PAX International magazine by Paramount Publishing Ltd.

DOU BLE ISSU E

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012 | VOL. 16, NO. 1 | w w w . p a x- i n t l . c o m

N E W S A N D A N A LY S I S F O R T H E PA S S E N G E R S E R V I C E S E X E C U T I V E

WTC&OS EXPO HAMBURG

Germany in Focus

Brands

in the cabin

Advertising Onboard

REED EXPOS INTERVIEW p.

BRANDED AMENITIES p.

SOFTWARE UPDATE p.

CATERING EQUIPMENT p.

A taste of the world

53 destinations worldwide Servair brings you a taste of the world – a taste journey into four continents for our airline, company and group clients. What’s more, we prioritise great service and the respect of local speciﬁcity in order to better meet our clients’ needs. Finally, we offer our clients the highest possible quality professional restaurant and airport standards, see we meet their service expectations.

www.servair.fr

EDITOR’S LETTER

PAX International 26 Pearl Street, Mississauga, Ontario L5M 1X2, Canada Tel: (1 905) 821-3344; Fax: (1 905) 821-2777 website: www.pax-intl.com

PUBLISHER Aijaz Khan E-mail: aijaz@globalmarketingcom.ca

EDITORIAL OFFICES

THE BIG SHOW

n 1997, PAX International traveled to the International Flight Catering Association Annual Conference and Exhibition in Bruges, Belgium with what could only be called an empty magazine: a bound copy with a rudimentary layout and absolutely no stories, just page after page of paragraphs containing only X’s and lots of promises that we would show up soon with something else. It was there when we first informed the industry on the launch of PAX, which would appear in standard magazine format shortly afterwards, at the Inflight Services Association’s annual event in Vancouver. If there were another IFSA event this spring, we would be marking it with our 15th year in publication. Nothing is planned to note the anniversary at this point. We’ll knuckle down and hoe our row through this one. Since our launch, to say the least, much has changed. The world’s two travel-catering associations have both gone through name changes, and what has come to pass is a yearly event in Hamburg, Germany taking in the previous International Travel Catering Association and teaming it with the Aircraft Interiors Expo.

So, it seems only fitting that we should come to this event with a new publishing concept and more planned for 2012. This is our first year with a double-issue, both with a different focus to meet the demands of WTCE and AIX. Layouts of the late 1990s have given way to new designs and demands of online and electronic publishing that have changed completely the way people get their information. We plan to expand our electronic offerings this year, using our established website and subscriber base to better inform the industry in a more timely fashion. But even with those changes a few things stay the same. This recent offering took a large effort and we want to thank the many sources and loyal advertisers who helped us out in recent months as we badgered them through the holiday season. We wish luck to the organizers of this massive event as we all gather again in Hamburg to learn what we can to make the year ahead a successful one.

Rick Lundstrom, Editor in Chief PAX International 723 Jefferson Street, NE Minneapolis, MN 55413, USA Tel: (1 612) 378-0862 Fax: (1 612) 378-0852 E-mail: rick@pax-intl.com Maryann Simson, Managing Editor Tel: (1 905) 821-3344 x31 E-mail: maryann@pax-intl.com Lauren Brunetti, Associate Editor Tel: (1 905) 821-3344 x21 E-mail: lauren@pax-intl.com

A R T D E PA R T M E N T Patrick Balanquit, Art Director E-mail: patrick@globalmaketingcom.ca

ADVERTISING OFFICES Deepa J, Subscription & Conference Manager Tel: (1 905) 821-3344 x35 Fax: (1 905) 821-2777 E-mail: deepa@globalmarketingcom.ca

PAX International is published six times a year (January/February, March/April, May, June/July/August, September/October, November/December) by PAX

International, 26 Pearl Street, Mississauga, Ontario L5M 1X2, Canada. International Distribution. Subscriptions: $200 for one year; $300 for two years; $400 for three years. Art and photographs will not be returned unless accompanied by return postage. The views expressed in this magazine do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the publisher or editor. February/March 2012, Vol. 16, No. 1. Printed in Canada. All rights reserved. Nothing may be reprinted

Rick Lundstrom Editor-in-Chief, PAX International

in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher. © PAX International magazine

Want more? Visit us online to check out our current e.Newsletter, read recent print issues. www.pax-intl.com www.pax-intl.com

PAX INTERNATIONAL

FEBRUARY/MARCH | VOL. 16, NO. 1

ON THE COVER:

CPET container from DIF Marketing GmbH

Contents REGIONAL REPORT 18

THE NEW AIRPORT AT BER A major airport opening has airlines in Germany jockeying for position on the world stage

DELIVERING THE GOODS Germany is home to some of the leaders in airline catering and supply

BRANDED PRODUCTS REVIEW 30

SIMPLE, BUT NOT EASY From trendy to classic, two longtime suppliers talk about the power of brands and their importance to airlines

BRAND IN THE BAG PAX International discovers the ups and downs of packing amenity kits with established brands

THE BRAND ALTERNATIVE 36

BEYOND THE BRAND Big names and well-known products aren’t nearly as necessary as providing the passenger with something simple, tried and true say several companies that get their inspiration from consumer tastes

LOW-COST COMFORT To fill amenity kits and cabins with comfort items some airlines forego name brands and premium pricing for something simple and practical; and they are finding a number of offerings

ADVERTISING 42

MILE HIGH MEDIUM Airlines from Florida to India are turning cabins into a bold advertising canvas to enhance revenue, while companies that sponsor the displays seek to reach an important demographic

TECHNOLOGY 44

TESTING THE TASTY WATERS From the concourses to the cabin, technology is placing more meals in front of more travelers

SHIFTING SANDS As software developers create solutions for airline catering systems, they are finding an industry that diverse in its needs and quickly changing

WINE REPORT 48

WINE A LITTLE, YOU’LL FEEL BETTER PAX International talks to airline wine experts about the 2011 grape harvest and how it will affect the landscape in 2012, plus trends in consumption on ground an in air

EQUIPMENT 62

GET YOUR HANDS ON THIS PAX International explores Cascades’ anti-bacterial hand towel, a new product set to improve hygiene onboard

EQUIPPED FOR TAKEOFF PAX International investigates just what kinds of specialized equipment come into play when food takes flight

ADVERTISING FEATURE

Rougié separates fact from fiction on the topic of foie gras and how it is produced

EVENTS COVERAGE 16

TOGETHER AT LAST!

EDITOR’S COMMENTS

NEWS

NEW FACES, NEW PLACES

ENTRIES UP FOR BACARDI CRUISE COMPETITION

WHAT’S HOT

Growing in popularity with each contest and now in its seventh year, the Bacardi Cruise Competition is the only one of its kind in the industry

ASSOCIATION NEWS

ADVERTISER’S INDEX

CALENDAR

Aircraft Interiors Expo and World Travel Catering and Onboard Services Expo Event Director John Hyde chats with PAX International about what visitors and exhibitors can expect to see, hear and take away from this year’s newly co-located events running from March 27-29, 2012

TRUTH BE TOLD

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A GLOBAL VOICE This year’s Marine Hotel Association Conference and Trade Show continues its international appeal, with more stands and a events geared toward its far-flung clientele

READERSHIP AWARDS PART OF ITCA DUBAI GALA PAX International readers honor the best in food service from around the world

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012

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NEWS AIRLINE

SWISS introduces new culinary concept for business class passengers in Europe Swiss International launched a new “SWISS Traditions,” culinary concept for Business Class passengers on European services, on February 22. The new program brought aboard a series of Swiss culinary dishes, traditions, and coincided with cultural events, said a release from the airline. Passengers will be treated to classic and popular Swiss dishes, which will be prepared from original recipes using highquality regional ingredients, such as a typical mushroom risotto of Canton Ticino, or a Bündnerplatte featuring Canton Grisons’ famous air-dried beef. The new concept will also coincide with well-known Swiss national and cultural events. Every eight weeks the carrier will feature a new event on selected flights. The cycle began with February’s focus on Basel’s loud and colorful “Fasnacht” carnival, for which passengers were offered local specialties, such as Basler Mehlsuppe (flour soup), Käsekuchen (cheese tart) and Basler Läckerli mousse. In April, the focus will be on Zurich’s annual “Sechseläuten,” while the summer special will showcase the Cantonal Yodelling Festival and the Wrestling Festival. Also for the second half of 2012, the new program will celebrate cultural highlights, including the “Castagnata” in Ascona and Geneva’s “Escalade.” Each event will be marked with typical culinary fare, along with appropriate illustrations and an accompanying brochure. The new “SWISS Traditions” concept will complement the existing “SWISS Taste of Switzerland” in-flight culinary program, which will now be in First and Business Class passengers on long-haul flights from Switzerland.

The United Global First cabin now in the works

United rebranding and upgrading March saw the first steps of a comprehensive re-branding of United Airlines’ premium cabins with new configurations and upgraded food service and amenities. The first of the changes took place March 3, on the airline’s Asia Pacific routes. There, first class customers experienced the United Global First brand in aircraft with a three-class configuration and a new layout of lie-flat beds and priority services. In the second quarter of this year, the airline plans to bring in new equipment, including new bedding, and skin-care amenties by a company called Philosophy. Many of the changes will follow Continental’s BusinessFirst. Among the improvements in food service will be a total of four entrée choices and an expanded selection of wines picked by Sommelier Doug Frost. On routes within North America and Central America, United Business Class adds a number of new products including cookies and scones made from scratch, and warmed cinnamon rolls on breakfast flights. On transcontinental lunch and dinner service, United plans to serve ice cream sundaes with toppings. On United Express flights of two hours or longer, the airline plans to distribute complimentary snack boxes. United Airlines is spending US$550 million to upgrade aircraft interiors. The fleet of A319s and A320s will be be outfitted with larger overhead bins. The airline is also adding satellite-enabled internet service and on-demand inflight entertainment on its transcontinental routes.

SAS improves short-haul economy service

Every eight weeks, Swiss International will feature a new, classic Swiss dish

PAX INTERNATIONAL

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012

Scandinavian Airlines has brought back complimentary tea and coffee service on all European routes, including flights to Denmark, Sweden and Norway, the carrier announced at the end of January. “This reintroduction is in line with our new strategy, 4Excellence and is one of the first steps toward an improved product offering. We also believe this will increase our already all-time high customer satisfaction,” said Rickard Gustafson, CEO of SAS. SAS currently operates a three-class service with Business, Economy Extra and Economy on European routes, a two-class cabin on intra-Scandinavian routes and an all Economy Class service on routes in Denmark, Norway and Sweden.

NEWS AIRLINE

Cathay Pacific begins first Premium Economy flights Cathay Pacific Airways announced in late February that the first of its Premium Economy Class experience would be available for flights departing from April 1. In addition to a new seat and entertainment system, Cathay Pacific has designed the new

Premium Economy experience which features a quieter, more spacious cabin with between 26 and 34 seats per aircraft. The seat pitch will be 38 inches – six inches more than Economy Class – and the seat itself will be wider and have a lower recline. It will have a large meal table, cocktail table, footrest, a 10.6-inch personal television, an in-seat power outlet, a multi-port connector for personal devices and extra personal stowage space. In the air, passengers will receive an environmentally friendly amenity kit with a den-

tal kit, socks, eyeshade and earplugs, plus larger pillows and noise-canceling headsets will also be provided. Premium Economy passengers will be welcomed aboard with juice and champagne, and enjoy an enhanced onboard meal selection. On the ground, Cathay Pacific will give passengers in Premium Economy Class Priority check-in at dedicated space t in the airport. The in baggage will increase from 20 kilograms to 25 kilograms or two pieces of baggage from 23 kilograms to 25 kilograms each.

Cathay Pacific will be launching its Premium Economy Class next month

Malaysia Airlines beefs up IFE choices Malaysia Airlines has increased the content of its inflight movies, TV programs and songs library on its 737-800, 777-200, 747-400 and A330-300 aircraft. Starting 2012, Malaysia Airlines has increased the in-flight entertainment (IFE) choices. The airline has doubled its content of Hollywood movies from 30 to 60 and audio CD selections from 200 to 400. Also increased is television content from 94 to 170 programs and

international movies from 24 to 36. “We want our customers to enjoy world class IFE experience during their journeys with us. The increased content also means that they will be able to watch something new every time they travel,” said Malaysia Airlines’ Head of Customer Experience, Dato’ Mohd Salleh Ahmad Tabrani. The airline plans to extend this upgrade later this year to cover the contents of Going

Places, its monthly travel magazine; Select, its in-flight entertainment guide; and Temptations, the in-flight sales catalog. Malaysia Airlines 737-800 fleets are equipped with the audio and video on demand system by Panasonic XSeries on selected routes. The systems enables passenger to control, view and listen to the IFE at their leisure. Its new Airbus 330-300 fleet has the latest Panasonic eX2™ in-flight entertainment system that can be programmed to route specific while the 747-400 and 777-200 fleets are currently equipped with s3000i from Panasonic.

www.pax-intl.com

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NEWS AIRLINE

Lie-flat comfort on Delta’s 747-400 fleet

Delta renovations begin with international fleet The first of Delta Air Lines’ renovated 747-400s took to the skies in late January on a route from Tokyo Narita to Detroit. The new interior has a fully reclining seat in BusinessElite and new slimmer seats in economy class. Modifications on all of the big jets will be completed this year and put in service on routes across the Pacific and Atlantic. The BusinessElite cabin has 48 seats with a personal power outlet, a 15.4 inch monitor and an IFE system with 300 movies, 88 hours of television programming, 100 hours of HBO and Showtime and 5,000 music tracks. Zodiac Aerospace is the supplier for the BusinessElite seat. Also on the 747s is Delta’s Economy Comfort cabin with 42 seats. The new mid-range economy cabin is now on 160 Delta aircraft and is located in the first few rows of the back cabin. In Economy Class,

the new slim-line seats give passengers an additional two inches of seat pitch and also have adjustable wings, height and tilt, a USB power outlet and a nine-inch touch screen, which offers the same line of choices as BusinessElite.

CATERING

gategroup subsidiary deSter to acquire Helios

gategroup takes full ownership of Skygourmet

Helios Market, Product and Production Development BV will be acquired by deSter Holding BV, a subsidiary of gategroup, for approximately CHF27 million (US$29.4 million) the company announced in February. “The addition of Helios will expand the ability of the combined companies to bring innovative approaches to new customers and geographies and will provide synergies in marketing, manufacturing and supply chain solutions,” said a release from gategroup. “With this acquisition, we will leverage Helios’ reputation for customer focus, flexibility and speed to market with the marketing, production and supply chain strength of our industry-leading brands deSter and Harmony to create truly world-class offerings,” said gategroup CEO, Andrew Gibson. Helios’ product lines include disposable and re-usable onboard equipment, plastic, metal, china and glass service ware and passenger amenity kits. The company, which is based in Amsterdam, operates an asset-light business model with manufacturing outsourced, but with control of all supply chain logistics. “Being reunited with deSter and Harmony within gategroup is like coming home,” Jons Hensel, Chairman of Helios said. “Everyone at Helios looks forward to taking our collective innovation, delivery and customer

In mid-February, gategroup announced it has exercised its call option with India Hospitality Corp. (IHC) and acquired the remaining 26 percent of the Indian airline catering company Skygourmet. The company says it is increasing its stake to provide maximum flexibility to run Skygourmet as a fully owned and integrated business of gategroup. “We appreciate IHC’s support during the past 15 months to help familiarize us with the Indian business environment, and we are eager to move forward in developing this important asset,” said gategroup CEO Andrew Gibson, in the February 14 announcement of the move. Gate Gourmet, gategroup’s subsidiary, entered a joint venture agreement with IHC in November 2010. Skygourmet operates airline-catering activities in Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Pune, while Gate Gourmet operates an airline catering facility in Goa. Further expansion of the network is under development. In other news, Skygourmet and Travel Food Services (TFS), a leading Indian provider of travel food and beverages, are finalizing a strategic partnership to manage newly developing buy-on-board services for India-based airlines. “TFS brings the local experience and expertise to augment what we bring from a global platform,” said Herman Anbeek, gategroup Chief Commercial Officer.

PAX INTERNATIONAL

service capabilities to the next level.” Hensel was involved in the development of deSter in an earlier form. Approximately 15 years ago, Hensel and partners founded Helios as an independent company. “We are extremely excited to have Jons and his team join the company and accelerate the growth of deSter and Harmony in the coming years,” Gibson said. Helios is a family-owned company that began operating under its present name in 1999 with the merger of BASIC and DISC BV. The company began a meal solutions association with Supplair BV in 2001. Shortly after, the company opened an office in Hong Kong and in 2007, began serving the highspeed rail market. Helios’ revenue for 2011 was more than CHF70 million (US$76.35 million) with an EBITDA margin above gategroup’s and a strong return on invested capital based on Helios’ unaudited financial statements, said gategroup. With Helios, deSter’s and Harmony’s combined annual revenue will exceed CHF250 million (US$272.6 million). The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and approvals, including clearance by competition authorities if required. The purchase price will be funded in part from cash and a debt facility.

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012

NEWS CATERING

Sales up in Do & Co for first three quarters Airline and event caterer Do & Co recorded €361.82 million (US$482.57 million) for the first three quarters of its 2011-12 fiscal year and earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) of €37.17 million (US$49.5 million), the company announced in early February. Airline catering sales grew 7% from the previous year, producing sales in the first three quarters of €269.54 million (US$359.51 million), logging a EBIT for the sector of €17.59 million (US$23.46 million), a 21.9% increase over the previous year for the first three quarters of the fiscal year, which ended December 31. “Belt tightening by some of our airline customers is accompanied by higher frequencies at other clients and our successful acquisition of new customers,” said the February 9 report. “This trend can be observed at almost all of the Do & Co locations worldwide.” One of the carriers that Do & Co is working extensively with is Turkish Airlines, which

is in the midst of developing an onboard chefs program. “We plan to have a total of 200 chefs onboard TK,” said Wilfried Kainz Managing Director at Do & Co Restaurants & Catering AG. “Thus we can assure high competence and service quality for our passengers. All chefs are trained professionals who have attended our culinary academy in Istanbul.” Turkish Airlines comes off a year which was marked with high growth in 2011. Recent estimates have placed the airline as the fourth largest in Europe with a fleet of 177 aircraft to 190 cities around the world. “We expect that TK will benefit from its geostrategic position, high domestic demand, and above average growth potential in the Central and Easter Europe region,” said Kainz. Elsewhere in the caterer’s system, Do & Co completed its majority purchase of Kyiv Catering; and work continues a new kitchen in the Ukrainian capital that is expected to open this year. The company has also taken over the catering for Austrian Railways.

SATS and partners agree to joint stakes in Beijing firms SATS announced in mid-February that it has entered into a joint venture with two airlines and an airports holding company for a new agreement involving Beijing Aviation Ground Services Co., Limited (BGS) and Beijing Airport Inflight Kitchen, Limited (BAIK). As a result, China Eastern Airlines Corporation Limited and China Southern Airlines Company Limited will each own 30% of BGS and BAIK, while SATS’ shareholding will be diluted to 28%, with the 12% balance being held by Capital Airports Holding Company. Before the new agreement, SATS held a 40% equity stake in both JV companies while Capital Airports Holding Company owned the remaining 60% stake. “We are very pleased that China Eastern and China Southern will be coming onboard as new shareholders of BGS and BAIK,” said Tan Chuan Lye, SATS’ Acting CEO. “Both airlines are our existing customers at Changi and are leading carriers in the Chinese aviation market. With SATS’ continued presence in Beijing, we hope to leverage on our strong relationship with both airlines to deepen our presence in China.” The deal is subject to the approval of the Chinese regulatory authority.

Cleaned for take-off

Take hygiene and safety on board and enjoy a clean ﬂight with MEIKO. MEIKO, your global partner in airline catering and wash-up systems.

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PAX INTERNATIONAL

NEWS CRUISE LINES

Nobu Matsuhisa takes to sea on Crystal Master Chef, Nobu Matsuhisa will be aboard the Crystal Serenity this May as Executive Chef in Silk Road and the Sushi Bar, his specialty restaurants on Crystal Cruises. The chef plans to give cooking instructions, personally prepare dishes, take pictures with guests, and sign autographs during a 12-day western European/Mediterranean voyage departing May 24. Passengers may request a special “Omakase” dinner, with sake and sake champagne pairings chosen by Sake Master Fumio Hazu, the man behind Nobu’s exclusive “living” Hokosetsu sake. The chef will give a personal cooking class for 10-12 guests, sign copies of his two cookbooks and also oversee sake tastings and hors d’oeuvres serving by Hazu. Nobu’s Japanese-Peruvian fusion has been served complimentary on board every Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity sailing since 2003 and 2008, respectively. Matsuhisa personally trains all chefs, designs all menus, and schedules in-person ship visits every year for ongoing refinement.

Six Silversea voyages feature wine experts Wine experts, Lyn Farmer and Richard Nurick will host an enrichment program on six Silversea cruises this year. The first of the series with Lyn Farmer took place in early February on a 19-day voyage around Australia on the Silver Shadow. The next is planned for May when the Silver Whisper departs out of Monte Carlo on a 12-day sail to Southampton. Other trips will be in August on the Silver Cloud from London to Monte Carlo, France and in December from Buenos Aires to Santiago, Chile on the Silver Cloud. Nurick’s first voyage will be in July on the Silver Whisper from Southampton to Lisbon, followed by August from Lisbon to Southampton, also on the Silver Whisper.

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SUPPLIER NEWS

En Route a brand battle winner “We sit very proudly amongst some other winners this evening such as Heinz, McDonald’s, Weetabix and Hellmann’s!,” said the e-mail from En Route with news that the company has won a bronze medal in the Design Effectiveness Awards in late February. The UK company received the honor for the My, Myself & My brand, which was developed through its work with a company called 1HQ in the midst of an economic downturn. The products were put together in a visually strong packaging to capture the eye. “1HQ created the Me, Myself & My brand – a nod to the insight that, once settled on board their flight, passengers enter a self-contained bubble,” said a description of the program. “1HQ used a bold, confident logotype and strong, simple visuals and colors to reflect the brand’s distinctive personality, create impact and help with easy product identification.” On the package were games and puzzles to alleviate in-flight boredom. The first Me, Myself & My products were launched in December of 2009. The brand achieved more than six times its sales target. It can now be found on British Airways, Ryanair, BMI and Emirates flights.

Stolichnaya to be served on Austrian Airlines SPI Group has announced recently that Stolichnaya brand premium vodka is now available on-board all Austrian Airlines flights. Do & Co Airline Catering will supply the premium vodka across the airline’s 91-aircraft fleet. Stolichnaya premium vodka is the top selling brand in the SPI Group portfolio and one of the world’s best-selling premium vodkas. “The partnership with Austrian Airlines is a natural fit for Stolichnaya as both set a precedent for high quality in their respective markets,” said a release from SPI Group. Industry support for both partners has been shown through the Best Business Class Catering Award 2011 and the Staff Service Excellence Europe 2011 awarded to Austrian Airlines, as well as the gold medals for Stolichnaya Premium vodka at the World Spirits Awards and at the International Spirits Challenge.

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012

Guestlogix probes Asian passenger retail in new study A new study by Toronto-based Guestlogix paints a picture of a more prosperous and independent Asian traveler now taking to the skies with a desire to spend. The report: The Retail Store at 35,000 Feet: How New Travel Trends in the Asia-Pacific Region Create New Opportunities for Airlines analyzes recent travel trends out of the region. In the first eight months of last year the report notes that Asian travel abroad increased 6% from the previous year bringing the overall travel numbers to 90 million passengers spending an estimated US$86 billion. “Whole countries like Tanzania are designing and redesigning their tourist promotion campaigns specifically tailored to the Asia-Pacific community and shifting from the go-to tourist countries, namely Britain, Germany, the U.S., Italy, France, Spain and the Scandinavian countries,” said the report. Traveling Asian tourists are on the move armed with laptops, smart phones and tablets. Evidence also points to a traveler from the region that is freer with money. Thai travelers on average outspend Australians, Japanese and Americans. Growing educated middle classes in emerging nations have increased in nations such as China to 23% of the population, notes the report. “To be sure, per capita spending power for many of these individuals remains below Western standard,” the report says. “But even so, the opportunity for Western retailers, hoteliers and airlines to attract and build firsttime loyalty for this new and rapidly expanding upwardly mobile population segment will never come again.” In the changing world of inflight retail the opportunity for sales at 35,000 feet may be found in what Guestlogix calls a “branded onboard store.” Though not a new ideal, the concept would take a different form airline by airline. Some of the advancement involves technologies that have moved ahead of the specialized pointof-sale devices to complete transactions. “But rather than being viewed as a stand-alone product, the inflight connectivity is an enabler, providing for a seamless and managed onboard buying experience delivered right into the hands of airlines’ passengers via personal devices and smart phones,” said the report. This brand of onboard retailing is still in its youth, but airlines like Delta and American are transitioning with the adoption of cashless cabins. Embracing new technologies and methods is one of the keys to successful sales to Asian travelers. A recent study, pointed out in the Guestlogix study shows that 48% of Asians surveyed use social media such as Facebook and Twitter as opposed to 10% in the United States. Many, the survey found, valued access to inflight WiFi and AC power adaptors, presumably for their portable mobile devices, said the report.

PEOPLE NEWS

Goeke named gategroup SVP Doug Goeke has been named gategroup’s Group Senior Vice President and President of its North America region. He took over the new position January 1. He has served as President and Managing Director for Gate Gourmet Canada since November 2010. Goeke continues to have oversight of Canada and will direct responsibility for all of the Gate Gourmet’s U.S. operations. He is also a member of the gate- Doug Goeke was previously gategroup’s managing director for group Executive Management Board. Gate Gourmet Canada Goeke joined gategroup as the Chief Financial Officer for Gate Gourmet’s North America region in 2003. Previously, he held progressively responsible financial positions with The Lincoln Electric Company and earlier worked with the international accounting firm Arthur Andersen LLP.

Marco Candiani joined Servair Air Chef late last year

Candiani takes over Servair Air Chef Servair has appointed Marco Candiani to the position of General Manager of Servair Air Chef. Candiani began his career as a consultant at T&MSI Consulting. In 1992 he became Logistics Manager of CO.E.S. SpA (Compagnie Edil Sanitaria), an Italian company specializing in hydrothermal sanitary installations. Candiani joined Salvesen Cavalieri Logistica SpA in 1997 before taking the position of Development Manager in the Italian subsidiary of the Kuehne Nagel group in 2001. His duties included overseeing supply for Carrefour hypermarkets. He was then appointed as Director of Retail & Consumer Operations for logistics management and key account supply for such companies as Sephora, Carrefour, Danone, and Carslberg.

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New appointments at Kraft World Travel Retail Several personnel changes occurred at Kraft World Travel Retail in January. Sanjay Karadi, the Business Development Manager for the Middle East, took a new position with the Kraft Middle East organization. Lucas Roberts, who previously headed up the company’s Indian Sub-Continent and Oceania cluster, is now Business Development Manager, Middle East and India Sub Continent. He will move from Melbourne to Dubai in early 2012. Finally Rajiv Malhotra, previously responsible for South East Asia business, has been appointed Senior Business Development Manager, South East Asia and Oceania. He will continue to be based in Singapore.

Anne Bauer named President of Racket Group Anne Bauer has been named President and CEO of Racket Group in Kansas City, Missouri. Racket Group is privately owned by the Hoagland family, which also operates businesses in cattle and citrus growing. Racket was established in 1891. Joe Hoagland will remain Chairman of the Board of Racket Merchandise Company. His son, Dirck Hoagland has taken over daily management of two cattle ranches and the commercial feedlot. Bauer has been with the company for 14 years. She was responsible for opening Racket Group’s offices in Europe and worked as European Sales Manager for several years. She returned to the United States to become the company’s Director of Sales. Last year, Racket’s overall sales increased nearly 30% under her leadership.

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012

Food safety expert joins Flying Food Group Dr. Paul Hall has joined Flying Food Group (FFG) as Vice President of Food Safety and Quality. Hall will lead an expanded FFG Food Safety & Quality Assurance team at FFG’s network of 18 U.S. kitchens and one in Shanghai. Hall has a background in food safety and microbiology. He has worked with Kraft Foods Global, Con Agra Foods, Anheuser Busch Companies and Ralston Purina. Sue Gin, FFG Founder and CEO, said, “Paul and his expanded team add another layer of protection for our customers.” Hall is a Fellow and past president of the International Association for Food Protection, and past president of the American Society for Microbiology. His awards include: Kraft Foods Superior Achievement Award for Listeria Food Safety Initiatives, International Life Sciences Institute’s Movers and Shakers Award for Promoting Global Food Safety, Outstanding Leadership Recognition Award from the University of Georgia Center for Food Safety.

Eileen Song previously worked with Leki Aviation

New to Zodiac sales team Zodiac Group announced in a recent company newsletter that Eileen Song has joined the company’s Galley Equipment Sales team at its Singapore offices. Song has spent seven years in sales and customer service experience in the aerospace and hospitality industries. She recently graduated with a degree in Aviation Industry Management with Distinction at RMIT University in Australia. Her experience includes a period as Sales Executive at Leki Aviation PTE Ltd. in Singapore. Leki Aviation specializes in the supply and distribution of aircraft parts, interiors and components to the global Aviation industry.

PEOPLE NEWS

Nico Vandecaveye appointed Managing Director for deSter Nico Vandecaveye joined gategroup’s deSter brand as Managing Director, February 1. He is responsible for deSter sales, operations and financial performance worldwide. He is based at the company’s headquarters in Hoogstraten, Belgium. Before joining deSter, Vandecaveye was Vice President of Sales at Georgia-Pacific in Brussels. Georgia-Pacific manufactures tissue, pulp, paper, packaging, building products and related chemicals, and Mars Inc., a global food manufacturer.

New appointments at Newrest Jean Paul Llanusa has been appointed Vice-President America & Polynesia at Newrest on January 1, replacing Jean Louis Chicon. Llanusa is a chartered accountant and spent 15 years with the Sodexo Group, first as Country Director of Administration and Finance, then Director of the Africa Zone and Central America Zone. He was later appointed Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the CIS Group. Llanusa is based in Santiago, Chile: In other changes, Pierre Brugère, currently responsible for all Inflight Sales and Marketing activities took over as head of the company’s On Board Sales and Marketing in January. Pascale Perez, formerly responsible for development of the rail business, has decided to temporarily step down from her responsibilities within Newrest Group International for personal reasons. She will remain a member of the Executive Committee and will act as a consultant to the Presidents in relation to international development.

F.S.P GmbH is the top supplier of paper products to airlines large and small in every part of the globe Our famous non-skid traymats are available with a high quality non-skid coating, that can be applied a variety of different papers including SM 60 or 80, airlaid white or colored, OS 70 and Toptex.

Mitchell named Linstol Sales Manager Craig Mitchell was recently named a Sales Manager at Linstol UK. He will be responsible for sales, client relationships and customer service in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Mitchell has a degree in hospitality management and has worked for hotels in the Far East. He later moved to Dubai where he worked in sales and marketing in the airline supply industry. He has spent 12 years working in the Middle East and Africa.

Craig Mitchell has worked in hospitality in Asia and the Middle East

We are now excited to present a new, colored TD material with printing options and non-skid coating. The raw material is 100% cellulose, the ideal choice for environmentaclly concious airlines. Please contact: F.S.P. GmbH Ostermayerstr. 54 46446 Emmerich/Germany phone: 0049-2822-7160 fax: 0049-2822-71625 email: info@fspgmbh.com www.fspgmbh.com Visit our stand at WTC&OS Expo in Hamburg, Germany Hall 3 booth 3B50

www.pax-intl.com

PAX INTERNATIONAL

INDUSTRY Q&A

Together at last! Aircraft Interiors Expo and World Travel Catering and Onboard Services Expo Event Director John Hyde chats with PAX International about what visitors and exhibitors can expect to see, hear and take away from this year’s newly co-located events running from March 27-29, 2012 By Maryann Simson PAX International: There is a lot of speculation in the industry about how Reed came to be the organizer of the world’s largest travel catering and onboard services annual trade show, formerly part of the International Travel Catering Association (ITCA). Can you set the record straight for us about what exactly happened and where it all stands now? John Hyde: We felt that airline catering –

ing them as one large event? How easily will delegates be able to move between shows? Hyde: We are certainly not just treating World

time for several years that industry heavyweights Gate Gourmet, Servair and LSG Sky Chefs are all exhibiting at the same travel catering and onboard services exhibition.

Travel Catering & Onboard Services Expo and Aircraft Interiors Expo as simply one large event. Both events contain areas that require tailored marketing to visitors. For example the World Travel Catering & Onboard Services Expo is not just about an airline’s which is obviously a crucial part of the onboard onboard services, so we are also reaching out passenger experience – was under-represented to rail operators and cruise and ferry operators for whom this event is equally valuable. However there In early 2011, it was announced that Reed Exhibitions had are obviously many

PAX:What sort of numbers are you expecting to see for both shows individually and combined in Hamburg in 2012? Hyde: We anticipate similar visitor num-

acquired the ITCA’s annual European trade show, but had decided to re-name the event and harmonize the branding with Aircraft Interiors Expo

at Aircraft Interiors Expo. We looked at various ways of incentivizing more food and beverage exhibitors to attend Aircraft Interiors Expo but our research demonstrated that this segment of the cabin interiors market tends to have a different set of airline procurement personnel from those who traditionally attend Aircraft Interiors Expo and that exhibitors preferred it to be a separately branded event, although they were very interested in seeing it co-locating with Aircraft Interiors Expo. Following negotiations, we acquired the event from ITCA but decided to give it a new name and harmonize the branding with our Aircraft Interiors Expo event. We also engaged with a number of key exhibitors to ensure we secured their buy in to the event. PAX: Do you have separate teams working on WTCE and AIX, or is Reed treat-

PAX INTERNATIONAL

Last year’s Aircraft Interiors Expo drew 7,900 attendees from 89 countries

synergies with the two events. We have allocated additional resources within all the key areas – sales, marketing, event management and operations - to ensure that both events receive the attention they deserve. PAX: Industry members have been asking for one major show to attend for a long time now. Has the feedback been positive regarding the newly co-located Hamburg events? Any exhibitors/delegates feel it is not a good idea? Hyde: So far the feedback has been good

and I think the fact that World Travel Catering & Onboard Services Expo was 95% sold before the end of 2011 demonstrates both the need for this event and exhibitors’ trust in Reed to deliver in this sector. It is also the first

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bers attending Aircraft Interiors Expo as last year when 7,900 visitors (*pre-ABC Audit figure) attended from 89 countries. The number of airlines that attended was 144. In terms of square meterage we are 100% sold out and the show will cover over 16,600 square meters. The number of exhibiting companies – just over 500 – is the same as in 2011.

In terms of World Travel Catering & Onboard Services Expo we cannot speculate on possible visitor numbers as this is the first time we’ve run the event. We currently have 180 exhibiting companies participating covering 4,300 square meters. PAX: Do you expect the financially unstable Euro-zone will affect the show at all? Hyde: In previous years we have faced down

the threats of everything from economic downturns and rocketing fuel prices to airspace closures due to ash clouds. Of course, any global or local economic events that have an impact on travel operators can ultimately affect our exhibitors and visitors – but because

INDUSTRY Q&A

Aircraft Interiors Expo is the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;must attendâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; event of the cabin interiors calendar it has been remarkably resilient to economic challenges and we have maintained virtually the same levels of exhibitors and visitors over the last three events. PAX: You have a conference scheduled for March 26 for AIX. Who are some of the speakers and what can the industry learn from attending it? Hyde: Our speaker line up includes

sion entitled â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Offering choice, making money â&#x20AC;&#x201C; what are the future service options your customers will want to buy into?â&#x20AC;&#x2122; PAX: Are there any information/conference sessions planned for WTCE? Hyde: Yes one of the dedicated

streams of the conference is geared towards topics relevant to World Travel Catering and Onboard Services Expo visitors and exhibitors (and is going to be chaired by your editor Rick Lundstrom). Subjects covered will include â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;A New vision for comfort â&#x20AC;&#x201C; lessons from the hospitality industryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Meeting changing expectations of friendliness and service.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;

John Hyde, Aircraft Interiors Expo and World Travel Catering and Onboard Services Expo Event Director

Peter Lewalter, Head of Cabin Interiors and IFE at Lufthansa. The conference will begin with a look into the future provided by well-known design and innovation consultancy Seymourpowell â&#x20AC;&#x201C; this will give industry a valuable insight into our changing tastes and lifestyles â&#x20AC;&#x201C; highlighting the critical trends shaping passengersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; travel expectations in the future. This is a joint conference with World Travel Catering & Onboard Services Expo; leading speakers from the travel catering and hospitality world include Arnaud Masson, Head of Onboard Services for Eurostar International, who will be joining a panel discus-

PAX: Are there any talks currently about combining AIX Americas or the Asia events with inflight service associations as well? Hyde: Aircraft Interiors Expo Americas has

run successfully with a co-location with both IFSA and APEX in the past. This year APEX and IFSA have opted to return to Long Beach because they felt this location worked better for their members. We, in turn, feel that Seattle works better for Aircraft Interiors Expo

Americas exhibitors as it is at the heart of North Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s airline supply chain. We continue to talk to both APEX and IFSA as important associations which are complementary to Aircraft Interiors Expoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s offering. PAX: What are you most excited about seeing or being a part of in Hamburg this year? Hyde: The co-location of both these events

means that we really feel we are at the forefront of innovations taking place across the whole of the passenger experience now. Some of the trends Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m going to be looking out for are the growth of whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s on offer for regional airline operators, the latest in the world of inflight entertainment and connectivity and what food trends are inspiring travel operators. PAX: What one piece of key advice would you give to a new exhibitor or delegate for Hamburg 2012? Hyde: For exhibitors it would be to make

the most of the marketing and PR support on offer to maximize your visibility both before and during the events. For visitors we highly recommend that they take the time to look at both shows at the Hamburg Messe â&#x20AC;&#x201C; there may well be valuable ideas on show in one that could cross over into a complementary area.

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PAX INTERNATIONAL

REGIONAL REPORT

REGIONAL REPORT A major airport opening has airlines in Germany jockeying for position on the world stage By Rick Lundstrom

Construction at Terminal 5 of the new Berlin International Airport Willy Brandt

s the first of the summer tourists take to the European skies in June, Germany’s capital city will be greeting the increased traffic while the city’s airlines begin and allocation of dozens of new aircraft and will mark the changing of the season with a new airport. Berlin Brandenburg Airport Willy Brandt will be the first significant airport opening in the country in 20 years when Franz Josef Strauss Airport in Munich opened and took its place with Frankfurt and Düsseldorf as hub operations for Lufthansa German Airlines. “The new airport, unlike its smaller predecessors TXL (Tegel) and SXF (Schoenfeld)

A 18

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gives Lufthansa new chances to significantly increase the number of flights. This enables Lufthansa to offer numerous additional connections within Europe and the Middle East,” said Christina Semmel, Manager of Corporate Communications North America for Lufthansa. “The new airport will cause Berlin to become even more attractive as a tourist, business and congress destination.” The outlook for travel within Europe was still murky and uncertain as the new year started, so it is difficult to predict a robust year for the continent. In a year 2011 that was marked by significant cost cutting, the 35 members of the Association of European Airlines will be facing fuel and taxation could

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012

be also met with decreased demand and uncertain political climate. AEA membership could be posting losses of €1 billion to €2 billion (US$1.3 billion to US$2.6 billion) for 2012 according to preliminary projections at the beginning of the year. “This forecast is heavily dependent on a swift and effective political solution to the sovereign debt crisis,” said a December 8 release from the Association of European Airlines. To help alleviate some of the pressure on airlines in the continent, Ulrich Schulte-Strathaus Secretary General of the AEA, said that regulators can help airlines alleviate fuel costs by C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 2 0

Tasteful ideas

Premium food for premium passengers Visit us at WTCE Trade Show in Hamburg March 27 – 29, 2012 Hall B4 Stand No. 4 F 15

Delice of salmon with smoked potato and rocket-mousse

Achenbach Export Team · 65843 Sulzbach am Taunus · Germany phone +49 6196 600923 · fax +49 6196 600928 · export@achenbach.com · www.achenbach.com

REGIONAL REPORT C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 1 8

moving closer to a Single European Sky environment and resolving conflicts around the emission trading debate. That has not stopped airlines in Germany (one of the few countries on the continent that has not suffered greatly from the economic turmoil) from making big plans, securing new catering agreements and bracing for the inevitable buzz that comes when switch is thrown on a new major airport for the first time. In at the start of the year, Lufthansa was planning 38 destinations within Europe and to the Middle East out of BER. Fifteen additional aircraft, A319s and A320s, will be stationed in the capital city. Employee count will be increased from 500 to more than 4,000. Part of the airline’s €60 million (US$79 million) investment will be a new maintenance hall for Lufthansa Technik. Elsewhere, the city’s namesake airline was starting 2012 with a new part owner, holding the promise of continued expansion. “The partnership with Etihad Airways

Some airberlin orders of 737s were rescheduled to 2015 and 2016 as a result of the carrier’s Shape and Size program

will enable airberlin to tap new markets, especially in Asia, the Middle East, the Indian subcontinent and Australia,” said Silke Manitz, a spokesperson for airberlin. By the spring of this year, additional opportunities will open up as airberlin is expected to become a full member of the oneworld airline alliance. The launch of its new service to Etihad’s headquarters city of Abu Dhabi will open up additional route opportunities beyond the Middle East. However, this summer, airbelin plans to add nonstop routes to

Airport Code: BER Berlin-Brandenburg Airport is scheduled to open June 3, 2012 in the southeast region of the capital city and will handle all air traffic from its location. The capital city is seeing tremendous growth that is outpacing other airports in the country. In 2010, Berlin reported 22 million passengers and a year-on-year increase of 6.4 percent. This makes Berlin the third largest airport for passenger movement in Germany. When it opens, BER will have an initial capacity of up to 27 million passengers per year. The airport can be expanded to accommodate up to 45 million passengers. At the new Berlin Brandenburg Airport, there will be 39 food & beverage outlets and approximately 20 service outlets. A food court with seven restaurant areas will cover an area of 2,000 square meters where passengers will be able to choose from a wide and varied range of food and beverages.. Also planned for the new airport will be a number of landside restaurants and bars. Restaurants will be built in the arrival zone and distribution level that that connects the terminal to the railway station. Among the outlets planned are books and newspapers, bank, pharmacy and supermarket.

Construction at the new terminal at Berlin International Airport Willy Brandt

Poland and Los Angeles once BER is open. “With a separate pier for airberlin and our partner airlines, we can offer first-class comfort with short access routes and minimal transfer times,” said Manitz. Even as it forged new partnerships, the past year has seen airberlin begin to evaluate its plans. In August it launched a program called “Shape and Size” that includes, among other provisions a reduction in the airline’s orders for this year and next year. Deliveries of 19 aircraft, including new 737s and A320s scheduled for this year and next year have been postponed to 2015 and 2016. Still. the airline plans to take delivery of 31 aircraft over the next two years. On the carrier’s long-haul flights, airberlin has made a number of improvements to its two-class fleet. New seats from Contour Premium Aircraft Seating are being added to business class while the airline has selected ZIM Flugsitz GmbH seats for its economy class cabin. In the course of converting the cabins, airberlin will be adding the RAVE inflight entertainment system from IMS. Manitz said the airline likes the system for its simple integration with a plug and play monitor and ports for USB, headphones, and personal devices in addition to an 8.9-inch LED screen. “In contrast to traditional onboard entertainment systems, RAVE does not need a central server and is therefore clearly more reliable than conventional solutions.” said Manitz.

On to food service When airberlin’s flagship lounge opens at BER it will be decorated to capture the atmosphere and culinary traditions of the German North Sea resort of Syft. It will also be under the management of gategroup as part of a broad based contract renewal that was announced at the end of January. The caterer and services provider values the new agreement, which will continue to the end of 2016 at between CHF70 million to CHH80 million (US$76 million – US$86 million) per year. The contract will cover C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 2 2

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FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012

REGIONAL REPORT C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 2 0

Just in time for the Olympics... We’ve won our own medal!

Winners of a DBA Design Effectiveness Award

catering operations at 10 European airports including airberlin’s hub operations at Düsseldorf. Also, gategroup companies potsmstudios and Performa will design, build and manage the new airberlin lounge at BER. The new contract places airberlin among gategroup’s top 10 customers in annual revenue to the company. “We are delighted to continue our long association with airberlin and proud that the airline recognizes our strong focus on quality, performance and wide-ranging portfolio of products and services,” said gategroup’s CEO Andrew Gibson, in the January 25 announcement of the new contract. Plans for catering the new airport were still in formation at press time in January. Three caterers, LSG Sky Chefs, Gate Gourmet and Sky Catering Kitchen serve airlines in the city. “LSG Sky Chefs is currently preparing its presence in Berlin to deal with the expected increase in demand,” said Semmes. Starting in October of last year, Lufthansa selected Chef Mario Kotaska (member of the airline’s Star Chefs group) to design menus for its domestic and intra-European flights. Now, for its long-haul operations to and from the United States, Lufthansa will work with the Mandarin Oriental hotels to create menus for its first and business class cabin. In addition to working with new Star Chefs, Lufthansa is increasing cooperation within Germany to harmonize and coordinate some of its short-haul service with its low-cost carrier subsidiary Germanwings. The carrier is in its 10th year of service and will be adding two new A319s this year, bringing its fleet to 32 aircraft. Of particular emphasis will be operations in Stuttgart. By the summer of this year, Germanwings is expected to take over all the European currently operated by Lufthansa out of Baden-Wurttemberg airport in Stuttgart. The first of the changes was scheduled for February with the Lufthansa service from Stuttgart of London/Heathrow. Four more destinations will be added by summer. Later, Germanwings will be launch service from Stuttgart to Venice, Catania, Dubrovnik and Bremen.

For more information about our award winning products come and see us at: World Travel Catering & Onboard Services EXPO 27-29 March, Hamburg Stand # 2 E 40

info@en-route.com www.en-route.com 22

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FEBARUARY/MARCH 2012

New slim-line seating from Recaro on airberlin

REGIONAL REPORT

Delivering the

goods

Germany is home to some of the leaders in airline catering and supply By Andrew Brooks

s the economic powerhouse of Europe, Germany is a large and visible presence on the international stage. So perhaps it’s natural that this nation should be home to some of the leading suppliers and caterers to the international travel market. Or maybe the real reason is more down-to-earth, as Klaus Englisch, Managing Director of D|F Marketing GmbH suggests. “When Germans say we can deliver something, we’re going to deliver. It always works out somehow. You have lots of hassles in airline catering, but you still have to be at a certain time in a certain place or they won’t have food onboard.” So, as the industry prepares to gather in the port city of Hamburg in March, PAX International sought comments and background on a number of German companies that are shaping the industry. From small to large, diverse to specialized, some have been focused on the inflight catering industry from the beginning, while others have made their way via a long history in the country.

IDB Deutschland’s Irish connection

service business. IDB Deutschland GmbH, a German subsidiary of IDB Dublin, sells and distributes Irish dairy products under the brand Kerrygold. The company first became involved in the inflight supply market in the 1990s, says Marketing Manager Patricia Kief. “Lufthansa was looking for unwrapped butter portions for environmental reasons,” Kief says. “After their in-house efforts were unsuccessful, they found the right supplier with IDB Deutschland.” The company supplied the airline with a unique frozen butter portion customized with the Lufthansa crane logo—Kief says the ability to produce customized butter portions is one thing that sets the company apart. After Lufthansa, other airlines including Condor, Hapag-Lloyd, Eurowings and Swiss International also signed. Besides butter portions, IDB Deutschland supplies a bread spread for sandwiches, which the company developed in collaboration with airberlin. In addition to airlines, the company also supplies leading ship chandlers through main ports in the Baltic and Mediterranean, as well as in North America.

Irish Dairy Board (IDB) started as a cooperative of Irish farmers in 1961 and has since become a major international supplier of dairy products. The company’s portfolio consists of retail consumer products under the Kerrygold brand as well as portioned butter for the food

Berry goodness in a natural eggshell dessert from Gut Springenheide

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FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012

“The Kerrygold Butter is portioned and distributed from our site in NeukirchenVluyn,” Kief says. “The butter is made of ‘meadow milk’—the mild Irish climate enables cows to graze on open meadows and enjoy the best possible feed, namely fresh, rich grass, leading to the creamiest milk for outstanding butter with excellent taste, appetizing yellow color and good spreadability.” This is a completely natural product, Kief says, free from artificial colorings, flavoring or other ingredients. “The uniquely golden color of Kerrygold butter occurs naturally and gives a distinctive flavor to the butter.” In the process of building an international customer base, IDB Deutschland has acquired the required IFS and BRC certifications, which fulfill customer requirements. “If there are any special needs, our team will take care of those,” Kief adds.

Achenbach: from soup to salad Achenbach started in 1954 making concentrated soups in Frankfurt. Today the product range has expanded greatly and includes soups, salads, a dressings range, pâtés, terrines and other hors d’oeuvres, and a wide range of premium products for the catering industry offering components for every part of a menu, from amuse-bouche to dessert. Ninety-five employees produce the 200 items in Achenbach’s standard range in addition to more than 1,500 food specialties formulated to customer specifications and recipes.

REGIONAL REPORT

Achenbach made its first foray into airline supply in the 1960s, with high quality salads and terrines, says Export Director Katrin Moos-Achenbach. The first customer was LSG Lufthansa Services, which at the time wasn’t yet associated with Sky Chefs, and other caterers and airlines came onboard after that. “Today Achenbach is supplying to most major caterers in Europe and elsewhere, but also directly to airlines and their caterers around the world,” says Moos-Achenbach. Cruise lines are also prominent on Achenbach’s customer list. Airlines prefer good tasting, high-quality food which is easy to handle and safe as well as reasonably priced, MoosAchenbach says. “The products vary from menu cycle to menu cycle. Our product development chefs are constantly creating new ideas for attractive products to meet the demand.” Because the food has to be palatable for the widest possible range of customer palates, the company tends not to emphasize foods that have a specific national or ethnic character—although at the end of the day it’s the customer who determines which product will ‘fly’. “Any experienced chef can do what we do with quality raw material,” Moos-Achenbach says. “But it’s the know-how of innovative tasteful food specialties accumulated over the past decades, plus flexible, customer oriented service and worldwide reliable delivery that make Achenbach a preferred supplier in the industry.” When asked about future plans, Moos-Achenbach says that the creation of innovative and new food specialties for the catering industry will remain Achenbach’s prime driver. Given current economic conditions worldwide the company doesn’t plan to expand, she says. “‘Nothing is more consistent than change,’ so we’ll try to be consistent in creativity and reliability, setting trends for our industry.”

Coolike provides a soft touch Sanitation supplier Coolike started with an idea born on a 1980 flight from Singapore to Manila. German passenger Guenther Regnery was served a hot towel, an indulgence he found very refreshing, and it made him wonder whether towels packaged in a hygienic sachet might find a good reception in the travel market. He bought his first machine, started production, and was pleased to find that the packaging was also the perfect vehicle for advertising messages. Today, Coolike’s refreshment and comfort as well as cleaning towels are firmly ensconced in multiple markets, including air, sea and rail travel, hotels and catering. The company remains family owned, with a staff of 100 looking after production, printing and design, marketing, lab research, quality management, logistics and warehousing. “We’re proud to say that our first airline customer was the highly prestigious German airline Lufthansa,” says Biggi Weisser, Sales for Export and Airlines at Coolike Regnery GmbH. “Already in the early 80s Lufthansa passengers were provided with our towels, and from that time we’ve had a close relationship to the airline.” Today more than 100 international, private and corporate airlines are members of Coolike’s customer circle. Coolike also works with cruise and rail lines, Weisser says, and has a good customer in Deutsche Bahn, with its premium Oshibori Wellness towels found on selected Inter-city Express trains and in DB lounges.

Brand beneﬁt Kerrygold Pure Irish Butter portions

Kerrygold is synonymous with excellent product quality. The mild Irish climate enables the cows to graze on open meadows and enjoy the best possible feed – namely fresh, rich meadow grass. This results in an excellent quality milk, and contributes to the unique pack for economy class inflight catering. UÊÊLÕÌÌiÀÊ« ÀÌ ÃÊ vviÀi`Ê Êv Ê>ÃÊÜi Ê>ÃÊ in minidishes UÊÊ ì> Ê« ÀÌ Ê«>V Êv ÀÊiV ÞÊV >ÃÃ inflight catering UÊiÝ>VÌÊV ÃÌÊ> `Ê« ÀÌ ÊV ÌÀ UÊ>ÃÃÕÀi`Êv `ÊÃ>viÌÞ

Take advantage of the brand potential!

For further information contact: Tel.: 0049 2841 88 80 320 aritterskamp@idb-deutschland.de www.kerrygold-catering.com www.pax-intl.com

PAX INTERNATIONAL

REGIONAL REPORT

“To many people Coolike refreshment towels belong to the special air travel feeling, just like a glass of tomato juice and a friendly and versed flight attendant,” Weisser says. “Our towels are well known for the fine quality of carrier materials as well as for the professional design and print of the packages, also for the wide selection of fine scents. Innovative product ideas and applications are part of our strategic marketing and product management. Since we launched our structured non-woven towel with a wellbalanced price/performance ratio, this item has become most popular when higher quantities are required. The original Coolike cotton towel is still a top seller, especially for VIP and first class airline service. Private airlines favor the Oshibori Wellness towel with aloe vera for its special hot/cold application. With the brand new Bachflower line, first presented at Word Travel Catering and Onboard Services Expo in Hamburg, Coolike attends to a novel lifestyle trend in Germany and is the first to offer valuable Bachflower mixtures in combination with refreshment towels.” Another popular product is Coolike’s Air Refresher, which has become a standout in the sanitation line; Weisser notes that it’s popular with both, the airline crews and the passengers. Coolike also makes a range of aircraft cleaning and sanitation products containing ready-to-use wipes and liquids. “From the feedback we get from customers, we can tell that they appreciate our reliability, flexibility, product innovation and the quality of our service and our product,” she says. “We offer a well selected, complete range with short lead times and professional order processing, based on many years of experience.”

D|F Marketing GmbH builds a better container D|F Marketing GmbH has two lines of business: food and food equipment, says Klaus Englisch, Managing Director at D|F Marketing. “On the equipment side we’re very strong in CPET (crystalline polyethylene terephthalate) plastic meal dishes. The temperature range goes from -40°C [-40°F] to +240°C [+464°F]—you can freeze and heat the plastic and it doesn’t break.” Of the four companies worldwide that produce CPET, two are under contract to D|F Marketing. The company supplies US Airways and Delta Air Lines in the U.S., as well as Korean Air and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, but the work is just beginning. “There are still a lot of airlines flying around with aluminum, which we’re trying to change because aluminum production is so eco-unfriendly—and the bot-

PAX INTERNATIONAL

The creation of innovative and new food specialties for the catering industry is Achenbach’s prime driver

tom line is that it’s not even cheaper anyway.” CPET is flexible, so it doesn’t break during transportation and stays in its original position, Englisch says. “If you transport empty aluminum casseroles and the box folds down or is hit with something, then you deform the casseroles and they don’t go back into their original shape. Think about how many aluminum items you waste because they’re bent or they look too untidy to serve to passengers. So you throw them away. With CPET that isn’t going to happen.” On the food side, D|F Marketing doesn’t work directly with brands. “We create food for frozen sandwiches, for example, or for instance we just sold a three-cheese calzone to Delta which flew for the first time in January,” Englisch says. “In that particular case we were sending samples back and forth to Atlanta— it took about 12 months to get to the right look and taste.” D|F Marketing landed the contract at the end of November and started production of 350,000 pieces, which were shipped to a major North American carrier by Pourshins for a January boarding deadline. The company has a few production facilities under contract, each with a different specialty, whether it’s cold snacks, hot snacks, soups, and dressings on up to ice creams. “We just had a presentation for US Airways,” Englisch says. “They said ‘bring wrapped sandwiches, heatable sandwiches, heatable soups.’ Sometimes they’ll send us recipes they have in the U.S. and we’ll try to cook them in our production facilities. If we get the right taste we freeze them and they go to Pourshins for shipping.”

SkyMax beats the bottle SkyMax was founded in 2009 and the company’s first customer, German airline TUIfly, bought SkyMax’s first product, Shatler’s premixed cocktails. The company is now highly diversified, also selling IFE headphones, Fortis watches, Shop watches, “light glass” and Fumidus electronic cigarettes. But the real breakthrough product for Sky-

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012

Max has to be its Sky-Tender beverage service cart, which was developed in collaboration with German aviation electronics company AirEltec Luftfahrttechnik. Sky-Tender is a fully automated beverage trolley that can provide up to 20 different drinks including tea and coffee, fruit juices, soft drinks or mixes, as well as beer and wine, at the touch of a button. The cart was trialed in December in Europe in an aircraft cabin mockup, where cabin crews were able to test the unit’s functionality. In-flight testing is due to begin this summer. The revolutionary thing about Sky-Tender is that it works with syrup bags, eliminating the use of cans and bottles. The possible weight reduction ranges between 20 and 60 kilograms (44 and 132 pounds ), a huge economy for any airline. The reduction of waste products also lowers the waste fees airlines are charged. Beginning in the second half of 2012 marketing the Sky-Tender will be the company’s main focus. When PAX International spoke with Managing Director Oliver Kloth, SkyMax was in negotiation with 23 different airlines around the world for placement of the unit, in Europe, Asia, Australia and North America. Kloth says he hopes to make the first delivery in November. SkyMax also supplies “G.skyGlass”, a very light glass laminate composed of a highstrength interlayer and extremely thin panes of glass. The product is about half the weight of conventional glass and has very high scratch resistance. While it’s almost as light as polycarbonate, its properties are much better, Kloth says. In aircraft cabins it can be used for partition walls, doors, shower cabins or mirrors. Growth is good for SkyMax these days. At press time the company was about to move into a new office three times larger than its current one, and had adopted a new warehousing system as well. The growth comes on the heels of the opening of a new office in Rio de Janeiro last year to cover the Latin American market. C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 2 8

Everybody deserves a Hybrite The wannahave equipment by Driessen

Innovation from the Pioneers of Integration Experience us live at AIX Hamburg 2012 - Hall 7 Stand 7D50

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REGIONAL REPORT C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 2 6

Where the egg comes first At travel catering gatherings in Europe and the Middle East, visitors to the trade floor can expect to find a little theater in the stand of Gut Springenheide, whose novel take on the ancient egg has sustained the Tusky family’s Munsterland business from its beginnings in 1844. At the stand, luscious filled eggs in their natural shells – colored and decorated — are heated and dispensed. Pancakes, and omelettes — fluffy and light — can be found there, along with tortillas and the company’s triangle-folded crepes with savory and sweet filling. Recipes from other countries are given a German spin. “Due to our historical background, we were able to gain essential expertise in all matters regarding the further processing of eggs in their natural shell,” said Barbara Tusky, Sales Director for Gut Springenheide. The company has been supplying airlines since 1993 and has amassed a range of more than 500 products. “Some of our products are inspired by traditional German recipes, developed in combination with regional products,” said Tusky. “But our company is also working according to customer wishes. Therefore, our product range includes products with Mediterranean, Asian or Oriental taste.” Examples include Gut Springenheide’s latest offerings, an Herbal Roll with Confit of Tomato. “All lovers of Mediterranean cuisine will be delighted,” Tusky enthused. “It is characterized by it hearty flavor and appetizing appearance.”

Paper essentials Despite efforts to the contrary, airlines will continue to rely on paper prod-

Specialist in setting your on board dining table

Hamburg stand 2B30 Telephone +31 30 692 33 64 THE NETHERLANDS

PAX INTERNATIONAL

cutlery@sola.nl www.sola.nl

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012

ucts. To help them fill their needs, while at the same time improve their environmental footprint, Emmerich, Germany based FSP has developed products that are structured like linen, compostable, non-skid and flame retardant. “All people working here are working with paper products for more than 15 years, Evelyn Billion, the company’s Export Manager said of FSP. “So there is very big experience.” The company’s TD 55 is compostable. There is the wood free SM 60 and 80 lines and the OS 70, which is high-gloss. For airlines looking for a soft, high quality napkin, FSP manufactures a paper product that is structured like linen. The TOPTEX material is non-allergenic and can be used for towels, non-skid traymats and napkins. Finally, for airlines seeking a flame-retardant material for headrests and pillow covers, the company makes a PP product. “We are always looking for new materials and new products,” said Billion. Emmerich straddles the border between Germany and the Netherlands where it is 70 kilometers from Düsseldorf Airport and 70 kilometers from Amsterdam Schiphol. But the company is looking far beyond its home country and its airlines supply roots in the year ahead. “We have strong partners all over the world, who helps us,” said Billion. FSP has branched its services into the rail market and is also looking to make inroads to the cruise lines this year.

Exporting ingenuity Evidence of Germany’s influence in the airline catering industry can be found from the skyscrapers of Hong Kong to the teeming cities of India and on to the sizzling deserts of the Middle East. It is those places where i+o Consultants have been lending expertise and organizational skills to a wide variety of airline catering applications. “Every region has its own culture to prepare traditional food,” said Torsten Brendel, Senior Business Unit Manager for Catering at i+o. “We live and learn with every project.” The company spends long periods of time with customers. Turnkey projects can last from 2 to 2.5 years, said Brendel. This time is beneficial for the company’s clients. During the months and years that can take place during tendering and procurement, Brendel says that i+o can help a caterer generate up to 25% costs savings. “Compared to suppliers or operators, we treat the building as one unit with all the interfaces, not only one special area or package,” said Brendel. “So the client has one contact person with the overall approach and extensive experience.” The company involves itself in a variety of ways. At the Emirates Flight Catering unit in Dubai and the Oberoi Flight Catering units in Kolkata and New Delhi, i+o was a lead consultant. At Cathay Pacific Catering Service in Hong Kong, the company was involved in refurbishment planning for the 12-year-old unit. While at the new Doha International Airport Catering unit set for construction, i+o is a specialist consultant. The company is composed from a team of specialists with various years of experience. The longtime engineers are often teamed with younger engineers from different fields and a variety of disciplines. “The combination of long-term experienced people and new university know-how gains a really big added value to the client,” said Brendel.

Cruising safely to

excellence

Announcing the 2011 2011 QS QSAI AI A Award ward R Recipients ecipients

2011 Platinum Award Recipient Saudi Airlines Catering Company – JED

Each year QSAI Participating Airlines present Awards to in-flight catering facilities that demonstrate Programme excellence. Award recipients have consistently satisfied QSAI benchmarks and are leaders in delivering safe, quality in-flight food.

QSAI. An effective & efﬁcient way to improve food safety, quality and your conﬁdence.

AMERICAS

ASIA

EU, MIDDLE EAST & AFRICA

Surair Catering Services N.V. PBM

Sichuan Airlines LSG Catering Co. Ltd. CTU

Saudi Airlines Catering Company JED

Gate Gourmet Canada YHZ

Kansai In-Flight Catering Co. Ltd. KIX

AIRO Catering Services Ukraine LSG Sky Chefs KBP

Goddard Catering Group BON

TFK Corporation NRT

ISS Inﬂight Catering Tel Aviv TLV

Thank you to all participating facilities for working together with QSAI Airlines towards common goals: Confidence that passengers are diligently protected against food safety risk, receive high quality food and that the industry tackles legal requirements. Clarity on how to get that confidence by allowing Airlines and their in-flight caterers to share experience, expertise and goals; creating industry consensus on standards and audit methods. Efficiency through one quality management system for all Airlines at the same catering facility. Confidence with fewer audits, costs and resources.

For more information on QSAI, contact Kate Richardson at krichardson@medinaquality.com or visit www.qsaiinternational.com/joinus

BRANDED FOODS

Simple,

but not easy From trendy to classic, two longtime suppliers talk about the power of brands and their importance to airlines By Rick Lundstrom

or the passenger it may start with something as innocuous, and at the same time familiar as a cup of their favorite brand of black coffee. But behind the scenes and months before the passenger got on board, choices were pondered, packaging ideas rejected and what could very well be a long list of options were finally narrowed down to a selection of products that were tasty, uniquely packaged and, most importantly priced Alaska Airlines in combination at a rate that was acceptannounced that able to the airline customer. it would be going local with Starbucks February’s announcement that StarCoffee onboard buck’s coffee will now be served on Alaska Airlines probably came as a surprise to few and grocery outlets like Trader Joe’s and Whole has in a large way closed a circle that was Foods in the United States. Airlines often first drawn more than two decades ago. think of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream stocked next A Seattle-based brewer and a Seattle- to Food That Tastes Good products. M&M’s based airline with a preference for local prod- candies and Pringles potato chips teamed ucts seemed an ideal match. With the Feb- with Sahale Brands and Harry & David prodruary 1 announcement, Alaska joins its ucts from Oregon. All at the same time tryregional carrier Horizon Air which was the ing to find the alchemy that brings in a price launch customer for the Starbucks coffee in point of US$5 to US$7 which has become the air 22 years ago when the idea of a chain of coffee houses in the United States was thought of by many as a bit quirky. Starbuck’s joins the airline’s list of local brands: among them Beecher’s cheese, Tim’s Cascade potato chips and Alaskan Amber beer. But even 22 years later, quirky still works on an aircraft product selection for sale, says Denise Poole, CEO of AMI Group. “Each airline has a little different take on what they are trying to do,” she said. Buy on board brands advertised on seatbacks on easyJet If there’s a common thread that runs through product selection Poole said it something of a “sweet spot” for buy on board is a search for a combination of popular sales, Poole added. national brands teamed with products whose Across the ocean, Oakfield Farms Solutions names sit at eye level on the shelves of trendy Europe has been finding new customers

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FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012

from its newly opened offices in London, under the management of Lorenza Maggio. Since opening in early 2011, Oakfield Farms has picked up contracts and secured snack box placements with from bmi, Thomson Airways and easyJet. It was the company’s success developing a meal box of both fresh and chilled products for Virgin Atlantic Airways’ breakfast and afternoon tea second services, where the Paul Platamone, the company’s Vice President of Worldwide Operations, encountered an airline with a keen eye on not only the brands it boards, but also on the brand that itself judiciously maintains. Virgin Atlantic has a Brand department that was needed to participate in all decisions. “Brand designed the way they wanted the structure of the box to look and the material it was to be made out of,” Platamone said. The attention to details continued. A fruit pot was evaluated for its cup and lid combination and where the pressure sensitive labels would be placed. “Eyes were on how their branding effort was going to appear in front of the passenger, number one, and number two on how to capitalize on incorporate certain aspects of the ‘green element.’” But if airlines in the United Kingdom and Europe are walking the walk on environmentally sustainable products on board, they are also sophisticated in how best to sell to the onboard passenger. With years under their belts honing duty free sales, they have an advantage in finding ways to make buy-onboard food service work, said Platamone. When an Oakfield Farms’ ambient snack pack products, which carry the name Yumble Bumble Snack Company, replaced a longtime fixture product on easyJet, Platamone said he was impressed with the effective use of cabin space by the airline. Drawer space was meticulously evaluated and run through a business matrix for optimum efficiency. Another example he mentioned was anecdotal and occurred on a short Aer Lingus flight he took from London Heathrow to Dublin. “They did a full buy-on-board service, including food and duty free. With hot offerings – and it’s just part of the inherent process of what takes place over there.”

Delicious egg specialities ... made with the finest ingredients free from artificial flavours and additives.

nd 4F10

Sta Hall B4,

Gut Springenheide GmbH Weiner 152 • 48607 Ochtrup • Germany Tel. +49 (0) 25 53/10 22 • fax 10 25 E-Mail: gutspringenheide@t-online.de

AMENITY KITS

Brand in the bag PAX International discovers the ups and downs of packing amenity kits with established brands By Maryann Simson

team is eager to gauge reactions at the show in Hamburg. “Brands are unique,” she says. “And each brand we deal with has its own way of wanting to be presented, as well as manufactured. There are no routine ways of doing business with brands from the travel industry.”

New moves

Watermark Product’s unique amenity kit for Air New Zealand

ew are immune to the allure of a luxury brand. Possessing an object made by a prestigious fashion or cosmetics purveyor can make one feel classy, glamorous and special. No cost is spared in the promotion of many of these high-end products through the media. The television advertisements, billboards and magazines portray the men and women who buy the product as worldly, successful, desirable and happy. Airlines across the globe have been taking advantage of the pull of these brands in the cabin for many years, in an attempt to make passengers feel special. We see today, that many items in the cabin bear a brand name. Everything from brand name seat fabrics to electronics and headphones, coffee, snacks and even tableware have taken to the skies in one place or another. While these efforts to impress and surprise passengers can be spotted all around the aircraft, one is most likely to see high-street products in first and business class area, as part of an amenity bag offering.

Fitting in “Naturally, one must align the name brand with the passenger demographic,” says Anita Gittelson, Executive Vice President of Brand

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and Corporate Development at WESSCO International, a well-known player in the passenger comfort sector. “What WESSCO does is try and match brands with airlines. For instance, a cutting edge brand for a cutting edge airline, or an established luxury name for a more established airline.” Placing brands in the cabin has its challenges. One, according to Gittelson, is that each party has a clearly defined image that they are inclined to maintain at all costs. “We concentrate on the mission statements and demographics of both the airline and the brand,” Gittelson explains. “For instance, Delta expanded its international flights, including flights to Athens direct. An international brand, such as the Greek brand KORRES, became a perfect fit. Some airlines, particularly those in Asia, do a male and female kit to avoid the issue of partiality to male or female passengers. There was a time when one of our airlines was lambasted for putting a razor and shave cream into a unisex kit.” At the World Travel Catering & Onboard Services Expo in March, WESSCO plans to reveal several new brands that it will be offering to its airline customers. Though not at liberty to reveal which names her company will be presenting, Gittelson says that her

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PAX International also caught up with Bernard Mills, newly hired Brand Manager at Watermark Products, a UK-based amenities and onboard service products specialist with offices around the globe. He revealed that the brand recognition created by generalized advertising on the part of a cosmetics brand could certainly be beneficial to airlines. ”Ultimately, effective advertising is about creating brand recognition and a sense of connection between the customer and the brand. For a luxury product, advertising is all about communicating a sense of exclusivity and luxury about their product,” he shares. “Conversely, a poorly executed campaign could raise some eyebrows.” The same is also true for the reputation of the carrier. In certain cases it is the brand that is reluctant to place its product onboard. An airline with an image problem, however unfounded, or values that do not align with the brand, could derail plans to bring the product into service. Also, the demanding logistical considerations that come part and parcel with the time-sensitive airline industry supply chain can be dissuading. “For many new brands, moving into the airline supply business is an entirely new distribution channel, which carries a lot of risk because they do not have the same level of control that they would have on their retail environment,” Mills explains. “Some brands have very strict guidelines about how the brand is represented, and this can ultimately up costs through the use of specific materials or finishes and other specification costs. We understand that it is absolutely about protecting the brand image and ensuring that what goes in front of the passenger is consistent with the brand, but the really great partnerships are those where the brands works collaboratively

AMENITY KITS

with the airline and respects the limitations of airline budgets, seeking creative solutions that exceed customer’s expectations.”

Regional differences Chopard, Ferragamo, Rimowa and L’Occitane are just a few of the many luxury brands that FORMIA offers to its airline customers. Yves Alavo is FORMIA’s Executive Director, oversees the company’s marketing activities. He says that he has seen clear airline brand preferences based on region. “Airlines nowadays strongly distinguish their brand image by the branded product they select for their onboard amenity. We have seen in many instances that the cultural identity factor (the desire to use local brands) has played a stronger role in the choice of brands, followed by the brand recognition or retail presence in the region and finally brand image.” Regarding multi-national ad campaigns, he says it is far more likely than not, that a brand’s promotional efforts will benefit airline partners by beginning the brand engagement before travel and even helping airlines to screen brands for compatibility. Good exposure for a brand is clearly beneficial to

an airline offering it as part of an amenity kit. Conversely, this poses the question of how one partner in that relationship might be affected by any negative press surrounding the other. “It depends on what type of PR we are talking about,” says Alavo. “Airlines always have the option to take the product off Chopard is just one of the many luxury brands that FORMIA board if they want to. However offers to its airline customers the impact is more likely to affect the brand as first class travelers. According to FORMIA than the airline. We need to keep in mind that the forum will be presented and moderated inflight amenities are an ancillary business for by a renowned trend-watcher. airlines and the biggest impact good or bad press has is on the brand’s retail activities.” Traveling target In terms of logistics, Alavo said he feels that Although the company is relatively new, the global brands with sizable production capac- team of experts at Plane Talking Products ity and retail networks are in a good position have been around the passenger service industo supply airlines, especially those having a try a long time. clear strategy towards the travel and hospi“The major advantages in having the most tality markets. well-known, popular, exclusive international At the World Travel Catering & Onboard brands onboard are the perceived monetary Services Expo FORMIA will be entertaining value of these brands to the passenger, parvisitors with a forum on the pursuit of hedo- ticularly if the latest fragrance of ‘wonder’ nism as a new wave of luxury that they feel product is offered onboard, and the value reflects the majority of luxury consumers, such and credibility for the airline being associated

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AMENITY KITS

with these brands,” says Martin Piper at Plane Talking Products, going on to echo an earlier comment from Mills. “The downside can be that the brands are usually inflexible in terms of where they will allow their brand to feature onboard. For example, some oppose their brand being placed in restrooms. They are usually very strict about the size and shape of the product and will not readily change it to fit racks or other allocated space onboard. Finally, the price can be high due to formulations, intrinsic ‘cost’ of the brand and historic manufacturing locations.” Planners at Plane Talking products are experimenting with a new concept. They appreciate that some airlines and their passengers will always want the most popular international brands onboard, however, according to Piper, they also believe that it is very important to consider the practical inflight benefits of a product being offered. “We work with many brands to

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develop travel-specific products which can enhance the journey experience and the well being of the passenger onboard; whether that be meeting skin care needs inflight, products that encourage or improve blood circulation or products that combat the effects of jetlag,” Piper explains. “These brands are usually more willing to offer a true partnership approach with airlines, often customizing or developing exclusive products for use onboard.” According to Piper, many airlines have moved away from traditional fragrance and skincare brands and are beginning to select more lifestyle brands, otherwise defined as brands that attempt embody the values and aspirations of a group or culture for purposes of marketing. Piper says this trend could be taken even further by allowing passengers to log onto an airline’s website and select their own amenity bag components before their journey, as opposed to making that decision for them.

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012

DIFFERENT stroke

Bayart Innovations recently began working with Parisian art students.

Bayart Innovations got its start as a small family textile producer in the late 18th century. Over the many years since then, the company evolved with the times to specialize in soldier’s uniforms and then household items. About 20 years ago, Bayart was asked to produce a blanket for Air France, thus breaking into the airline industry. Still the maker of blankets for Air France today, Bayart Innovations has focused its attention on airline supply and expanded its range of products to include additional textiles, headsets, meal service items and amenity kits for adults and children. When it comes to branding, Delphine Liagre, Marketing Director at Bayart, says she believes firmly that agreements between the kit supplier and the brands within should never be exclusive. “When a brand has an exclusive deal with another amenity supplier, it means they cannot work with anyone else. So as soon as there is exclusivity with one supplier, only that one is able to answer the request of an airline that wants to have the brand. To me this is unfair,” says Liagre, adding that if she had the opportunity for an exclusive deal with a top name fragrance or cosmetics house she would not want it. “Our job is not making cosmetics, but rather it is putting them inside our creation. I can understand one airline not wanting another airline to have the brand, that kind of exclusivity makes sense, but for suppliers I do not believe it is good practice.” Instead of chasing exclusive deals with popular international brands, Bayart Innovations has gone an entirely different route. The company recently began working with Parisian art students. “I proposed that these talented young people make some drawings for me and gave them the chance to be on our children’s kit or a pouch,” she reveals. “This kind of recognition is a dream-come-true for them, to have their name on a product that thousands will interact with internationally. We cannot re-invent raw materials or established brands, so we try to be different.”

THE BRAND ALTERNATIVE

BEYOND BRAND THE

Big names and well-known products aren’t nearly as necessary as providing the passenger with something simple, tried and true say several companies that get their inspiration from consumer tastes By Rick Lundstrom

hough logistics and fluctuating markets may give airlines fits when selecting products for buy on board purchase, the keys to making passengers dig into their cache of travel cash may be one of the easier aspects of today’s snack sales programs now found on airlines around the world. At least three companies, one in the United States and two in the United Kingdom, are setting out to show their customers that their

she tells PAX International. “We put them in hundreds of markets. We can tell you what works and what does not. “If you want to put it in your own packaging, great. If you want to create something that no one else has seen before, fine. But when you are picking through products, trust in what is actually selling well in the retail market rather than thinking just because people are getting on your flight and are your passengers they are somehow different when A buy on board essential: GoPicnic says chips and salsa are one of the steady strong sellers

was at least as much a case of hard consumer research that led to the selection. In the announcement of the selection, GoPicnic sited Food Technology Magazine findings that Mexican-themed meals are a weekly event for many American consumers, and their popularity has not waned. “Our goal is to tailor onboard snacks to meet the needs of today’s fliers,” said Hector Adler, vice president of US Airways, in the December 2010 announcement of the new snack offering. The chips and salsa combination is still part of the US Airways MarketPlace lineup, though the price has risen to US$4, according to airline’s website. Along with it is a wide selection of well-known brands such as Pepperidge Farms baked goods and Walker’s shortbread to Stirrings cocktail mix. GoPicnic Concept Labs works with more than 60 companies, many well-known brands that are household names for its customer base in North America. The company has made a commitment to supplying products that are healthy and satisfy a wide range of diet requirements. It has half-dozen gluten free options to with its line of vegan and GoPicnic’s gummy Jelly Jets proved so popular from its offering on Delta, the company began selling them online

products, developed in house after extensive research, are the simple answer for potential airline customers who may be over-thinking their snack and meal box strategies. The products are simple in concept, French fries made with potatoes cooked in rapeseed oil, a staple porridge that is now enjoyed by passengers zipping their way across the European countryside on Eurostar, and the handful of snack combinations that longtime industry observers such as Julia Stamberger, CEO and President of Chicagobased GoPicnic Concept Labs say that no buy on board program can do without: hummus and crackers, salami and cheese, and chips and salsa. “We created the products. We tested them,”

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they make other decisions.” US Airways made its decision to go with one of Stamberger’s core products when it selected the company’s GoPicnic Garden salsa, and Late July brand multigrain tortilla chips for its MarketPlace onboard menu of food, drinks and snacks. Though the carrier first touted the all-natural makeup of the products for the US$3 snack combination, it

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012

kosher snacks and products free of seven common allergens. GoPicnic products can be found everywhere from gift boxes of shelf stable products to airport stores to research flights to the Antarctic. Another division of the company, GoPicnic Brands is where potential customers can find its line of branded products: Copper Cowbell Cheeses, Sweet Perry Orchards Fruit and Nut Mixes and Professor Zim Zams Extraordinary Sweets. Not surprisingly, GoPicnic makes extensive use of social media and online sellers like Amazon.com to gauge consumer interest as a low-cost way to promote the products. “We get a huge amount of customer feedback that trickles back to us,” said Stamberger. One example is the company’s Jelly Jets, which are gummy airplane-shaped candy

THE BRAND ALTERNATIVE

that are part of its Professor Zim Zam’s line. The Jets were exclusively sold on Delta Air Lines for approximately six months. Passengers who encountered the product on a Delta flight began flooding the company’s website with requests – enough for GoPicnic to offer the product for sale online. “And when we updated our peanut butter and crackers meal, we put Professor Zim Zam’s Jelly Jets into that meal as well, instead of another product that we had,” said Stamberger.

Green Gourmet’s crispy fries are boarded frozen and heated to crunchiness on board an aircraft

Crunchy simplicity Shelf-stable products are GoPicnic’s stock in trade. Across the ocean, a company new to the transportation sector is developing products adapted to the restrictions and rigors of the airline cabin and giving customers something that is simple, but rarely attempted in airline food service. Green Gourmet was started by a founder who was a champion of the vegetarian cause, said the company’s Marketing Manager Barry Jordan. Since then, at the request of customers, the Gloucestershire based firm has branched out adding fish, meat, poultry and bakery products to create a diverse selection

that can be found in schools across the United Kingdom. The travel sector now makes up approximately 25 percent, or about £2.5 million (US$3.8 million) of Green Gourmet’s sales per year, says Jordan. The company made its first move into the travel market supplying an oven baked toastini snack that was a hit when it was tested at Alpha Flight Catering. The crispy snack maintained its texture under flight conditions, and was able to satisfy con-

sumer preferences for a crunchy bite without the need for a grill or toaster: something few schools — and even fewer airline cabins — have access to. Green Gourmet has now developed a line of bakery products under the brand Deli Q. Late last year it launched the first of a new line, again, giving potential customers a taste of something that has never been developed fully for air travel. With the Green Gourmet It’s Just… line of products, passengers can now snack on French fries heated up in approximately 15-20 minutes onboard the aircraft. With the product boarded in a frozen state, “It’s Just… My Bag of Crispy Fries” can be used for inflight snack service and back-catered. The product is packed in a fully branded, innovative bag with “It’s Just… My Bag of Crispy Fries” written on the side. The product itself is made with selected potatoes cooked in rapeseed oil. Since its introduction in November, Jordan estimated that Green

www.pax-intl.com

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THE BRAND ALTERNATIVE

“If you want to put it in your own packaging, great. If you want to create something that no one else has seen before, fine. But when you are picking through products, trust in what is actually selling well in the retail market.” —JULIA STAMBERGER, PRESIDENT AND CEO GOPICNIC Gourmet has sold more than a quarter-million bags of “It’s Just… My Bag of Crispy Fries” and is now also being trialed by UK based rail caterers. “We wanted it to stand out,” said Jordan of the company’s initial development plans. “We wanted it to be simple. There was a team of us in the business that all got together and brainstormed…we wanted to ensure consistency from the brand to the product range. The name, It’s Just…, was all about communicating that simplicity and the creative nature of the products that we are going to be launching.” As it develops the brand, Green Gourmet is assessing the needs of its newest market, the

tomers with British Airways, Monarch and EasyJet marketing a product which is simple and satisfying, but also nutritionally trendy and sufficiently “oatie,” which the company insists on its splashy website is “the best breakfast.” “The challenge in the airline sector is persuading airlines to move away from the traditional cooked breakfast to view other more innovative and healthy options,” said Tom Mercer, Managing Director of MOMA Foods in London. “The cooked breakfast is not something they look forward to in a foil tray on their flight. Passengers want something healthy and nutritious that tastes great.” In addition to the airlines, the MOMA

MOMA Porridge is enjoyed on several British carriers and on Eurostar

we have worked hard to get the right blend of oats, giving, what I believe, to be the best instant porridge out there,” said Mercer. In addition to relying on its website to get out the message, MOMA Foods products are sold at retail locations in Selfridges, Waitrose and Ocado, which have selected the Bircher Muesli line. If they haven’t yet tried the product, visitors to this year’s World Travel Catering and Onboard Services Expo in Hamburg will again have the chance to sample this new entrant. “Our aim is to meet as many people as possible, explain what we do and let them sample some delicious breakfast,” said Mercer.

So what works? Though each of the three companies has developed a different line of products, what emerges from their comments is that knowledge of the consumer marketplace is vital to watch by airlines picking a selection for onboard service and sales. Much more important than traditional approaches, says GoPicnic’s Stamberger, who spent years in those traditional arenas while working at United Airlines. “A lot of carriers are still treating onboard food for sale as if it was onboard food from a catering and provisioning standpoint,” she says. “In other words, the decisions on what to put on board are not guided by retail sales criteria.” Those attitudes need to change with the natural evolution of inflight sales, which has

MOMA Foods’ Oatie Breakfast comes in three sizes

travel sector. Since it began, Jordan said the company has learned about the supply chain challenges and the challenges of cabin crew with limited time and cooking facilities. “Demonstrating our understanding of the onboard travel market, we will soon be adding to our range of marketplace firsts under the It’s Just… brand,” he adds.

Sowing their oats With its products first introduced to the airline market in 2009 on Virgin Atlantic, MOMA Foods Ltd. now has netted cus-

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porridge line is now on Eurostar trains. While the rail sector is a challenge to crack, Mercer said he nonetheless sees tremendous potential. MOMA develops two main products, said Mercer, its Bircher Muesli and its porridge. The former is a mix of whole grain jumbo oats and low-fat yogurt teamed with fruit. It is available in 235g, 150g and 90g sizes. Its porridge line cooks in three minutes in hot water. “The porridge is stylishly branded and

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012

moved from the development stages and improved practices in which products are provisioned and ways both cash and food are handled. Instead of looking at buy-onboard as merely a break-even service provided to passengers, airlines can realize not only profits, but also large profits. Simplicity and familiarity, with a line of products that are developed outside the constraints traditional airline practices is another answer to reaching the passenger. “We’re not telling them what to expect,” Stamberger stressed. “We’re not creating any patterns in terms of what their expectation should be. Introducing something that is constantly new on flights where they do not know what to expect and asking them to respond to it. That will never create something that that is a profitable and reliable opportunity.”

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THE BRAND ALTERNATIVE

Racket Group and Gilchrist & Soames teamed up for this Envoy Class amenity kit on US Airways

Low-cost

COMFORT To fill amenity kits and cabins with comfort items, some airlines forego name brands and premium pricing for something simple and practical; and they are finding a number of offerings By Rick Lundstrom

t has been nearly 10 years since Kansas City-based Racket Group sold its Michaud line of cosmetics. But in saying goodbye to one product it was saying hello to a new association with a company that fit its needs for high-quality amenity kit contents, but in a slightly different way. Gilchrist & Soames, a royal sounding name that evokes visions of luxury and comfort, became a new partner - both business-wise and in geographic proximity. Though its history traces back to England, the company has also set up shop in Indianapolis, Indiana. In that time, Gilchrist & Soames purchased equipment from the Michaud factory. Like all suppliers of amenity items, Racket Group offers its share of Fifth Avenue cosmetics and fragrances for airline customers. The company is also being challenged to provide a selection of products that satisfy an airline’s desire for natural materials. Shoehorns, toothbrushes and other products are sourced for their ability to be made from sustainable materials like bamboo. But even though there is plenty for airlines to seek out in terms of a glitzy, stylish bag filled with name brands, not all want to take that approach. Those that do not can still find contents that satisfy the needs of passengers, at prices more affordable.

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who are so strongly rooted in the travel amenity industry. A Racket-supplied amenity bag with Gilchrist & Soames products has been flying on US Airways Envoy class for the last two years. Previously, the company worked with Racket Group to supply Gilchrist & Soames products for the BusinessFirst cabin on Continental Airlines. Will Racket Group ever again step into the world of producing its own line of products as did in the days when Michaud was found in airlines around the world?“That’s always something we are open to if an airline is interested,” said Bauer.

Combinations for comfort Vying for the same business with its own set of products and service is West Sussex based Malton Inflight. In his years with the company, Managing Director Gordon Oakley has seen the amenity kit go through its cyclical period of up and down popularity. “In vogue at the moment seems to be the selection tray concept,” said Oakley. “Where passengers can choose which amenity items they really want rather than be given a kit full of items they do not want and leave behind.” The selection of earphones, socks, eyeshades, inflatable neck pillows and other assorted amenity items are often purchased

As a result of Racket’s association with Gilchrist & Soames, it found a partner with a brand-name reputation a product strictly geared to the amenity market. Gilchrist & Soames The AirGenie line of soap products from products are found in highMalton Inflight end hotels around the world, making them recognizable to well-heeled travelers who may recall the lotions and spa treatments from their last visit to a luxury hotel, or from the staterooms during a cruise on The Cunard Line or Royal Caribbean International. “We partner heavily with Gilchrist & Soames,” said Anne Bauer, who recently became President of Racket Group. “They are incredibly flexible in terms of product design, and are truly committed to meeting the vision of the airline and their marketing team. That’s the number one advantage to working with an established brand, like Gilchrist & Soames,

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012

THE BRAND ALTERNATIVE

without brand names. However, Oakley has noticed that airlines are looking closely at product quality and more varied materials to make the amenity items more appealing to travelers. Popular consumer brands are sold at premium prices for amenity kits. For airlines looking to cut cost, Oakley often suggests that Malton Inflight source an “up and coming” brand or create a product for airline use. Malton has its own line of products called AirGenie. Recently, it co-branded its AirGenie combination soap and air freshener with an airline customer. Malton has won an International Travel Catering Association Mercury Award for the innovative 2-in-1 Handsoap and Air Freshener product. “The foaming soap actuator causes the soap to expand as it is dispensed,” said Oakley. “So the passenger takes in less than with a conventional soap liquid. This can make a 30 to 40 percent reduction in consumption, which is a

Malton Inflight’s comfort set on AirAsia

significant cost saving for the airline. “In addition, the airline also doesn’t need to use and replace a separate air freshener.” Malton Inflight has the good fortune of being near enough to find inspiration in London, home of high-end retailers like Harvey Nichols, House of Fraser and Selfridges. Company employees frequently browse the aisles looking for ideas that can translate to airline use. In 2004, Malton Inflight became one of the first to develop a range of products made from sustainable materials such as corn and

potato starch, with its Back2Earth line. The company also has its Blanket Comfort Kits being sold onboard several lowcost carriers. “It is very neat and compact set, enabling the airline to find space to stow enough on board, and a great value kit which contains a blanket, eye shade, ear plugs and an inflatable neck pillow,” said Oakley. “If pitched at a sensible price, it is a proven top-seller and can be a phenomenal income stream for the airline.”

Evian water in Detr Detroit? oit? Ar gentinean beef in Paris? Argentinean Rioja in T o okyo? Tokyo? All by next W ednesday? Wednesday?

W Welcome elcome to the world of yes.

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ADVERTISING

Increased exposure to advertising messages lead to more retention by passengers

Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck clown it up on a Spirit Airlines jet

Mile high medium Airlines from Florida to India are turning cabins into a bold advertising canvas to enhance revenue, while companies that sponsor the displays seek to reach an important demographic By Rick Lundstrom

ast May, the cabins of almost every aircraft in the Spirit Airlines fleet came to life with the likenesses of timeless Looney Tunes cartoon characters in a promotion for the launch of a new series on cable television’s Cartoon Network. The colorful images of Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig and other famous Warner Brothers cartoon stars were part of what was an “immersive experience,” made possible with the help of two Atlanta Companies: Turner Broadcasting Animation and Global Onboard Partners, which developed the displays. The campaign was an inevitable crossroad. As airlines unbundle their services and seek ancillary revenue from nearly every aspect of operations, marketing companies and the products they represent have begun in a larger way to view the space within the cabin as a prime spot to reach and hold a demographic on the move. Some of the ads are planned specifically for the airline market, while others make use of the airline cabin as part of an overall strategy to integrate their message and keep it in front of the passenger - both before they enter the cabin, and after they make their way home, or to their destination. For airlines, advertising onboard is another opportunity for revenue. However, companies that are involved in the business say it must be handled with care. A recent story in

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“Oftentimes these days, clients want to provide a 360 degree experience that lives with the consumer and extends the campaigns as long as possible, to other platforms.”

Evan Borak, COO Brand Connections

the USA Today newspaper on the growth in onboard advertising included comments from passengers put off by its presence in the cabin. What some of the passengers saw

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012

as in intrusion by marketers, other industry watchers saw a scenario where enough advertising revenue could be actually used to offset the increasing cost of airfares. “Ads on airplanes have been slowly creeping in, even with the legacy carriers over the years,” said Roger Cunard, Director of Marketing and Public Relations at Global Onboard Partners. “And the next natural evolution is using the large surfaces for display advertising.” The potential for industry wide revenue for display advertising is difficult to find. However, it is clear that airlines have begun to think big. Spirit Airlines is asking reportedly up to US$14 million per year to advertise on the exterior of its aircraft fleet. The USA Today story also pointed out the cost of other potential advertising surfaces: US$196,000 for three months on the airline’s overhead bins, US$119,000 for tray tables, and US$18,500 for ads on the carrier’s airsickness bags. What the airlines offer advertisers in return is a term called “dwell time.” The splashy cartoon graphics boarded on Spirit can be in front of a passenger for 2.5 hours. “While traditional advertising provides consumer recall of only 5-12%, the Looney Tunes experience provides recall rates of up to 94%”, said a release from Global Onboard Partners. “Proving passengers remember the brand and message after they have exited the aircraft.” But if airlines are thinking big, there are

ADVERTISING

only a few places where they can go, and normally they have a short time to get the work done. An aircraft in the hangar is not out making money, which is why Global Onboard Partners developed an advertising product that could be quickly, easily and, most importantly, safely installed. “It is tough to find ground time for an aircraft to do the work,” said Cunard. “It is a proprietary combination of materials that we have patents pending on in various countries around the world, so we are very proud of it.” One of the company’s first hurdles was regulatory. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration needed to be convinced that the applications would meet fire standards. Cunard said not only does the company’s multi layer process provide a durable peel and stick product that is resistant to graffiti and other markings, it also burns a lesser rate than other materials in the cabin. After receiving a federal go-ahead, the company began working with potential advertisers and airlines. In addition to Spirit, ad products from Global Onboard Partners have been installed on airlines such as LIAT, AirTran, Air Arabia, Jet Airways and Wizz Air. “Much of our success has been with lower cost and regional airlines,” said Cunard. “The U.S.-based legacy carriers have had some interest and we have talked to them. And we hope they continue to have interest, but, unlike legacy carriers we already work with in other countries, as of yet they have not decided to take advantage of this opportunity.” Spirit Airlines, however, was more than happy to take up the slack. “We are thrilled that the Cartoon Network is using Spirit’s onboard advertising program to introduce its new ‘The Looney Tunes Show,” said Michael Pewther, Spirit Airlines’ Senior Director of Sales and Mile High Media, in the May announcement of the promotion. “The graphics create such a fun, entertaining and memorable experience for our passengers that will be remembered long after the flight.”

putting together an integrated program that could place a company’s name and products in front of consumers at multiple points. It is a strategy that Chief Operating Officer, Evan Borak, says makes his company an extension of a firm’s global marketing team with the primary task of engaging consumers. “And integration can mean lots of different things,” said Borak. “It can mean integrated assets, media assets within the airline, airport, travel experience environment. It can mean integration across multiple platforms that are not related.” Brand Connections has most recently set up advertising programs aboard United Airlines and American Airlines by primarily making use of the carriers’ inflight video. The company has also developed a “Care Cover” that attaches to the surface of a tray table. “We have done everything from real creative artistic content to board games and exercises,” printed on the Care Covers, said Borak.

As for advertising aboard an airline’s inflight connectivity, Borak says the market for onboard technology has not yet proven itself a solid source for an advertising message. Some of Brand Connections’ most recent customers for airline advertising have been mobile phone maker Samsung, online insurance provider Esurance, and the Hilton Garden Inn. Unlike the bold splashy approach that has been used on low-cost carriers, Borak says legacy airlines and the companies that advertise on them walk a fine line, which requires a strong message that must be delivered with more subtlety. The company is often teaming its advertising with other venues, such as cruise lines and ski resorts, as well as nearby hotel chains. “Oftentimes these days, clients want to provide a 360 degree experience that lives with the consumer and extends the campaigns as long as possible to other platforms,” said Borak.

Asian Pioneer develops simple, clean displays for Renfe “The demand for advertising media products is very high,” said Federico Heitz, CEO for Asian Pioneer, which recently developed a simple-to-use headrest-advertising concept for Renfe trains in Spain. “Asian Pioneer also believes that it will grow even further in the next couple years as airlines and railway companies are looking for additional revenues.” To meet the need, the Chinese-Spanish-based company has added a line of products that are not only easy to maintain, but also give the user the ability to quickly change advertising messages. The headrests on Renfe, which were boarded in December, have a transparent compartment in the back that allows the railroad to change advertising messages quickly, while minimizing parts of the product that need to be discarded. “There wasn’t an online advertisement solution that did not involve excessive waste, stickers, (and) lots of time to change ads when the contract expires,” said Heitz. Though it is a new segment of the company’s business line, Heitz says advertising support products are approximately 5% of the Asian Pioneer’s overall sales.

Tracking the experience Creating memories, and making onboard advertising a win-win for both the companies that choose to advertise and the airline that earns the revenue is oftentimes more than merely selecting the airline cabin as a place to reach a target audience. Concepts such as target markets and dwell times are only part of the considerations when companies come to a firm, such as Brand Connections in New York with the goal of reaching consumers. For years, Brand Connections has been working with national and global brands,

Headrest advertising on Renfe trains in Spain

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PAX INTERNATIONAL

TECHNOLOGY

Testing the tasty waters From the concourses to the cabin, technology is placing more meals in front of more travelers By Rick Lundstrom t was nearly three years ago, that San Francisco based Air Meals wowed the judges from the International Travel Catering Association Mercury Awards enough to earn the company honors for its pre-ordering system, which gave airlines and caterers the ability to deliver gourmet meals to the economy class cabin. Now, as the company begins working the Delta Air Lines to deliver the first such meals to passengers on two transcontinental routes, the company’s President Adam Bauer, still sees the award as an important first step to the pilot program that launched last fall. It was the ITCA award, and of course, the card game. During one of the airline catering industry’s notorious card games, this one in Virginia, an executive at one of the catering companies asked Bauer why, given the technology, such a feat could not be accomplished. “There was not any technical reason why it could not be done,” Bauer tells PAX International. “So we examined it and applied standards and business launch criteria to it. Who’s doing it, who’s not doing it, the economics of it? Is it really a possible venture? — and not every good idea is a venture.”

Also on Delta’s eastbound flights is an antipasto entrée of grilled herb chicken

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Similar ventures are also making their way across the industry. A functioning pre-buying program like Air Meals can be up and running at an airline in a matter of weeks, says Bauer. In the airport environment, the phenomenon that has placed smart technology in the hands of millions of consumers is now used to pre-order meals at three U.S. airports. It is Delta’s recently launched DineUp program that will first make use of the Air Meals technology. In a multi-channel prebuy platform, passengers can order upscale meals delivered to their seat with 48 hours notice given to the airline. Air Meals calls the platform AM 1 and has added a pre-buy website program that can be used as well. The airline is offering DineUp on flights out of New York Kennedy to Los Angeles and San Francisco. “The first (stage) is really the e-commerce stage. The up-front fee, getting the orders, customer service and things like that,” said Bauer. “The second stage is the creation of the meals by the catering station. They get the orders and (prepare) the orders and get them to the plane. The third is in-plane delivery.” “The meals must be pre-paid with a major credit card on this site. Orders can be cancelled with full refund, 48 hours before scheduled departure from the pre-buy website,” said Leslie Parker, a spokesperson for Delta in January, adding “this program is just in the beginning of test phases. We will gather feedback from customers and our employees to determine if it should roll out to additional markets.” Catering for the DineUp program is handled by LSG Sky Chefs at Kennedy Airport and Gate Gourmet in Los Angeles and San Francisco. In January, Delta was offering passengers the choice of an Antipasto Entreé of Smoked Salmon and Grilled Herb Chicken, an Entreé Salad of Grilled Herb Chicken and an Antipasto Entreé of Beef Tenderloin and Grilled Rosemary Shrimp. Bauer credited Delta for taking what he called a “calculated risk” in the DineUp trial. Handling the orders, while dealing with the

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012

Beef tenderloin and rosemary shrimp are part of the Delta DineUp service on eastbound flights

vicissitudes of airline travel and heightened expectations from passengers, are only a few of the risks that can derail such a service. However he sees pre-buying services of this type as a vital new option for any airline seeking to innovate. “It is a very powerful niche that all carriers at some point in time will have to offer the passengers,” said Bauer. The niche needs to be not only profitable, cut also cost effective. One of the most well known companies to make use of meal ordering technology is Private Flight, which works with restaurants, hotels and caterers around the world to bring gourmet fare to private jet operators who spend tens of thousands of dollars per trip in some instances. Richard Pryor, CEO of Private Flight Limited in New Zealand sees a future where first and business class passengers paying tens of thousands of dollars for a front cabin ticket, will be happy to pay US$100 for a pre-buy gourmet meal. “If (the airlines) are not doing it in five years, they’re really missing an opportunity,” he said.

TECHNOLOGY A tasty app Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been nearly a year since the first users of a mobile phone app made their way through the ordering process that, before departure, had them sitting at the airport gate with a full meal delivered by restaurants at three U.S. airports. But the company that developed the app, Arlington, Virginia based Airside Mobile, is not finished, nor limiting its ambitions to supplying meals; and sees its B4YouBoard app as the model for a program that could include other elements of the airport experience, such as parking, retail and duty free sales in addition to food. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re actually in discussions with duty free providers, Homeland Security and Customs and Border Protection,â&#x20AC;? said Hans Miller CEO of Airside Mobile. Miller formed the company with Adam Tsao two years ago. Before Airside Mobile, the pair had been consultants, who were involved in the organization of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). They also worked with airlines to co-develop the first mobile phone boarding passes that came into service in 2007 and 2008. They were also involved in the formation of the Black Diamond passenger boarding process (which opens up a faster boarding lane for experienced travelers), and led the drive to eliminate gate screening in 2002. But for now, the company is focused on expanding and honing its B4YouBoard service that is working with restaurants at New York Kennedy, Chicago Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Hare and Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airports. This past fall, Airside Mobile expanded the capabilities of B4YouBoard, adding an application for Motorola Android phone users. The service is in place at three restaurants at each of the airports. When an order is placed from a smart phone app, it is routed to Airside Mobileâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s back-end server. The order is processed with the help of an Apple iPad at the participating restaurants. Airside Mobile sends pushed messages with updates back to the customer. The final message to the customer proA B4YouBoard meal is delivered at Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport

vides details on where he can find the B4YouBoard delivery person in the gate area. The ordering system needs exactly 20 minutes from the time of order to delivery. The clock starts when payment is made. Users can browse menus and pay for their purchases using the B4YouBoard app. They can even change orders using an assistance line. It is currently usable on Android and iPhones, but the Airside Mobile and concessionaire HMSHost are developing an app for Blackberry as well. To the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s surprise, Miller said the system has not been totally dominated by passenger orders. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have had a lot of repeat business and we are seeing a lot of airport employees actually using this,â&#x20AC;? said Miller. â&#x20AC;&#x153;If you have a 30 minute break, it is a pain to have to walk to a restaurant to stand in line and then walk back to your post and you have already gone through your entire break.â&#x20AC;? Miller estimates that approximately one-third of the B4YouBoard meal orders are from airport employees. Demand was such that the company developed a feature of the B4YouBoard program that calculates employee discounts. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This enhanced level of service and innovative use of technology will definitely make the travelerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s day better,â&#x20AC;? said Joe Waller HMSHostâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Vice President of Business development in the September announcement of the program at MSP. But what will really contribute to passenger satisfaction will be a program that brings in more aspects of the passenger experience, says Miller. While the company seeks to expand B4YouBoard to more airports and more restaurants within those airports, it is also looking to add parking and retail purchases among its capabilities. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our ultimate goal really is to be the mobile marketplace for the airport,â&#x20AC;? he said.

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TECHNOLOGY

shifting sands he pace of changes in technology may be relentless, but so too are the changes taking place in the airline catering industry. Airlines are re-evaluating food service, eliminating it from some routes and enhancing it in front cabin service. With global alliance groups of carriers expanding to destinations far and wide, they are finding at each station, an airline-catering kitchen with different operation than the one they just flew away from. That was the consensus by two airline software providers that have developed established applications which help handle inventory, source products and manage kitchen operations and front office for airline catering kitchens around the world. To meet their demands, these companies have modified systems and created scalable versions of original architecture.

As software developers create solutions for airline catering systems, they are finding an industry that is diverse in its needs and quickly changing By Rick Lundstrom

The Inflair system has been implemented in more than 30 units on five continents. Since its launch, Jeremy Clark, the head of JC Consultancy, who developed the system, has seen the traditional food service model give way to buy-on-board operations or eliminated outright. “Few traditional operations remain in emerging markets, but it is inevitable that, in time they will adopt these practices,” he tells PAX International. “Caterers have seen more change to their business model in the past 10 years than in the previous 50.” Rapid change and a lack of standardization or an uneven distribution of technological advancement are a few of the challenges. Production methods, such as DHL’s supply of British Airways at London Heathrow, Emirates’ operation in Dubai and the Servair/NAS operations in Nairobi are a few examples that Clark says take the cater-

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ing model to operations through a range from intensive in-house production to one that, in the case of DHL/British Airways provides few to none of the traditional preparation demands. “Providing integrated software to suit all three is a real challenge,” said Clark “Nonetheless, a single source integrated system is a cost-effective solution to a lot of in-house problems. Airline caterers, whether stand alone members of a medium sized group or part of a huge network are basically all doing the same thing.” Inflair is moving ahead, developing innovations in Java programming, cloud computing (which allows software to be provided to computer systems over a shared service such as the Internet) and developing products for the rapidly evolving use of hand-held devices. The U.K. based company has also developed a site-based Linux system that can be remotely supported from centers in the United Kingdom and Asia.

Enterprise and Lite “The big lesson we have learned through the development and implementation of Aerochef for various clients is that there is no onesize-fits-all solution,” says Mohan Mathew, Director of Business Development at Kott Software. Hence, AeroChef created what the company is touting as an easily customizable solution framework for the in-flight catering industry. Since its launch in July 2009, the Aerochef

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012

catering solution has found its way to some interesting applications. Absolute Taste, the company owned by McLaren Formula One, implemented AeroChef for its operations last year in the UK and Switzerland locations. Casino Air Caterers and Flights Services in India is a customer using the solution at three major airports for order management, menu management, food costing, purchase, production, invoicing and a variety of logistics functions. Plane Catering at London, Heathrow Airport also selected the system. Each of the company’s customers bring their own set of needs. “Every station, every caterer has their own operation challenges and requirements,” explains Mathew. “For some, the operation is an assembly and logistics operation with all food components brought in from various third parties, for others the challenge is managing and optimizing high staff costs. Conversely other locations benefit from low staff costs, but every single food item needs to be produced from scratch, some caterers are handling hundreds of thousands of meals per day, others catering only VVIP flights.” To make the products useful for different levels of operations, AeroChef is available in two versions – Aerochef Enterprise, for large catering operations and Aerochef Lite, for premium event caterers and business jet caterers. This year, the company plans to launch a new version of the software that will integrate services via Internet, mobile phone, text messages, and advanced management reports.

WINE REPORT

Wine a little,

YOU’LL FEEL BETTER. PAX International talks to airline wine experts about the 2011 grape harvest and how it will affect the landscape in 2012, plus trends in consumption on ground an in air By Maryann Simson

he changing climate of the little blue planet has affected many things. The past few years have brought increased incidences of flooding, drought, severe weather, the accelerated recession of glaciers and even a rise in sea levels. All over the world, humans are learning to adapt to a new and uncertain environment, one that could change in the blink of an eye. Significant progress is being made in terms of rethinking our industrial practices, not to mention our everyday lives in order to protect our natural resources, but many would argue that it is not enough, that the earth is getting warmer. Whether affected by man’s overzealous development of the natural world or simply part of the earths’ natural warming and cooling cycle, those involved in the business of agriculture, like wine producers for instance, are particularly attuned to Mother Nature’s moods. “You have to follow Mother Nature in this business,” reveals Ken Chase, lecturer in the enology department at the University of Melbourne and wine consultant to American Airlines and Air Canada. “A lot of wineries keep very good records of weather patterns over the years. Another thing that we can do

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is look at a fruit bud under a microscope where we assess the flowering potential that, in the Northern hemisphere, appears in early to mid-June. If the latent bud is abnormal, we can predict an abnormal harvest. Even meticulous observation and documentation, however, is often not enough to forecast the type of harvest a wine producer

thrown a curveball this year,” Chase admits. “The curveballs seem to be coming a lot more often than they used to. There is no doubt in my mind that we are experiencing some type of climate change phenomenon and we are going to see more of it.” While they typically experience more consistent growing conditions year on year than

“You have to follow Mother Nature in this business.” — Ken Chase, wine consultant to American Airlines and Air Canada in any specific region will experience. For instance Europe experienced a hot, early spring in 2011, which caused the grapes to begin growing sooner than expected. This in turn forced some farmers to pick the grapes a full two or three weeks before the traditional harvest time. When this happens the fruit may appear to be ripe by all accounts, however, says Chase, it may not have the proper concentration that makes a stellar vintage. “There is no question that Europe was

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012

farmers in Europe, California wine-makers also experienced an unusual growing season in 2011. The harvest there was shortened by cool and rainy conditions beginning in the month prior to picking. In a scenario like this, many growers will opt to pick early because heavy and prolonged rains can cause the skin of the grape to split, allowing water to dilute the fruit within. All this, however, isn’t too much of a worry when it comes to the airlines. According to

WINE REPORT

Chase, a poor harvest in one region us usually countered by a good one somewhere else, and often a successful harvest from a previous year can create a surplus for producers to draw on.

On the West Coast Wente Vineyards is the United States’ oldest, continuously operated family-owned winery. For 129 years the Wente Family, five generations to be precise, has blended traditional and innovative winemaking practices, drawing from approximately 3,000 acres of sustainably farmed Estate vineyards, to create a portfolio of fine wines. A major supplier to the global airline catering industry, Wente Vineyards is coming off a good sales year in the channel, and despite a short harvest which may impact airline supply, is overall optimistic about 2012. “Sales are up in the United States and for export,” reveals Eric Wente, Chairman and Fourth Generation Winegrower at Wente Vineyards. “Chardonnay and Cabernet performed exceptionally well in 2011, either in the quarter bottle or the 750 mL bottle. The Morning Fog Chardonnay performed the best in terms of Wente brands. For our Tamas Estates brand in the 750mL bottle, the Double Decker Red received some very good placements, but then overall, our Hayes Ranch brand 187mL was our largest volume in terms of airline sales.” Doing business with major international carriers like Delta, United and American Airlines, Wente Vineyards moved more than 100,000 cases of wine in 2011, to the airline sector alone. This was an improvement over 2010; however Wente admits he is not sure that 2012 will see the same volumes going out. “It has much to do with the availability

of the wine,” he explains. “For 2012 it will be a more difficult climate because the 2011 harvest was small and so that puts pressure on our inventories across all channels. All varietals we produce were affected to some extent. Basically we came in about 30% under original estimate for the year. We have inventories that we can carry forward Morning Fog and the next harvest Chardonnay is one of Wente Vineyard’s top coming in, so you performing wines need to bridge and manage. I doubt the 2011 harvest will last a calendar year in any channel.” Also based in the state of California is a company called Intervine Inc., which was created for the sole purpose of selling and distributing wine to the travel industry. The founders of Intervine actually began their careers as suppliers of inflight and duty free service items who added wine at the request of an airline and never looked back. While its original area of expertise was French wines and Champagne, the now 20-year-old firm has since added offerings from all of the world’s major wine-growing regions. “Economy class wines in the 187ml format remain an important segment within Intervine’s business,” says Ed Matovcik, President of Intervine Inc. “We would expect the 750ml format to remain standard for upper classes of service given the traditions of home and restaurant service and the wide availability of

Ken’sTen Here are ten things to think about when purchasing wine for the cabin in 2012: 1 WHEN BUYING FOR ECONOMY, SHOP AROUND! “In the bulk wine biz there are millions of litres to be had so making an economy wine purchase becomes quite simple if you know where to shop!” 2 PET IS NOT FOR EVERYONE. “It does save weight, no question. But you need be turning it around at a decent pace because the shelf life is still not quite as good as glass.” 3 KEEP AN EYE ON OTHER COSTS. “Glass, labels, screw caps and packaging are not getting any cheaper, so we’re seeing that the packaging part of the formula is now becoming more expensive than the wine.” 4 375ML BOTTLES WILL SEE MORE FLY-TIME. “I think it has a future in premium class and business class, simply because it will cut down on the waste factor.” 5 TOP WILL STAY ON TOP. “Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are not shifting, they will remain strong, however other varietals are gaining ground.” 6 WE’LL SEE MORE PINK AND BUBBLES. “In the North American market especially, the rise of sparkling wines is big news. I think the Italian Prosecco is poised for more terrific growth. I’m also seeing growth in Rosé. There have been leaps and bounds at the restaurant level and in stores.” 7 MALBEC IS IN DEMAND. “On the reds, there is no doubt about what’s happening with Malbec. I wasn’t sure about it ten years ago but I’m happy to eat my words.” 8 WINE SHOULD BE FUN. “I think we are going to see a lot of wine as entertainment this year. I believe that we are going to see more electronic education at the back of the seat in economy class.” 9 REVISIT CLASSICS. “I am seeing an interesting resurgence of bourbon, but not only in the traditional way. I’m seeing people drink it sweetened with honey or liqueur, it adds a nice softness.” 10 LEARN SOME SPANISH. “Watch out for Spain. Spain is on a really big comeback. I’m seeing incredible wines coming out of country that are totally unknown.”

Ed Matovcik, second from right, celebrates with U.S. Airways and his team members when they win the 2011 Global Traveller Award for best white wine 2011

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WINE REPORT

Despite short and early harvests elsewhere in the world, Gerard Bertrand himself says that the 2011 harvest is, in fact, the best he has ever had

wine in this format. The 375ml format has not gained a wide acceptance by wineries. They are available but are usually produced in small quantities for restaurant use.” Although he likes to keep sales numbers and volumes confidential, Matovcik did reveal in his interview with PAX International that he thinks the most significant trend we will see in 2012 is reflective of consumer buying habits. “I think there will be an increased interest in offering passengers a more diverse list of wines from new regions and with lesser-known varietals,” he reveals. “One of the biggest stories of 2011 was the California harvest, which was lower than average for the third straight year. This, combined with increased consumption, will continue to drive the availability of wine grapes lower and increase costs. Harvest yields were down in several European regions as well. Champagne yields were 25% lower than usual, while other notable French appellations suffered from a reduction of about 10%.This is why it is more critical today than ever to be a truly international supplier with a diverse portfolio.”

In France Twenty five years ago, a man named Gerard Bertrand left a career as player on the French rugby team to assume the lead in his late father’s business, which was producing quality French wine in the southern Languedoc region. Today Gerard Bertrand Wines owns seven estates farming more than 500 hectares of vineyard. The company also has strong relationships with other local growers, which helps guarantee wide sourcing and consistent quality at any given time. Eight years ago, Gerard Bertrand landed its first airline contract when Air France chose

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to pour its wines in business class. Now, airlines such as Qatar Airways, American Airlines, Swiss Airlines, LuxAir and Air Baltic regularly treat passengers to wines from the producer. In addition to renewing many existing contracts in 2011, Gerard Bertrand is pleased to have added KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and Singapore Airlines, two large and prestigious carriers, to its list of customers. Overall, the company moved more than a million cases of wine last year – 15,000 of which were marked for the airline channel. “Single varietal wines were selected and poured most commonly in economy class. AOP (Appellation D’origine Protégée: French wines subjected to very tight controls) and sparkling wines are more and more for business class pouring and for service in lounges,” says Christophe Balay, Global Travel Retail Director for Gerard Bertrand Wines, who has also picked up on some of the trends that Ken Chase pointed out. “We have noticed a growing interest for sparkling wines from the south of France such as the Gerard Bertrand Cremant de Limoux. Also, the Rosé consumption is growing a lot in the world and particularly in seasonal tenders.” Despite short and early harvests elsewhere in the world, Gerard Bertrand himself says that the 2011 harvest is, in fact, the best he has ever had with a “fantastic quality for both red and white wine, in all kinds of grapes.”

South Africa, Chile, Australia and New Zealand. Many of our wines are ‘custom’ blends, tailored to a customer’s individual requirements and capable of over-performing in the demanding conditions of the travel catering environment. The company was thrilled to have one of its white wines, Louis Mondeville, Cotes de Gascogne blanc, win the title of “Best Economy Class White Wine of 2011” in two different airline wine competitions, held late last year. We have a bank of regular producers who we know we can rely on to provide us with first class liquids from which we make our selections.” According to Ratcliffe, this truly international method of sourcing wine, means that if a poor growing season or supply issues in any particular region creates a problem, sourcing can be switched to an alternative. In addition to wine quality, particular attention is also spent on packaging development. Realising from the beginning the importance of light weight, eco-friendly packaging, Ratcliffe & Brown has been at the forefront of many new light-weighting initiative, (Ratcliffe having developed and introduced

In the UK Ratcliffe & Brown was established on New Year’s Day, 2000 by David Ratcliffe, his wife Chris, Andrew Brown and Andrew’s wife Susan. Focused entirely on supplying wine into the travel catering sector, Ratcliffe & Brown has grown consistently over the last decade and has picked up major contracts with carriers including British Airways, BMI, easyJet, Monarch Airlines, Thomas Cook, Thomson Airways, Etihad and many more. Last year was particularly good for Ratcliffe & Brown. Important new tenders were won in the airline market and additionally, the company was able to significantly enhance its rail sector presence, now supplying every major UK-based rail company, as well as Eurostar. Against a background of tough operating conditions, Ratcliffe & Brown grew by 20% overall in 2011. “We only supply wines that we have selected ourselves, which are good quality, fruit driven, enjoyable to drink and well priced,” revealed David Ratcliffe in a recent interview with PAX International. “We source and supply wines from all over the wine producing world, but primarily from France, Italy, Spain,

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012

Ratcliffe & Brown has been at the forefront of many new wine packaging developments over the last ten years

the world’s first 187ml PET wine bottle with Pan-Am back in the early 80’s). Today, most of production, both quarter bottle, full bottle and litre, is specified in light weight, multilayer PET bottles. “Every year, airline consolidation means that there are ever fewer customers for us to aim at, each with ever greater buying power,” he says. “We need to be constantly researching, improving and refining every aspect of our offer in order to stay competitive. We are very focussed on our business and all have a passion for what we do - and our aim is to be the best.”

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Specialists in supplying exciting wines in lightweight packaging for airlines and travel caterers

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EVENT COVERAGE

Growing in popularity with each contest and now in its seventh year, the Bacardi Cruise Competition is the only one of its kind in the industry

Miami heat PAX International’s Maryann Simson travels to Miami, where ten chef and bartender finalists compete in a bid to become Bacardi’s Chef and Bartender of the Year By Maryann Simson t 12:45 pm on January 13, sixteen hand-picked cruise industry experts - a mix of cruise line food and beverage executives and media began arriving at The Forge restaurant in South Beach for a VIP Judging to determine who will become Bacardi’s next Bartender of the Year and Chef of the Year. Growing in popularity with each contest and now in its seventh year, the Bacardi Cruise

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Competition is the only one of its kind in the industry. It allows the men and women who work onboard any of Bacardi’s cruise line partners to submit recipes for the chance to win one of the prestigious titles and gain excellent exposure and recognition for their hard work in the process. “We launched the competition seven years ago to recognize the creativity of the bartenders and chefs onboard,” said David Hogan, Bacardi Americas Travel Retail Manager and

organizer of this year’s competition. “It’s a great way for us to reach out and reward the people who, at the end of the day, are really the faces of our brands.” From the time that this year’s contest opened to submissions on September 1, and closed November 30, more than 1850 recipes from 27 cruise lines were contributed for cocktails and dishes, representing a 16% increase over last year. Once all submissions were in, the real work began for Bacardi Global Travel Retail Ambassador Marc Plumridge and the Forge’s Chef Dewey LoSasso, who, with small teams, were responsible for the difficult task of narrowing all entries down to a finalist for each one of the five food and five beverage categories. “Marc is in charge of the initial judging process,is with support from our team of global brand ambassadors who represent our family of brands; Bacardi, Grey Goose, Bombay Sapphire and Dewar’s Scotch Whisky,” said Hogan, adding that this makes sense because the categories for drinks are divided by brand. At the VIP Judging event, 16 judges sampled the top Bacardi-ingredient entries from each food category; appetizer, vegetarian, main course, dessert and heart healthy (by the standards for the American Heart Association), which were presented to the judges only after an explanation of the preparation process from LoSasso. In a new twist on the traditional event format, the finalist drinks were prepared live by Marc Plumridge, to give judges a better grasp of what goes into their preparation. The judges were able to ask Plumridge questions about each of the five finalist cocktails, like what good substitute ingredients might be, then discuss ideas, experiences or concerns with their peers. Finalists were judged on presentation, taste, creativity, originality, guest appeal and operational criteria.

This year’s finalists hail from a number of destinations worldwide, with multiple winning entries from Carnival Cruise Lines and Royal Caribbean International. A prize of an onboard BACARDI party for the crew who submitted the largest number of entries was awarded to the crew of Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas.

BACARDI BARTENDER OF THE YEAR - FINALISTS Mika Savinainen Cruise/Ferry Line: Tallink/Silja Recipe Name: BACARDI® OAKHEART™ Flip Category: BACARDI® Rums and flavoured rums

Adri Ford Cruise/Ferry Line: Carnival Cruise Lines Recipe Name: Pink Victoria Category: GREY GOOSE® vodka and flavoured vodkas

Ronald Porras Cruise/Ferry Line: Royal Caribbean International Recipe Name: Ruby Sapphire Category: BOMBAY SAPPHIRE® gin

Ricky Poyaoan Cruise/Ferry Line: Costa Crociere Recipe Name: Corretto Cocktail Category: DEWAR’S® Blended Scotch Whisky

Joseph Nackman Cruise/Ferry Line: Celebrity Cruises Recipe Name: The Malgarita Category: Signature Cocktail – Pepper

Glenmark Flores Cruise/Ferry Line: Cunard Line Recipe Name: BACARDI® Day and Night Mousse Category: Dessert Brand Used: BACARDI® Superior Rum

Ramesh Thirumal Cruise/Ferry Line: Royal Caribbean International Recipe Name: GREY GOOSE® Halibut Vitality Category: Heart Healthy Brand Used: GREY GOOSE® Le Citron Flavoured Vodka

BACARDI CHEF OF THE YEAR - FINALISTS Gregorio Anonuevo Cruise/Ferry Line: Royal Caribbean International Recipe Name: BACARDI® Seafood Sampler Category: Appetizer Brand Used: BACARDI® LIMÓN™ Flavoured Rum, BACARDI® Gold Rum, MARTINI® Asti Sparkling Wine

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Daniel Rodrigues Cruise/Ferry Line: Carnival Cruise Lines Recipe Name: “Brillat Savarin” tournedos with aged rum and creamed mushrooms Category: Main Course (meat, poultry, fish) Brand Used: BACARDI® OAKHEART™ Spiced Rum, NOILLY PRAT® Dry vermouth

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012

Thorsten Gillert Cruise/Ferry Line: Holland America Line Recipe Name: Potato-MushroomLasagne with NOILLY PRAT® Nage. Category: Vegetarian Brand Used: NOILLY PRAT® Dry Vermouth

EVENT COVERAGE

A special delight to the Bacardi team was the clear acceptance of, and experimentation with, their newly launched Bacardi OakHeart – a smooth spiced rum aged in oak barrels. Several of the finalist recipes called for the product, and the judges reaction to these dishes and drinks were clearly favourable. “This is very encouraging,” Hogan said. “The product only hit the cruise channel between September and November, and those “I think it went really well today. The fact that it was more were same months that the compeinteractive, I think, made it a lot tition was open. It tells us that that the more fun for everyone,” said Marc Plumridge, Bacardi’s Global bartenders and chefs embraced it and Brand Ambassador began playing with it immediately. PAX International also had the opportunity to chat to a happy Marc Plumridge once the competition was over. “I think it went really well today. The fact that it was more interactive, made it a lot more fun for everyone,” he said, praising the work of all this year’s contestants. “We saw a great improvement. There were more fresh ingredients and a better understanding of the spirits and some very interesting twists on classics.” The next and final stage of this year’s Bacardi Cruise Competition will be the announcement of the two winners based on the scores from the VIP Judging. This event is planned for March 9 and is to be held at Bacardi’s new offices in Coral Gables.

Bacardi turns 150 In 2012, Bacardi will celebrate its 150th anniversary with a year-long programme of special events. For the Bacardi Global Travel Retail division, the celebrations are beginning with airport spectaculars and the launch of a US$2,000 limitededition decanter of rare Bacardi rum. Bacardi was founded in Santiago de Cuba on 4 February, 1862, when Don Facundo Bacardí Massó purchased the small distillery where he would create a revolutionary new rum, introducing techniques never before used in rum-making. To honour 150 years of Bacardi rum-making expertise and craftsmanship, eight Maestros de Ron, all Bacardí family members, have combined their extraordinary talents to create a Limited edition Bacardi rum called Ron Bacardi de Maestros de Ron, Vintage, MMXII. A blend of the fine rums aged for 20 years in oak and finished in 60-year old Cognac barrels, the vintage blend is presented in a hand-blown 500ml crystal decanter

housed in a leather case and retails for US$2,000. The decanters are available to purchase at premium retail establishments around the world and select international airports. For 150 years, the secret art of blending Bacardi Rum has been handed down from one Maestro de Ron (Master Blender) to another ensuring that its flavour profile and premium quality are as exceptional today as they were when it was first blended in 1862. From its earliest years, the smooth, light-bodied spirit was an inspiration for cocktail pioneers. A blend of the fine rums aged for 20 years in oak and finished in 60-year old Cognac barrels

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EQUIPMENT

EQUIPPED

FOR

takeoff

PAX International investigates just what kinds of specialized equipment come into play when food takes flight By Maryann Simson

hile they vary of course by region, size and method of food preparation, most catering kitchens have the same kinds of heavy equipment within to make the enormous task of feeding thousands of passengers daily possible. But the trip from the catering unit is only the beginning. Once on the move, the edible cargo makes its way through a maze of automated and vital systems. One misstep along the way can stop the hours of preparation and planning dead in its tracks. PAX International followed the process with several companies whose equipment helps make sure that never happens. Companies like Elro Werke in Switzerland manufacture much of the equipment found within the airline-catering kitchen. With a complete range of full size appliances, work surfaces, drawer units, extractor hoods and smaller items such as pans, kettles and steamers used in the mass manufacturing of inflight meals, Elro Werke is an industry leader.

The packaging

C-PET can sustain temperatures ranging from -40° to plus 240° without losing its integrity

able sealing foil,” says Englisch. “These high barrier films can be either transparent, with or without antifog, or printed individually to our customers’ needs.”

After food is cooked, using equipment from Elro or one if its competitors like Hobart Traulsen in Germany or PKL Group in the United Kingdom, it is time to place that meal in a vessel that it will likely stay in until it reaches the tray table of a hungry passenger. Many different materials have been used for airline food packaging over the decades, but one that is becoming more and more popular, according to Klaus Englisch, Managing Director at D|F Marketing GmbH, is C-PET. “D|F is a supplier to a number of international airlines and other customers for customized C-Pet dishes and the respective heat-

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FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012

D|F Marketing GmbH is a business with two focuses, one is creating customer food solutions for airlines on flights departing Europe, and the other is supplying packaging solutions for both inflight and retail applications. “Presenting a hot meal in C-PET gives a fresh and innovative appearance as C-PET does not bend like aluminum foil does,” Englisch says. “Additionally, C-PET can be fully sealed, giving the passenger the assurance that the meal is safe. As prices for aluminum continue to increase and people note it’s incredibly eco unfriendly production process; C-PET is becoming more popular and a real alternative.” The inherent resilience to heat and cold is another perk for those airlines choosing C-PET over aluminum and other packaging options. The material can sustain temperatures ranging from -40° to plus 240° without losing its integrity. This means that flash freezing is no problem for

Trolley insulation is critical to maintaining the safe cold temperature of both fresh and frozen food items en route to the passenger

EQUIPMENT The smallest of its series, the PR750 is capable of producing up to 300 slices of dry ice per hour, or 600 pounds (273 kilograms) of pellets or nuggets in the same time span

meals in these containers, and they will also not warp or melt in the heat of the special ovens onboard.

The trolley Many times has PAX International featured coverage of the airline trolley. This versatile piece of equipment is essential to airline catering and onboard service. The airline trolley performs several important jobs as part of the long chain of equipment that food must interact with on its way to the cabin. Most hot airline meals, particularly for economy class service, leave the catering kitchen frozen when they are loaded onto trolleys for their journey to the tarmac and eventually the aircraft. “Meals are prepared in aclimate controlled environment,” says Patrick Phillips, Director of Business Development for Norduyn, a Canadian producer of airline catering equipment including the world’s lightest certified trolley, the Quantum. “The trolleys that have been previously washed and cleaned are loaded up with meals to be served on an upcoming flight and then placed in a refrigerator until they are ready to be moved to the designated aircraft at the gate.” Trolley insulation, says Phillips, is critical to maintaining the safe cold temperature of both fresh and frozen food items en route to the passenger. Not all catering trucks are refrigerated, and the same goes for some galleys onboard. This means that airlines and caterers often rely on the insulation of the trolley to keep contents within an acceptable temperature range. “Even when galleys are refrigerated, the trolleys must offer decent insulation properties as it can take a while before the galleys are running to their optimal temperatures following the aircraft’s power is turned on,” says Phillips, “Switching to a concept made entirely of composites like Norduyn’s trolley, brings with it many new advantages. They are lighter for onboard personnel to push around, we can work much more with the shapes to improve ergonomics, insulation properties are optimized and we can ensure a product that will remain aesthetically pleasing in the cabin for a longer time than traditional aluminum.”

dry ice blasting and dry ice production technology. “Just-in-time manufacturing eliminates the middleman and changes how a company receives and uses dry ice.”

We understand your business, we know ours.

The ice Good insulation is one thing that keeps airline meals cool before it’s time to eat, but in some cases that is just not enough. Many trolleys are equipped with a tray for holding dry ice to keep contents cool or frozen. In a traditional scenario, an airline caterer using dry ice as part of its cold chain operations will order in advance from a dry ice supplier. However, ordering the right amount so as not to have waste, or run out, is often a challenge. After receiving an order from a caterer, the dry ice supplier will then make, cut and ship the ice in insulated containers. But because dry ice sublimates at a rate of 5-10% a day, even when refrigerated, a considerable amount can be gone before it even reaches the catering facility. “Fortunately, for organizations where dry ice is an integral part of the cold chain, technology has made it possible to produce high-quality, freshly made dry ice on site,” says Wim Eeckelaers, Dry Ice Manufacturing Systems Senior Vice President for Cold Jet, a privately held world leader in

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EQUIPMENT

pletion of its first custom-made hi-lift catering truck on a chassis from International Trucks and destined for use, at an undisclosed location, by LSG Sky Chefs.

Two Mallaghan standard six meter lift trucks service a aircraft in Addis Ababa

The insert

An on-site cold chain system, says Eeckelaers, can help reduce waste, improve quality of dry ice through elimination of transport and ensure supply when there is demand. Recently, LSG Sky Chefs Belgium NV- Zaventem said that having a dry-ice machine on premise helped them achieve annual cost savings of 20% through waste reductions alone. LSG Sky Chefs Belgium saved an additional 5% in the cost per pound of dry ice and improved operational efficiency. Several models of dry ice production systems from Cold Jet are well suited to an airline-catering environment. The PR750 Reformer, for example, is designed to meet mutli-form dry ice demands by producing slices, pellets and nuggets. The smallest of its series, the PR750 is capable of producing up to 300 slices of dry ice per hour, or 600 pounds (273 kilograms) of pellets or nuggets in the same time span.

The truck

is a leading supplier of A380 capable lifts as that aircraft type become more prevalent for major long-haul routes. Mallaghan works with several automotive leaders to offer a range of chassis types and container sizes can also vary by several feet. “Everything is designed to the customer’s specifications,” says McKenna. “Some trucks have a six meter body and others could have one that is eight. Of course, the longer the body, the heavier the truck, so an extra-long body could actually reduce payload rather than increasing it. When it comes to refrigeration units, it’s the same. A number of things dictate what type of cooling unit is required, like outside temperature. In places like the Middle and Far East, outside temperatures can reach 40°-50° Centigrade so they will tend to go for a large or very strong cooling unit to ensure an unbroken cold chain. In the UK and other cooler places, some don’t put a refrigeration unit in at all.” Recently, in a bid to further expand its global reach, Mallaghan opened its first assembly plant in the United States. Louisville, Kentucky is now home to Mallaghan INC, where truck parts made in Ireland are assembled on North American-made chassis. At press time, the U.S. location was near com-

The catering truck is an irreplaceable link in the airline catering chain. By far the largest piece of equipment in the catering process, its importance and proper operation cannot be understated. Mallaghan, headquartered in Dungannon, Ireland, has produced passenger stairs, medical lifts, toilet/water service units, maintenance platB/E has made a major investment over the last several form and of course, catering years in its new Essence Inserts trucks, exclusively since 1990. Collection PAX International recently caught up with Owen McKenna, Sales Director at Mallaghan, who talked about what is new at his company. He revealed that customization is king in his business, with every order being different from the last. While the six meter lift is the most commonly used (works well with wide-body and larger single-aisle aircraft), Mallaghan also produces options at the four meter height bracket and

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FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012

Assuming all goes well in the first steps of the catering process, an aircraft takes to the sky stocked with food and beverage that is often still a step or two away from being ready to serve. This is where products from B/E Aerospace come into play. “Even before push back B/E galley inserts would be hard at work,” reveals Dede Potter, Director of Corporate Marketing at B/E Aerospace. “From heating towels for that special touch before meal service, to chilling champagne and wine for a relaxing pre-takeoff drink, to brewing a hot and delicious cup of coffee.” Each galley insert onboard an aircraft helps flight crew deliver a superior passenger experience and has been carefully engineered. A galley completely outfitted with B/E equipment would boast a steam oven, convection oven, bun warmer, refrigerator, freezer, wine chiller, multi-function chiller, beverage maker, espresso maker and water heater. Lesser-used accessory products are also available. “B/E has a long, rich heritage of developing and delivering galley inserts, which dates back more than 100 years with Royal Inventum - the oven company that B/E purchased in 1993,” Potter says. “B/E has made a major investment over the last several years in our new Essence Inserts Collection. The new product is targeted for the A350, but will be available on all advanced airframe platforms going forward.” Recently launched at the third annual Aircraft Interiors Middle East, B/E hopes the Essence Collection will impress airlines with intuitive features, reduced weight, superior reli-

EQUIPMENT

ability (MTBF) and power improvements. The bun warmer, for instance, heats in half the time (five minutes) of the industry standard (10 minutes). The pull-down time of the Essence line’s beverage chiller has been reduced from 42 to 40 minutes and the beverage maker brew cycle time reduces waiting from three minutes to two minutes, forty-five seconds. “The intuitive features and technology enhancements make the entire collection easy to use,” says Potter. “A keen focus on aesthetics and human factors development was a key objective and has created a modern look more appropriate for a high-end kitchen space, providing an exceptional onboard experience.”

The box that challenged the insert

its insulation properties at many industry conventions and exhibitions. “We offer two product ranges,” explains Walter. “Inside the Magic-Boxes, hot stays hot, and cold stays cold. The Cold-Boxes support the storage of chilled and frozen food and beverages according to HACCP standards. Both kinds of boxes can be stored in trolleys and carriers and both are equally compatible with ATLAS and KSSU.” Goods can be stored in an A-LogEqu container at as low as -90°C all the way up to +120°C, with extreme temperatures maintained for two hours or more, and more

moderate temperatures held for more than 20 hours. Since the food or drink is placed into the container already at its ideal service temperature, there is no need for heating or cooling once the catering arrives onboard. The work has already been done on the ground, thus saving time and energy. Also, says Walter, equipment failure is virtually impossible. “The A-LogEqu containers are the world’s best passive system,” she says. “Of course our insulated boxes are a competition to electrical galley inserts, but we believe they are an investment in the future, not just a workaround solution.”

The A-LogEqu family of equipment

According to Christine Walter, Head of Marketing and Sales at B&W Engineering, many airlines today are beginning to see that it is possible to cater a flight with hot, warm, ambient or cold food and beverage without having galley inserts onboard at all. The ALogEqu container was launched several years ago by the German engineering firm and has since been impressed countless delegates with

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PAID ADVERTISEMENT

This year Rougié is launching foie gras with vanilla tahïtensis to extend its range of terrines.

Truth be told

Rougié separates fact from ﬁction on the topic of foie gras and how it is produced

Airline Catering Industry: Tell Rougié became a symbol of us about the history of Rougié. French cuisine all over the When and where did it all world thanks to the travels of begin? my father and myself. WhenAlain Rougié: It all started ever a luxury hotel, a royal back in 1875 with the opening family or a chef wanted to of a small business in the organize a culinary event, we South West of France that were there. This busy schedule quickly became the favorite of magnificent events gave us Jean Rougié rendezvous for all the greatest an unbelievable recognition. gourmets in the region. Our Together with Paul Bocuse or reputation continued to grow. The comsome other great names of gastronomy, pany started by my grandfather Leonce we were invited to the most prestigious Rougié (and then developed by my tables: the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo with father Jean Rougié), gained internathe emperor Hiro Hito, the Oriental in tional status in the 1950’s with our first Bangkok with the King Bhumibol, the exports to the U.S. and to Hong Kong. Peninsula in Hong Kong and others. We were famous for the consistency Airline Catering Industry: Tell us how the company has grown and evolved and optimum quality of our produce over the years. What is your reach and and for continually creating new product range today? recipes of foie gras terrines and other Alain Rougié: One of the fundamentals gastronomic specialties. The name

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of the company that was initiated by my father, and that we have been constantly strengthening, is an unequalled relationship with the chefs all over the world. This knowledge of their work and our close partnership with them allowed us to think and develop our working techniques and our products. To some extent we even founded and developed the process that made possible the delivery of a one-hour fresh, raw foie gras to any restaurant on the globe. We began implementing this flash-freezing, specially adapted to this extremely delicate material about 15 years ago. This process gave another dimension to the company and revolutionized the use of foie gras in the chefs’ kitchens. Today the range of products is quite vast from IQF raw foie gras mini slices or pepites that can be cooked onboard, to raw or smoked duck breast, game or other fine meat terrines and confits. Every year we develop new recipes for our range of traditional whole foie gras terrines. In recent years we have launched foie gras with coffee, espelette pepper, champagne, tea and ginger, grapefruit, and other unexpected ingredients. This year we are launching the foie gras with vanilla tahïtensis. Recently we changed the traditional trapezium shape of foie gras terrines to make them easy to cut and display in the respect of catering constraints. We are also launching a foie gras ganache specially adapted for airline catering or cruise companies. Airline Catering Industry: How should top notch Foie Gras look and taste? How are you so sure premium passengers want it? Alain Rougié: Even if you divide the foie gras in two categories; the raw foie gras that will mainly be consumed warm, panfried, grilled, poached or roasted – and the cold foie gras terrine, both productions will require a substantial amount of savoir faire. An excellent foie gras terrine will be very mild, unctuous and delicate in taste, with very little rendered yellow fat on top. Whether coming from goose or duck, its flavour must be a perfect balance of fine nutty, gamy, buttery

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touches and a hint of precisely measured seasoning. This line of delicate flavour opens plenty of room for a great chef to match with other aromas. An excellent raw foie gras, once cooked, must have a texture close to the one of tofu. It must be mild and unctuous, but should not render oil in the passengers’ plate. Its taste must be clean as a guarantee of freshness and at the same time should offer an explosion of round gamy, nutty and buttery flavours. The Japanese are fascinated by the high content of Umami in foie gras, the so called ‘fifth taste’. They feel that it offers delightful emotions to one’s body. Doctors and scientists attribute to it an interesting level of magnesium, phosphates, calcium, potassium, iron, retinol, E vitamin, C vitamin, B9 vitamin and folic acid. Like olive oil, the fat content of foie gras is composed mainly of unsaturated fatty acids which protect the cardiovascular system and generate omega 3. Whatever the size of the portion, for a limited cost and a minimum effort, a dish with foie gras is always perceived as a luxury and its natural characteris-

tics will provide a great satisfaction to passengers. Today you can find Rougié foie gras in most ofworld’s Michelin restaurants because the great chefs understand this. Rougié is a supplier of Bocuse, Ducasse, Gagnaire, Robuchon, Georges Blanc, Alleno, Pourcel, Hiramatsu, Takeushi, Yamamoto, Michel and Albert Roux, Blumenthal, Valazza, Botura, Boulud, Keller and Rochat, to name a few. Airline Catering Industry: Which airline was the ﬁrst to board your products? Alain Rougié: Two airlines where the pioneers in serving Rougié foie gras onboard. Obviously our national airline has always used foie gras as a perfect ambassador of French gastronomy. But soon after World War II, Cathay Pacific became a very prestigious player in the culinary scene in the air and a partnership with Rougié was the perfect match. For them we often created tailor-made recipes of foie gras terrines. Airline Catering Industry: How many airlines you have worked with to date? Alain Rougié: We have been lucky to supply almost all the Far Eastern carriers, the major airlines in the Middle East, most of the major airlines in Europe and also some companies in America and Africa. Our halal range certainly opens more routes for foie gras! We always remain discrete on these partnerships and as an interesting result the selection of products is never the same from one airline to another. Airline Catering Industry: Are there any regions where you would like to improve market penetration? Alain Rougié: Our main concern is that when a company is using foie gras, it has to be Rougié. We have so many advantages on other brands in terms of choice, R&D, technical advances, health and safety and ani-

mal welfare. We are the only producer USDA, HACCP and IFS certified. We are committed to the United Nations Global Compact program for sustainable development, and we are the most innovative producer of foie gras in terms of new products and recipes. We have revolutionized the image of foie gras. Sadly, certain airlines have chosen not to take foie gras onboard for so called “ethical reasons.” These airlines are missing a very strategic item for menu planners and we are losing a legitimate market. Airline Catering Industry: What are some of the concerns that misinformed people or organizations may have about your product? Alain Rougié: Some activist organizations are sending a message to the general public that the production method for foie gras called “fattening” is unkind. This creates controversy and can wrongfully influence the opinion of people who do not understand how foie gras is made, and why it is made as it is. These organizations are definitely against meat and any form of animal use, even pets. They have distorted the truth about foie gras by spreading false information. Airline Catering Industry: How are these concerns affecting business for you? Alain Rougié: So far, no airline has really stopped foie gras but our business is affected in the sense that many airlines refuse to put foie gras on the menu. They are doing this either to avoid cabin crew’s contests or journalists’ questions. This creates an extraor-

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dinary frustration for us, knowing that the passengers of business class and first class are educated to enough to understand there is nothing wrong about foie gras. We feel the product is often being banned for irrational reasons and to support political agendas. Airline Catering Industry: Please tell us why these concerns are unfounded. Tell us about your company’s procedure, certiﬁcations and policies for animal welfare. Alain Rougié: Foie Gras ducks spend 85% of their life cage-free. They are raised in both indoor and outdoor arrangements. For the first 3 weeks of their life, they are raised inside heated buildings, as ducklings are too fragile to face outdoor conditions. After these three weeks, the ducks are free to go outside at will. For four months they are free-range, able to choose indoors or out as they please. The fattening period only begins at the end of their life. After four months of free-range living, they are ready for fattening. This period lasts for 12 days, and consists of two meals per day. Each meal takes about 10 seconds, which comes to a total of 4 minutes maximum in the life of a duck. In the lifetime of a foie gras duck, the fattening constitutes a very brief period during which the animal is not subjected to stress or suffering. Ducks have the particularity of having a very flexible esophagus that allows them to comfortably ingest entire live fish in the wild. The feeding tube therefore causes

no suffering or particular disturbance for the duck. Searchers for the INRA (National Institute for Research in Agronomic fields) such as Guy and Guéméné, who conducted a scientific investigation in 1998 for the EU, concluded that “Forcefeeding does not appear to induce pain and is not a major source of nociceptive information integrated by the nervous system. The absence of pain indicators results from anatomical specificity of the waterfowl involved in foie gras production.” Furthermore, the fattening is undertaken with utmost care and supervision on the part of the breeders. Ducks have a natural capacity for tremendous ingestion. We take advantage of this physiological particularity of overeating. This behavior in ducks allows them to accumulate energy reserves for specific situations such as migration or nesting. For example, before migration ducks overfeed in order to have sufficient energy for the long flight. Overfeeding is therefore a natural function in ducks and that is what we use. A huge mistake would be to compare ducks and humans. Airline Catering Industry: Which bodies or associations rightfully oversee and monitor animal breeding, fattening etc? Can we assume they have determined that Rougié follows all lawful procedures for humane treatment? Alain Rougié: The organization overseeing the foie gras production in

France is the CIFOG. A lot of information could be found on their website www.thefoiegras.co.uk. All members have the obligation to follow a precise production charter in which animal welfare is a key point. As a matter of fact, the foie gras farms in France have a lower mortality rate than any other animal production farms. Airline Catering Industry: What steps are you taking to create transparency in your organization and to educate consumers about your product? Alain Rougié: Foie gras has recently been recognized as an important part of French gastronomy, “intangible” Treasure of Mankind. It now appears on the same list as the pyramids at Giza, the Loire Valley, the Grand Canyon, the Mexican Day of the Dead, the Cambodian Royal Ballet, Spanish Flamenco dancing and Chinese acupuncture. This is already a big step. We are also organizing many visits of our farms for professionals of the industry and journalists. We are developing worldwide partnerships between our Rougié Foie Gras School in France and the most prestigious cookery schools such as Tsuji in Japan, Alma in Italy, At-Sunrice in Singapore, HITDC in Hong Kong, Enderun in the Philippines, Hoffman in Spain, the Westminster Kingsway College in London, The Paul Bocuse Institute in Shanghai and others. The main objective is to make sure the future professionals of the catering industry know ■ the truth about foie gras.

Foie Gras ducks are raised free range for about 90% of their 4 month life.

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Worrld Travel Catering World g & Onboard O b d Services S i s 27-29 March 2012

Hamburg Messe,, Germany

The global event for the travel catering

and onboard ser services vices industr industry y Exhibition 27-29 Mar March ch 2012 W World orld Travel Travel Catering Catering and Onboard Onboard Services Services Expo provides provides a dedicated business en environment viro onment e ffor or those o ose rresponsible esponsible onsible o s b e ffor o or catering operations comfort during air,r, sea cater ing oper ations and passenger assenger comf fo ort dur ing ng air travel. and rrail ail tr avel. Providing platform key industry makers, iding the platf for o m to meet k ey industr y decision m akers, Pr oviding source new products innovative solutions.. oducts and ﬁnd inno vative solutions to sour ce ne w pr

Register Reg ister your your interest interest in visiting a att www.worldtravelcateringexpo.com/pax www.wor ldtravelcater ingexpo.com/pax

Ne New w Conference Conference ffor or o 2012 20 Da Date: te: Monday 26 March March The Cabin Cabin Innovation Innovation & Strategies Stra Conference ategies eg es for fo or the e Future Futur u u e Conf erence event key strategic o ocusing on the k ey str is the world’s world’s premier premier e ventt ffocusing ategic ex issues surrounding surrounding cabin cabin innovation, innovation,, consumer expectations and strategies strategies for fo or proﬁtability proﬁtability within the cabin. cabin. attend Cost to a ttend €100 + vat vat (Free charge airlines cruise operators) (Fr ee of char ge to air lines and rail & cr uise opera tors)

For mor more e inf information ormation please visit www.worldtravelcateringexpo.com/conference www w..worldtravelcateringexpo.com/conference

Organised by:

Co Co-located -located with:

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PRODUCT INTRODUCTION

Get your HANDS ON THIS

Cascades new product offers protection from future contamination for 30-minutes after hand washing

PAX International explores Cascades’ anti-bacterial hand towel, a new product that is in partnership with Massey’s Production and is set to improve hygiene onboard By Lauren Brunetti

wo companies are touting a new hygiene solution for a transportation industry that is increasingly concerned with controlling the spread of contagious diseases while passengers are travelling. Cascades’ Green Antibacterial Paper Hand Towel (also known as The Intelligent Paper) is making its way through trials, as the manufacturer and its distributor plan to roll the product out of a larger segment of the industry this year. Used like a regular paper hand towel, the key feature is its ability to provide a persistent antibacterial defense for 30-minutes, thanks to the active ingredient called Bezalkonium Chloride. Used in a cabin environment, the towel transfers this ingredient onto hands during the drying process, minimizing the spread of potentially harmful bacteria to other passengers. The product is also helpful in other travel environments such as in airport washrooms or on trains, says Nathalie Comeau, Innovation Director, North America Awayfrom-Home Products at Cascades. As highlighted by the Public Health Agency of Canada, nearly 80% of common infectious diseases, such as the flu or cold, are spread through hand contact. “The fact that this product protects hands from future contamination is an important benefit for travelers and for people working within the industry,” said Comeau, adding that the paper towel is also useful for the food service market and healthcare. Improper hand drying can play a role in spreading germs. In fact, when hands are not dried properly, moisture attracts bacteria and can even cause it to grow back. “The whole airline industry realizes the importance of a good hand washing procedure and the proof of that is that whenever you fly Air Canada now, they have a video that shows how to wash your hands and dry them – this is something that you didn’t see a year ago,” said Comeau. “They all know the importance

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of having your passenger clean prior to getting onboard and to maintain this procedure while you are travelling.”

A green solution Founded in 1964, Cascades produces, converts and markets packaging and tissue products that are composed primarily of recycled fibers. Cascades developed the Intelligent Antibacterial Hand Towel with special attention given to sustainability. Comeau said that Cascades has made this their focus even “before green became trendy.” The Antibacterial Hand Towel contains 100% recycled fibers and has a distinguished and patented green colour - unlike traditional brown or white paper towels. The new towel is also odourless and stable with no expiration date, as opposed to other gels or sanitizers currently on the market. “We wanted to definitely stay true to who Cascades is. Our products are made using the best environmental practices possible, by using a lot less water (in fact 80% less than the North American paper industry average), and using recycled fiber is also something we have done.” According to Comeau, the towel was designed to compensate for less-than-perfect hand hygiene practices, without suggesting people change their habits. “It simply completes the hand washing process without changing people’s behavior in doing so,” she said.

Set for launch To gain exposure and awareness in the travel sector, Cascades has partnered with Massey’s Production, a relationship that was formed just over a year ago. Massey’s Production has been in the airline business for 15 years. Matt Mahoney, National Sales Director at Massey’s Production, said that the company is very excited to introduce Cascades’ new product to airline customers around the world, and also to profile it at the Aircraft Interiors Expo and the World Travel Cater-

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012

Cascades and Massey’s Production formed a partnership just over a year ago. Pictured left to right are: Matt Mahoney, Guy Ayotte, Ajay Massey, Nathalie Comeau and Sanjay Massey

ing and Onboard Services Expo in Germany. “We really just want to get the message out that this product has arrived, it is out there, it adds value and it has many benefits to the customers as well as the employees in the travel industry,” he said. Ajay Massey, President of Massey’s Production said the product is undergoing trial stages with select airlines, including Air Canada and within a month or two after AIX and WTCE, the product should already be onboard. “A couple of the airlines are already informed about this product; we are just waiting on all of the certification to be finalized before we can fully give them a go ahead,” he revealed. “We are definitely targeting transportation, whether it is rail services, cruise lines, as well as airlines.” Currently only available only in Canada, Comeau said that in time, the product will also move into other markets including the United States. “A future plan for sure is to introduce this product into the away-from-home market in the United States but in order to do so, we need to comply to the tentative final monograph of a healthcare sanitizing product – and that is what we plan to do in 2012. We are told that once you have the green light to Health Canada, it opens doors to any other market in the world.”

EVENT COVERAGE

A global voice This year’s Marine Hotel Association Conference and Trade Show continues its international appeal, with more stands and events geared toward its far-flung clientele By Rick Lundstrom

ven though this year’s Marine Hotel Association Conference and Trade Show was still three months away, planners had accomplished much by the first of the year for the annual event, now in its 27th year. By mid-January the MHA had already filled out its quota of stands, even though organizers had allocated an additional 30 for this year’s gathering, set for April 15-17 at the Peabody Hotel in Orlando. In addition, a keynote speaker well known to anyone in the hotel industry had been secured and planning for social evenings promising an international flare was well underway. “For us January is just a very busy month,” said Caroline Pritchard, Executive Director of the MHA. With the allocated stand space filled early in the year, applications were being placed on a waiting list. In addition, the MHA was gearing up for a year that held the possibility of a robust cruise industry that is rapidly spanning the globe in its appeal. That appeal will be reflected in the MHA’s choices for social events. Three evenings are planned that are in keeping with the group’s theme for this year: Global Voices. The opening reception will reflect a night in Hong Kong. Another night will be devoted to Venice, while visitors can raise a pint at a makeshift British pub the final night. “We are trying to focus on that (international appeal) and embrace that natural progression that seems to be happening with MHA,” Pritchard said. But amid the fun and the networking, there will no doubt be some serious discussion regarding the state of the cruise

industry. Like years past, cruise lines have Plans for 2012 and beyond sought to lure travelers with sizeable dis- Following this year’s Conference and Trade counting and marketing that stresses the Show, the next major initiative for the MHA value of cruising. That has led to an empha- will be across the Atlantic in the British sis to get passengers to pay for services and naval city of Plymouth in July. It will be the second year that the MHA has held its High enjoyment once they board the ship. “There are almost no limits to the Performance Leadership Program set for the options people have and the options to University of Plymouth with a similar prospend money,” Pritchard said. “All in all I gram slated for Florida International Unithink that when someone gets on board a versity in Miami. The group also hosts a proship to go on the cruise, fessional development at they are getting still the Cornell University’s absolute best value they School of Hotel Adminpossibly can; and that’s istration. why they are still sellThe weeklong proing ships.” gram for cruise industry Taking the stage the professionals at FIU and morning of April 16 will the University of Plybe the keynote speaker, mouth stresses manageHorst Schulze, Foundment skills and leadering President/Chief ship building over a five Operating Officer of the day intensive workshop Ritz-Carlton hotel group with lectures and case and now Chief Execustudies designed to build tive Officer of the West “leadership essential for Paces Hotel Group in the cruise industry.” Atlanta, a newly formed Horst Schulze, Founding President/Chief “This program is company focused on Operating Officer of the Ritz-Carlton geared towards the hotel group creating and operating unique needs of leaders luxury hotels. Pritchard said Schulze was in the cruise industry,” said a breakdown of a natural choice for organizers, since many the week’s events. “We begin the program of the hospitality executives in the cruise by identifying each leader’s personalized line industry come from a hotel back- strengths, with a concentration on indiground and are aware of his long career in vidual leadership styles, enabling individthe industry. uals to broaden their leadership approach Born in Dresden, Germany, Schulze for optimal results.” joined the Ritz-Carlton chain as the foundLooking on to 2013, the MHA has again ing president in 1983. It has since grown to scheduled a European Conference and a US$2 billion business with properties in Trade Show for November at the Hotel Arts 41 countries. in Barcelona.

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FOOD SERVICE

ReadershipAwards PART OF ITCA DUBAI GALA An intimate gathering of industry professionals reveled in camaraderie streamside on a mild October evening in Dubai during the second day of this year’s International Travel Catering Association Exhibition at a gala banquet which, again, included a presentation of the annual PAX International Readership Awards. The event was held at the Park Hyatt Hotel on the banks of Dubai Creek the evening of October 26. Caterers and representatives from several airlines in the Middle East were on hand to receive the awards, distributed by PAX International Editor in Chief Rick Lundstrom and Dubai-based Journalist Faye Rowe “The goal of these awards stays the same,” said Lundstrom. “And that is to recognize excellence seen through the eyes of the readers of PAX International.”This year, LSG Sky Chefs carried the top honors with the Readership Award of Distinction. The Readership Awards were presented in four categories: Airline Caterer of the Year, Outstanding Food Service by a Carrier, Airline of the Year for Food Service and Best First and Business Class Lounge. The following is a list of this year’s winners divided by region, along with this year’s Award of Distinction. The absence of winners in some categories indicates no votes were received:

PAX International Readership Award Winners 2011 AWARD OF DISTINCTION LSG Sky Chefs Europe 2011 Airline Caterer of the Year

Servair

Americas 2011 Airline Caterer of the Year

Flying Food Group

Airline of the Year Food Service Continental Airlines Middle East 2011 Airline of the Year Food Service Etihad Airways Outstanding Food Service by a Carrier

Emirates Airline

Best First and Business Qatar Airways Class Lounge Asia 2011 Outstanding Food Service by a Carrier

Korean Air

PAX International Editor Rick Lundstrom presented the Outstanding Food Service by a Carrier Middle East Award to Terry Daly, Divisional Senior Vice President of Service Delivery at Emirates at the carrier’s headquarters

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FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012

Franck Bouat, Senior Vice President of International Sales at Servair traveled from Paris to accept the PAX International Readership Award for Caterer of the year, Europe

FOOD SERVICE

Marwan Haber, Qatar Airways Country Manager for the UAE with the Best First and Business Class Lounge Award won by the airline

Chan Kim, Regional Manager of the Korean Air Dubai Branch accepted the Outstanding Food Service by a Carrier Asia this year

InflightDirect 125 Compton View Drive Middletown, RI 02842 USA tel: 1-401-714-4190 email: sales@InflightDirect.com web: www.InflightDirect.com

Mills Textiles Werner Kimmeringer Head of Guest Experience â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Catering at Etihad Airways was on hand to accept the Airline of the Year Food Service Award

PO Box 67 Oswestry, Shropshire, SY111WD, UK tel: +44(0)1691 656092 email: sales@millstextiles.com web: www.millstextiles.com

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WHAT’S HOT!

WHAT’S

HOT! Pure cotton refreshment towels Company Name: Coolike Regnery GmbH Company Location: Bensheim, Germany Description: Coolike presents a new line of refreshment towels from England made with a combination of Bachflower essences and pure cotton ingredients. The perfect onboard accompaniment, this new line features a unique well-being effect for flight passengers and crew. The towels are available in Active Morning, Vital Day and Relaxed Evening. Visit Coolike at WTCE: Stand #3C30

Grand Sud Merlot and Chardonnay

Freshorize 3-in-1 Company Name: Freshorize Ltd. Company Location: London, United Kingdom Description: Freshorize presents 3-in-1, the world’s first combined soap, moisturizer and air freshener dispenser. This product allows onboard aircraft restrooms or other tiny spaces to smell fresh all the time. The unique system effectively holds fragrance and evaporates it at a slow, continuous rate. Visit Freshorize at WTCE: Stand #2E32

Delectable mini éclairs Company Name: En Route International Company Location: Berkshire, England Description: En Route International presents a new line of mini chocolate éclairs. Perfect for on-the-go use and complete with easy application, these are ideal for any passenger who is craving a sweet treat. They can be served for an afternoon-tea service or as a dessert option, and can also be pre-packed to specifications or served as is. Visit En Route International at WTCE: Stand #2E40

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Company Name: Les Grands Chais de France Company Location: Petersbach, France Description: Grands Chais de France, the leading private winemaker in France, launches Grand Sud Merlot and Chardonnay in a brand new PET 18.7centiliter sized format. The Grand Sud Chardonnay offers delicious white peach and citrus notes, while the Grand Sud Merlot has mouth-filling flavours including red fruits and a peppery blend. Both wines are vibrant, fresh and offer a pleasant taste and aroma. Visit Les Grands Chais de France at WTCE: Stand #2E58

Waterproof amenity kit Company Name: Global Inflight Products Company Location: Redmond, WA Description: Global Inflight Products introduces a new, fully functional and practical amenity kit called, La Trousse. The perfect companion for any passenger, this kit comes complete with durable and waterproof fabric, while offering an elegant and contemporary look. Allowing passengers to have a more luxurious traveling experience, this amenity kit is also easy to hang. Visit Global Inflight Products at WTCE: Stand #2E75

WHATâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S HOT! JP Chenet Cabernet-Syrah

Sweet and savoury snacks Company Name: Hoppe Professional Company Location: Tilburg, The Netherlands Description: Perfect for any passenger on the go, Hoppe Professional offers a complete new line of savoury and sweet snacks - featuring mini cookies in chocolate chip, caramel, and apple & cinnamon flavours, in addition to mini nachos, pretzels and salted crackers. Plus, there are also colourful and bright packs of Safari animal biscuits. Visit Hoppe Professional at WTCE: Stand #4F35

Company Name: Les Grands Chais de France Company Location: Petersbach, France Description: JP Chenet Cabernet-Syrah offers an intense bouquet of cherry and blackcurrant flavors, which are combined with a light and delicate spicy note. The grapes are harvested at peak ripeness, fermented for 6-12 days at controlled temperatures and gently pressed. This wine can accompany a wide variety of dishes including red meats, cold cuts, salads and most cheeses. Visit Les Grands Chais de France at WTCE: Stand #2E58

State of the art airline cutlery Company Name: Sola Company Location: Zeist, The Netherlands Description: Providing more than 70 different airlines with their trusted cutlery, Sola expands their lineup with impressive stainless steel hollowware and service inflight articles. This flatware is durable and made for easy care. The cutlery is available in a wide selection of contemporary designs. Visit Sola Airline Cutlery at WTCE: Stand #2D80

Fun and fresh meal boxes Company Name: Oakfield Farms Solutions Company Location: Grapevine, Texas Description: Oakfield Farms Solutions presents a new line of combination fresh/ambient meal boxes. The new boxes can store a mixture of fresh or chilled products and can also be tailored, customized and/or branded to certain specifications. Visit Oakfield Farms Solutions at WTCE: Stand #2B70

All-natural bread pudding Company Name: Kozy Shack Company Location: Hicksville, NY Description: Perfect for people on the move, Kozy Shack introduces a new Bread Pudding line-up, which offers a new twist on an old classic and true homemade taste. Made from a gluten-free recipe and all natural ingredients, this dessert has only 150 calories per 3.5 ounce cup. Perfect for any passenger looking for a sweet tooth cure, these desserts can be served warm or cold.

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WHAT’S HOT!

Premium ready-to-drink alcoholic cocktails Company Name: Kiss Mix Company Location: Godalming, Surrey, UK Description: Kiss Mix, a premium selection of readyto-drink alcoholic cocktails, will be expanding its collection by adding new flavours to the lineup, including Margharita, Bourbon and Cola and more. Kiss Mix offers numerous benefits, such as convenient lightweight packaging and a long shelf life with a two year expiry. Visit Kiss Mix at WTCE: Stand #1B39

‘Easy Peel’ Hot Towel Tray Company Name: Mills Textiles Company Location: Oswestry, Shropshire Description: Mills Textiles introduces a new hot towel tray, complete with an easy peel lid. The unique design allows ease and safety for cabin crew members to enjoy. The new product is available to accommodate 4- 40 towels per tray. Visit Mills Textiles at WTCE: Stand #2B21

Crispy fries in the sky Company Name: Green Gourmet Company Location: Gloucestershire, England Description: Green Gourmet introduces a worldwide favourite to be enjoyed as part of the onboard experience. ‘It’s Just My Bag of Crispy Fries’ is a small bag of French fries designed to bake in a re-gen over in 20 minutes – with no need for a fryer. The preportioned bag is easy to open, ensures product consistency, and reduces mess and waste. Each 120 g portion is slightly seasoned and made from specially selected potatoes. Visit Green Gourmet at WTCE: Booth #2B47

Delicious Whole Duck Foie Gras with Vanilla Company Name: Rougié Foies Gras Company Location: France Description: Rougié presents its latest creation, made by pairing vanilla with the finest Foie Gras. With a subtle 100% natural vanilla dose, this recipe is made using vanilla Tahitensis and other high quality ingredients. The product’s firmness and consistency also allows for clean slicing and elegant plating. Visit Rougié Foies Gras at WTCE: Stand #2F45

Breakfast on the go Company Name: The Hoffman Group Company Location: Seattle, WA Description: Re-energize while travelling during those early morning hours with The Hoffman Group’s Breakfast on the Go lineup. Offering a source of natural energy, the recipe contains emerald nuts, real dried fruit and granola clusters. Each single service packs contain 200 calories or less and is available in three flavours, including Breakfast Nut Blend, Berry Nut Bend and S’mores Nut Blend.

Unique Rack Dispenser Company Name: Asian Pioneer Company Location: Madrid, Yiwu City, Zhuhai, Azuchi-Machi Description: Asian Pioneer introduces a new rack dispenser accessory which is designed to increase buy-on-board sales. Allowing additional storage for products, this rack dispenser conveniently hangs on top of a trolley along the side of a drawer. It also provides additional space for product display. Visit Asian Pioneer at WTCE: Stand #2B35

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WHAT’S HOT!

Onboard luxury amenity kit Company Name: FORMIA Airline Supplies Ltd. Company Location: Kowloon, Hong Kong Description: Air Astana welcomes on board its Business Class cabin the new Chopard Kits, created and supplied by branded amenities expert, FORMIA. The new kits represent the debut of Chopard as the “über luxury” brand in airline amenities. The Chopard bag is available in two versions - one for ladies and one for gentlemen, each containing a selection of cosmetics from the Swiss brand and an extensive range of inner items. Visit FORMIA Airline Supplies at WTCE: Stand #4B14

Thermal spring waters Convenient equipment Company Name: Zodiac Aerospace Company Location: Alkmaar, The Netherlands Description: Driessen-Zodiac Aerospace introduces a new line of Hybrite containers and foldable trolleys. The Hybrite container is a stylish ‘design container’ for mobile storage of food, beverages and condiments in the galleys and on-board catering. A 10% weight reduction makes the container the lightest in the industry. The Hybrite container offers improved stackability and even more crew appreciation. Visit Zodiac Aerospace at AIX: Stand #7D50

Company Name: Select Amenities Ltd. Company Location: Hockessin, DE Description: Buccotherm® Toothpaste, the first oral care range based on thermal spring waters, is now available to amenity kit packers in 10 ml, 8 ml and 3 ml tubes. It is manufactured by Laboratoire ODOST in Castéra-Verduzan France. Since 1841, the thermal waters of this spa have been known for the soothing and healing properties. Airlines can now offer this distinctive toothpaste to further enhance passenger comfort.

Comfortable rubber-tipped headphones Company Name: Inflight Direct Company Location: Middletown, RI Description: Inflight Direct introduces new rubber-tipped IFE headphones. Simple and also inexpensive, these earbuds provide high quality sound and maximum comfort, for every passenger to enjoy while on onboard. The headphones are available in a variety of trendy colours and can also be customized with airline specific logos. Visit Inflight Direct at WTCE: Stand #4B14

UPCOMING

EVENTS

Cruise Shipping Miami, March 12-15, Miami Beach Convention Center. For more information info@cruiseshippingmiami.com. Or call 609-759-4700.

IFSA Asia/Pacific Conference, June 12-14, Incheon, South Korea For more information Contact IFSA at (404) 252-3663, e-mail ifsa@kellencompany.com

Aircraft Interiors Expo, and World Travel Catering & Onboard Services Expo, March 27-29, Hamburg. For more information call 44 (0) 208 910 7126 or e-mail michele.footitt@reedexpo.co.uk.

Ancillary Revenue World, Europe, June 26-28, London, for more information, contact Terrapinn Lt.d, at 44 (0) 20 7092 1000 or e-mail enquiry.uk@terrapinn.com

Marine Hotel Association Conference & Trade Show, April 15-17, Peabody Hotel, Orlando. For more information, contact the association at (415) 332-1903.

IFSA Annual Conference and Exhibition, September 18-20, Long Beach Convention Center, For more information Contact IFSA at (404) 252-3663, e-mail ifsa@kellencompany.com

Airline Passenger Experience Association TV Market Conference, April 16-18, Brighton, England. For more information, contact APEX at (212) 297 – 2177, Fax: +1 (212) 370 - 9047 info@apex.aero

Airline Passenger Experience Association 2012 Annual Expo, September 17-20, Long Beach Convention Center. For more information contact APEX at (212) 297 – 2177, info@apex.aero

cruise3sixty, April 26-30, Broward County Convention Center, Fort Lauderdale, Florida. For more information, contact Tim Chau, registration coordinator (949) 457-1545, extension 122 or tchau@mjpa.com

Aircraft Interiors Expo, Americas, September 25-27, Seattle. For more information, call 203 840-5680 or e-mail aircraftinteriorsus@reedexpo.com

ADVERTISER’S Achenbach..........................29 AMKO Int’l...........................37 Bacardi ...............................47 Clearwater Seafood.............39 DHL ....................................35 Driessen .............................27

En Route .............................22 Formia ................................23 FSP GmbH ..........................15 Global-C..............................55 Green Gourmet ...................57 Gut Springendheide ............31

INDEX

Inflight Direct ......................65 Intervine Inc........................34 Kerry Gold...........................25 Korean Air..........................4-5 Linstol.................................13 LSG Sky Chefs ....................72

Mallaghan...........................17 Medina Quality....................19 Meiko .................................11 Oakfield Farms Solutions ....33 Onboard Logistics ...............45 Ratcliffe & Brown ................51

www.pax-intl.com

Rougie Advertorial .........58-60 Select Amenities .................67 Servair ..................................2 Sola Airline Cutlery..............28 Watermark Products ...........71 WESSCO ...............................7

PAX INTERNATIONAL

ASSOCIATION NEWS

IFSA 2012 Successful partnerships and several initiatives are charting the group’s course for the year

t has been a little more than half a year since David Loft took over duties as President of the International Flight Services Association (IFSA). Now, as the group enters a new year, the Vice President of Sales and Service at Flying Food Group, talked about IFSA’s latest initiatives.

PAX International: How was this past year for IFSA? David Loft: 2011 was a year of excellence for

IFSA. Many factors played a role, including the hard work of outgoing president Vicky Stennes, who has now transitioned to the Chair role, and key involvement from the board of directors. The 2011 Annual Conference & Exhibition in Seattle saw more than 750 attendees, 100 more than in 2010, and our largest exhibition in comparison to recent years. As a result of the successful 2011 conference, IFSA has experienced one of its strongest years within the past decade. The IFSA Board of Directors is continually working to find the best and most effective ways to continually grow our organization and enhance value for our members. IFSA remains committed to our mission to represent the global business interests of the onboard services industry. It has also been a great year for the IFSA Foundation, providing scholarships to young students with the hope that they may one day become leaders in our industry. PAX: What can we expect to see at the IFSA Annual Conference and Exhibition? Loft: The 2012 IFSA Annual Conference and

Exhibition is September 18-20 in Long Beach, California at the Long Beach Convention Center, and will be co-located for the third consecutive year with the Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX). This industry “super show” is the only event of its kind in the U.S., and will provide a “one-stop shop” at which to meet key industry decision makers from over 40 airlines; discover the latest trends and developments in onboard food products, packaging and technology from more than 150 exhibiting suppliers and caterers. Also during this event is the 4th Annual IFSA Chef’s Competition. IFSA will be located

PAX INTERNATIONAL

“As a result of the successful 2011 conference, IFSA has experienced one of its strongest years within the past decade.”

sionals who are decision makers and airline buyers. IFSA will also share more details about upcoming 2012 events, including the Annual Conference & Exhibition. IFSA is also cultivating a strategic partnership with Asia Pacific On-Board Travel (APOT.Asia), an association formed to provide local area support to the inflight industry in the Asia Pacific region. IFSA is partnering with APOT as well as APEX to present the 2012 Asia Pacific Conference in Incheon, South Korea on June 12-14, 2012. IFSA will continue to seek out and work with related industry organizations to identify those opportunities that provide additional value to our members. PAX: What are some other initiatives IFSA has planned for the year ahead? Loft: The Association seeks to be more active

IFSA President David Loft

directly adjacent to APEX. I am also very excited that we have confirmed Mr. Dave Hilfman, Senior Vice President Sales of United Airlines, as a keynote speaker. If you haven’t had the opportunity to hear Dave speak, he is very entertaining and has a wealth of knowledge to share, and is a great addition to our conference line-up. PAX: Is IFSA exploring alliances with any other industry organizations? Loft: IFSA, through a cooperative agreement

with Aircraft Interiors, will be exhibiting at the World Travel Catering & OnBoard Services Expo in Hamburg from March 27-29. Attendees of the World Travel Catering show will have the opportunity to have personal conversations with IFSA board and committee members. In addition, attendees will learn more about the value an IFSA membership provides their company, including how to collaborate with IFSA to maximize their exposure to key onboard services profes-

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012

in providing a unified voice on matters concerning the interests of the onboard services industry. As a result, IFSA is forming a Communications Advisory Council comprised of seasoned marketing and communications professionals within the industry that represent the various segments of IFSA membership – airlines, caterers and suppliers to the industry. This group will assist in the development and distribution of communications on behalf of the industry, and plans to proactively share “best practice” information and respond to onboard-related media inquiries. IFSA is also exploring the possibility of implementing a government relations-based advocacy program to support the communications initiative. The goal of the advocacy program will be to establish IFSA as a resource representing the onboard services industry when relevant governmental regulations are promulgated. All in all, 2012 is going to be another busy and exciting year for IFSA. We look forward to working with our members to make the exhibition and conferences as successful as events in previous years, but also to introduce some new initiatives that will benefit our members and enhance our ever-changing industry. Thanks to Jacqueline Petty at IFSA Headquarters for her help compiling this report.

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