Focus on: Classy coffee

FOCUS ON / 23

Classy coffee

Austrian Airlines is on a mission to prove that Economy cabin coffee can have a premium feel. April Waterston finds out how

Austrian Airlines' new Economy coff ee service aims to give Business service a run for its money with a speciality Weiner Melange (Viennese blend) which brings traditional style and fl avour 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. roast at home, to ready-roasted coffee. He invented new machinery and He invented new machinery and experimented with different grades of coffee roasting techniques.

Soon philosophers, poets and 'mere mortals' could be found sitting around marble tables in Viennese coffee houses, enjoying coffee from the Meinl roastery – a legend that has followed the brand through to 2021 and into 70 countries worldwide.

Part of what sets the Julius Meinl coffee service apart from standard economy offerings is the way in which it is served. Rather than using plastic or paper cups, the Wiener Melange is served in an exclusive porcelain cup. It features an ergonomic handle and matching saucer – a combination designed to add to the experience.

Freshness is key, with both the coffee (made with a French press) and the

milk foam freshly prepared onboard. This results in a high-quality product compared to other instant coffee solutions. "This approach is about going back to the roots and offering traditional products whose name and uniqueness speak for themselves.” said Sven Meissner, retail director at Retail inMotion. Winning a Highly The overall Commended award premium feel of the in the Onboard coffee was unlike Hospitality Awards offerings is the way in which it is served. any other onboard 2021, the judges commended the Rather than using overall premium feel plastic or paper cups, the Wiener of the product, saying it was unlike any Melange is served in an exclusive other coffee service currently available porcelain cup. It features an ergonomic in an Economy cabin. handle and matching saucer – a Discover more about this year's combination designed to add to the winners on pages 41-50. Entries for experience. next year's awards open January 1,

Freshness is key, with both the coffee 2022. Learn more: (made with a French press) and the onboardhospitality.com/awards •