictured) offered a regal Maharajah service on its Boeing 747s from 1971 with stewards in ‘Nehru’ jackets and hostesses in silk saris to serve in First.

1960s 1990s

passengers and offered Veuve Cliquot.

In 1969 Thai International introduced The Royal Orchid Service on its 72-seat French Caravelle jets, operating regionally (under three hours) with a wonderful course by course service in Economy served from a Firststyle trolley. Alitalia (below) used a trolley as opposed to a cart for the drinks service on its European DC-9 and Caravelle flights with the drinks being chilled in an ice box on the trolley. Air France in Europe used a half cart dressed with linen in First on short-haul flights.

British Airways offered the trolley service in First until the1990s when this was replaced by an à la carte service. The first trolley was a perfect vehicle to display the many different meal services the airline offered. From 1995 a large cart displayed the 'Raid the larder' snack service on long- haul flights (Later called The Club Kitchen). Products were positioned on top of the cart dressed with a blue and white gingham cloth for self service in the galley between meal services.Similarly American Airlines added 'Snack attack' and Emirates added 'Bistro Bites' and Lite Bites, as well as an ice cream service.

1980s

Thai International used a meal cart in Economy for its drinks service on the Airbus A300s from 1980 and its Royal Orchid Business service later used a trolley in First to silver serve main dishes on regional routes.

British Caledonian Airways (BCAL) used the trolley in First on its Boeing 707s, 747s and DC-10s through most of the 1970s to 1987. Royal Brunei used the First trolley for course by course service in the1980s; while SAS used the top of a meal cart for its cheese service.

The 󰈈A Fir󰇷󰇺 t󰇶o󰇱l󰇪󰈂 s󰇬o󰈟c󰇧󰇷󰈥󰈨 t󰇬e 󰈆󰇻l󰇰 󰈩󰈥nu on 󰈢󰈇󰈆󰈥r 󰈇o󰈦 b󰇶e󰇧󰈬f󰈜󰇷󰇺 in t󰇬i󰈤 󰇧t󰇹󰈦󰈜c󰇹i󰇾󰇪 ta󰇨󰇱󰇪 t󰈣󰇴 󰈤t󰈂󰇱e

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122 / GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE

The world view We're going global every day by going social.

Meet us in the virtual world via Twitter and Linkedin.

Here's just some of the digital chat you may have missed...

Follow us for more: @OBHMagazine and Linkedin.com

Total eclipse Looking to offer the ultimate passenger experience? It might be hard to eclipse Virgin Atlantic's recent effort.

It went above and beyond for passengers flying during the 'Great American Eclipse' so they could view the phenomenon from 35,000ft.

Flight VS5 from Heathrow to Miami intercepted the path of the total solar eclipse to provide an unrivalled view of the event. All 260 passengers were given special glasses with which to watch, and subsequently flocked to social media to share their snaps. @VirginAtlantic

Chicken dinner Air New Zealand has revealed that when it comes to inflight meals, chicken is tops.

According to data collected over the last 12 months, more than half-a-million customers chose the roast chicken with tarragon cream sauce, New Zealand roasted kumara and garden vegetables, washed down with almost eight million glasses of New Zealand wine. @FlyAirNZ

Record breaker The Guiness Book of Records was called into a recent American Airlines' retirement party when JFK team member Al Blackman was recognised for a record 75 years of service.

Blackman is now listed for the longest ever career as an airline mechanic. The airline also surprised him by dedicating a Boeing 777 in his honour. @JFKairport

Child-free zone One in two passengers would opt for child-free flights if available according to a survey carried out

by Holiday Hypermarket.

Of the 2,000 people asked, 30% cited noisy children and crying babies as the number one annoyance on a plane. Taking up personal space came next with 23%, closely followed by drunk passengers (21%). @holidayhype

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Flying ovation

Jet lagging

Icelandair has enroled staff in stage school in an attempt to keep passengers better entertained in flight. Working with an immersive theatre group the staff will now offer a one-of-a-kind, three-act play transporting passengers from 1937 and into the future, during a London to New York flight via Iceland. This kicks off a series of inflight performances rinning throughout the year to mark 80 years of Icelandair.

Passengers with time in Iceland can also swap their boarding pass for an 'Icelandair Stopover Pass', with access to local gigs, football matches and more. @Icelandair

Jetlag is costing the global economy dear according to one recent survey which showed 70% of travellers take up to three-days to fully recover from a flight. Just 36% of travellers head straight back to work according to flights site, cheapflights.com, and most take an average of 17 hours to get back on track after a long-haul trip. Based on British travellers, the survey revealed that over half of travellers take up to two days off to readjust, estimated to cost the economy a cool ÂŁ7 billion a year. And that's just in the UK. @Cheapflights

Taste of Munich

Tech that talks UK low-cost carrier easyJet has become the first European airline to launch Amazon Alexa services, enabling passengers to check their flight status using voice activation technology. Passengers can check up-to-date arrival and departure information, simply by asking Alexa. @easyJet

With some airports now rivaling world renowned food festivals, it’s a wonder anyone remembers to get on a plane! It was certianly more about food than flights as Munich Airport celebrated its second culinary festival "Taste & Style". The fourday event attracted around 150,000 visitors who could sample latest gourmet trends and watch celebrity chefs in action while they waited to board their flight. @MUC_Airport

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ONBOARD FINDER The new way to search for the hottest onboard products and services

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onboardhospitality.com/finder Get your product into Onboard Finder, contact sue.williams@bmipublishing.co.uk

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NEW ARRIVALS / 125

Tea Pop *N

EW ARRIVALS *

This UK-based company is revisiting the way people look at loose leaf tea, often fiddly and complicated to make, with a remarkable new and patent-pending process Everyone loves a success story and at Onboard Hospitality we have been excited to see just how successful specialist companies can be once they get onboard.

We’re on the look out for newcomers to the industry, be they young people, young companies or young products: those that may be the faces of the onboard sector tomorrow.

So if you're making your way into the onboard market, get in touch and we’ll spread the word, champion the cause and watch your business as it heads sky high or gets on track.

A magical process Teapop is loose leaf tea, but not as you know it. The product is more compact than loose. It's a crystal made from a reverse extraction process which sees loose tea leaves infused and brewed, the liquid and minerals extracted and then compressed into a solidified compound.

Teapop says that it's the multiple vacuum cycles which trap the flavour, aroma and antioxidants and the cry result is a crystal which can then be popped into a cup of hot or cold water and melts away to leave a messfree cup of tea.

The makers claim their product is perfect for airlines looking to

Vacuum cycles trap flavour, aroma and antioxidants and create a crystal to pop into water for tea

offer a premium tea experience in First or Business, because, unlike other teas, it’s quality is not affected by a lack of access to boiling water. It’s also incredibly lightweight and melts away to nothing.

The full range of brews Tea Pop only uses certified organic ingredients with filtered water, and currently comes in a range of flavours including white tea, jasmine white tea, Earl Grey, ice lemon, vanilla saffron, mint and various fruit flavours.

Tea Pop Professional is designed for onboard service. The large-size crystal can be added to a standard-size serving jug to make the perfect cuppa.

The company is also targeting travel retail with its presentation boxes and tins filled with luxurious tea crystals. myteapop.com •

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126 / EVENTS

AviationFest takes off in London The Aviation Festival, now in its 14th year, encompasses all aspects of the airline and airport passenger experience and brings together the most innovative airlines to discuss all aspects of the digitalisation of the airline business model.

The festival is four events plus dedicated preday summits catering to all global airlines. The World Low Cost Airlines Congress assesses new routes, revenues and customers; AirXperience looks at innovation in passenger experience technology; the Aviation IT Show examines digital transformation, data and infrastructure; and the Air Retail Show studies retail strategy, ancillary revenue growth, merchandising and innovation. Meanwhile, the Aviation Marketing Social Summit covers social media marketing and brand strategies and the Aviation Marketing Loyalty Summit is all about customer retention, personalisation strategies and revenue.

The festival will host over 2000 visitors, 200 speakers, 1,500 conference delegates and over WHAT: The Aviation Festival WHERE: Business Design Centre, London WHEN: September 6-8, 2017

CALENDAR

120 different global airlines. Presiding over 150 presentations, 22 roundtable debates and several hours of networking. Speakers include: Sir Tim Clark, Emirates’s president; Christina Foerster, cco Brussels Airlines; and Craig Kreeger ceo, Virgin Atlantic Airways. terrapinn.com/ conference/aviation-festival-europe/index.stm

Snack time

Fine dining

Visitor registration is now open for the 10th anniversary edition of lunch! The event will include exclusive keynote speakers like Roger Whiteside, ceo of bakery Greggs, and Andrew Walker, chief executive of EAT. 1,500 visitors and VIP buyers have already registered to attend. Among them are British Airways, Eurostar International, and P&O Ferries. Buyers can meet over 350 exhibiting companies, all showcasing the latest innovations in food, drink, packaging, equipment and catering technology. New exhibitors include: Ninkee and CanO Water. lunchshow.co.uk

This event is dedicated to highend food products ranging from bakery to charcuterie and is co-located with Seafex, a seafooddedicated event, and Yummex, the largest trade show for sweet and savoury snacks in the Middle East and North Africa region. These three complementary F&B events trade together at a key interval prior to the hospitality high season, ensuring all creative, operational and buying requirements are realised in preparation for the coming business cycle. speciality.ae

WHAT: lunch!

WHERE: ExCel, London WHEN: September 21-22 2017

WHAT: Speciality & Fine Food Fair WHERE: World Trade Centre, Dubai WHEN: September 18-20 3-5 2017

SEPTEMBER 8-10 HOSFAIR, one of the leading hospitality supplies festival, will be at China Import & Export Fair Complex. hosfair.com ------SEPTEMBER 25-28 Long Beach, California, will host three aviation exhibitions this September: IFSA, APEX and AIX USA. ifsanet.com; apex.aero; aircraftinteriorsexpo-us. com ------OCTOBER 1-6 TFWA World Exhibition & Conference is a duty free/ travel retail summit in Cannes, France. tfwa.com ------OCTOBER 22-24 APOT.Asia is in Bali this year, helping promote the region's products and services around the world. apot.asia

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