In conversation

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TECH HAS A HUGE IMPACT ON CUTTING WASTE AND GOOD MENU DEVELOPMENT

Michelin-star trained chef, Sebastian Schaefer, is now embracing data analytics and retail strategy as he drives F&B excellence as Retail inMotion’s culinary lead

My role straddles both airline retail, with Retail inMotion, and LSG Group’s full service catering operation. It is a fascinating place to be right now because increasingly the data and feedback we receive directly through retail sales technology can be used to inform both classic catering and retail development programmes.

Demand for onboard retail is growing fast and post-pandemic the opportunities are changing in some exciting ways. Airlines are looking to onboard retail for new revenue opportunities and for these they are looking to offer a quality premium experience that passengers will happily pay for.

Increasingly retail is about fresh product and tapping into wider consumer trends to try and find partners who can create menus with good provenance and a positive, sustainable back story. It is no longer just about ambient meals and quick snacking options.

Airline food and beverage has some very specific challenges but its beauty is that it is a way to brighten the travel experience, a way to really add value and enhance the journey time.

When culinary meets tech

Technology allows us to display many more options to passengers, for preorder, but it also ensures we can adapt and develop the retail offer very quickly. We effectively get real time feedback on how something is being received onboard, whether it matches passenger demand, and we can adjust accordingly. This has a huge impact on waste management, cutting wasted product dramatically.

These insights can also be shared with our classic catering teams to support their menu presentations. There is a lot of cross over. The culinary team works to develop new methods to keep quality up and enhance shelf-stable products, and that can be used to support the retail offer too.

Every airline has a different attitude to its retail offer. Some are very focused on local produce and culinary concepts (such as Austrian and Swiss) others look to tap specific trends and seek collaborations with partners. Price is always fundamental to success but being able to offer a wide variety through the technology does open the way to having something to suit all tastes and all budgets more easily. •