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Classy coffee
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Austrian Airlines is on a mission to prove that Economy cabin coffee can have a premium feel. April Waterston finds out how
ustrian Airlines' new Economy coffee service aims to give Business service a run for its money with a speciality Weiner Melange (Viennese blend) which brings traditional style and flavour onboard. The airline has partnered with specialist coffee brand, Julius Meinl, in a programme faciliated by Retail inMotion, to bring the company's premium coffee to inflight service. Julius Meinl has been sourcing and innovating with coffee since 1862, and the inflight Wiener Melange offer is a freshly-brewed and prepared coffee with milk foam, widely-known in the traditional coffee houses of Vienna. Onboard the coffee can also be served, on request, as großer Brauner – black coffee with a separate coffee creamer.
Bringing tradition onboard Julius Meinl is credited with having laid the foundations of today's famous Viennese coffee house culture, and the brand is now famous across the region. In the late 19th century, Meinl switched from selling expensive raw coffee beans, which would take time for wealthy Viennese to grind and roast at home, to ready-roasted coffee. He invented new machinery and
milk foam freshly prepared onboard. experimented with different grades of This results in a high-quality product coffee roasting techniques. compared to other instant coffee Soon philosophers, poets and 'mere solutions. "This approach is about mortals' could be found sitting around going back to the roots and offering marble tables in Viennese coffee traditional products whose name and houses, enjoying coffee from the Meinl uniqueness speak for themselves.” roastery – a legend that has followed said Sven Meissner, the brand through to retail director at 2021 and into 70 Retail inMotion. countries worldwide. Winning a Highly Part of what sets Commended award the Julius Meinl coffee The overall service apart from premium feel of the in the Onboard Hospitality Awards standard economy coffee was unlike offerings is the way any other onboard 2021, the judges commended the in which it is served. overall premium feel Rather than using of the product, saying it was unlike any plastic or paper cups, the Wiener other coffee service currently available Melange is served in an exclusive in an Economy cabin. porcelain cup. It features an ergonomic Discover more about this year's handle and matching saucer – a winners on pages 41-50. Entries for combination designed to add to the next year's awards open January 1, experience. 2022. Learn more: Freshness is key, with both the coffee onboardhospitality.com/awards • (made with a French press) and the
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