Onboard Hospitality 63 June/July 2015 by BMI Publishing Ltd

FOR AIR, RAIL, CRUISE AND FERRIES

JUNE/JULY 2015 | Issue 63

Designer label

Making an impression through your product or brand is key to long term success

WTCE REVIEW OBH AWARDS WINNERS PACKAGING AND BRANDING

AIX REVIEW SUPERFOODS NEXT GENERATION

Discover the art of satisfying travelersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; wishes. Besides offering tasty meals, exciting equipment, smart logistics and innovative retail concepts, LSG Sky Chefs also provides valuable consumer insight based on thorough studies about global food trends and lifestyles. Our advanced approach to creating in-flight concepts truly meets your passengersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; individual needs. Visit our new website and get in touch to discover more.

Have you se en the new LSG Sky Che fs website? www.lsgskyc hefs.com Untitled-4 1 LSG-15901_OBH-Anzeige-177x237-v1-0.indd 1

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ONBOARD HOSPITALITY JUNE/JULY 2015

Inside this issue FEATURES 22 OBH Award Winners 28 Branding and Packaging 34 Superfoods

SHOWS 18 Event review: WTCE/Taste of Travel 52 Event review: What we saw at WTCE 62 Event review: WTCE Photo Gallery OPINION 27 Jeremy Clark 45 Marc Warde: Food Trends 49 Rob Britton REGULARS 07 Industry update 46 Global Perspective 51 In Person: Peter Woolhouse, Linstol 79 Future Events 81 Past Events

ONBOARD ENTERTAINMENT 65 Passenger Experience Conference 68 Event review: AIX/IFEC Zone 76 Crystal Cabin Awards FOCUS ON 25 Trends: FORMIA 33 Yates and Partners 38 Gluten Free Meals 40 DO&CO 42 Next Generation 77 New Arrivals

42 65

t h e o n e a n d o n ly p r e m i u m c av i a r from living sturgeon

W E T R E A S U R E T H E VA L U E O F L I F E We believe that with great treasure comes great responsibility â&#x20AC;&#x201C; not only for the moment of luxury but for a lasting journey of indulgence. Enjoy the taste of the extraordinary with a pure conscience. w w w. v i v a c e c a v i a r . c o m | i n f o @ v i v a c e c a v i a r . c o m

WELCOME

Publisher of Onboard Hospitality Martin Steady Editor: Jo Austin Associate Publisher: Sue Williams Assistant Editor: Julie Baxter News Editor: Laura Gelder Contributing Writers: Andy Hoskins, Jeremy Clark, Richard Williams (IFEC), Raymond Kollau, Roger Williams, Rob Britton and Nikos Loukas Creative Director: Matt Bonner Art Directors: Daniel Franklin, Tina-Lee McDougall Designer: Louisa Horton Production Manager: Clare Hunter Production Controller: Steve Hunter Subscriptions: Cheryl Staniforth 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 Editorial email: jo.austin@onboardhospitality.com Advertising email: sue.williams@onboardhospitality.com Subscriptions email: subscriptions@bmipublishing.co.uk www.onboardhospitality.com © BMI Publishing Ltd 2015. Whilst every effort is made to ensure accuracy, BMI Publishing Ltd cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions. ISSN: 2046-2042

Trends taking off This year's World Travel Catering & Onboard Services Expo, Aircraft Interiors Expo and the Passenger Experience Conference were truly global events that reflected the exciting growth of our industry, displaying a resurgence in energy, product and design innovation. The Onboard team took Hamburg by storm and the inaugural OBH Awards was a sell-out.

Jo Austin Editor, Onboard Hospitality

This issue focuses on food trends with an emphasis on 'superfoods' and gluten-free. The traditional safe choice of ingredients undergoes scrutiny as we see a move towards kimchee, quinoa and umami burgers, all of which come under the umbrella of superfoods. It is too early to tell whether airline chefs and caterers will take this new trend on board, but passengers can certainly expect more choice and recognition of special meals in the not-too-distant future. New laws requiring full nutritional information labelling for foods will certainly ensure that airlines think more carefully about ingredients. As summer approaches in the northern hemisphere, the OBH team is taking off in all directions. Sue Williams will be covering APOT.Asia in Sri Lanka, Jeremy Clark was at The Travel Catering Expo in Dubai, Laura Gelder will attend ARC Europe while Julie Baxter flies to Canada Rendezvous. I hope they all get their fill of antioxidants!

Cover image: bigstock.com Find us online at onboardhospitality.com to: read this magazine, share it digitally or subscribe • catch up on back issues • find contact details for key suppliers and caterers in our Caterers and Suppliers Guide • advertise and search for jobs and promote your events.

Jo Austin, Editor

Regularly viewed by readers in over 70 countries worldwide. Get yourself connected online by following OBHMagazine on Twitter or connecting with editor Jo Austin and the Onboard Hospitality Linked-In Group linkedin.com

Contributors

Laura Gelder

Standing by to receive all your product news, Laura has worked in the travel and hospitality industries for the past seven years. She is our chief in-house taster.

Julie Baxter

Trained as a newshound on local newspapers, Julie wants your news. She has over 25 years' experience as a journalist, writing for the travel industry.

Jeremy Clark

A trained chef who has worked in catering for Royal Brunei, Swissair, PanAm and Alpha, Jeremy also co-developed Inflair Software for airline caterers.

Richard Williams

Our specialist writer for the IFEC section of OnBoard Hospitality, Richard is a travel and technology journalist who has his ear to the ground when it comes to onboard trends.

Nikos Loukas

Founder of inflightfeed.com, which features airline food reviews, blog posts and videos all about the world of airline food, Nikos is an onboard food guru.

WWW.ONBOARDHOSPITALITY.COM

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Industry Update Top stories from across the industry

onboard catering

amenities

onboard style

Servair set for South FORMIA extends its America growth amenities reach

High fashion flair for Delta uniforms

Servair's ambitious executive vp of strategy, Alexis Frantz, is looking beyond the company's traditional 'palette' in France and Africa with new units in South America and beyond. "Our homework is well under way," says Alexis - commenting on the company's recent operating results and rumours that Servair was up for sale. "We have made substantial progress in operating income and want to regain our position 'in the race' amongst the top three airline caterers in the world alongside LSG Sky Chefs and Gate Gourmet. "We are the leading airline caterer out of Paris where customer satisfaction is high and have opened 10 new units over the last 18 months including three in Canada in collaboration with Newrest (the most recent addition is at Toronto Lester Pearson Airport), one in Brussels, one in Kinshasa and most importantly in Sao Paolo, Brazil working alongside Flying Food Group. "We have considered Asia and South America and have decided to go for South and Central America. We are also resuming our development plans in Africa. Our challenge, as a French company proud of its high culinary standards, is to convince airlines to reinvest in food on board." servair.fr

Delta Air Lines and New York-based designer Zac Posen are partnering to bring high fashion and function to Delta’s new uniform programme. Posen will design a uniform collection for Delta’s flight attendants and airport customer service agents while advising on the uniforms for ramp and ground support agents, Delta Cargo agents and Delta TechOps employees. Known for his fresh and innovative designs, Posen’s brand of modern American glamour is said to pair well with Delta’s brand attributes. “I’m thrilled to partner with this classic American brand and look forward to collaborating with Delta employees to understand their wants and needs for the new collection,” said Zac. “Together, we will bring everyday elegance and style innovation to the ground and air alike." Prototypes will undergo intensive wear testing to ensure functionality and fit before the final collection is produced. The new uniforms are part of larger brand transformation and investment in all areas of the customer experience, including airport facilities, technology and global products and services. The new collection is expected to launch in early 2018. delta.com

FORMIA has extended its existing contract with EVA Air to supply uniquely designed RIMOWA branded amenity kits for passengers in the airline’s Royal Laurel classes. The RIMOWA hard shell cases were successfully launched in 2013 in a specially-commissioned Racing Green colour designed to complement EVA Air’s own corporate colours. In a second stage, two new colours, Crystal Green and Prosecco, were introduced and now, under the terms of the new agreement, two further new exciting colours will be on board later this year to appeal to passengers collecting them for a variety of post-flight applications. FORMIA will also begin supplying Aeromexico with Aquascutum branded amenity kits for its Business passengers. This represents the first time that the world famous British Aquascutum brand has been available onboard. The collaboration involves two different, uniquely designed bags - one for in-bound flights, the other for outbound – featuring Aquascutum’s iconic checkered pattern. The bags will contain a variety of luxury cosmetic items from the Aquascutum range. formia.com

www.onboardhospitality.com

Industry Update

amenities

at wtce

Rugby grooming kicks off onboard

Watermark makes a magic move

Innovative trolley trinity from Zodiac

England rugby and Strictly Come Dancing star, Ben Cohen, has launched a male grooming kit exclusive to Jet2. com on flights to over 50 sun, city and ski destinations. The range from Elegant Touch consists of tweezers, nail pliers and a three-way nail buffer. Made from high quality, heavy duty, stainless steel and with a wood grain finish, it has been specially designed with men in mind. The set is not available anywhere else in the UK and is priced just £27, making it the perfect purchase for either blokes who want a pre or post holiday treat or ladies who are looking for a special gift for the men in their lives. Ben Cohen said: “Most of us blokes do pay a bit of extra attention on our looks when we go away so it’s a perfect fit and I really hope it takes off!” Said Kirsty Crowther, buying manager at Jet2.com and Jet2holidays: “There is a growing demand for male grooming products so it’s great to be teaming up with an icon like Ben and being able to offer our customers this exclusive, new kit. Our cabin crew think it’s a fantastic addition to our retail offering and I’m sure it will be a great success.” jet2.com

Onboard product specialist, Watermark Products, has forged a new alliance with Marvin’s Magic to create bespoke onboard kids kits that include exclusive magic-themed tricks and activities. London-based Marvin’s Magic is internationally recognised for its magic kits and offers a wide range of magic trick box sets suitable for all ages, plus a new iMagic range of tricks through a smartphone app. Company head, Marvin Berglas, has inspired millions of young magicians and has won retail industry awards for the quality and range of his kits. The new tie-up comes as Watermark Products celebrates its 30th anniversary. Berglas said: “Learning magic gives kids confidence and status as well as a lot of fun. Through this tie up we can offer kids the chance to learn and then practice magic throughout their journey. It becomes totally absorbing so is ideal for travelling. By the time they arrive they will have an amazing new skill with which to impress their friends.” In collaboration with the Marvin’s Magic team Watermark Products will offer bespoke kids’ kits with age-appropriate products and links to the app. All products can be branded to suit the client carrier. wmkproducts.com

Zodiac Aerospace had three innovative trolleys on display at WTCE 2015, all tackling common onboard issues such as security, refrigeration and weight. The Hybrite S is a follow-up model to the Hybrite and is 1kg lighter than its predecessor. The ‘s’ stands for smart, for its modular design; strong, for its use of aluminium and stainless steel; stylish, for its customizable panels; smooth, for its easy-to-clean flat surfaces; secure, for its three-point locked door; and savings, relating to fuel, CO2 and maintenance. Zodiac’s Cool Trolley is also based on the Hybrite S but incorporates a thermodynamic design to maximise the potential of the large dry ice compartment which keeps the trolley's contents between zero and minus five degrees for 10 hours. Zodiac has also partnered with security specialist Maple to create an intelligent seal for the Hybrite range. The electronic ‘smart lock’ employs touchkey technology so that when a trolley is interfered with, the operator can identify exactly where this occurred. The system is exclusively available for the Zodiac Hybrite, with an integrated option for new trolleys from 2016. Zodiacaerospace.com

www.onboardhospitality.com

Industry Update

INDUSTRY AWARDS

onboard catering

on the ground

Humangear wins Guy Martin serves three red dot awards up fine dining

Lufthansa links to Apple Watch

The prestigious Red Dot Design Award committee announced that Humangear has won three 2015 Red Dot awards for the brand new GoBites Uno, Duo, and Trio portable utensil sets. Each item in the line is designed to deliver optimal functionality with the least complexity and fewest number of parts. They also lead the category in long-term durability. The feel of each tool in the hand, the click of the Duo as the tools lock, the handy toothpick in the Trio â&#x20AC;&#x201C; were details recognised as adding to service and making the products delightful to use. humangear.com

Lufthansa has developed an innovative app designed especially to work with the new Apple Watch. The app offers personalised flight information and boarding passes direct to the passenger's wrist watch using technology that integrates all flight-related data and displays it clearly for the user to see. The app reminds passengers of their flight the day before departure, provides continuous updates about the status of the flight and displays the boarding time, terminal, gate and seat number. It enables passengers to see how long is left until their scheduled boarding time. apple.com; lufthansa.com

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Air France La Premiere customers have been enjoying new dishes designed by Michelin-starred chef, Guy Martin on long-haul flights out of Paris throughout May. Passengers were treated to a starter and a choice of five signature including turbot with ras el hanout and sweet potato pie as well as chicken with shrimps in sauce. Guy Martin is a self-taught chef from the Savoie region of France, who takes his inspiration from diverse sources including travel souvenirs, sensations, and emotions. airfrance.com

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Industry Update

aT WTCE

onboard catering

amenities

Growth into new areas for En Route

Monarch flies the best of British

Milk Jnrs launches kids pack for TUI

En Route is diversifying and showcased some examples at WTCE, including a collaboration with a beauty line and some new onboard kids products. In collaboration with premium UK beauty brand Neom Organics, En Route is offering airlines a way to tap into current health trends with its wellbeing kits for First and Business. There are two boxes designed to help fliers deal with the stresses of travel, one to help energise and one to help promote sleep, with items such as pulse oil and pillow mist. For the children’s market, En Route has designed a series of onboard solutions to help make the parent-child relationship easier in the air and help parents monitor and control what their children eat. The solutions are designed for three different age groups: infants, two-six and six-12. One example of En Route’s solutions is its ‘little wings pack’ for infants which contains reading books for parents, wet wipes and food, in partnership with organic baby food range Ella’s Kitchen. For two-six year olds is a safari-themed concept and for six12 year olds a ‘travel the world’ theme, both incorporating items such as activity booklets and postcards. en-route.com

Monarch has launched new onboard meals designed and developed over a six month period by Alpha LSG’s Head Development Chef, Carl Jones. The new ‘British Comfort Food’ menu was devised following research into current high-street trends and customer feedback. All the meals within the new menu come with a complimentary PG Tips Tea or Kenco Rich Coffee, which, normally retails on-board for £2.50. Dishes from the menu include the British classic of a full English breakfast; consisting of British pork sausages, grilled back bacon, scrambled eggs, button mushrooms and baked beans. As well as a classic slowbraised Kentish ale beef casserole with parsley dumplings and roasted carrots. Vegetarians are catered for with dishes such as cheese tortelloni pasta accompanied with a vine ripened tomato and basil sauce, roasted aubergine and courgettes. A Moroccan style vegetable tagine with fragrant lemon and mint couscous is a popular alternative. Carl Jones said: “We have devised the new 'British Comfort Food' menu following customer feedback and through identifying market and high street trends.” monarch.co.uk

Milk Jnr’s & Kidworks, a UK-based agency specialising in kids activity packs – has produced and launched a new inflight pack for TUI Group. The pack is now being rolled out across TUI’s various airlines: TUIfly Nordic, Holland’s Arkefly, Belgium’s Jetairfly and Thomson Airways. The pack includes a mix of activities for kids aged two to 10. The main pack for short haul flights includes a speciallycommissioned activity booklet called The Adventures of the Travelling Suitcase along with crayons and a colourful TUI branded box. As space was limited - and each of the TUI country languages needed to be incorporated into all puzzles and games Milk made the piece ‘language neutral’ and self-explanatory. The 'travelling suitcase' theme is carried throughout the pack with lots of puzzles and colour-ins; all of which are based on summer holidays. Activities include a big TUI plane to colour-in (this is a character the agency specifically developed for the packs), Spot the Difference, Suitcase Maze, Holiday Maths and Match the Flag. The long haul pack also has a logic game called ‘Passenger Puzzler. milk-jnrs.com

www.onboardhospitality.com

spiriant says Hola Innovative inflight equipment concepts coming soon to Latin America! After a successful launch in the Middle-East, SPIRIANT continues its journey to Latin America. With a dedicated team, we work with you to design and create the inflight equipment you need. State-of-the-art logistics result in a more efficient supply chain process that can make your life easier and reduce complexity. All this and more coming soon in 2015!

Explore the SPIRIANT world on www.spiriant.com or visit us at booth 4D30 (Hall A4) to learn more about SPIRIANT and our award-winning solutions.

Industry Update

INFLIGHT TECHNOLOGY

ONBOARD CATERING

INDUSTRY AWARDS

Finnair adds retail tech options

Ministro flask proving popular

Matrix APA wins Cathay Award

Finnair has deployed GuestLogix’ nextgeneration, Android-based point-ofsale solution via the Samsung Tab and GuestLogix certified payment peripherals. This will allow Finnair’s flight crew to sell food and beverage as well as duty free items onboard, enhancing the service provided to its passengers. Onboard retailing accounting for 15% of ancillary revenue growth, flight attendantdriven sales models that use smartphone and tablet retail technology have become increasingly popular, and Finnair is now live with the most robust mobile POS technology available to the global passenger travel industry. finnair.com

The Ministro flask is proving popular with Emirates cabin attendants according to Gordon Oakley, ceo, Malton Inflight who spoke to Onboard Hospitality about the product at WTCE. Said Gordon: "The forward-thinking design is compact, allowing six pieces to fit into an Atlas or KSSU standard unit, and the wide open neck means it fits any washing machine conveyor belt. The pour rate is efficient, and the design’s capability to keep the liquid hot makes the Ministro flask an effective piece of equipment. This combined with the tightly closing lever, also makes the product safe." maltoninflight.com

Matrix APA has won the Social Responsibility category at Cathay Pacific China Business Awards 2015. The Award recognises initiatives from any company or not-for-profit organisation that has benefited China in a socially responsible manner. Matrix APA is a product design and procurement company specialising in sourcing high quality promotional products and consumer gifts from socially and ethically responsible suppliers in the Far East. Judges were impressed by Matrix APA’s approach to ensuring compliance and training. matrixapa.com

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Your partner onboard

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Industry Update Top sTorIes from across The IndUsTry

onboard catering

inFlight enertainment

LSG interacts online with new website

Alpha LSG awarded easyJet contract

Qantas launches inflight e-reader

LSG Group has launched a new website designed to enhance the user experience and deliver concise information about its capabilities and activities, as well as reflect the changing dynamics of the industry. While representing the group’s brands, LSG Sky Chefs, SPIRIANT, SkylogistiX and Retail inMotion, the new website also shows the group's wider portfolio of products and services beyond airline catering including equipment, logistics, lounge management and onboard retail services. It also highlights the group’s expanded business in the train and retail markets, where its core competencies in food production and logistics can easily be applied. The new site includes information via various access points with just a few clicks. It also provides more emotional and personal content, such as employee testimonials, and encourages users to interact with the company. LSG Sky Chefs currently delivers 578 million meals a year, primarily for more than 300 airlines at 214 airports in 51 countries. lsgskychefs.com

Alpha LSG has been awarded a contract by Gate Retail Onboard (GRO) which manages all easyJet's inflight requirements, to supply catering to more than 220 easyJet flights. Alpha LSG is providing easyJet with buy-on-board sandwiches, crew food and a bar service adding up to 8,500 meals each week for passengers flying out of Manchester and 6,500 meals weekly for flights from Liverpool. The contract which started last month (May) requires Alpha LSG to service 126 flights each week from Manchester Airport and 96 flights from Liverpool John Lennon Airport. Sandra Griffiths, interim flight services manager fro Alpha LSG at Manchester, said: “This is really great news for us. It’s always exciting to gain new business and even more so when it is such a highprofile carrier. Although Alpha LSG has catered for easyJet elsewhere, this is a first for Manchester and Liverpool.” The contract also means an extra 40 jobs added to the 180 positions that Alpha LSG is already recruiting for to cover the busy summer period at its Manchester base which currently employs around 650 people. alphalsg.co.uk

Qantas has announced it will be implementing an e-reading application, that will give passengers access to nearly 4,000 titles prior to their flight, on the newspaper and magazine platform Press Reader. The Qantas app will give travellers access to Press Reader, meaning they can download a huge range of publications in 60 different languages ranging from The Daily Mail to Vogue, as well as local, regional and international titles from over 100 countries. Customers will have access to the app 24 hours before their flight takes off, a 12 hour access period will allow them unlimited downloads. This can be stored on either an IOS or Android device, for access any time. To use the selection passengers have to download the Qantas app, tap the newspapers and magazines tile, open the PressReader app and download their favourite titles. The launch comes comes in tandem with Qantas' implementation of new inflight entertainment, doubling the number of new-release blockbusters and adding more virtual box sets of popular TV series. qantas.com

www.onboardhospitality.com

Industry Update

onboard catering

AT WTCE

onboard catering

Chef Yosuke Suga debuts with JAL

Sino-foreign joint venture celebration

Communicating in the kitchen

Chef Yosuke Suga has joined JAL’s restaurant in the sky to create a western collaboration menu to be served in First class from June 1 (this month) on international flights out of Tokyo. Suga started as an assistant of French master chef Joël Robuchon, and then played a role as an executive chef at L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon in Paris, He is now an owner-chef of his culinary laboratory Sugalabo which he recently opened in April 2015 in Kamiya-cho, Tokyo. Setting 'Japan' as his keyword, Chef Suga seeks the 'Exquisite Taste' through Japanese culture, focusing on elements ranging from ingredients and tableware to cookware. The Chef trained in Paris before opening his own restaurant, Sugalabo, which focuses on experimenting with different flavours and ingredients. The new menu will be available in flights from Tokyo to New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, London, Frankfurt, Paris and Jakarta. Courses offered will include hair crab with fondant tomato, lobster and artichoke baigoule, and a coupe of coconut and tropical fruit. jal.com

LSG Sky chefs celebrated several partnerships around the globe at WTCE in Hamburg. This year marks the 35th anniversary of Beijing Air Catering Co., Ltd., the first Sino-foreign joint venture established in Beijing, China, in 1980. Today, the partnership between the Air China Group, Hong Kong Maxim’s Group and LSG Sky Chefs, is one of the world’s largest catering enterprises delivering around 90,000 meals to more than 500 flights per day. Said Jochen Müller, coo LSG Sky Chefs: “We were the industry pioneer in entering the Chinese and Russian markets as early as the 1980s, and since then we have continued to seek new opportunities, wherever they arise." LSG Sky Chefs has joint ventures in Angola, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Egypt, Ireland, Japan, Kenya, Nigeria, Portugal, Russia, South Korea, Switzerland, Tanzania, Thailand, Turkey, the United Kingdom and 17 countries in Latin America, comprising more than 100 locations that generate non-consolidated revenues of more than one billion euros. lsgskychefs.com

OneClickServe is a revolutionary technology designed for the catering and hospitality sectors by rocXautomation in the UK. The wireless technology is a notification device allowing staff and consumers or the kitchen and staff to communicate. The technology works through radio signals. OneClickServe is able to deliver instant notification that attendance is required. Staff use a wearable device on their wrist which displays a message notifying them of the exact location of the call, resulting in increased efficiency. Consumers or staff simply press a button to notify workers that their attention is required, eliminating the lengthy process of trying to track down staff members. rocXautomation.co.uk

www.onboardhospitality.com

Exhibition Review

World Travel Catering & Onboard Services Expo

It’s countdown to the world's largest business event dedicated to travel catering, passenger comfort and onboard retail.

Spotlight on WTCE 2015 This year’s World Travel Catering & Onboard Services Expo in Hamburg attracted over 300 exhibitors for the three-day event and a record number of attendees, according to the organisers. The show covered two halls, with Hall A4 dominated by gategroup and LSG Sky Chefs. It was good to see Kaelis in the front row with an elegant range of tableware in complementary colours and shapes, and Frankenberg took centre stage, keeping hungry show-goers well-fed with their nutritional and delicious menu cooked on-stand. The Onboard team was very grateful for the coffee on the Newrest stand – thanks for keeping us going! WK Thomas had a busy stand displaying colourful new packaging and quality paper products and Buzz was 'aglow' with its ticker display (right) which showcased the iconic skylines of various cities. Meanwhile, globalc added 'that little touch’ with plenty of fun and quirky tableware ideas and Skysupply showcased its contemporary and stylish range of amenity kits. Linstol told us of the success of its Greg Norman-endorsed Shark range of amenities. This year’s event saw the launch of the Travel Retail Zone, an area dedicated to showcasing duty free products to help air and rail operators increase onboard sales. Buyers were able to source the latest saleon-board items and discover the trends being driven by consumers currently. A Travel Retail Trail also led attendees to other exhibitors at the show with a travel retail offering, making it easy for them to target their visit. In Hall A3, visitors were welcomed by popular Taste of Travel in association with Onboard Hospitality. With live demonstrations, interactive presentations, sampling and tastings, visitors were able to

www.onboardhospitality.com

experience the latest evolutions in onboard services and travel catering. This year’s show also saw the launch of the brand new feature, ‘What’s New Onboard’ picking out a selection of innovative, newly launched products. Hall A3 was the quieter of the two but featured some very popular suppliers, including En Route and Wessco, who had made appointments with their clients prior to the show. Wessco made its exciting announcement on day three of

"At WTCE we got the opportunity to meet with the important decision makers of the industry." George Asfour, Broderick’s Bakery



Where: Hamburg Messe When: April 5 -7 2016 www.worldtravelcateringexpo.com

Exhibition Review

tast

the show – a new exclusive partnership with Philippe Starck to design First & Business amenity kits. World-renowned icon of contemporary design, Philippe Starck, has created everything from toothbrushes to revolutionary megayachts and the partnership marks his first foray into the commercial aircraft cabin and the beginning of an elegant new era in passenger comfort. Another popular stand in Hall A3 was Cuisine Solutions, who had a loyal following from lovers of sous vide menus, and the Servair chefs, who served up some sumptuous creations. Similarly sought after was Montys, for its hot snacks. And Andrew and Chris Brown of Ratcliffe & Brown attracted a string of visitors to taste the latest vintage of onboard wines. What we learned at the Taste of Travel Theatre: Onboard Hospitality was again the associated partner of the Taste of Travel Theatre. The fun and fact-packed programme included demonstrations and debates with industry experts and

f tra eo v

was a popular feature of the show. Many thanks to our speakers and very special thanks to our fantastic chefs, Michel Quissac of Servair who cooked up a coquillettes risotto for children; and to Cuisine Solutions’ Gerard Bertholon who talked about all-natural foods and sous vide contents. Here is a round-up of the other speaker:

Super Service for next-gen needs Mandy Saven, head of food, beverage and hospitality at Stylus and a member of the Advisory Council for the World Brand Congress, gave her fast-paced, amusing presentation sharing some wacky examples of how to tap into the needs of the selfieobsessed millennial generation (see pages 42-43 for a full report).

"We displayed our new eye mask technology in the ‘What’s New Onboard’ area to get people to visit our stand." Ronald von Häfen, Global Solutions GmbH

Passengers of the Future Heidi Wagner from Uniset and Tim Webb from Buzz explored the challenges involved in entertaining kids in the air, discussing technology versus traditional play, catering for different ages and fostering brand loyalty from an early age. “Uniset’s products are designed to increase cabin comfort by assisting cabin crew as well as the airline's optimising brand loyalty,” said Heidi. She pointed out that 60% of families are nervous about travelling with children, so helping them to make sure it's a pleasant experience is a big plus for airlines. Tim is a published author of childrens' books and has worked with some of the world's biggest childrens' 

www.onboardhospitality.com

Exhibition Review



brands including Disney, Nickelodeon and the Cartoon Network, giving him a unique understanding of the value of ‘evergreen’ brands such as Sponge Bob Square Pants, and how airlines can harness their longevity. He said: “A consistent and cohesive message is the key to an airline achieving brand loyalty across age groups.” Both speakers agreed that iPads are a great way to entertain children but there is no substitute for traditional games which help children use their imagination and interact with the parents and siblings – such as memory or card games, brain teasers or sticker books which can be used in conjuction with digital entertainment. Kids’ items onboard are not always about entertainment and can sometimes be used to calm a child and get them ready for sleep, such as Buzz’s Emirates’ Fly With Me blanket monsters, which was just one of the products the audience were shown as examples of products onboard right now.

How trends are impacting the future onboard experience

Mike Crump of Honour Branding talked about how to keep in touch with today's technology-savvy traveller.. See pages 28-30 for full report.

Building the profile of regional cuisine Ethiopia’s favourite TV chef, Giordana Kebedom, gave a passionate demonstration of Ethiopian cookery serving up lamb tibbs, a national dish.

Fit for Travel Personal trainer, ex-professional rugby player and co-founder of Meaningful Escapes (a company offering healthy holidays), Spencer Davey posed some interesting questions about health, asking: “is our ancestral history making us fat?” and other pertinent questions. Spencer pointed out that the new definition of health is “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being” and tackled our hard-wired desire to consume calories for survival versus our modern lifestyle. He also demonstrated the link between overeating and stress. Linking it back to travel, Spencer showed how humans body clocks work on a delay that is bought up to speed by light and when we eat – showing how important eating healthily while travelling is! Spencer concluded by suggesting that airlines serve healthy fats and fresh fruit and vegetables, as well as providing nutritional content and meals where the macro nutrients can be separated – essentially, giving passengers the information and tools they need to control their own nutritional intake.

The tea revolution Twinings’ tea taster Lucy Chappell took the audience on a sensory journey, introducing some more unusual tea blends from Twinings' new 216 range and pairing them with complementary flavours of cake from the team at Gastro – such as elderflower flavoured tea with lemon cake.

"Being part of WTCE's new Travel Retail Trail really helped to drive more people to our stand" Berta Motiejuniene, general export manager, Dione Dairy Ice Cream,

Lucy's factfile on tea • Tea is the second most widely drunk beverage in the world, after water. • Britons alone drink 165 million cups a day and the average Brit spends 92 hours preparing tea per year. • The Twinings’ brand has been around since 1706 • Earl Grey was named after the English earl who bought it back from China. • There are six different types of tea: black, white, green, yellow (this is very rare), oolong and pu-erh. China is the only country in the world that produces all six. • The teabag was invented by mistake when some tea leaves were sent in a silk sample bag and the recipient mistakenly brewed them in the bag.

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THE WINNERS ARE ANNOUNCED… Congratulations to all those recognised in the inaugural Onboard Hospitality Awards Airline representatives and the buyers and suppliers of onboard catering and services gathered on April 13 at the Radisson Blu in Hamburg as the winners of the inaugural Onboard Hospitality Awards were announced. In a hotly-contested process organised by Onboard Hospitality magazine, the award winners each received a silver salver celebrating their success. Finalists were chosen by Onboard Hospitality’s readers – the buyers and suppliers of onboard hospitality – through an online vote, with winners then chosen by a panel of industry experts. Onboard Hospitality Editor, Jo Austin, said: “Our industry is crammed full of amazing and innovative products and we launched

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these awards as a way to give them the recognition they deserve. We were overwhelmed with the response and the enthusiasm of our reader voters and delighted to involve a panel of incredibly knowledgeable and highly-respected judges to make the final selection. We look forward to these Awards becoming a regular fixture in the onboard hospitality industry’s calendar. For full information on all this year’s award finalists, judges and judges comments see: onboardhospitality.com Full details of how and when to enter the 2016 Onboard Hospitality Awards will appear in our next issue. Watch this space!

ONBOARD HOSPITALITY AWARDS 2015

AMENITIES First and Business Class: Qantas

FOOD SERVICE EQUIPMENT Tableware: deSter

SUSTAINABILITY Vivace

WELLBEING Hydra Active

AMENITIES Premium Economy, Economy and LLC: Etihad Airways

INNOVATION First and Business Class: Formia

TEXTILES Qatar Airways

SNACKS AND DRINKS First and Business Class: Living Juice

FOOD SERVICE EQUIPMENT Hardware: Flightweight

INNOVATION Premium Economy, Economy and LLC: Qantas

PACKAGING FOOD AND BEVERAGE DHL

SNACKS AND DRINKS Premium Economy, Economy and LLC: Qantas

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FOCUS ON

Formia365

Defining luxury Formia’s annual trend-spotting event at WTCE in Hamburg suggested it's all about getting personal as Honour Branding's Gerrie Smith focused on creating an aura of brand exclusivity

he definition of luxury seems to be changing. It’s no longer about having stuff, it’s about ‘being’ and as a result the products we offer to the topend of the market need to be increasingly relevant to each individual and work to create a real relationship between the person and the brand. That is the trend that onboard product providers should be focused on says Gerrie Smith: “The brand is never bigger than the person buying it. Every brand needs to think about how it is relevant to its customer and remember that increasingly it is an individual’s personal time that is their greatest luxury.” In recognition of this she points up the need for onboard product providers to think about their passenger’s lifestyles and adapt their offerings accordingly. She says: “Technology, for example, is so much a part of life, so shouldn’t your onboard product be using it more to enhance the customer experience and build your brand. Technology is not just a way to take your client's money or reserve their seats but can play a role in onboard gifts and services too. “Amenity kits are still popular but they haven’t adapted much to reflect the innovation elsewhere in the market place. Wouldn’t a gift like the Everpurse – a bag which includes a docking and charging area – make an amazing and useful gift onboard and one your client is sure to keep using. Or how about tapping into the widespread use of smartphones and apps to show your passengers you really care about their mood and are proactively supporting their well-being.” She highlights apps that link to a wristband and give out advice on stress

relief when anxiety is detected; or rings and belt clips that detect mood and connect with an app to give well-being messages, calming games, exercises and coping strategies. “What a great way to show your passenger you care about their state of mind during the flight. If they find one of these relevant gifts in their amenity kit they will be making a personalconnection with your brand.” In short, she adds: “Luxury needs to meet technology. These kinds of thoughtful techy touches are appearing in cars, in hotels and as wearables already. The future

will be technology-fuelled but the best concepts will be those in which you don’t even see the technology, it will be so well integrated into the product.” She also predicts an intensification of the trend towards bespoke, personalised products. “The hyper bespoke product is already out there and in future all luxury products will be personalised. It is now possible, for example, to have your skin scanned and have cosmetics formulated for your specific needs based on your DNA. How impressed would your client be to be assessed in the airport lounge and find personalised DNA-tailored gifts waiting on their seat.” Profile

Gerrie Smith is the founder and managing director of London-based Honour Branding. The company, which 'brings brands alive' believes that it's not what you think about a brand but how it makes you feel. honourbranding.com

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Visit our Booth #415

Jeremy Clark OPINION

A messy business Apparently my generation – that is the 1950 - 1970 born – has the most 'stuff'. Not only stuff we have inherited and not had time to take to the charity shop, but everything we've accumulated over the years. Plus our kids' stuff which they no longer want. (Younger folk have everything they own on an 'Eye-Plod'.) This presents airlines with a particular challenge. Whilst the lean traveller can happily board Squeezy-Jet with little more than a spare sock and a Lonely Planet guide, the rest of us need more space. You might think that for those fortunate enough to fly Business, space should not be a concern. One assumes that the people who create these spaces have done so with us in mind. . . . . . . or have they? As I recently boarded a well-known antipodean airline I had to wait as engineers were 'fixing' my seat. It was actually in bits all over the floor and revealed why they are so uncomfortable. There is enough electro-motor engineering in them to equip a moon-rover. Between that and your buttocks is a layer of sponge too thin to make a decent Swiss Roll. Maybe the designers are all youthful waifs who weigh next to nothing, but your average JClass occupant who has accumulated body-baggage does need insulating. Once settled in, the real failures emerge, and aren’t restricted to this airline, but are true of most. Where do I put my glasses so they don’t disappear down the side of the cushion to be crunched up by the electro-motors? Why is the drinks glass wider than the pathetically small mini table built into the arm-rest causing it to wobble? Then what genius designed the magazine rack in hard plastic so your boarding pass slips irretrievably to the bottom? Probably the same genius who designed the video

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Jeremy Clark tries to offload his stuff

screens that pop up unexpectedly when you accidentally hit the knob with your elbow sending the champagne glass and contents flying into your neighbour. We appreciate the legroom, but if you place all the storage on the back of the seat in front, you have to unclip and haul yourself three yards to retrieve anything. The alternative design, that some airlines have adopted, is a sort of mini-suite next to you with an array of drinks you never use. I have rarely seen more furniture in one room than the top deck of an Emirates A380. Once you are inserted into your 'pod' it’s OK, but getting in and out can be a challenge. British Airways' JClass has the same number of seats abreast as Premium

Economy so you can be tall, but not too wide! At least they have that handy little drawer where you can forget your stuff. At Lufthansa apparently everyone has 20-20 vision because no-one wears glasses. Hence, there is nowhere to put them. On Virgin Atlantic you have to get up to go to bed because the seat turns upside down. It may sound churlish to be moaning when so many are suffering behind the curtain, but that’s their fault for spending all their money on staying fit (see 'Jeremy' in OBH61). Maybe the answer is to travel lighter, which means offloading stuff. I will read up on how to do it on Ebay. Now . . . where have my glasses gone?

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PACKAGING AND BRANDING

Looking good Making an impression through your product, brand or customer service is key to long term success, says Ariane van Mancius and Mike Crump, speaking at the 2015 Passenger Experience Conference and Taste of Travel in Hamburg.

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PACKAGING AND BRANDING

irst impressions count and whether it’s the way you greet your customer or the packaging you place in front of them, the experience you provide or the corporate gift you give them, every touchpoint gives your business the chance to stand out and make your product memorable. And it’s not necessarily easy! Mike Crump, from Honour Branding, said: “Customer research shows expectations are increasing. Every time a product or experience gets better, the customer just wants more, and they want it for less.” He cites flatbeds as an example: “Flatbeds were a major leap forward in innovation when they launched but now every airline has them and is looking for the next thing to differentiate itself. So now we see the flatbed mattress menus offering a choice of hard or soft mattress; and perhaps next will be a move away from class altogether towards need, with airlines creating zones on aircraft and not just seats, so we’ll see family zones with booths where families can sit together or quiet business zones for those who want to work.” Mike believes that standing out from the crowd will increasingly be about making emotional connections between the customer and the brand and adding personalisation. “People expect to be able to customise their lives – they have choices regarding their cars, their kitchens and even bespoke trainers, so they want it onboard too.” He flags up technology as a trick airlines are yet to fully capitalise on and points to the way retailers are currently creating event experiences within their stores and using technology to enhance their customer service. Burberry, for example, create virtual

rainstorms in store to celebrate its iconic trenchcoat, while Louis Vuitton has technology that allows it to identify when their top customers walk into a store and alerts staff to interact with them accordingly. Beacon technology can also allow retailers to target passersby with specific, relevant and personalised offers as they approach their store. Adds Mike: "We have already seen some airlines such as Air Baltic and Australian Airlines using technology to allow passengers to customise and pre-order meal choices, and Virgin has trialled Google glasses to support customer service, but in future an airline will need to think more like a retailer rather than just being a transport provider; they will need to create events and experiences as part of their engagement with their passengers. Things that will make that engagement memorable." And if it's first impressions that count, such interactions will need to start beyond the aircraft door, so why not have pools and spas in airport lounges or create a wine tasting event there, he suggests. "Lounges need not just be a waiting area, they can become a place to do something truly 

Pictured below: Raw honey takes on a stunning look as sold by Bee Loved; breakfast on board KLM could look like this if Ariane van Mancius gets her way with this stylish Delft branding

"People expect to be able to customise their lives - they have choices regarding their cars, their kitchens and even bespoke trainers, so they want it onboard too" WWW.ONBOARDHOSPITALITY.COM

PACKAGING AND BRANDING

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memorable, making the whole travel experience richer. The aim should be to create something really special, that differentiates the brand. This way your client buys into a little bit of the lifestyle you are promoting and will treasure it." Packaging expert Ariane van Mancius agrees that customer experience matters and specialises in making products look great. "Customers are drawn, more than anything, to products that look good. Something that is well designed and interesting is bound to attract more potential customers than a product that is poorly designed and looks bland. "Packaging design is the key part in marketing a product and ensuring it sells but it also links a brand to a certain thing – be it a colour or a font. It can help ensure customers remember that brand later and will come back to the product again. "People are visual creatures by nature. What differentiates a bad company from a good company is the fact that the latter knows how to attract their customers’ attention. While an interesting and eyecatching logo does play a big part in marketing a product, nothing comes close to the effects of a visually appealing and striking design in terms of influencing the prospective customers." Just as the Burberry rainshowers link an experience to the product, a good design should always reflect the creativity and personality of the company. Ariane adds: "There is more to packaging design than simply ensuring a package looks appealing. There is a whole science behind it – from the shape of the package to the materials used,

"People are visual creatures by nature. What differentiates a bad company from a good one is the fact that the latter knows how to attract their customers' attention"

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without forgetting its functionality - there is no point making a package look visually interesting if it won't do what it was intended to do."

The perfect packaging Much research has been done on the importance of packaging design, and if there is something they all have found, and that is that simplicity sells. What people want, more than anything, is to get the information in a quick and simple way. Ariane says: "Though packaging starts by attracting attention, clearly labelling what the product is about is of the utmost importance too." Other than simplicity, Ariane says customers also want honesty and authenticity and to be sure they can trust the product within. Using the highest quality materials available can help reinforce this and also reflect the quality of the company. If a company is green and modern, then the packaging should be recyclable and innovative. •

Pictured on this page: Packaging expert, Ariane van Mancius, picks out a few of her favourite packaging ideas and shows off her own designs (sandwich above).

FOCUS ON

Yates and Partners

Tomorrow arrives Known for his impeccable style, design and unique approach to the guest experience, it is hardly surprising Keith Yates has found himself in the fine tableware industry. Jo Austin reports

n a time when travel and hospitality is all about ‘the experience’ Keith Yates and Partners is both a consultancy and a design studio ideally positioned to share its knowledge and passion. The team aims to generate emotional connections between brands and the customer and in its latest project they applied these principles and passions to a new range of fine bone china. The new tableware range, 'Tomorrow', has taken two years to develop and combines the use of matte gold with a brilliant gloss white centre. A contemporary matte finish, alone, can be a challenge but the combination with gold has made the task extra challenging for Keith and his technical team as the chinaware has to be able to withstand up to 500 cycles in a dishwasher in high temperatures. 'Tomorrow' has been designed to make the food look good and is ideal for airlines that like to plate onboard. The subtle lip ensures sauces are retained and the move to round plates from square is being seen across the board in premium class. “Just take a look at Garuda,” says Yates, who has been instrumental in the airline’s extraordinary ‘rebirth’ and achievement of a 'five-star' rating.

Pictured: (L-R) Bon Ragus, design director Y+ Studio, Muramoto Wan, gm Nikko Bone China and Keith Yates. (Below) Keith with Bon Ragus and range of Walk off Wearing or WOW pyjamas

“We have been developing bone china in our Bangkok studio and at Nikko's workshop in Ishikawa Japan over the past 10 years for First and Business. We believe in lightness and purity of colour, and in the beautiful brilliant white only fine bone can give," says Keith. The new range bone china is also ideal for five star hotels and airport lounges. Sustainability is also an issue that bids well for this bone

china tableware using 50% artificial bone from the UK mixed with 50% clay. “Travel is shaping our world”, adds Keith who wants to elevate Business travel service to five-star restaurant level. 'Tomorrow' can be bought ‘off the shelf’ with minimum orders of 100 plates and each plate can be tracked using the company's sophisticated RFD technology. yatesandpartners.com Profile

Focused almost exclusively on the airline and hotel guest experience, Keith Yates and Partners specialises in design, development and implementation, and has a passion for integrating the brand and experience in seamless ways.

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n u n i t s r it d ion

Tre n

SUPERFOODS

Is it a seed? Is it a grain? No, it’s a superfood! Laura Gelder investigates the trend for powerhouse nutritional ingredients

uperfood is a word bandied about a lot at the moment, particularly in the media, but what does it actually mean? The Oxford English Dictionary is always a good place to start and defines the term as, “a nutrient-rich food considered to be especially beneficial for health and well-being” – the operative word being ‘considered’. There is actually little evidence to support the idea that superfoods, such as goji berries and chia seeds, are any better for us than a balanced diet.

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According to the European Food Information Council, the use of the term superfood has been recorded as far back as the beginning of the 20th century, but has only recently become popular in mainstream language. It confirms that there is “no official or legal definition of a superfood.” Cancer Research UK’s studies into superfoods concludes: “On the balance of evidence, it's unlikely that specific 'superfoods', on their own, could directly affect the risk of cancer.”

Its researchers say that despite the fact that many so-called superfoods contain natural chemicals (antioxidants, vitamins and minerals) that have been shown to have positive health effects in laboratory studies, sometimes stopping cancer cells from growing, these studies are usually carried out using a purified version of the chemical, such as antioxidant in blueberries. Cancer Research says: “An isolated chemical in a test tube may behave very differently to when it is eaten as part of food and typically these doses are much higher than what we would actually get in our diet.” Quoted in the Daily Telegraph, Susan Jebb, a professor of diet and population health at the University of Oxford, adds: “Evidence that any one food has specific effects on long-term health is lacking and usually more to do with PR and celebrity endorsement than scientific evidence of the kind that would be required if a drug was to make such claims.” But the same article quotes doctor and science journalist Michael Mosley, who concedes that there are exceptions. “I do think that there is some evidence that blackberries and blueberries are good for the brain,” he says. But he agrees that superfoods are overrated, saying: “The most important thing is a rainbow diet, lots of different colours on your plate so you are getting lots of different phytonutrients.” The scientific evidence around superfoods is pretty damning, but that doesn’t stop them being a huge trend in the food industry. The hunt for a cure-all wonder food which will reverse aging, stave off cancer and accelerate weight loss means that humble foods from developing countries are under the spotlight in Western culture. One example of this is quinoa, the staple food for Andean communities in Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Chile and Colombia for thousands of years, which has Opening image: blueberries and raspberries. Right: FlyFit's antioxidant fruit and nut mix.

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SUPERFOODS

Clockwise from top: a superfood selection; Nature's Bakery's fig bar; FlyFit Flow Travel Caps. Opposite page: (top) sea buckthorn; (bottom): moringa powder.

now become a hit in the West. Often likened to cous cous, quinoa is a seed rather than a grain and closely related to species such as beetroots, spinach and tumbleweed. It is higher in protein and lower in carbs than traditional starches, making it a healthy choice. It’s also gluten-free. Quinoa has become so popular in the developed world that demand has put a strain on the supply, which is based in developing countries like Bolivia. Ethiopian TV chef Giordana Kebedom is a big advocate of so-called ‘superfoods’ from her own culture: “Victoria Beckham is one advocate of teff, the ancient grain from Ethiopia which is challenging quinoa for super-status,” she says. Rich in calcium, iron, protein and amino acids as well as being gluten-free, superfood-worthy teff offers poor Ethiopia the promise of new and lucrative markets in the west. Teff can substitute for wheat flour in anything from bread to pasta and is the main ingredient in injera, Ethiopia’s pancake-like staple. But are these trends making it onto the airlines? Kebedom works closely with Ethiopian Airlines who already serve injera, but not for its superfood status, simply because, as a flag carrier, it’s important that it serves its national dish. Teff is perhaps one superfood trend which took off in the travel world first, but is quickly becoming the next big thing on the ground. Quoted in The Guardian last year was Sophie Kebede, a London-based entrepreneur who co-owns a company specialising in the grain and says she was "flabbergasted" when she discovered its nutritional value. "I didn't know it was so sought after,” she said. “I am of Ethiopian origin and I've been eating injera all my life." Today, Planet Organic shops in London stock 1kg bags of her company Tobia Teff’s

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flour, while 300g packets of its teff breakfast cereal sit alongside other trendy nutritional foods like milled flaxseed. The company also sells ready-made, gluten-free teff bread in various varieties. At WTCE this year, the Onboard Hospitality team saw a few examples of superfoods making it into the travel-sphere. Coconut water, with its superhydrating and electrolyte-replenishing powers, seemed to be everywhere, and newcomers to the show like Coco Mojo and Beyond Coconut Water reported good feedback from the airlines. DFMi showed us its new gluten-free snack bars from Nature’s Bakery, certified non-GMO, vegan and kosher, the bars use ancient grains teff and sorghum which are firmly footed in the superfood sphere. FlyFit also introduced some great new products claiming super powers, including its antioxidant nut mix with cranberries, almonds, walnuts and blueberries. More intriguing was its new FlyFit Flow Travel Caps, a unique capsule developed to maintain a healthy blood flow during travel. The travel caps use the patented ingredient Fruitflow, derived from the seeds of tomatoes. Flyfit told us that the ingredient is clinically proven to support ‘normal platelet aggregation’ – in other words making blood platelets smooth which allows them to move more easily in the blood vessels. But what next for superfoods? Here are some more nutritional trends that could be taking off: Sea Buckthorn: A wild plant that grows by the sea in most parts of Britain, sea buckthorn has bitter-tart orange berries. Researchers at Edinburgh’s Queen Margaret University claim they’re high in vitamins C and E, essential amino acids and antioxidants. Sea buckthorn oil and unpasteurised juice is lauded for improving heart function and skin ailments like acne. Studies also indicate it may have antibiotic properties. Baobab powder: The sub-Saharan superfood has six times more vitamin C than an orange, twice as much calcium as a glass of milk, more iron than a steak,

three times more antioxidants than blueberries and six times more potassium than a banana. It also contains thiamin and vitamin B6. Found across sub-Saharan Africa, the small, melon-like fruit is packed with a dry powder which can be used to make smoothies, sprinkled on cereal or added to sauces. The pulp has been used by Africans as a health and beauty aid for centuries. Chia seeds: Derived from a mint-like plant that grows in Latin America, chia seeds are much-loved by Hollywood A-listers. Weight for weight, chia has up to eight times more omega-3 than salmon. They are packed with antioxidants and high in calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and protein. They can be eaten raw, soaked in juice, added to porridges and puddings, or added to baked goods. Moringa: This so-called miracle tree is no secret to the African and Asian tribes that have eaten it for centuries. It is one of the most nutrient-dense plants on the planet and has been claimed to boost immunity, lower blood pressure, alleviate stress, fight fatigue, improve digestive health and increase libido. It contains almost 25 per cent protein, including all nine essential amino acids, is packed with vitamins and has six times more antioxidant than goji berries. Chlorella: Super models add this freshwater green algae to their smoothies because Sapporo Medical University suggested that chlorella can lessen hangover symptoms by up to 96 per cent if taken before drinking. The idea is that the antioxidantpacked algae neutralises the free radicals in alcohol. It also contains iron, folic acid and energy-boosting B vitamins. In fact, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s purported to have a B12 vitamin content equivalent to a 32-ounce steak and give 540% of the RDA of vitamin D per dose. â&#x20AC;˘

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FOCUS ON

Gluten-free foods

Free foods Suddenly everyone is talking about ‘free-from’ foods and at WTCE it seemed gluten-free was making the most noise. Jeremy Clark, looked into the science and tasted the wares

andering through the food providers at WTCE this year a record number had health and nutrition as a top selling point - and wheat-free or gluten-free products were especially prevalent. Growing numbers of people appear to be suffering from wheat intolerances with effects ranging from mild discomfort or bloating to the far more serious allergy of Celiac disease. The current Mrs Clark and I both started avoiding wheat flour in our diets about a year ago. Passing on bread and pasta, we noted a marked improvement in health and some weight loss and that made me look into the trend more closely. Wheatgerm has apparently changed fundamentally in the past 100 years – far faster than our metabolisms have, and as a result humans now find wheat harder to digest. According to Dr. William Davis, a cardiologist who has written about the world's most popular grain, modern wheat is a "perfect, chronic poison,"* . Davis says that the wheat we eat these days isn't the wheat your grandma used to eat: "It's an 18-inch tall plant created by genetic research in the '60s and

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"The wheat we eat these days is not the wheat your grandmother used to eat!" '70s, [with] many new features nobody told you about.” He goes on to talk about various new proteins added that stimulate appetite. Other researchers have shown that while most of us tolerate gluten, we have more trouble with another component of wheat called fructans, molecules that typically behave like dietary fibre. These are one of a group of carbs called FODMAPs (short for fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols) that for some people cause "unexplained bloating, belching, distension, gas, abdominal pain, or diarrhoea," as a recent paper by Georgia Regents University researchers put it. ** Nice! And whatever the science shows,

the trend to free-from products has certainly caught the consumer’s interest and become something the hospitality industry cannot ignore. Airlines are responding and it’s a challenge as most snacks are wheat based. Sandwiches, wraps, buns, cakes, biscuits, cookies etc are all generally flour based and I know first-hand that preparing gluten-free cakes is not as simple as just replacing wheat with rye or oatmeal. Suppliers are responding and some are making a specialised business of this new demand. Among them, British company Sin (which is a translation of the Spanish word for without) has developed a range of cakes and cookies with no dairy or wheat ingredients. Based near Milton Keynes in Buckinghamshire, Sin produces a range of interesting products including a lemon and cranberry cake. Founder, Denise Thomas, explained the extensive research that goes into these gluten-free products. “We have to address a variety of

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normal issues like taste, crumb and different types of flour, eventually moistness as well as looking at shelf-life, perfecting two loaves. Cake and scone robustness while still keeping it dairy and mixes rapidly followed and now she has gluten free.” The flours used are mostly added oat-based breakfasts. potato starch but rice flour, almond or "We had a lot of enquiries at WTCE for tapioca flour can also be used. The result our fresh bakery range, including glutenis something that looks like a cake, tastes free dinner rolls and gluten-free canape like a cake and almost feels like a cake cases. Although only one percent of when eaten but won't cause problems for people are gluten intolerant, a further anyone with allergies or aversions. 1 in 10 people feel better or prefer not Glebe Farm, a supplier from Cambridge, eating wheat and at the moment in-flight produces a range that tends to mean rice of gluten free cakes or a hard bread roll "The gluten-free flours flours, bread and the plastic knife cannot used are mostly potato cake mixes, as cut! Our fresh small bread starch, but rice flour, well as a range roll has a seven-day almond or tapioca flour of wheat and shelf life and is delivered spelt flours, bread can also be used" frozen or fresh.” mixes, gluten free The company’s beers and breakfast cereals. They have porridge, muesli and granolas and are been supplying caterer Jeannie Marshall supplied to airport lounges and glutenFoods and were a first time attendee to free real ale and porter are available for WTCE. Rebecca Rayner, who runs the airport bars. farm, was inspired to specialise in this area Lovemore, based in Wales, is another when a friend developed coeliac disease. specialist producing a very nice apple Said Rebecca: “I spent countless hours and sultana cookie that contains no in the kitchen experimenting with flour or dairy ingredients, and it was interesting to see mainstream suppliers like EnRoute and Monty’s all looking to Pictured above and left: Samples from the gluten-free meet the free-from’ demand. specialists incuding cookies from Lovemore; rolls and beer from Glebe Foods; pastries from SIN and shortbread from Walkers But are these products as healthy as

they seem? In order to achieve something that tastes and feels like it contains only flour, butter, egg and sugar you may need over 20 other ingredients such as preservatives and E numbers, acidity regulators and water thickeners, flavourings and colours. Free-from may mean free-from gluten and free-from dairy but not necessarily free-from things we usually associate with highly-processed foods. The freefrom products are often clever and of a very high quality but we are really just at the very beginning of an interesting era for new types of foods and consumer issues. Next year’s WTCE will be a fascinating chance to see just what our industry can come up with next! * News Source: CBS News, June 2013 ** News Source: Mother Jones.com, March 2015

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FOCUS ON

DO & CO

Exceeding expectations Nik Loukas tells the tale of two very different airlines and how they are working with the famed gourmet entertainment company, Do & Co, to enhance the passenger meal experience

s more and more airlines offer pre-order meals as part of their ancillary revenue streams, each new concept is becoming more innovative than the last and with greater choice and flexibility for the customer. Gourmet entertainment company Do & Co is creating innovative concepts with its airline partners and enhancing the inflight meal experience. When Do & Co established operations in Turkey in January 2007, Pegasus Airlines selected the company to conceptualise its pre-order and buy-on-board range. Eight years on, the pre-order range for Pegasus consists of 12 high-quality inflight meals and two dessert options. Says Omer Kazak, assistant manager inflight sales and service for Pegasus: “The menu is like our baby and we love it very much” With a love of food and a great catering partner, Pegasus has been able to achieve a quality product for passengers with tempting pre-order meal options such as inflight sushi, fondue, a range of healthy salads and a grilled fillet of beef worth writing home about. The inflight sushi was created to appeal to international passengers and is only

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"In response to passenger feedback from Pegasus Airlines, Do & Co has created a daily 'surprise menu' for frequent flyers" available on flights out of Turkey in order to be as fresh as possible. Pegasus works closely with Turkish Do & Co and monitors passenger feedback which has resulted in the creation of a traditional Turkish meal option as well as a daily ‘surprise menu’ in order to keep frequent flyers happy. To help improve the passenger meal experience further, Turkish Do & Co training chefs are observing Pegasus airlines cabin crew inflight and providing training on how to reheat and prepare the meals correctly inflight whilst offering

service delivery tips too. Kazak states: “The most popular items on the menu are the Grilled Beef Fillet and Schnitzel menus,” however Pegasus and Turkish Do & Co are always looking out for what might be the next popular item on the menu. Kazak and the inflight sales and services team from Pegasus work with the management team of Turkish Do & Co to track food trends in order to create menus that passengers will want to pre-order for their next flight. All meals are created fresh daily by Turkish Do & Co chefs at facilities in Istanbul Ataturk and Sabiha Gökcen airport kitchens. Ataturk alone prepares over 150,000 meals a day servicing

This page and opposite: Do & Co meal options served onboard Pegasus Airlines on flights out of Turkey

approximately 800 daily flights. In 2014 Polish airline LOT began offering a new preorder meal programme for Economy passengers on Boeing 787 long-haul routes, which were created in conjunction with catering partner Do & Co Poland. The “My Premium Menu” concept (for a fee of €25.00) includes two hot meal services and an array of drinks served to passengers in economy class from the premium economy class offering. But it’s also about choice as the product development specialist at LOT, Aneta Jaszczyk, explains: “We wanted to give our passengers greater control over their inflight meals so we created the My Favourite Meal programme”. This service is offered to LOT Economy, LOT Premium Economy and LOT Business passengers flying from Warsaw on long haul flights. For EUR12.00 passengers are able to select exactly what they would like to eat from a set menu including Sushi, Salads, Fish, Polish and even kids’ meal options. Passengers using this service also receive a choice of wines not available to Economy guests and feedback for both concepts has remained positive with Jaszczyk saying: “The product has certainly exceeded not only our expectations but also passengers’ expectations”. LOT is the biggest customer for Do & Co Poland at Warsaw Chopin Airport, the facility covers over 13,800 square metres, preparing over 50,000 meals a daily and approximately 16 million a year. Profile

Vienna-based Do & Co, 'the gourmet entertainment company', offers airlines all-inclusive total service solutions including menu planning and design, onboard menus and beverages, cabin crew training and procedures, and airport lounge hospitality. doco.com

We are the leading producer of traymats and all kinds of paper products designed speciﬁcally for use in aviation, rail, cruise and ground transportation industries

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Next Generation

The future has arrived Next generation travellers expect tech-savvy products and hyper-personalisation says Mandy Saven, head of food, beverage and hospitality at lifestyle research consultancy Stylus

ook carefully around the hotel, travel and hospitality industry and the future has already arrived it seems. Mandy has identified innovative products shaking up the perceived ways of doing things and predicts these will increasingly make their mark on onboard hospitality too. Next generation travellers, she says, expect super service. They are tech savvy, and they expect their hospitality suppliers to be tech savvy too. Trends in the hotel industry indicate the way things could soon be going onboard too. Check out, for example, how Four Seasons hotels is using Pin Pack Go Boards – a digital way that connects guests with their hotel even before they arrive. By connecting via their Pin Interest account, guests are rewarded with a digital notice board, created by hotel staff, packed with things they’ll like to see and do during their stay. Solway House in Majorca has pegged its brand to the Twitter platform using it not only for promotions and bookings but for check-in and even room service messaging. And properties like Hotel 1888 in Sydney

Lead picture: Hotel 1888 in Sydney

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"Four Seasons uses a digital system that connects guests with their hotel even before they arrive" and Mandarin Oriental in Paris have tapped into the obsession with ‘selfies’ to use its clientele as a key part of their marketing strategy. 1888 encourages clients to take and share selfies by providing empty frames guests can pose within; while Mandarin is offering a selfie tour of Paris putting guests in all the right backdrops and offering a chance to win a repeat stay by sharing their photos. Saven says: “The Millennia generation love all this, they respond to businesses that show they are tech savvy like them.” Tech services for business travellers are

evolving too. Marriott Hotels now offers ‘match-making’ services which support networking by connecting guests with relevant business contacts also staying at the hotel. Airlines are already picking up on this with Virgin America’s inflight social networking allowing passengers to send another passenger a drink or a meal, and KLM’s Meet and Seat service giving passengers the chance to opt into a ‘connecting’ service which allows them to research other passengers travelling on Profile

Mandy Saven heads the content strategy for Food, Beverage and Hospitality at Stylus. Stylus is an innovation research and advisory firm that helps businesses process global consumer lifestyle, product and engagement insights. stylus.com

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their flight and request to sit next to them. Turkish Airlines offers passengers the chance to watch start up video pitches on the inflight entertainment system so they can use travel time to identify a potential business opportunity; while Delta Airlines has launched an Innovation Class where industry leaders and experts offer their travel time to young people looking for mentors. Young people apply to sit next to an industry mentor who has agreed to chat through their industry and its opportunities during the journey. This ‘on demand’ generation will influence onboard catering too with their enthusiasms for hyper-personalise service. They want facilities and services that recognise who they are and what they need. So watch out for restaurants that offer a core menu like Brothl – which serves broths, flavoured to order based on the customers choices; or The Ten Room, in London, which encourages clients to bring their four favourite ingredients with them from which the chef will create a tasting menu to suit. Even MacDonalds has added touch screen ordering options which allow clients to design their own burgers and Starbucks has sought to add an element of exclusivity to service by the offering secret off-menu ordering options. Localbranches have different ‘specials’ that only regulars get to know about, and only they can ask for.

Pictured: A contemporary room in Hotel 1888, Sydney; selfie time and how about freezing an apple and filling it with oatmeal and yoghurt for a healthy breakfast?

"The 'on demand' generation will influence onboard catering with its enthusiasm for hyperpersonalised service" Pop up restaurants have already arrived at airports dedicated, for example, to singles and matching lone travellers a suitable dining companion, but could onboard catering soon see secret menus or a ‘hack the menu’ challenge offering passengers the chance to discover and engaged with exclusive meal options prior to departure? asks Saven. Why not shake up the current class services too by giving passengers more options as Air France has done – allowing Economy passengers to order from an a la carte Business style menu for a fee. Or, abandon meal

service and opt for pre-ordered picnics delivered to the gate, or an innovative vending machine filled with salads in a jar as being created by a company called Farmer Fridge. This generation is open to change in the way food looks and is presented so watch out for edible and dissolving packaging or food which requires minimal packaging, such as frozen apples filled with oatmeal and yoghurt as a mobile breakfast that defrosts as you travel, all packaged within the apple. Mandy predicts labelling could be abandoned too and replaced with laser food markings which de-pigments parts of the food to imprint a company logo, message or food facts, without compromising the product. There’s a whole new world fast encroaching on onboard hospitality ways. Keep watching, you have been warned.

Food Trends OPINION

The future is flavour Marc Warde is an independent hospitality specialist, food forecaster and airline food developer Onboard Hospitality asked him to gaze into his crystal ball for tips on what’s ahead Airlines can be slow to respond to retail food trends and have tended to play safe serving a taste of home, a taste of the destination and something internationally recognised. But change is afoot as human contact and the food served are becoming a real opportunity to make a difference onboard. Food trends going into flight this year have ranged from kimchee and pickles, gluten-free pizza, bahn mi and superfoods to gourmet umami burgers. Looking ahead expect increasingly authentic destination foods and recognition of special meals. New laws require full nutritional information labelling for foods making airlines think more carefully about special meals than ever before. Choice is growing from Paleo and autistic meals to sports meals, plus a better choice of gluten-free menus. So expect more choice and more upgrade options, with Economy passengers being offered just as many chances of something special to eat as those in First. Look out for more food partnerships with top draw restaurants and recognised producers as well as less fancy restaurants, who focus on flavour. These help airlines turn up the kudos of their food. Breakfast really will become the most important meal of the day, so airlines will respond with unique international interpretations of the best breakfasts from the flight’s origin destination.

Umami is increasingly well understood as the fifth element in flavours, giving that sense of luxury to our food, but now a sixth element is emerging - foods disguised. This is food that looks like something naughty but is actually healthy and good for you. Lower fat, non diary ice-cream is only the beginning. Expect more supersnacks too. Foods that are good for you, tasty, healthy, hand-held convenience protein snacks and the like. This time round they might actually taste good. Foods that will also hydrate you. Time-release foods that help your body work better when you fly. Hand-held snacks are evolving well beyond the sandwich, so watch out for street foods from the countries of origin. More conscious eating on the ground is likely to translate increasingly into pre-

Above: Edible insects and plant vegetable proteins are becoming part of our everyday diet and may one day be served on board Below: Food that looks like something naughty may actually be good for you

ordering for inflight with super grains getting a look in for great salads, speltotto and the like; while trends towards eating more insects and plant vegetable proteins, more vegetarianism and flexitarianism won’t be going away either. Expect another resurgence for organic food as more evidence comes to light about food additives, pesticides and animal growth hormones. And when it comes to Buy on Board airlines are rethinking and will start offering what actually tastes good, preordered and delivered to the seat as low cost, charter and scheduled airlines all up their game. There are exciting times ahead in food for our industry and we haven’t even started to fully explore the potential of 3D food printers but I’m sure it wont be long before they come into their own too. Watch this space!

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GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE

The world view Our high-flying columnists from around the globe tell it how it is in their neck of the woods and spot onboard developments with a difference. Tell us what's happening near you at julie.baxter@onboardhospitality.com

Telling it straight...

Canada

China

Japan

Chile

For the ultimate in luxury, check out the private jet experience now offered by Toronto-based Four Seasons Hotels. Targetting those looking for ultra-luxury, ultra-exclusivity, the group combines its top hotel stays with travel aboard its customdesigned Four Seasons Jet to offer personalised itineraries and exceptional service. The retrofitted Boeing 757 features interiors by the hotel group’s designers.

Who said First class travel was a thing of the past? Stats for the past five years show First class bookings are up 63% on Air China and 127% on China Eastern. Similar trends have been noted in Middle Eastern markets with Qatar’s First sales up 132% and Emirates up 32%, says branding guru Mike Crump of Honour Branding.

A long layover time can now be sold as a positive rather than a burden in Japan with a new transit programme launched by Narita International Airport. Passengers can pre-book a volunteer tour guide to accompany them to sightseeing venues near the airport, such as Naritasan Shinshoji Temple, the unspoiled town of Tako or popular shopping malls.

LATAM Airlines Group has opened South America’s largest airport lounge at Santiago International airport. The airport is home to LATAM carrier LAN Airlines, and the new 23,000sqft lounge is located on the fourth and fifth floors of the airport. It can accommodate up to 460 passengers, and features a bar and dining area, shower facilities, a sleeping room, entertainment zone, business centre, individual power sockets at every seat, and free wifi throughout. an.com, tam.com

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GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE

...Making them smile

Singapore

USA

Abu Dhabi

Google

Sick of airline baggage rules? Check out Packnada a company that will now deliver 20 items of clothing and toiletries direct to your hotel in Singapore so you can fly without luggage. If you travel frequently they will even clean and store the items until you return so you can use them again next time. packnada.com

Could the days of the airline cabin crew be numbered? Hotel chain, Starwood, is now using robotic ‘Botlrs’ at its Cupertino Aloft Hotel to deliver amenities to guestrooms. The robotic butlers use sensors and WiFi/4G connectivity to get safely to and from the rooms with toothbrushes or extra towels – so why not use them to deliver the onboard meal service?! starwoodhotels.com

Etihad Airways has launched an invitation-only Twitter account to support its top-tier frequent flyers. The Etihad Premium Twitter channel is restricted to Gold members of the Etihad Guest programme and offers "exclusive benefits" available only through the social media account including five minute response times, retro mileage claims and exclusive deals. Etihad.com

The chief of Google’s experimental cargo-drone programmes has said he believes automated flight can go beyond pilotless planes and extend to commercial air travel. Dave Vos, who leads Google’s Project Wing has claimed flying can be made safer once aircraft aren’t designed around the need for humans at the controls. But would you get onboard? Google.com

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Rob Britton OPINION

Managing expectations Rob Britton gets real about service delivery Marketing academics generally define service quality as the gap between what customers expected, and what they perceived was actually delivered. In order to understand the issue of setting realistic customer expectations, we need a little history lesson (young people will roll their eyes here, but bear with me). Because flying was expensive for its first 50 or 60 years – prior to deregulation and the rise of competition – it was a luxury, and was promoted that way in mass media, and in entertainment. But then a curious thing happened: as flying became cheaper, and a mode of transport once available only to the wealthy became fully democratised. Much airline advertising as well as depiction in film and television continued to portray it as a luxury product. International carriers that offer multiple cabins understandably promote their First and Business offerings and the latest

innovations in seats, inflight entertainment, and food and drink. Those “up front” cabins are highly profitable and competition for elite customers is intense. You don’t tend to see ads that focus on seat 47G. And when you ask airline people or their ad agency, they’ll tell you that although most passengers are “in the back,” all that posh imagery burnishes the brand image in the mind of the consumer. So when potential customers see an airport poster for an Eastern European airline that depicts a pair of their Business seats as akin to a loge in a fancy performance hall, the consumer is supposed to be better disposed to the brand – regardless of where they might sit. Furthermore, many expectations are set not within the airline “category,” but by excellent service providers and goods producers in sectors unrelated to travel: excellent retailers like Nordstrom in the USA or John Lewis in Britain set service

standards far beyond department stores, and carmakers like Audi or Lexus set the bar far beyond the road. I believe it’s in the long-term interest of airline marketers and those responsible for planning and delivering service to do several things. First, to acknowledge and understand all the historical baggage, whether or not they were responsible for creating it. Second, to begin to “manage down” expectations by portraying the product as it really is. That means playing up things like reliability, speed, and reasonable prices, as well as promoting genuine progress in customer service basics. Delta in the USA has lately done a superb job of this. Third, it means careful deployment of the imagery and words that inflate expectations and does not portray flying as it is. If we do these things, airlines and customers will all be better off. rob.britton@airlearn.net

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in person

A world of opportunity Jo Austin talks to Peter Woolhouse, chairman of Linstol, as he reflects on his impressive career in the aviation and passenger services business Can you tell us how your early career began and where? I joined the Royal Navy in 1951 where I studied Radio Electronics and obtained a Higher National Diploma in Electronic Engineering. I quickly moved to the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy where I developed an interest in air electronics. During my 14 years in the Royal Navy I served on three aircraft carriers - HMS Eagle, Ark Royal and Centaur. After 25 years with FieldTech Ltd. I resigned my sales managing director position in 1993 to establish Linstol. What brought you into the world of headsets and the airline industry? In 1969 my first airline passenger headset contract was the pneumatic Jetset 70 selected by British Airways for its first Boeing B747-200 IFE system. What are the noticeable changes you have seen in the general aviation industry and in particular in your sector of the market over your career? IFE development over the past 40 years has changed the airline industry and IFE continues to develop. All new technology represents a challenge for Linstol but also represents opportunities. Over the last ten years, airline mergers have resulted in much larger order quantities per airline and fewer airline customers. And during the last five years we have seen demand for more exciting design solutions often supported by strong brand names. The number of suppliers has grown within the airline industry and competition is stronger than ever, making it ever more important to deliver the very best quality-price combination to our clients.

customers in the years to come. I hope Linstol will continue to grow and in a way where quality, reliability and positive communication will never be compromised.

Peter Woolhouse founded Linstol in 1993. As chairman he still enjoys being involved in Linstol, and following the company's progress and development on a regular basis.

Linstol is now one of the leading suppliers of headsets to the onboard industry. To what do you attribute the company's success? Linstol's vision is: “To be the airline's preferred supplier” and we are all working to achieve this every day. Linstol has been lucky enough to add new airline customers every year and development has been steady, consistent and well managed. Airlines are telling me that Linstol’s team of sales and account managers are recognised for providing the best service in the industry with frequent communication, securing on-time deliveries and being pro-active.

What do you look forward to doing most of all in your retirement? Being 80, my part-time retirement started several years ago. As chairman I still enjoy being involved in Linstol and following the company’s progress and development. I always look forward to participating in the WTCE/AIX and APEX exhibitions where I meet airline representatives as well as airline industry colleagues I have known for years. I am an avid golfer and like to play three times a week when I am at home in Naples, Florida. I have always enjoyed watching all sports. My team is Manchester United and I have been to Old Trafford several times to see the Red Devils play. I also enjoy challenging myself with crosswords and sudoku. Peggy, my wife of 58 years, and I enjoy spending time together with our children and travelling. linstol.com

Do you have a view on the future of the market and where do you see Linstol going forward? The airline industry will continue to develop and the supplier market will continue to be very competitive but with plenty of opportunities. It is my hope that Linstol can continue to supply current airline customers with quality solutions and add new airline

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ONES TO WATCH

Best in show WTCE 2015 saw a raft of new suppliers and innovative new products, all aimed at the onboard market. Julie Baxter, Sue Williams and Laura Gelder met the people and the products 1

1. CocoMojo CocoMojo was pressing home the health benefits of coconut as it promoted its innovative natural coconut drinks in three flavours for the onboard market. Free from refined sugar, dairy, caffeine and gluten, all the ingredients in the drinks are chosen for their physical and general health-boosting properties and include coconut water, coconut milk, tropical fruits, aromatic spices and botanical herbs. The drinks are said to be revitalising and refreshing, and come in Cocosoul, Cocopassion and Cocopure flavours. They are packaged in a trendsetting cardboard ‘can’ said to be an environmentally-friendly alternative to aluminium cans and PET. Drinkcocomojo.com

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" A practical and fun way for for onboard passengers to get one of their five a day quickly and easily"

2. Compal Eating fruit has never been easier because now you can drink it. Compal’s essential range comes in seven flavours and is billed as a fun and practical way for onboard passengers to get one of their five a day quickly and easily. Each serving contains all the benefits of a single portion of fruit – without the peeling or the risk of spoiling. The fruit drinks contain no added sugar, artificial colourings or preservatives and have a shelf life of four-six months. Already onboard with airlines including TAP and SATA, the product is easy to handle and reduces breakages and losses. Compal.pt

3. Heinzmann Bringing a touch of work-day glamour to the show, Heinzmann showcased uniform fashion ideas with ideas to promote a company’s identity through the outfit’s design and/ or the addition of personalised logos/ co-ordinated fabrics. Based in Germany the company offers branding, alteration, design and logistics service and an online shop. Heinzmann-workfashion.de 4. ShotPak Cocktails specialist, ShotPak, is set to get the party started onboard with its range of ready-to-drink cocktails in a pouch. Each pouch is shaped for convenient storage and has an easy-tear opening.

ONES TO WATCH 4

Made of sustainable laminate, the 50ml pouches contain two servings and come in 10 flavours. Vodka-based cocktails include the Purple Hooter, Lemon Drop, Sour Apple, Kamikaze and Cosmopolitan, while the Mangotini comes with tequila, the Manhattan is whisky based and the Mojito and Strawberry Daiquiri are rumbased. In addition, neat alcohol ShotPaks are available for servings of vodka, whisky, tequila, rum and de moravia crème are also available. Zainedistribution.com 5. Hoogesteger Dutch juice specialist Hoogester has added a range of super juices. Offered in 250ml servings the product comes in three flavours – spinach and celery, beetroot and apple, carrot and ginger.

7. Watermark Products

These additions join the established range of smoothies (strawberry, forest fruits and mango), and juices (orange, orange strawberry, orange kiwi, apple with pear and raspberry). Hoogesteger is a leading manufacturer of premium freshlysqueezed fruit juices in the Netherlands, with extensive experience and expertise in the fresh fruit market. It uses high-quality seasonal fruit and has state-of-the-art production facilities. Hoogesteger.nl

The onboard product specialist has forged a unique alliance with Marvin’s Magic to create bespoke onboard kids kits that include exclusive magic-themed tricks and activities. London-based Marvin’s Magic is a leading supplier of magic kits and offers a wide range of magic trick box sets for all ages, plus a new iMagic range of tricks that can work through a smartphone app to become interactive with augmented reality. Company head, Marvin Berglas, has inspired millions of young magicians worldwide with his shows and ‘teach-yourself’ products, winning outstanding achievement awards from the retail industry. The new tie-up with Watermark Products comes as the company celebrates its 30th anniversary. Berglas said: “Learning magic gives kids confidence and status as well as a lot of fun. Many onboard activities for kids are limited by the confined space of an aircraft, but it's perfect for learning magic. We can offer kids the chance to learn and then practice magic throughout their journey, in an absorbing activity ideal for long journeys. By the time they arrive they will have an amazing new skill to impress friends with.” In collaboration with the Marvin’s Magic team Watermark Products will offer bespoke’ kits with ageappropriate tricks and links to the magic app. All products can be branded to suit the carrier. wmkproducts.com

6. GroupSOI The Group Soi Duetto Combo 'Sweet & Savoury' snack box can be re-heated in 15 minutes. The vegetables are harvested locally to ensure authenticity and Italian goodness, carefully following traditional methods and recipes. The sweet snacking

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ONES TO WATCH 8

solution includes Napolitano sweets such as: Capresina Chocolate, Tortina Apple & Cinnamon, Capresina Carrot and Tortina Wild Fruits and Almonds. The savoury snack range includes stone oven pizza, panzerotti, panfutello®, gondola and treccia. groupsoi.com 8. Snackbox To-Go Snackbox To-Go is now onboard seven airlines, two ferries and Virgin trains. It comes in seven different varieties containing either fries, chicken bites, a cheeseburger, chicken nuggets, mozzarella sticks, potato pick ups or spicy chicken wings. Ryanair reports that the snackboxes are one of the airlines' top three selling products. Snackboxtogocom

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9. Just Fresh Just Fresh has launched a new range of combination boxes mixing fruit and veg in one food box service. The company, which specialises in pure and natural hand-cut produce served in convenient packages, has facilities across Europe and is part of the Hessing group. Just Fresh supplies Gate Gourmet, LSG, TAP and KLM with products that include side salads and fruit salads, breakfast boxes, and fruit or veg with dips. Breakfast fruit snacks have a six day shelf life and are delivered to the caterers on pallets, saving time and money. Remco Donkersloot said: “Airlines want good feedback and not all passengers want a hot meal at every service. A truly fresh product on the ground is fresh in the air too and we make that possible by having such a

11. Sileni Estates Using unique Nano packaging, Sileni Estates provides single-serve wines in PET 187ml bottles with a clip-on plastic glass attached. With hygienic seals to prevent tampering, the Nano is a collaboration between Sileni and Paul Sapin of Macon – Europe’s leading small format glass and PET bottler and producer. The Nano is easy to handle without spilling and there is no risk of breaking. Sileni Estates is one of New Zealand’s larger wine producers and one of the fastest growing. It distributes in 78 countries worldwide and its vintages have won a number of awards. Sileni wines are served on American Airlines, United, Singapore Airlines and Air New Zealand and those packaged in the Nano have a 24-month shelf life. ileni.co.nz Sileni.co.nz

wide distribution base. Fresh fruit and veg is an obvious go-to solution but many airlines just don’t realise supplying fresh is possible.” Justfresh.eu

10. Zemaitijos This newcomer comes from Lithuania and specialises in modern milk processing to create a range of cheese products. PikNik is its peelable cheese string range – made from soft, fresh cheese with no preservatives, artifical colourings or artifical flavours. Each stick contains the equivalent to one glass of milk. Lithuanian cheese has a distinct flavour derived from the milk used and the expertise of its cheese makers, combined with the time it is allowed to mature. Other products include Dziugas cheese which ripens for at least 12 months,

ONES TO WATCH 12

"Kents Kitchen's new range of on-the-go pasta pots are ideal for onboard service and can be served as a hot lunch or snack"

Milde packed sliced and snack cheeses and semi-hard Germanto chesses. Zpienas.eu 12. Caviar de Neuvic Making its debut at WTCE, Caviar De Neuvic shared a stand with GVF International to showcase caviar produced on The Huso Estate (France) from sturgeon naturally farmed in the waters of the River l’Isle in the heart of Aquitaine, south-west France. The product is characterised by its firm crispy eggs with briny flavours that develop into fulsome, buttery and hazelnut tones. Caviardeneuvic.com 13. FBV Travel Retail Offering ‘simple, effective, commercial solutions for premium brands’, FBV specialises in the travel retail sector. FBV's

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range includes brands such as ViP nuts, Yorkshire Tea, Maryland Cookies, Jammie Dodgers, Wagon Wheels, and Cadbury Mini Fingers. Newest to the range are new, brightlycoloured nail files, just launched on Jet2, Thomas Cook and Thompson; Fever Tree Tonics; Il Caggio Prosecco and Kents Kitchen Posh Noodles and Pasta Pots. The Stylfilenail file has gained popularity due to the unique curve that follows the natural shape of the nail. Fbvuk.com 14. Kents Kitchen Kents Kitchen believes it has spotted a gap in the market. It has created a way to offer delicious, authentic food without the stress of long shopping lists, prep times and complicated cooking. Its new

range of on-the-go pasta pots are ideal for onboard service. The Kents Kitchen pasta pots can be served as a hot lunch or as a snack and are made with all natural ingredients. They are low calorie and low fat and come in four flavours: tomato & chilli, bolognese, porcini mushroom and cheese and chive. kentskitchen.co.uk 15. WK Thomas WK Thomas was showcasing its new biodegradable oven tray that can cope with temperatures from -18 degrees to 220 degrees. Eco Heat dishes are made from 100% sugar cane fibres and contain no plastic lamination or coating, no metals or toxins. They are compostable, recyclable and biodegradeable. The company also highlighted its

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16. Nib Nib Savoury snack company nibnibs debuted at WTCE with its memorable strapline ‘Where do you nibble yours?’ Part of Haywood & Padgett, the world’s largest scone manufacturer, nibnibs specialises in innovative snack development designed to bring stylish new ideas to the travel catering sector. Developed to delight customers visual and sensory expectations, the snack range is made in Yorkshire with the world's travel catering needs in mind. The current range includes individual baked snack bite portions in various natural flavours including cheddar, salt & cracked black pepper with creamy Lancashire cheese, cheddar & spicy chilli, and cheddar & cheeky onion. They are supplied in flow wrap or block bottom bags. The company also offers a snack pack of baked cheddar straws in miniature snack boxes; dipper pack portions with Grissini dippers, produced at its Yorkshire-based bakery; and premium re-sealable mini snack cans filled with mini bite snacks in cheddar, cheddar & spicy chilli: cheddar & cheeky onion. The product is already onboard United Airlines and can tailored to suit onboard catering needs. haywood-padgett.co.uk

ultimate linen replacement range made from paper that can be custom printed and comes in a vast range of colours, as well as a disposable ice bucket which can also be branded. wkthomas.com 17. Beyond Coconut Water The drink comes in a slim line 250ml, ideal for trolley service and onboard sales. The 100% pure coconut water is three times more effective than water alone as an aid to hydration – particularly important when flying as airline cabin humidity can be 10-15% drier than most deserts! It is also purported to have anti-inflammatory effects and to aid digestion beyondcoconutwater.com

18. Nature Frais A specialist supplier of fresh ready-cut vegetables and fruit for professional catering, this French company was at the show to present its huge range of cuts, including slices, discs, dices, tubes, balls, carpaccio, julienne, spaghetti and tagliatelle. Nature Frais also offers grated and mashed potato, mixed and seasoned vegetables for stews and ready-to-stuff vegetables like zucchini and potato. It says: “Time saving, loss reduction, consistent quality and strict hygiene are our strengths.” nature-frais.com 19. DFMi The broker has added some new bakery brands to its extensive stable of onboard food products. These include The

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ONES TO WATCH

20. Iacobucci Brand new to the Iacobucci stand this year was the Robusta coffee maker, bringing Italian-quality coffee to the airways. The machine weighs just 7.5kg, making it up to five kilograms lighter than previous machine designs. Robusta makes tea, coffee or hot water at the touch of a button and boasts a simpler user interface, reduced noise level and power consumption and less parts – meaning less maintenance. Robusta can brew 1.6 litres of coffee or tea in less than 150 second and requires no recovery time between cycles. There is also a button for safe stowage during turbulence. Said Iacobucci’s Riccardo Palmeri Lolli: “Robusta has no precedent!” Iacobucci.aero 21. MOMA The porridge people from MOMA have expanded their range to include bircher muesli pots and oatie shakes. The museli comes in four flavours – apple and peach, mango and passionfruit, wild berry and strawberry and banana, and is currently served on British Airways. It combines wholegrain British jumbo oats with apple juice, low fat Somerset yoghurt and real fruit. The shakes consist of thick yoghurt, oats and one of your five-a-day fruits. It has an eight month shelf life and comes in mango and peach or strawberry and banana. MOMA's porridge on the go range is now served on Finnair, Wow and Easyjet and comes in four glutenfree flavours – plain sugar-free, cranberry and raisin, golden syrup and plain with sugar. Momafoods.

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Handmade Cake Company, a British-based specialist and Erlenbache, a German bakery which offers a range of sweet desserts including the new 'cakewich'. dfminc.biz 22. Beijing Dapeng Showcasing at WTCE for the first time, this Chinese company supplies inflight headphones, earbuds, noise-cancelling headphones and model aeroplanes. In pride of place was its newest product, anti-sweat headphones composed from silica. Beijing Dapeng describes itself as offering “delicate quality at factory prices.” 23. Mixsana Making its first appearance at WTCE, Mixsana is a small Italian family firm which

offers whole leaf tea blends and herbal teas made from herbs, roots, leaves, seeds, dried fruits and spices. These are offered as pods, pyramids, and capsules, that can be placed straight into a machine (similar to a coffee maker). Mixsana.it 24. Kahla German tableware company Kahla showcased three new onboard technologies designed to be non-slipping, non-scratching and non-clattering. Its Magic Grip range integrates silicone ‘feet’ to crockery to ensure a non-slip quality and also cut clattering. The Velvet Porcelain range allows a velvety soft surface design to be added to porcelain to introduce a three dimensional look and feel to crockery.

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"Leading the way in the trend for American classics is Monty's new duo slider pack, or slider and fries combination pack"

Motifs, text or even photos can be embedded into the touch! range to create more ergonomic, attractive and promotional properties to a service range. Kahla’s photovoltaic system uses a modern kiln and handling system as well as its own water wells to ensure efficient porcelain production. Kahlaporzellan.com

26. Monty’s Leading the way in the trend for American classics is Monty’s new duo slider pack, or slider and fries combination pack. The inflight snack packs come in beef or chicken options and can be accompanied with a choice of cheeses and/or relish. montysbakehouse.co.uk

25. Bayart Innovations With 30 years experience in supplying airline items like tableware, onboard textiles such as sleepwear and pillows, headsets, food and beverage packaging, amenity kits and kids’ items, Bayart was showcasing its use of traditional materials in innovative new ways, such as its tweed-affect iPad cases made from plastic. bayart-innovations.com

27. Anaik This French company has been a partner of big beauty brands such as Clarins, L’Occitane, La Prairie and Bvlgari for more than 40 years but decided to offer its bespoke promotional solutions to airlines a year ago. Anaik aims to offer customised and creative solutions to travel companies who want to enhance their connection

with travellers. The company is proud of its corporate social responsibility programme and sustainable solutions and says it offers "original design concepts to the travel industry.” At the forefront of its attractive stand was the ‘conscious collection’, an eco brand which uses recycled paper and PET and organic cotton to create products such as iPad cases. Anaik.com 28. Twinkle Packaging This Beijing-based company was established in 2012 and specialises in food packaging. Its range of products include a variety of aluminium containers in different sizes, shapes, colours and thicknesses. It also manufactures disposable products such as plastic cutlery packs, paper cups,

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packaged refreshing towels, meal boxes, amenity kits and masks, as well as gloves, aprons and hats for food service workers. Twinklebj.com 29. Novel Foods This British first-time exhibitor had a selection of snack packs on display including it ambient ‘dip temptation’ product which puts dips such as hummus and crackers together in one snack pack. New in the range was Lizi’s Granola boxes which come with milk powder for ‘just-addwater” convenience. Novel-foods.co.uk 30. LA Organic Already suppliers to British Airways and Iberia, LA Organic specialises in flavoured oils and vinaigrettes. The extra virgin olive

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"The extra virgin olive oil is pesticidefree and sourced in Andalucia, Spain. It comes in unusual flavours such as ginger"

oil is pesticide-free and sourced in Andalucia, Spain. Aiming at the inflight market with its 15ml PET bottles, LA Organic’s cold-pressed oil comes in unusual flavours such as ginger as well as more traditional additions like lemon and oregano. LA Oro is LA Organic’s premium line and comes in smooth and intense varieties, all packaged in Philippe Starckdesigned bottles. laorganic.es 31. Skanagro Specialising in single-serve 30g glass jars of high-quality jam, Skanagro is proud of its 70% Tunisian-grown fruit content, compared to industry standard jams which are 50/50 fruit and sugar. The jams contain no additives and come with or without

seeds. Flavours include quince, pomegranate, strawberry, fig, apricot and orange. Skanagro also jars honey and savoury condiments such as ketchup, mayonnaise, harissa paste and mustard. Skanagro.com 32. Prince waffles This Belgium-based specialist offers traditional ‘liege’ waffles in vanilla, cinnamon and chocolate chip flavours as well as filled waffles. Sweet filled waffles include chocolate or custard-filled as well as fruit flavours like berry, apple and cherry. Breakfast options from Prince are egg and mushroom and egg and tomato and other savoury waffles include spinach and ricotta, tomato and mozzarella and ham and cheese.

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Prebaked, the waffles come in convenient ovenable bags to be heated and served. princewaffles.com 33. Traiteur de Paris Caramel Delight is a new dessert for this company's premium range of frozen patisseries for professional chefs. Manufactured in its Traiteur de Paris workshop in Fécamp, using the finest quality ingredients, no colourants and no preservatives, it has a crumble base topped with cream and a light caramel topping sprinkled with crumbly flakes. Inside is a surprise rich and creamy salt butter caramel filling. traiteurdeparis.fr 34. Moy Park Meat specialists, Moy Park exhibited at

WTCE for the first time this year, targeting its ‘good to go’ range at the rail market (it requires refrigeration). The snack packs contain cooked ready-to-eat meats and come in a range of popular flavours, including flame grilled chicken breast slices with a Caribbean-style dip or a tomato ketchup dip and Mexican-style chicken koftas with chili and pepper. Moypark.com 35. Enmak Has launched a new range of jewellery to be sold in duty free and onboard or used as a corporate gift. Made in Turkey, the range is 100% 950 fine quality silver, and is handmade. Designs can include any type of plane and details can include diamond applications. enmakgroup.com

36. Gut Springenheide The German family business has added six new flavours to its range of savoury and sweet snacks and dessert treats. New savoury options include omlettes flavoured with paprika and creme fraiche; egg rolls flavoured with tomato; crepes with paprika, mushroom and carrots and two new frittata – one with green cabbage, mushroom and paprika and one with tomato, paprika and gruyere cheese. On the sweet side, the latest addition to the companies unique ‘real eggshell’ range is a white chocolate mousse with liquorice. The eggshells are emptied and twice sterilised before being filled with a blend of brulee and mousse fillings. The shells are decorated and served chilled to crack open. gutspringenheide.de

37. Power Mints Already onboard Lufthansa, Power Mints showcased it various different brands of naturally-made sugarfree lozenges. Made using a base of 100% natural essential oils with added natural sweeteners such as stevia, xylitol and sorbitol (no aspartame), the mints also come with added flavours. Brands include ‘Fresh’ – plasticpacked calorie-free mints in classic, menthol, spearmint, wildberry, cherry, orange and lemon balm flavours, and the more upmarket Compass brand, which comprises extra-large tin-packaged mints in peppermint, spearmint, lemon and blackcurrant flavours. Power Mints also offers single serve portions and all its brands are available as private label. Fresh-mints.com

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wtce '15 Photo Gallery

The people and products that made the show such a success

Pictured from top left: Qatar Airways awards Addis Catering; DFMi sandwich range; Philippe Stark works with Wessco; Twinings pairs with Gastro on the Taste of Travel Theatre; Mixsana Tisane tea from Italy; Cuisine Solutions on Taste of Travel Theatre; Fresh fruit juices from Hoogestreger; Kaelis tableware; Watermark's Marvin magician tricks us all; Servair on Taste of Travel Theatre; Lord Poppington's popcorn

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wtce '15 Photo Gallery

If your photo is not featured here then check out our photo galleries on our wesite for a larger selection www.onboardhospitality.com

Pictured from top left: Skan Agro single serving jams; Anaik beauty brands; Tim Webb of Buzz presents on Taste of Travel Theatre; globalc designer tableware; Novel Foods; the Britvic soft drinks team; En Route fun packaging; Gerard Bertholon is all ears at the Taste of Travel; Diskomat for dishwashing; HappyK and Perth Catering make a happy trio!; global inflight products on display

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Ratcliffe & Brown, experts at combining quality wines with your packaging and logistical requirements.

www.chateaux.com | +44 (0)20 8294 0721 | sales@chateaux.com

ONBOARD ENTERTAINMENT OUR MAN IN HAMBURG

ROCKWELL COLLINS

CRYSTAL CABIN AWARDS

Richard Williams reports on IFEC on behalf of Onboard Hospitality at AIX

Richard Nordstrom, senior director global marketing, on the future of IFEC

The ultimate accolade for innovation in the aircraft cabin saw 68 entries from 18 countries this year

AIX/PEC 2015

Back to the future Pre-WTCE and AIX there is always the Passenger Experience Conference, inviting industry leaders to share their views on future trends. Richard Williams was there to listen...

The 2015 Passenger Experience conference at the Congress Centre Hamburg opened with a welcome address by Katie Murphy, senior event director AIX/WTCE. She said that the number of exhibitors at the show had increased by over 100 to 830 this year, with 130 new exhibitors. A networking forum to discuss the vital strategic issues surrounding the future direction of cabin innovation, consumer experience and strategies for profitability, the conference was hosted PEC '15

by Aircraft Interiors Expo and World Travel Catering & Onboard Services Expo. It preceded the three-day AIX/ WTCE exhibition. The keynote address by Richard Seymour of Seymourpowell Consultancy was entitled ‘Blue Sky Talks’. He took the audience back to 1997 and his personal experience of a flight on Concorde that encapsulated the glamour and excitement of flying, something that he said has been lost today.  Seymour advocated the use of

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groundbreaking design to re-introduce some of the magic of flying. Quoting the late Steve Jobs, of Apple, "It's not a shortage of technology; it's a shortage of imagination, it's a shortage of willpower." He looked at the failings of design that focuses on what is possible today, and instead suggested that you have to "stand in the future and pull the present towards you." In a panel session 'Debating the Dynamics of the Flexible Interior' the discussion centred around the tension between the need for standards and the demand for innovation. While Zuzana Hnrkova of Airbus insisted on the desirability of standards, and the need to consider the second life of the aircraft, Adrian Berry of Factorydesign pointed out that standards killed the potential to be flexible. Kerry Reeves of Air New Zealand said that flexibility was important because airlines had to choose the right aircraft for the next 20 years. To reconfigure an aircraft is an expensive operation, sometimes taking four years to cycle through a whole fleet, and is a sign the airline got it wrong in the first place. But sometimes, he said, the market changes, and it is unavoidable. Leo Mondale of Inmarsat talked about the fact that airline technology lags 3-4 years behind consumer technology because of the speed of development and the certification cycle. Mondale

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talked about favouring providing the connectivity and then using the hardware in the passenger's pocket for IFEC rather than an embedded system, as it was likely to be much more recent and powerful. He also voted in favour of standards for interfaces, and said that Airbus was leading the way in this, but standards sometimes take longer in the development cycle. Baden Smith of AIM Altitude said that the biggest roadblock to flexible and innovative design was the regulator, and suggested getting them on the designer's side. He agreed that post-delivery modifications were to be avoided because they take so long and cost so much. In a session on 'the Connected Aircraft', Ian Dawkins of OnAir said that connectivity starts with the passenger.

He said that 97% of passengers carry a personal electronic device (often two or three) and want it connected. The crew also needed to be connected, for real-time passenger information, for managing flight disruptions, for bag tracking, for e-health services, and for retail payments through live credit card authorisation. Dawkins added that the potential to enhance flight operations using satellites and Air to Ground (ATG) links for real-time aircraft data to track

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AIX/PEC 2015 planes safely was increasingly important. In light of recent disasters, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and International Airline Transport Association (IATA) have decreed that airlines should use all available technology to track planes. Dawkins said that the SITAOnAir FlightTracker only needs a software upgrade to an existing AIRCOM server to deliver these benefits. In the afternoon breakout sessions, mediated by Rich Salter of Lumexis, the first topic was the ‘Future of Inflight Content’. Robin Cole of Global Eagle Entertainment said that having access to early window movie content was a big benefit of seatback systems. Dimitris Zahariev of IATA revealed that the latest research showed that the most popular onboard activity was watching films – followed by sleeping. Don Buchman of ViaSat said that as connectivity improved, the home experience was transitioning to aircraft, typified in the response: "Wow, I can access Netflix!" Michael Reilly of Arconics said that passengers were increasingly using Facebook and Twitter, and Zahariev added: "Our members see social networks as a more personal way of connecting. Around 56% of passengers said they would prefer to engage with their airline through social media, particularly in a crisis, such as a delay or a baggage problem." Salter pointed out the possibility of 'jet rage' when the new generation of digital natives cannot get access to social media, and Buchman agreed that it was a sure way to get lots of bad feedback. Cook said that having a lot of films available was not so important, and in future it will be about the quality, not the quantity of content. This new content would have localised relevance and be on-brand, and likely to be highly curated by the airline. She added that this sort of offering had huge potential

for advertising and sponsorship opportunities, as long as it was not overdone, and confined to brands aligned to the airlines. Dr Betty Mohler made a presentation on 'Virtual Reality Improving Passenger Comfort by Changing the Perception of Self and Space’, based on her research project. In a challenging

presentation, she showed how you can make passengers more comfortable by showing them a comfortable avatar, and also by showing them to have greater space in VR than they actually have. By amplifying limb movements in VR you can limit actual limb movements, and by presenting actual turbulence as simulated weather conditions, such as wind on a mountaintop, you can reduce passenger stress. The conference ended with a plenary session on 'Leaders in Innovation' with Reuben Arnold of Virgin Atlantic saying said that the company was born out of innovation, to upset the status quo, and consequently had a culture of 'No idea is stupid.' Janos Vanags of Latvian airline Air Baltic said that, as a small airline, "To innovate is not just fun, to innovate is to be in business." pexconference.com

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DigEcor launches NV portable In a flurry of press releases and new product launches at the show, digEcor signalled its intention to be a major player not only in the portable and seatback, but in the overall passenger experience market. “Our focus is to deliver more passenger experience for less cost,” said digEcor ceo David Withers. DigEcor launched its new range of products, including the latest version of its portable AVOD player, the NV, at the show. This rugged tablet-style device comes in 8, 10 and 12-inch versions, with replaceable batteries, and, being a closed system, is AIX '15

approved for early window film content. Withers also announced the growing demand for its L7 digEplayer solution, with a contract with Brazilian carrier Azul to provide 1,100 devices, including full maintenance support and content integration. Another customer, Sun Country Airlines, is bringing 700 L7 digEplayers back into service. Withers has redefined ‘IFE’ as the ‘Integrated Flight Experience’ and uses it to describe digEcor’s modular product

range. “DigEcor is known as an innovator. We were the first to bring portable IFE systems to the industry. Now our flexible, low-cost IFE - Integrated Flight Experience - solution is giving airlines the tools to improve customer experiences across all areas of their inflight services, including entertainment, power, lighting and crew and passenger connectivity.” The product range also includes a new range of LED cabin lighting, the Engage crew connectivity platform and the next-generation Glide seat-centric IFE system. The company is integrating Engage and Glide to provide customers with a customised interface based on their previous choices of audio and video content. “It’s an exciting new interaction between our products that delivers firstclass service to customers,” says Withers. digecor.com

ViaSat wins Crystal Cabin Award AIX '15 ViaSat, the broadband and communications provider, was delighted with its Crystal Cabin Award in the Passenger Comfort Systems category for the Exede In The Air system. Don Buchman, ViaSat’s vp and general manager, commercial mobility business, said: “Prior to getting into the in-flight connectivity market, we heard two problems from airlines: first in-flight

connectivity systems offered poor quality and second they were expensive. Since entering the market in 2013, we changed the game. Our Ka-band satellite provides 140 gigabits of capacity and is so affordable for airlines that they can offer the service free to passengers so they can use the internet the way they want to, for work, play, shopping or streaming." ViaSat's launch customer was JetBlue in December 2013, and it has since signed

“Since entering the market in 2013 we have changed the game. Our Ka-band satellite provides 140 gigabites capacity” Don Buchman, ViaSat

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on United and EL AL, making nearly 500 commercial aircraft in service with Exede In The Air. The service provides enough bandwidth to enable streaming video, which is popular with customers who want to watch Netflix or HBO, while also web browsing and emailing. Airlines that fly a lot over the ocean can use ViaSat’s Ku- and

Ka-band antenna. Buchman added: "We are also well-positioned in the maritime market, on 3,000 ships, mainly workboats and oil rigs, but with ViaSat-2 and its strong Caribbean coverage, we're looking to break into the cruise market, including the Mediterranean with our Eutelsat link." viasat.com

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GEE promotes ‘Joy of the Journey’ Speaking at the conference on Monday, Robin Cole, vp of marketing and global business development at GEE, revealed that she had been hired to attract advertising and sponsorship for airlines' onboard entertainment. "She said: "It is a good strategy to have lots of channels, but there is a risk that it might be like the Springsteen song, '700 channels and nothing on'. In the future it will not be about quantity, but quality, in terms of local relevance, and reflecting the airline brand. As long as the passenger is respected, and it is not overdone, there is a tonne of potential." Cole revealed that she had been talking to advertising agencies, who have not traditionally recognised airline online portals as an opportunity: "Inflight advertising today is still a relatively untapped business opportunity for both airlines and advertisers.” She also supports sponsorship as another route to drive revenue to the airlines. Cole spoke about the Beats music service that GEE co-developed on the Southwest platform in November last year. This is an inflight streaming service that passengers can access on AIX '15

their PED via Southwest’s IFEC portal that gives access to a whole new music experience. Customers accessing Beats Music onboard can listen free to wideranging music playlists in pop, rock, country, and other genres and hear fresh new artists, handpicked by Beats Music expert curators. Says Melissa Pauléat, director of marketing and communications: "This is a marriage made in heaven: Beats is a hip brand – ideal for raising Southwest's profile and bringing it to a new market.

The service also gives the opportunity to retain the customer on the ground through a sign-up option for passengers accessing it during their flight." Cole described how this fits in with the 'Joy of the Journey' concept, with the goal to provide a consistently good experience, from home to destination. GEE is building on its experience with Southwest to work with airlines such as Norwegian on incorporating the inflight experience into the whole journey. globaleagleent.com

New Antenna from GEE At the show, GEE launched its new Global Ku Antenna. This is mechanically steerable in all three axes in order to achieve the optimum beam shape, making it more efficient, particularly for high latitudes and at the equator. The new antenna, developed with QEST, is designed to take advantage of the new generation of Ku-band High Throughput Satellites (HTS) due in 2017. It is ARINC791 compliant and will come ready certified for linefit in mid-2016. It is a little taller than the flat panel, but weighs less and fits within existing radomes. GEE said it will announce its launch customer in 2016. David Davis, chief executive, said: "Our competitors in the Ku space use mechanically steered antennas, but they are only steerable on two axes. This is a revolutionary product that has clear advantages over competing systems." Commented Aditya Chatterjee, senior cto at GEE: "Regulatory requirements limit the performance of today's conventional two-axis antenna systems in equatorial areas, whereas flat panel antennas cannot offer sufficient performance at all latitudes. We're excited to formally unveil this groundbreaking technology and pave the way for truly global high-speed connectivity to our airline customers."

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AIX/PEC 2015

Record year for Panasonic AIX '15 At Panasonic’s press conference, Neil James, executive director of corporate sales and product management, reported a record year for the company, with 16% increased revenue, 10% increased orders, and a breakthrough into the Chinese market. He also announced some important acquisitions, most notably ITC Global and, at the show, the Swedish mobile and digital experiences company Tactel. James also reported Panasonic's 700th installation of its Global Communications Services (GCS) system, and the contract with China Southern to install Panasonic's scalable overhead IFE system on 54 aircraft. Another Chinese contract is with Xiamen Airlines to install the EX3 GCS system on six B787s. He emphasised that Panasonic was a business for business company, with the goal of reducing airline's costs IFE maintenance costs by 25%. Connectivity, Customers with embedded systems have he said, is the secret to doing this, since asked for them to be interoperable with it increases the efficiency of the system passengers' PEDs. In this way, airlines can exponentially. James also said that find out what passengers are looking for Panasonic was invested in the outcome and then make sure they provide it. of the relationship, typically helping to James said: "Passengers wanting to use answer the question: "Where are you their PEDs have expanded our market, going to be in five years' time?" because of the increased demand On the IFE side, for connectivity. Our 2014 saw Panasonic LightSynch service can “Passengers wanting to install 1,002 aircraft automatically link your in 155 programmes. use their PEDs have PED to the connected Although it is seen screen in front of you. This expanded our market” as a specialist in is a good thing in terms of Neil James, Panasonic large programmes onboard services, because of seatback the airline can capture systems, James said this was not the your audio playlist, your search for a case. "Our average install is of just seven movie, and your food and drink choices, aircraft, and we are embracing the PED." and make sure they are ready and David Bruner, vp of GCS, said that available for you on your next flight." customers have clearly indicated On the connectivity side, Panasonic that they want wireless connectivity. has been awarded just under half of

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all total satellite aircraft contracts since 2009. In 31 separate programmes it has connected 489 planes, up 35% on 2013, including 200 aircraft with live TV. James said: "We are building up our network and capabilities to connect 12,000 narrow-body aircraft with GCS in the next 10 years, and 4,000 wide-bodies." Its satellite coverage is almost worldwide, covering 99.6% of all flight hours. Said James: "This is broad beam coverage, enough to support live TV everywhere. But in 2016 we are implementing a high throughput programme, introducing more spot beams into high density areas. In 2018 we shall be moving to extreme throughput, with even more spot beams, to increase capacity by ten times.” James's response to the directive by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the International Airline Transport Association (IATA) that airlines should use technology to track aircraft was that they could offer this through their existing Panasonic Weather Solutions (PWS). An Iridium antenna on the aircraft relays tropospheric data to enable airlines to manage their flight plans efficiently. "A side-benefit of this system is that we know exactly where the aircraft is." panasonic.aero

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AIX/PEC 2015

Gogo launches Crew Connect AIX '15 At the show, Gogo announced the launch of its Crew Connect dynamic messaging platform for the cabin and cockpit. It enables flight crews to communicate by voice or text messaging with each other and with ground crews while in flight. It is an application-based service, available on Android, Apple and Microsoft devices, which offers group messaging, eventbased alerts, multi-media messaging and message tracking. "Today, numerous airlines are issuing their flight attendants and pilots wifienabled tablets and smartphones, which are capable of utilising aircraft connectivity. Crew Connect leverages that trend," said Ash ElDifrawi, Gogo's cco. "The only other way for cabin crew to communicate off the aircraft is through traditional flight deck voice or datalink (ACARS) systems, which have historically been difficult and expensive to utilise for in-flight cabin crew communication. This service will give airlines an inexpensive way to keep crew connected and informed while in the air,

with the ultimate goal of helping airlines authorisation also saved airlines the up to improve efficiency." 2% lost on onboard transactions through "Although optimised for Gogo's card fraud. network, Crew Connect is also available The introduction of the IPad drove to airlines with alternative connectivity the early adopter airlines to use it for suppliers," commented Andrew Electronic Flight Bag services from 2008. Kemmetmueller, vp This has been such a of airline operational useful function and over â&#x20AC;&#x153;The plane is going to services and half the world's airlines platforms. "The will be using a tablet become an office-type service is designed solution for EFB within environmentâ&#x20AC;? to maximise the the next 18 months. Andrew Kemmetmueller communications Kemmetmueller value of any said: "The iPad craves broadband link for the airline, bringing connectivity, and its apps are most improved functions on any connected efficient in a connected environment. aircraft." Airlines have realised this and United are In a discussion at the show of what introducing the iPhone 6 into the cabin aircraft functions drive the demand for for BOB and paperless administration, connectivity, Andrew Kemmetmueller and Delta are using the Nokia 1520. said that one of the original drivers Etihad and Emirates are also going down was Buy on Board, which was originally the same route." launched without connectivity. It Kemmetmueller says the next was discovered that closer control development is the connection of of inventory could be achieved by machine to machine, in accord with the implementing a technical system using concept of the 'Internet of Everything'. connectivity. Real-time credit card gogoair.com

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IN THE NEWS

AIX/PEC 2015

Thales announces Inflyt Experience At a press conference at the show, Dominique Giannoni, ceo Thales IFEC, launched the new brand Thales Inflyt Experience. This includes the connectivity element FlytLive, headed up by Glen Latta, former chief of the recently acquired LiveTV. Giannoni said that the overall offering, including the Avant inseat system, connectivity through FlytLive, and the FlytCare support services, together formed the smart choice for a connected platform. "Being smart is at the centre of the offering: the strong hardware solution, the best services, and the connectivity in this revamped portfolio allow our airline customers to offer a scalable, on-brand passenger experience. The airline experience of our system is that it is reliable, modular, scalable and futureproof. It enables the airline to find out which services its customers are using, and so to AIX '15

optimise and evolve the system easily." GIannoni continued: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our strategic vision is to become the number one provider of IFEC solutions in the world. Passengers want an immersive, personalised, and connected experience. On the other hand, airlines no longer accept IFE to be a static cost centre, they want a positive branding and marketing tool to drive customer retention and direct monetisation. With the integration of Thales IFEC and LiveTV we were able to bridge the gap on all these market needs.â&#x20AC;? Speaking about connectivity, LiveTV's

Latta joked: "The Internet is going to be big! It's going to be really big for the connected aircraft. We installed connectivity on 300 planes in the last 12 months." He stressed the need to offer a full portfolio of 'pipes' to deliver what the airlines need. "We have to help the airline understand what's going on, and be ready to partner with big data and data analytics. Airlines need a roadmap that isn't a cul-de-sac." Thales is satellite-agnostic, working with Inmarsat GX, ViaSat Exede in the Air, and Eutelsat, among others, to deliver the gold standard of connectivity, at least 12Mb to every seat on the plane. Talking about the order book, Giannoni went on to say that 80 A350s of the Qatar Airways fleet have been fitted with the Avant FlytLive system, powered by Inmarsat GX. There are plans to retrofit 50 more A350s with GX next year. thalesgroup.com

Lumexis launches iPax Seatback IFE AIX '15 Jon Norris, vp of sales, unveiled the company's new iPax wireless streaming seat-centric setback system at the show. It has a 6.1in HDR screen weighing 8.9 oz and costs only US$1495 per seat to install. Aimed at the low-cost carrier and single-aisle market, it costs the same as an overhead system but is half the weight, at approximately 200lb for the whole aircraft. The wireless streaming runs from three or possibly four wireless access points (WAPs) on the aircraft, but each screen has 64Gb of storage to ensure fast delivery and avoid waiting or buffering. Optional extras include a 2.1 amp USB port with a reversible

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jack point and a credit card reader at US$295 each, or US$395 for both. Norris said that 78% of single-aisle aircraft have no IFE installed as they leave the factory, and this is a low-cost opportunity for airlines to install a system that enables them to monetise their IFE offering. The system offers

AVOD, TVS content, music, moving map, duty free and from-seat F&B ordering. Being a closed system, it allows early release videos to be shown. The credit card reader enables fast processing of payments and the moving map has advertising and sponsorship opportunities. Norris says: "Our first approach to the market is retrofit. It's a simple process that we can undertake in two days per aircraft. We are in talks with a number of airlines and keen to work with the major manufacturers to factory fit the system." The iPax screen is optimised for the typical LCC seat pitch, and is angled to be easily viewable in recline. lumexis.com

ONBOARD ENTERTAINMENT

AIX/PEC 2015

IFPL celebrates 20 years of NFC IFPL is celebrating 20 years of innovation, with new products addressing the latest in NFC (near field communication) technology. David Thomas, head of business development, said: "We are industry experts on NFC. Our head of business development engineering, Mark Reed, is on the APEX Working Group for NFC. With the announcement in the US that legal responsibility for card fraud is now with the merchant, we expect to see more AIX '15

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airlines adopting this technology." Thomas demonstrated the NFC module that IFPL has developed for use with the Thales Avant system, which is ready for line-fitting into the A350. Apart from a simple contactless payment system, it can link into the airline's IFE network and even read a frequent flyer card. "IFPL's NFC works both online and offline." says Thomas. "Launch customers

are Qatar Airways and Air Caraibes, and it will enter into service in January 2016." IFPL has another NFC Contactless Retail System, also PCI-compliant for online and offline use. It works with the airline's inventory system to help stock control. IFPL are now able to supply a cost neutral magnetic audio jack, able to take the traditional single, double or triple audio pin. This gives them a much longer life and reduces maintenance bills by avoiding customers snapping them off. Power is supplied to the passenger from the seat through universal plug sockets and USBs. USB sockets are reversible and the new USB-C standard from Apple is already catered for. The guide-light for the USB socket can be customised to the airline's brand colours. ifpl.com

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IN THE NEWS

AIX/PEC 2015 INTERVIEW

Rockwell Collins Richard Nordstrom, senior director global marketing, Rockwell Collins OBH: You were on the conference panel on ‘The Future of Inflight Content’. How do you see the future? RN: For content to resonate with the customer, you have to have the technology to deliver it. We are nearly there. We are developing enablers to support the type and style of content that provides value to airlines, and also to passengers, by aligning with their lifestyles, interests, and plans. Which technologies are crucial in delivering this future? Inmarsat GX is a big step forward. We are a valueadded reseller for this service. Another big advance is high-definition screens throughout the aircraft. How has the acquisition of ARINC affected Rockwell Collins? It has been very positive, bringing many key components and tools to the portfolio. While Rockwell Collins has the latest cabin solutions equipment for wireless delivery and associated DRM content, ARINC has traditionally supplied the infrastructure for the aircraft cockpit, specifically ACARS, safety services and EFB, whilst also providing applications and portal software, to a total fleet of 14,000 aircraft. How has Rockwell Collins reacted to the ICAO/IATA directive that airlines must use all available technology

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“We are open to airlines curating their systems to reflect their brand, extending it beyond the aircraft to reach the passenger's friends, family and colleagues" to track their planes? In March we unveiled our ARINC MultiLink service, which is a comprehensive and costeffective global flight tracking solution for the world’s airlines. It merges multiple data sources, including ADS-C, HFDL data, ADS-B, ASDI data, Eurocontrol position info, and ACARS position reports to pinpoint an aircraft’s location anywhere in the world. It can also notify airlines when an aircraft has unexpectedly stopped reporting positional data or has deviated from its expected path.

Do you agree with the suppliers who are saying that proprietary, curated IFE content is the way forward? We are equally comfortable in the business to business as well as the business to consumer space, with an open, scalable platform that is adaptable to passengers' needs. We are open to airlines curating their systems to reflect their brand, extending it beyond the aircraft, to the reach passenger’s friends, family and colleagues.’ What is the future for Rockwell Collins? We are very proud of the fact that we were voted by Airbus customers the number one IFE supplier to Airbus and the number one provider of buyer-financed equipment for IFE in 2014. We have recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with OneWeb as an exclusive supplier of antennas for their new network of 7501500 lower orbit micro-satellites.

ONBOARD ENTERTAINMENT

AIX/PEC 2015

SITA OnAir offers AIRCOM FlightTracker AIX '15 Ian Dawkins, ceo of SITA OnAir, was eager to talk about the connected aircraft and the nose-to-tail solutions that his company could offer at the show. For the passengers, it provides Mobile OnAir, Internet OnAir and OnAir Play for video streaming. For the cabin crew, a five-month trial of a tablet solution with Aeroflot resulted in a 90% approval rating and rollout across the whole airline. Dawkins said: “For those 96 airlines The cockpit Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) already using our AIRCOM Server solution has recently been installed on platform – 20 of which are in the SITA ATI 33 Transavia planes, said Dawkins, with cloud, we can deploy our FlightTracker a further 21 to come, and is estimated to solution within a very short period bring a saving of US$120,000 per plane. of time.” Malaysia Airlines will be the In trial with Air China, the EFB Weather first carrier to implement global flight Solutions facility and its potential for tracking, starting this summer. The re-routing to avoid adverse weather airline has already conducted extensive conditions brought a US$8 million testing of the technology, which is costper annum saving effective because it uses on fuel. Dawkins existing equipment and says the aircraft re-purposes air traffic “We can deploy our mechanical health control data. FlightTracker system and maintenance This ground-based very quickly” programme can software upgrade allows Ian Dawkins, SITAOnAir also benefit from airlines to follow aircraft connectivity. positions and identify any The final part of the jigsaw is Flight unexpected deviations or gaps in position Operations, managed by AIRCOM and reports. SITA OnAir could use SITA’s ATI its FlightPlanner, FlightMessenger Cloud, specifically cleared on performance and FlightTracker software solutions. and regulatory grounds for the use of Because of OnAir's partnership with airlines, to provide this solution for 80 SITA (an airline association owned by more airlines beginning in mid-2015. its 400 members, flying 14,000 aircraft) The system compares the flight path and SITA's long history of working with planned for the aircraft with its actual individual airline's IT systems, it is well route, and reports any deviation, typically placed to install the flight tracking within 15 minutes, to the ground. Live software recently called for by the UN data streaming from the Black Box is also body ICAO and airline association IATA. in the pipeline.

“We have designed the solution so that airlines have straightforward access to ATC-like tracking data,” said Dawkins. “For those airlines already using our ACARS messaging, we can deploy it very quickly. Following the recent ICAO discussions, we are also working on the definition and development of a new system to detect and report unusual situations. As part of our commitment to the air transport community we are also investigating aircraft solutions that are independent of aircraft power or systems.” sitaonair.aero

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IN THE NEWS

AIX/PEC 2015

Crystal Cabin Awards AIX '15 This unique contest of innovation in the aircraft cabin was launched in 2007. This year 68 entries from 18 countries were shortlisted for the seven categories. The winner of the Greener Cabin, Health, Safety and the Environment went to B/E Aerospace for their clever Solar Eclipse mobile charging system incorporated into a window shade. The award for Industrial Design and Visionary Concepts went to Embraer and PriestmanGoode for their E2 New Cabin Interior. SABIC Innovative Plastics won the award for Material and Components with the Lightweight, Clear Lexan XHR Sheet Series. SII Deutschland GmbH won the prize for Passenger Comfort Hardware for their SANTO Seat. This stands for Special Accommodation Needs for Toddlers and Overweight Passengers and adds a larger second seat to rows where three seats cannot be fitted. The Award for Passenger Comfort Systems went to ViaSat Inc. for their Exede In The Air system

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that enables all the passengers on the plane to use their Personal Electronic Devices just as they would at home. The Premium Class and VIP prize was awarded to Etihad Airways, Acumen Design Associates, Factorydesign, Honour Branding and Communispace for the Etihad A380 Upper Deck. This game-changing design incorporates The Residence, a three-room suite, as its centrepiece, with nine First Apartments and 70 Business Studios on the aircraftâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s upper deck. Finally, the University Award went to HAW Hamburg cooperating with Airbus Operations GmbH and aviation student Marc Spille for their ingenious Mobile Vacuum Trash Compactor. The Awards Ceremony was held on Tuesday night of the show at the Atlantic Kempinski Hotel, with a second presentation in Hall B6 on Wednesday morning by Katie Murphy, senior event director AIX/WTCE. crystal-cabin-award.com

new arrivals

Onboard Innovators

Nina Bakery Onboard Hospitality is looking for new and innovative players pushing their product onboard. Check out our latest discovery aiming to make a mark as an inflight bakery favourite 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 products new to the onboard market. So if there is a young innovator in your company or a product about to make its mark on the industry with fresh thinking, get in touch and we’ll spread the word, champion the cause, and watch its business as it heads sky high.

OBH innovator of the month Nina Bakery is moving into the onboard catering business following a long history of success in other markets. With years of experience in baking authentic and orignal pitta breads in Haifa, Israel, the company has now added a range of oven baked cocktail pittas for airline use. “Our stone oven baked cocktail pitta is perfect for small dishes, such as appetisers and snacks served by airlines,” said Nina Bakery’s ceo, Pierre Nehmeh. Alitalia, KLM, Delta, Air France and Lufthansa have already begun serving this range. Nehmeh added: “Our pitta is perfect for fillings and doesn’t tear easily. Europeans are well used to pitta but often they are exposed to large pittas of lesser quality

in fast food outlets. Our products are of a much higher, restaurant quality, perfectly suited for the small, extremely tasty bites needed with appetisers, tapas, cocktail hors d'œuvre and onboard meals." The company uses an authentic stone oven and the pittas are baked according to a special slow baking process using an old family recipe. With a company history reaching back to 1936, Nina Bakery has been baking pitta and winning loyal customers in Israel for over 70 years. In Europe, too, it has been growing steadily with a cold store in The Netherlands which supplies its European market. The full range extends from small bitesize cocktail pittas (6cm and 18 gram) to XL pittas (18cm and 200 gram) in round and oval shapes. All products are available as wheat or whole wheat bread. They are supplied to airlines frozen with

an 18 month shelf life. Nina Bakery made its debut appearance at WTCE this year and aimed to showcase how its range could be used in onboard catering. Baked with minimum quantities of yeast and no sugar or fat, the pittas contain no preservatives or improvers (E numbers) and smell of freshly baked bread as soon as they are warmed up. Each pitta has a pocket, for whichever filling the onboard chef chooses. Send your innovator ideas to: julie.baxter@ onboard hospitality.com

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Everyone loves lunch!

Your essential trade show for onboard catering 24-25 September 2015 Business Design Centre | London

“Again lunch! has delivered in so many ways. It remains the No.1 trade show any buyer should visit.” MARTIN HAMBLETON, HEAD OF PROCUREMENT AND INNOVATION, EN ROUTE INTERNATIONAL

18/05/2015 12:58

Looking for a Caterer, Supplier or a specific product? Look no further. Check out our comprehensive directory today. All you have to do is click on the relevant headings and find what you want. What could be easier? You too can promote your products to our global audience for just £300 for the year. Contact Sue Williams on + 44 (0) 20 8649 7233 or sue.williams@onboardhospitality.com

 Directory of caterers & suppliers

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future events

APOT Forum Where: Hilton, Colombo, Sri Lanka When: May 31 - June 2 The 2015 Forum will include the APOT chef's competition, keynote speakers, panel sessions, networking, golf and the world’s biggest tea party. Delegates will mainly consist of inflight services managers, airline sales managers and airline catering managers working in the Asia Pacific region. Look out for Onboard Hospitality's Sue Williams and our regular contributor, Jeremy Clark. Day 1: May 31 08:00 - 17:00 Golf at the Royal Colombo Golf Club – or city tour and sightseeing options for non-golfers. 08:00 - 1800 Chef's Competition Cook Off 18:30 - 22:00 Welcome Party Day 2: June 1 Educational day 08:45 - 09:00 Forum opening ceremony with Sri Lankan traditional dancing 09:00 - 09:30 Welcome Address: Chairman APOT.Asia 09:30 - 09:40 Welcome Speech: Aviation Minister Sri Lanka 09:40 - 09:55 APOT.Asia theme song

09:55 - 10:20 Keynote Speaker 09:00 - 17:00 Exhibition open 10:50 - 11:40 Debate on instant wellbeing DNA tests for airline passengers and crew and how to increase food and beverage taste in high altitudes 11:00 - 14:00 Chef's Competition Meal Display 11:40 - 12:10 Debate entitled Why Food Matters Education sessions 13:10 - 13:50 New European and US food trends 14:00 - 14:45 Ayurveda medication for today’s business executives 15:15 - 16:00 Europe/USA trends

ARC Europe 2015 Where: Olympia Conference Centre, London, UK When: June 1 - 3 The Airline Retail Conference (ARC) Europe runs over three days starting with a reception at Kensington Close Hotel from 7pm on June 1. Each day will have three main focus streams; Inflight, Pre/Post flight, and The Digital Traveller. Conference speakers include George Horan (president – Dubai Duty Free), Stephenie Rodriguez (ceo – Mightymedia group), Kevin Jackson (snr vice-president –George P. Johnson

Experience Marketing), and over 200 more. Topics range from 'inflight social media' to 'how to cut food waste in flight'. A number of networking opportunities will also be available to attendees and a dedicated trade show, ARC Expo, will attract airline retail and ancillary revenue professionals. ARC Expo also introduces for the first time a new feature entitled 'The Digital Traveller' which will showcase products and services aimed at enhancing the Passenger Experience for the 'always connected traveller'. arcevents.co

16:00 - 17:00 Industry leaders – How to manage work and family – panel session 19:30 -23.30 Sri Lankan Airlines Gala Night with a special ‘white’ dress theme Chef's Competition Final Winner Award Day 3: June 2 Outdoor Event Tea Picking 07:00 Private VIP train trip to the tea plantation. 19:30 - 21:00 Onboard dinner party 23:30 - onwards A night to remember at the Marina Entertainment centre where the Party continues

apot.asia/colombo-2015/events

Calendar Dates 2015 May/June 31 - 2 APOT.Asia Forum, Sri Lanka, apot.asia June 1-3 ARC EUROPE, Olympia London, airlineretail.com September 9-11 Travel Retail Tradeshow, London Gatwick Hilton Hotel, trtuck.org September 24-25 lunch!, Business Design Centre London lunchshow.co.uk September/October 28- 1 IFSA Expo, Portland, Oregon, USA. Celebrating 50 years! ifsanet.com/apex.aero

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The leading global event for travel catering, onboard retail and passenger comfort

Save the Date

5 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 7 April 2016

worldtravelcateringexpo.com Co-Located with:

Organised by: Alternativ e Ener gy

PAST EVENTS

Travel Catering EXPO

Where: Dubai With around 50 stands, Travel Catering Expo made its presence felt at this year’s huge Airports Show at the Dubai International Conference and Exhibition Centre. With so much airport growth and DXB now ahead of LHR as the world’s busiest, Jeremy Clark went along to see what all the fuss was about. The catering presence was from Emirates Flight Catering with a strong team from Food Point headed by senior sales executive, Stacey Crozier, and executive chef Sachin Mathur. Food Point expects to conclude an extension to current facilities in six months and EFCK total production capacity should be at 300,000 meals a day by 2017. From Saudi Arabia Hajj & Umrah Catering attended – they produce large quantities of high quality product year round for Hajj pilgrims and other B2Bs. New products included UK-based Vita Coco with a range of coconut water drinks. Chris Wallace, Vita Coco’s head of new market development reports great interest

May 10-12

Pictured main: On the floor at TCE Dubai with, centre from top, Vita Coco's new coconut water range, Solo Italian's Tiramisu 'Mini Shot' and (from left to right) Jeremy Clark with Food Point's Stacey Crozier and Sachin Mathur

by Middle Eastern clients. Solo Italian has a new range of airline desserts called 'Mini Shots'. Designed for the traditional airline tray or for buy-on-board, new lines include Tiramisu, already in use with Tui Group. In response to regulatory labelling demands, Solo Italian has resolved the problem of unsightly ingredient/ nutritional info stickers by incorporating details into a peel-back label. Chinese china was present in the form of TangShan DingHong Industrial Co’s initial presence at this show. A range of porcelain was on view including examples proposed to Air New Zealand. Also new was the Rolly – a new type of tooth-cleaning device comprised of spiky plastic infused with minty toothpaste that cleans as you roll it around your mouth. Around 95% of the show was airport focused with a massive presence from Germany, UK, Switzerland and France and from major suppliers of all things to do with ground handling and airport maintenance.

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PAST EVENTS

TravelPlus winners unveiled Where: Hamburg When: April 14 TravelPlus unveiled the winners of its 2014 Airline Amenity Bag Awards at a special awards evening during WTCE, Hamburg. Pictured here are staff from AK Services and Aeroflot who won gold in the Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Goody Bag (over 6). The full list of winners is as follows: