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

ITCAABU DHABI + SIALRegionalairlines

Halal:a growthindustry

Caterers of the

MIDDLE EASTAIRPORTUPDATE p.12 SUPPLIERS

IN FOCUS p.23 p.31 EVENTREVIEWS p.34SWEETS

GALORE

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A taste of the world

53 destinations worldwideServair 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 specifi city in order to better meet our clients’ needs.

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Theworld comes to

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E D I T O R I A L O F F I C E S

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EDITOR’S LETTER

Those demands by a growing and afflu-ent population attract beef producers fromBrazil and cheese manufacturers from Bul-garia. When 56% of consumer demand formeat is met through imports the countriesand kingdoms in the region need to looksomewhere. Such demand for imports creates some

interesting contradictions as well. Faadi Saad,Group Exhibition director of SIAL tells us thateven though the UAE is the largest exporterof dates in the world it is also the world’s sec-ond-largest importer. Much of the demandfor high-quality imported dates is suppliedby Saudi Arabia, which has the reputation ofproducing the finest in the world.The transportation sector that will be in

Abu Dhabi for the International Travel Cater-ing event will find plenty of synergy withthe SIAL event nearby and the Rice andGrains show that will also be conducted at thesame time. They will also have the chance tosee a group of new products that are makingwaves. This year, SIAL will be showing itsTop 50 products that came to market in 2012.Launched at the SIAL event in Paris, this fea-ture has proven to be a successful draw andwill be part of the Middle East event every year. For centuries, the world’s culinary bounty

has moved through the Middle East. Thosemaking the visit to Abu Dhabi will find aninternational event well worth their time.

Rick LundstromEditor-in-Chief, PAX International

nyone who marvels at the diversityand international flavors featured atthis year’s ITCA/SIAL/Rice andGrains event in Abu Dhabi might

be interested to know that this is the secondlargest food show in the Middle East. Twenty-one international pavilions, seven

halls and 1,000 stands among four eventswill be featured in Abu Dhabi this year. Thisstill places SIAL behind the yearly Gulfoodevent that will be held in February 2013 inDubai. This by no means implies that the SIALevent cannot measure, up. Instead, it showsthe immensity and potential that the regionhas to become a culinary center of its ownright. The first year, organizers of SIAL Mid-dle East had 300 stands. The following year,interest had increased to 470. This year theNovember 26-28 event will have more than700 exhibitors. The Middle East will be buying imported

food products in staggering numbers over thenext 10 years. The Economist IntelligenceUnited projects that demand for food importswill double in the next 10 years, reachingUS$53.1 billion by 2020. A few more facts highlight the demands the

region is creating for imports. The countrieswithin the GCC produce only 10% of theiryearly dairy needs and only in Saudi Arabiadoes it rise to 30%, “so the market is extremelyreceptive when it comes to partnerships withleading international producers,” said ChrisFountain, Managing Director of Turret Media,which organizes SIAL Middle East.

A

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4 | PAX INTERNATIONAL | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2012

N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 1 | V O L . 1 2 , N O . 6

Contents

N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 2 | V O L . 1 6 , N O . 6

37

14

AIRPORT REPORT12 ahead of The sLump

Passenger traffic continues to grow worldwide, butsome regions are doing better than others

REGIONAL CATERER REPORT14 frozen In The deserT

Food Point Dubai goes “back to basics” in a sectorwhich can easily become all about numbers

16 addIs InTernaTIonaL caTerIng

weLcomes newesT cusTomerLatest contract win coincides with the unit’s fourth anniversary

18 a key To The kIngdomWith a long awaited IPO now completed, Newrest-managed SaudiAirlines Catering Company is ending its year with a new CEO andopportunities in and out of the airline environment

REGIONAL AIRLINES20 domesTIc dynamIcs

RAK Airways may be smallest of the UAE’s flag carriers, but thisyear it recorded an industry first, with its new service between RasAl Khaimah and its close neighbor Abu Dhabi

22 hIghLy defInedSince flydubai installed its Lumexis system in November 2010 amodest fee has not stood in the way of passengers takingadvantage of its IFE selection

SUPPLIER REPORT23 TradITIon and change

Watermark Products is inspired by diversity in the Middle East

24 formIa and TurkIsh aIrLInes

eXTend cooperaTIonPurpose-designed kit recognizes needs of Mecca pilgrims, inflightand at their destination

25 snack TImeWith more than 25 years in business, Hunter Foods is keen to growits footprint in airline catering as part of a larger plan boost exports

26 a worLdwIde awarenessAsia and the Middle East may be the origins of Halal cooking, butawareness of the need to supply Muslim populations is taking shapeeverywhere

30 The meaT of The maTTerSheikh Asif Pochi of Pexim Inc. and Abu Adnan Poultry discusses theHalal market and the challenges he faces as one of the largest Halalpoultry suppliers in the USA

31 The sweeT spoTThe Middle East is becoming a center for imported confectionery, butthe region itself lays claim to an ancient and universal sweet snack ofits own

INDUSTRY EVENTS 34 Ifsa/apeX brIngs more of

IndusTry To Long beach

36 apeX eXpo draws LargesT

crowd In 15 yearsPlanning is already underway for next year’s APEX EXPO, to be heldSeptember 9-12 in Anaheim, California

37 saTIsfacTIon In The spoTLIghTExperts at AIX Seattle agree that passenger comfort andsatisfaction cannot be achieved by a ‘one size fits all’ approach

38 The guesTLogIX 4Th annuaL

user group conferenceThe three-day event brought together roughly 150 representativesfrom the company’s global airline customers and technology partners

DEPARTMENTS3 EDITOR’S NOTE

6 NEWS11 PEOPLE40 WHAT’S HOT42 ASSOCIATION NEWS42 CALENDAR On the cover: Grilled Herb

Chicken prepared at Food PointDubai. Read story on page 16

For over 30 years, WESSCO has specialized in supplying a wide range of products for our airline customers world-wide. From amenities, to passenger comfort, to food & beverage service ware, we design and deliver the items you need to provide an exceptional experience for your passengers.

Come visit us at the International Travel Catering Association Exhibition & Conference (ITCA) 2012 in Abu Dhabi from the 26th to the 28th of November in Stand A3. To set up an appointment with us please email us at [email protected]. We look forward to discussing how we can meet your onboard service needs.

Your onboard service partner for over 30 years

[email protected]: +1(310) 477-4272F: +1(310) 477-7910

www.wessco.net

Aviation/tourism a forcein Saudi economy


Aviation supports 1.8% of Saudi Arabia’s gross domestic prod-uct equal to SAR 30.2 billion (US$8 billion) annually and provideswork for 152,000 people in the country, according to a reportby the International Air Transport Association.

This fall, IATA presented the government of the Kingdom ofSaudi Arabia with a study quantifying the economic benefits ofaviation the country’s economy.

Other findings from the report show that “aviation-enabledtourism” in Saudi Arabia employs a further 139,000 people andsupports some SAR 23.6 billion (US$6.2 billion) of economic activ-ity annually.

The study was commissioned by IATA and completed byOxford Economics. It was presented to His Highness Prince FahadAlabdullah, who is President of the General Authority for Civil Avi-ation (GACA) and Chairman of the Board of Saudi Arabian Air-lines, by Tony Tyler, IATA’s Director General and CEO who vis-ited Saudi Arabia in October.

“Aviation is a force for good in our world. The industry has turnedour planet into a global community by connecting people to busi-ness, bringing products to markets, facilitating journeys of dis-covery and uniting families and friends. This has a significant eco-nomic impact. Globally, aviation provides employment to some57 million people and supports $2.2 trillion in business. And inSaudi Arabia, aviation and aviation-enabled tourism supports 3.2%of the Kingdom’s GDP and 3.0% of the workforce,” said Tyler.

Saudi Arabia’s 27 airports handle more than 54 million pas-sengers per year, and the numbers are growing at double-digitpace.

Aviation is a US$8 billion industryin the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

AIRLINE

NEWS

Adel Ali, Group Chief Executive Officer of AirArabia, has been named “CEO of the Year –Aviation” at the third edition of CEO Middle EastAwards.

Hosted by CEO Middle East, an ITP grouppublication, “CEO Middle East Awards” rec-ognize and reward success, innovation andethics. The awards honor CEOs from acrossseveral business sectors through apprecia-tion of innovative business, business excellenceand overall business success, plus acknowl-edge the vital contribution made by individu-als and their companies to the vibrancy ofbusiness across the region.

Ali, who collected the award during a cer-emony held in Dubai, was recognized for thecontinued strength of Air Arabia’s strong busi-ness model. Ali was also recognized for beingat the forefront of the development of modernaviation through his contributions to the Arabaviation sector.

“I am extremely honored to have won thisrecognition and this award goes to the entire

staff members of Air Arabia. It is our ambitionto make flying affordable for everybody, whilstmaking the process of flying a pleasant expe-rience for our millions of passengers whochose to fly with Air Arabia,” Ali said.

In July this year, the airline was been rankedas the world’s second best performing airlinein Aviation Week’s annual Top-Performing Air-lines (TPA) Study, which ranks the top 10 per-forming airlines worldwide based on five differentperformance categories, including financialand operational performance.

Air Arabia CEO earns accolades

Adel Ali, Group Chief Executive Officerof Air Arabia, has been named “CEO ofthe Year – Aviation” at the third edition

of CEO Middle East Awards

ASSOCIATION NEWS

Middle East carriers are expected

to post a US$0.7 billion profit, up

US$0.3 billion from a previous

forecast, according to the Inter-

national Air Transport Association.

The region has also shown the

strongest passenger traffic

growth with a 17.1% increase

in demand outstripping a 13.2%

increase in capacity.

“The region’s carriers con-

tinue to expand their long-haul

market share with connections

through their expanding hubs,”

said IATA. “To illustrate the

region’s growth, the share of

international passenger traffic

held by its carriers has expanded

from 4.8% in 2002 to 11.5% in

August 2012.”

IATA nudgesME airlineprofits slightly

Emirates to outfit A380 with mobile phone serviceEmirates announced this fall that it would offer theworld’s first in-flight mobile phone service onboardthe A380 aircraft.

The new service will work with standard phonesin conjunction with OnAir - the company that cur-rently provides Wi-Fi service for all Emirates’ aircraft.

Using EDGE/GPRS connections through theirmobile service provider, the new system will simplyallow passengers to use their own mobile phonesto make and receive phone calls and text mes-sages, just as they would on the ground.

“Our goal on every flight is to exceed our pas-sengers’ expectations. We believe that exceedingexpectations should not only apply to our CabinCrew’s award-winning in-flight service and our

Skytrax ‘World’s Best Airline In-flight Entertainment’ice system, but also to our passenger’s desire to stayin touch while traveling,” said Khalid Bel Jaflah,Emirates Vice President for East Africa region in astatement.

The first call using the new system was made onOctober 2 and was placed to China, Emirates said.

In 1993 Emirates became the first airline to equipan entire Airbus fleet with in-flight phones and it wasalso the first airline to equip an entire Airbus fleet within-flight fax machines in 1994. Emirates also installedpersonal in-seat email and SMS throughout thefleet and in all classes in 2006 and launched Wi-FiInternet access on A380 in conjunction with OnAirin 2011.

Gulf Air brings Kid’s Meal Boxes to schoolThe Bahrain News Agency reported October 24 on a

workshop that teamed Gulf Air, and the airline’s Sky Nan-

nies with students at the St. Christopher’s Junior and

Infants School in Saar.

The event marked the launch of a new selection of

Kid’s Meal Boxes, which were recently introduced on Gulf

Air’s international routes. The boxes are filled with healthy

offerings, which were used to teach the children the

importance of proper nutrition.

“All Gulf Air meals are designed to be equally healthy

and appetizing,” said Marcus Bernhardt, Gulf Air’s Chief

Services Officer in the October 24 story. “Parents should

not feel that flying and healthy eating don’t mix but

that the balanced meals your child eats at home are also

available 30,000 feet high in the sky.”

The new Kid’s Meal Boxes are now flying on Gulf Air

Flights to London, Paris and Frankfurt, and will be on

other routes starting next year.


NEWSCRUISE LINESAIRLINE

AIRPORT

Gulf Air/United sign on with ServairServair announced in October that it has

been awarded with the contract for

United Airlines and renewed its contract

for Gulf Air for the two carriers’ service

out of Paris/Charles de Gaulle Airport.

The United contract, which takes

effect January 1 will cover the airline’s

daily service from CDG for two daily

flights to New York and one daily flight

to both Chicago and Washington, D.C.

Servair will make use of its Halal

certified CPA unit for the nine weekly

flights Gulf Air operates from CDG to

Bahrain. The contract renewal runs for

three years.

Participants from neighboring kingdoms and theUnited Arab Emirates talked cruise developmentacross the region for the Seatrade Middle Eastgathering Oct. 16-17 at the Al Bustan Rotana Hotelin Dubai.

Among the topics on the agenda were portdevelopment, border controls, security and immi-gration and marketing the region. Among thecruise lines attending were Costa Crociere, Sil-versea, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises andTUI Cruises.

Port Rashid in Dubai is expected to receive115 ship calls this year, with 410,000 cruisetourists.

“International cruise lines are looking for newdestinations away from the traditional Caribbean

and Mediterranean itineraries, and with its loca-tion between Asia and Europe, the Arabian Gulfis ideally positioned to capitalize on this require-ment for the new and the exotic,” said ChrisHayman, Chairman of Seatrade.

DP World, which operates the Port Rashidcruise terminal is looking to expand its facilitiesto accommodate up to seven large cruise ships.A waterfront area known as Mina Rashid is tar-geted for development for a recreational area “toreflect Dubai’s strong cultural heritage,” said arelease from DP World.

In November TUI Cruises Mein Schiff 2 becamethe fourth cruise ship to homeport in Dubai. It isa 264-meter long vessel that can carry 1,900 pas-sengers and approximately 800 crewmembers.

Hybrite containers part ofZodiac stand at ITCAAt ITCA Abu Dhabi, Zodiac Aerospace will exhibit itsnew Hybrite container, which boasts reduced weightand other attractive features.

The company has already been asked to supply theHybrite container to several VIP jets in the Gulf region,and Zodiac Aerospace has been awarded with mul-tiple orders for the new product by carriers in both theMiddle East and Asia Pacific regions.

The Hybrite container is a stylish and portable‘design container’ intended for the transport and stor-age of temperature controlled food, beverages andcondiments for flight catering. It was developed fol-lowing the successful launch of its sister product, theinnovative Hybrite trolley.

A 10% weight reduction makes the container thelightest in the industry at 2.6 kilograms, says Zodiac.The Hybrite’s careful design results in easy stackabil-ity and storage. Its user-friendly handle and locking sys-tem are made of composites for better ergonomics.

Zodiac is able to powder coat or print any artworkon the door of the Hybrite container and guarantees itslongevity. These containers, used onboard in combinationwith the Hybrite trolleys, can create an enticing and sophis-ticated galley area consistent with airline branding.

Seatrade summit brings cruise execs to Dubai

Abu Dhabi airports onpace for record yearAbu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC)

released in November the traffic report

for Abu Dhabi International Airport during

the month of September 2012, where it

recorded a 14.5% growth in passenger traf-

fic compared with the same month in

2011, with 1.2 million passengers passing

through its facilities.

The top five routes from Abu Dhabi

International Airport during September

were Bangkok, London, Doha, Manila and

Cairo.

Aircraft movements also continued to

grow by 8.4% for the month of Septem-

ber totaling 10,057 movements compared

to the same period last year; this is mainly

due to Etihad’s new services and the flight

frequency increase by airlines operating at

the Capital’s airport. Cargo volume recorded

an increase of 24.9% this month com-

pared to the same month last year regis-

tering 48,525 tonnes.

“This consistent double digit growth in

passenger traffic during the month of Sep-

tember indicates that 2012 will be another

record year for Abu Dhabi International

Airport,” said Eng. Ahmad Al Haddabi,

Chief Operating Officer at Abu Dhabi Air-

ports Company (ADAC). “The increasing

attractiveness of Abu Dhabi as a trade

and tourism destination is boosting inbound

and outbound traffic, while the airport con-

tinues to offer efficient connectivity for

transfer passengers across all continents.”

Zodiac Aerospace introduced TheHybrite container line earlier this year

Top destinations from Abu DhabiAirport in September were Bangkok,

London, Doha, Manila and Cairo

CABIN INTERIORSGalleys & Equipment

DRIESSEN

Everybody deserves a Hy� ite

The wannahave equipment by Driessen


INDUSTRY Q & A

White: SIAL Middle East is in its third year andhas been growing tremendously year on year.They now occupy five exhibition halls at thewonderful, state of the art exhibition center atADNEC. Last year’s event saw SIAL MiddleEast bring together 466 exhibitors and morethan 9,700 trade visitors from 71 countries.Exhibitors reported that they had signed at leastUS$350,000,000 worth of contracts. It isexpected that more than 1,000 exhibitorswill be at the show this year – so this is a veryserious event in global terms. It is true to saythat, in spite of the sizeable numbers involvedin travel catering, it is still only a part of the globalcatering market and so it made sense forSIAL to include a section for travel catering -hence the partnership with ITCA. Visitors toITCA Abu Dhabi will also be able to visit with-out charge all halls and conference events beingheld at ITCA Abu Dhabi, SIAL Middle East, andthe adjoining Rice and Grains and the Inter-national Date Palm festival all of which are beingheld at the same location at the same time.

PAX: Could you update us on registra-tion, exhibitor participation, airline andcaterer interest and other general signupdetails thus far? White: At the end of October, there is still sometime to go, and in today’s world everythingis left until almost last minute. Among theexhibitors are companies like DeSter, Sola,Chatsford, Lily O’Brien’s, Driessen, DeekoBahrain, D & F Marketing and John Horsfall.The visitors are now registering in their mul-titude and already include such airlines asQatar Airways, Garuda, Kenya Airways, Tuni-sair, XPO Airlines, Air Canada, Saudi ArabianAirlines and Thai Airways, Caterers such asNewrest, Marfo, Gate Gourmet, Franken-berg, Bangkok Air Catering and Servair andalso signed on. Not only are these compa-nies being represented but also there arefour other halls of food orientated exhibitorsshowing in the SIAL halls but also the ITCAexhibitors will benefit from the 10,000 plus vis-itors booked for the SIAL show.

PAX: How effective has the Hosted BuyerProgram been in attracting delegates? White: We still have not closed this programyet and as I speak there is still a month to go.But I can say that there are airlines attending

that probably would not be under other cir-cumstances. It is relatively easy for airlineexecutives to obtain travel concessions but hotelaccommodation, dinners, lunches and so onare all normally required to receive budgetaryapproval – and in these difficult times this isnot always straightforward. So we are able toprovide hotel costs including breakfast and tax,we will provide lunches at the venue and alsofree tickets to the networking events such asthe Etihad sponsored cocktail party on the Mon-day night and the Gala dinner and Mercuryawards ceremony at the wonderful Shangri-La hotel on the Tuesday evening. This pack-age has been extremely well received and willbenefit our exhibitors as well as they will be get-ting to meet visitors from more airlines.

We are looking at this event being thefirst annual event with Sial ME in Abu Dhabiand we hope to be making this a new homefor ITCA.

PAX: This will be the first time the Mer-cury Awards will be distributed outsidethe main conference. How has the signupbeen, and will we be seeing anything dif-ferent in the years to come with Mercury? White: I can tell you that Kevin Cox is delightedwith the 30 odd entries that he and his judgesjudged in September. He says that the qual-ity and innovation displayed by the entries, whichwere received from all over the world wasfantastic and we are all delighted to be takingthe awards to our new event in the Middle East.It promises to be a wonderful evening and ina spectacular location. It is also wonderfulthat the winner of the food and beverage cat-egory at this year’s Mercury will also be imme-diately be entered into the SIAL Innovationprogram and will appear at a number of SIALshows around the world without extra cost.

We are really happy to be linked with thewonderful location that is Abu Dhabi. Thelevel of support has been simply sensational,highlighted by the Patronage of H.H. SheikhMansour Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan Deputy PrimeMinister of the UAE, Minister of PresidentialAffairs and Chairman of Abu Dhabi FoodControl Authority. Everyone is really looking for-ward to this the latest and new trade showand networking event in the 32-year historyof ITCA. I, for one, am looking forward to meet-ing a lot of old friends there next month.

Stephen White, ITCA President

ITCA Abu Dhabiccording to International AirTransport Association reports,the Middle East will process 400million air travelers by 2020 asstate-of-the-art airports come

on line, major carriers expand their route net-works and aircraft orders from the Gulf regionfurther boost capacity. The UAE is also the sin-gle biggest market for Airbus, with total ordersvalued at $223.9 billion over the next 20 years.Against this backdrop, the International TravelCatering Association (ITCA) joined forces withSIAL Middle East 2012 for the upcomingevent that will be held November 26-28 at theAbu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC).

PAX International posed a few questionsabout the region and the upcoming event inearly November to ITCA President StephenWhite for this issue’s Industry Q and A.

PAX International: Could I get somebackground on how the event cametogether? What were some alternativesand ideas you first considered whenscheduling a new event and new loca-tion for ITCA Middle East?Stephen White, ITCA President: ITCA hasalways been interested in developing eventsin areas where growth exists within our indus-try and it is clear to all that the Middle East regionis one such area. In fact it is by far and awaythe most booming region in the world and sowe always wanted to have a major presencein the region. We have tried to develop some-thing in the region before but there was alwayssomething lacking. Then we were approachedby Etihad Airways. Etihad is an airline syn-onymous with a quality on board service andEtihad and Abu Dhabi through Governmentbodies seemed to be offering a huge amountof support to bring ITCA to Abu Dhabi.

We have been able to introduce a hostedbuyer package, discounted airfares and somebeautiful locations for the social, networkingevents we have planned. At the same timewe approached SIAL Middle East, a food showorganized by the biggest food show organizersin the world and they too, were very keen tostart something new with ITCA.

PAX: How well known and attended wasthe SIAL Middle East event by the travelcatering industry?

AThe International Travel Catering Association has found partners in a major food service event,prominent airline and a region ripe for opportunity


PEOPLE NEWS

In a first for airline catering, Tastefully Yours has appointed a full timenutritionist to support and develop new menus for its aviationclient base.

Heather Hibbin will focus on enhancing the client offeringfrom Tastefully Yours with the 15 strong catering team based at thecompany’s headquarters in Atlanta.

Hibbin will be responsible for creating lighter versions of exist-ing menus, providing qualified nutritional information about menuingredients, creating menus for special dietary requests and devis-ing menus that balance with the body’s circadian rhythms, for pas-senger and crew. Hibbin will also create menus that will supportcrew activity to ensure they can perform at optimum levels dur-ing flights, reducing fatigue and potential risk.

Before joining Tastefully Yours, Hibbin worked at Cobb & Dou-glas (County) Public Health Nutrition Services where she wasresponsible for the assessment of clients for nutritional risk andprovided motivational counseling to support clients’ lifestylechanges and food choices. She is also a frequent presenter at dis-trict meetings on the subject of nutrition.

Tastefully Yours claims first aviation nutritionist

Newrest has named a new Vice President and 10new general managers for its worldwide opera-tions. The changes took effect October 1.

“This will promote and structure Newrest'sgrowth, both in France and internationally, and toprepare for the commercial and operational chal-lenges that they will face over the next five years,”said a release from Newrest.

On October 3, the company announced CarlosAntuneswould be Newrest’s Vice President of Sup-port Services – Remote Sites. Before joiningNewrest, Antunes spent three years as MarketingManager for the Sodexo account in Angola

Olivier Laurac has been named as GeneralManager, South Africa and manager of the south-

ern Africa Zones that includes South Africa, Ghana, Zambia, Angola,Uganda and Madagascar. Laurac has been with the NewrestGroup since 2008 and has held the positions as Newrest’s Gen-eral Manager, Oman and Newrest General Manager, Angola.

Nicolas Pauly, has been named as General Manager, Niger andManager, Central and Western Africa Zone, which is composedof Niger, Congo, Cameroon, Guinea-Conakry, Senegal and Gabon.Pauly joined the Newrest Group in 2008 in the position of Man-ager, Remote Site Operations before becoming Newrest’s Gen-eral Manager, Niger in 2011.

Olivier Suarez has been named as General Manager, Moroccoand North African Zone, which includes Morocco, Algeria, Mauri-tania and Tunisia. Suarez joined Catair in 1998 before it merged withNewrest in 2005. He has held the positions of Assistant GeneralManager, France; Operations Manager; and Newrest GeneralManager, Spain.

Other positions involved the restructuring are: Frank Carpentier,named as General Manager, Tunisia. Carpentier has been Newrest’sAssistant General Manager, Tunisia since 2010. Marc Giraud has beennamed as Assistant General Manager, Morocco. Giraud has beenNewrest’s General Manager, Tunisian Subsidiaries since 2010.

Finally for Africa,Yvon Martinezhas been named as General Man-ager, Angola. Martinez has worked for Newrest since 2008 and hasheld the positions of Operations Manager, Oman (remote site man-agement); Newrest Sales Manager, Spain for inflight catering; and

Newrest Operational Remote Site Manager, Angola.In the company’s European zone, Frédéric Gat-

teau has been named as General Manger of Spain.He was previously the company’s General Man-ager for Greece and Cyprus. Taking Gatteau’s placeas general manager for Greece and Cyprus isManuella Kapagiannidi, who was the company’sFinancial Manager for the two countries.

In the American and Polynesian Zone, EmmanuelLeprêtre has been promoted from Assistant Gen-eral Manager of General Manager of Polynesia.Jaime Rodriguezhas been named general managerof Chile. He joined Newrest in June of this year. Hehas spent much of the past 20 years with Sodexo.

“Sixty-eight percent of Newrest is employee-owned, and the company is staying true to itsmanagerial policy by encouraging internal promo-tions,” said the release.

Newrest names VP and regional managers

Willen to take spot at First Catering Schweiz

D | F Marketing GmbH, Germany hasappointed Roland Hübl Sales & MarketDevelopment Executive Chef.

Hübl is a long time member of theCongress of Chefs and of the internationalMasterchef association with nearly 27years of inflight catering experience andmany years in the Restaurant & Hotelbusiness, as well as purchasing, financeand quality assurance around the globe.

“Roland is a valuable addition to theD|F Marketing Team”, said Klaus Englischvon Stelzer, Managing Director of D|F Mar-keting GmbH. “His excellent food exper-tise, coupled with his knowledge of specific airline customerneeds and wishes makes him ideally suited for his new challengewithin D|F.”

René Willen, currently Head Customer Service, will become newManaging Director of LSG Sky Chefs/First Catering Schweiz AGstarting next year.

Willen will replace Beat J. Gehrig, who plans to begin retire-ment by the end of 2012.

“In René Willen, LSG Sky Chefs/First Catering Schweiz AG hasa top executive with a proven industry track record and experienceaccumulated both domestically and abroad, most recently at LSGSky Chefs Switzerland,” said a release from the caterer

The Board of Directors at LSG Sky Chefs commended Gehrigfor his efforts and achievements for First Catering Group, andcompletion of the integration of the two companies.

“We wish Beat J. Gehrig only the best for the next stage of hislife,” said the release.

Executive Chef named at D | F Marketing

Roland Hübl, Sales and MarketDevelopment Executive Chef

Olivier Laurac, General Manger South Africaand Southern Africa Zones

Nicolas Pauly, General Manager Nigerand West Africa

Olivier Suarez, General manager Moroccoand Northern Africa

Carlos Antunes, Vice President of SupportServices, Remote Sites

Ahead of the slump


AIRPORT UPDATE

flights despite recessionary conditions in Europe.Demand in Africa rose 3.2%, the Asia-Pacificrate was 2.9% and North American carriersexperienced a rise in demand of 0.5% overAugust 2011 (and over July of this year).IATA notes that airline industry fortunes

tend to reflect the state of the global economy.“Sluggish growth in the US, the continuing sov-ereign debt crisis in Europe and concerns overthe slowdown in the Chinese economy aretaking their toll on both business and consumerconfidence,” said Tyler. “Airlines have respondedwith, among other things, careful capacitymanagement. While global passenger traffic wasup 5.1% on the previous August, capacityincreases trailed with a 4.1% expansion. Along

with this, conserving cash and controllingcosts are the focus of most airlines as theyawait more favorable economic conditions.”Airports Council International (ACI) also

released its August figures for passenger traf-fic, and also unsurprisingly found an overallupward trend of 5%. ACI’s more optimisticgloss on the numbers does point out thatthe bulk of the worldwide increase comesfrom the emerging markets. ACI’s focus is onairports, so its analysis gives a more specificidea of where growth is occurring, and wheredemand is falling behind. The major airports in Asia seem to have

been the star performers in ACI’s analysis.Jakarta, Bangkok and Singapore led the way,with double digit gains of 25.7%, 11.4% and10.9% respectively. Dubai and Istanbul alsoturned in outstanding growth figures, bothregistering over 20% for August. “On the whole, growth in passenger traf-

fic has remained relatively consistent frommonth to month with overall growth rates inthe realm of 4% over the last twelve months,”said ACI Economics Director RafaelEchevarne. “Thus, air transport has beenimmune to the downside risks that have per-sisted in the global economy throughout2011 and 2012. However, even with strongdemand in emerging markets fueling thisgrowth, this phenomenon is not indefinite.”Stepping back for a year-over-year view,

ACI published its 2011 World Annual Traf-fic Report in October. The annual surveyreinforces a certain degree of optimism, find-ing that the upward momentum that re-

established itself following the 2008-2009recession continued through 2011, a year itdescribes as “plagued with economic uncer-tainty, natural disasters and sociopoliticalupheaval.” Latin American airports led theway with 8.5% growth in traffic, and theMiddle East came close behind at 7.7%.“The world’s airports served more than 5.4

billion passengers in 2011, growing by 5.3%from 2010,” said ACI World’s Director Gen-eral, Angela Gittens. “This is ongoing evi-dence of the sheer size of the global aviationmarket as well as the perseverance of theindustry as a whole.”

t the end of September, the Inter-national Air Transport Association(IATA) turned in its global traf-fic figures for the month of August,which showed a continuing

decline in demand for air transport, althoughwith “significant regional variations.” As withthe July figures, Ramadan exerted an influ-ence on the traffic numbers, helping to drivea “positive distortion” that saw overall figuresrise by 5.1%. When Ramadan is adjusted for,IATA says that the underlying numbers remainflat, and that since January the net expansionhas only been 1.2%. Carriers were in a cautiousmood, limiting capacity growth to 4.1%, whichhelped to drive load factors to 82.1%.“Passenger markets have not grown since

June and global air freight volumes are belowprevious year levels,” said IATA’s DirectorGeneral and CEO Tony Tyler. “In the face ofthese adverse conditions, disciplined capac-ity management has kept load factors high.There are always opportunities and someparts of the world are growing. But, overall,trading conditions are tough.” In terms of international passenger traffic,

Middle Eastern carriers were the strongestperformers globally. IATA says that they are con-tinuing to expand rapidly, especially on long-haul segments. The August growth rate was16.7% compared with the same month last year,although IATA notes that the figure for August2011 could have been artificially low asRamadan covered the whole of that month.Capacity increases for August ran at 13.3%.Latin America was the second strongest

region for August as demand rose 7.3% com-pared with August 2011. Europe also recordedstrong growth in demand at 5.6%, a slight riseover July’s 4.7%. European carriers have con-tinued to increase capacity on international

A

Dubai International Airport sawtraffic increase 20% in August

“There are always opportuni-ties and some parts of theworld are growing. But, overall,trading conditions are tough.”

Tony Tyler, Director General and CEO, IATA

Passenger traffic continues to grow worldwide, but someregions are doing better than others by Andrew brooks

Co-located with:

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REGIONAL CATERER REPORT

car. Food Point commenced operations in2005 and plays a vital role in keeping its sis-ter kitchens running smoothly and upliftingthe quality passenger meals they are famousfor. While the majority of the 150,000 frozenmeal equivalents produced at Food Point eachday go directly to the EKFC units at DXB air-port, the balance of the hand-crafted frozenentrees, snacks, sauces and components go toother airline and land-based caterers, casual din-ing establishments and the retail market. “The creation of EKFC (including Linen-

craft, an industrial laundry facility also underthe Emirates Group, which currently processesover 220,000 pieces of airline and hospitalitylinen per day) was based on the vision ofturning Dubai into a world class hub for thetransport of goods and people,” explainsRobert Mizrahi, Senior Business Develop-ment Manager for Food Point and Linen-craft. “We have a pretty unique position withinEKFC in that we serve other airlines directly.We work closely with a number of regional air-lines for frozen entrees and are developing acompletely new range of snacks for them.”According to Mizrahi, most airlines oper-

ating in the region have their own cateringfacilities at or near regional airports, whichhandle their fresh food preparation. Thesecaterers, he continues, have chosen to sourcefrozen components from Food Point for a vari-ety of reasons.“The major advantage of the product we

develop is that it tends to fall into the area ofquantity versus supply chain,” says Mizrahi.“Fortunately in Dubai we have the benefit ofa good supply chain built over many years. Thisis fairly unique to the region as many othercountries in the region don’t have the bene-fit of volumes transiting through their hubs.This is a prerequisite to producing high qual-ity and cost effective recipes and meal com-ponents. A lot of work goes into developingproducts that exceed our customers’ expec-tations and we have a great team to make thishappen time and time again. Our products arefrozen very rapidly, which has a direct impacton quality in the sense that we can maintainthat freshness and quality even though weare proceeding with supply chain deliveries.”Health and safety, a major concern for

any facility handling or preparing food, is of

mirates Flight Catering (EKFC)is an undeniably large and influ-ential organization in terms ofairline catering in the Middle East.Owned by Emirates Group and

by the Dubai Civil Aviation, each divisionof the company is continually striving forexcellence. EKFC One as it is often referredto, caters its parent airline exclusively andhas helped Emirate’s inflight services becomesomething of a benchmark for volume, cre-ativity and execution for caterers and air-lines everywhere. EKFC Two, allows airlinestransiting through Dubai to treat passengersto similar levels of culinary finesse.Coming soon is EKFC Three, which is

currently being prepped to support the US$7.8billion expansion of Dubai International air-port as it aims to boost passenger traffic andsolidify its designation as the region’s mainhub for both passenger and cargo traffic. While most divisions of EKFC are located

in the airport complex itself, one of its key oper-ations – Food Point - is located in the DubaiInvestment Park, one of the world's largesttrading zones, just 30 minutes from DXB by

E

Frozenin the desert

Food Point Dubai goes “back to basics” in a sector whichcan easily become all about numbers by MAryAnn siMson

Food Point has always had thevision of producing hand craftedfoods at machine made prices

Customers of Food PointDubai benefit from a largenumber of safety controls putinto practice at every turn

The majority of the150,000 frozen mealequivalents producedat Food Point eachday go directly to theEKFC units at DXB

the utmost important at Food Point as well.The unit likes to consider itself a regionalleader in this department and the reasonsfor this are clear. Customers benefit from alarge number of safety controls put into prac-tice at every turn. In addition to HACCP,ISO and ITCA guideline adherence, all foodproduct entering or leaving the 10,000 squaremeter facility is thoroughly checked by the

n-house lab. All surfaces within the kitchenincorporate Microban technology, whichprovides continuous antimicrobial andantibacterial protection and the unit is aglass-free facility, featuring full segregation ofraw and cooked products. Despite very modern facilities, complex and

integrated management software and the lat-est food prep and fast-freezing technologies,Mizrahi was keen to place emphasis onanother very important characteristic of dailyoperations at Food Point. “Our Senior Vice President, Jan Bijster-

bosch, has always had the vision of produc-ing hand crafted foods at machine madeprices,” he tells PAX International. “Manycatering companies outside of our regionfunction on a different premise, often becausethe resources mix they have for productionis different than ours. In Europe and theUnited States, a lot of airlines have divestedthemselves from catering and ancillary ser-vices they would provide in conjunction withpure air transport as cost centres are turnedinto revenue generating activities. In the Mid-dle East the vision is completely different.We are offering a service which englobes notonly the transport aspect but also the Arab

concept of hospitality.”This drive to make hand crafted foods has

actually become cost-effective for Food Point,because the unit has an extraordinary set ofcircumstances in terms of large volume andwillingness to create levels of service beyondexpectation, in conjunction with a strongsupply chain and a relatively low cost of labor. “This has allowed us to go ‘back to basics’,

where it is not just about having machinesdepositing sauce or folding omelets,” Mizrahiexplains. “Our sauce is hand-spooned ontomeals and our omelets are made and foldedentirely by hand. We like to keep in mindthat we are talking about food, and not merelya ‘product’.”With this quality approach in mind, and

a focus on innovation and flexibility, FoodPoint is now set on expanding the capacityof its current facility. The kitchen is lookingto find regional partners in terms of airlinesand airline catering facilities for which it canbegin to develop and deliver products, orprovide additional services. The 100% Halalfacility is also focused on increasing pro-duction of frozen snack foods for the airlinesector, having recently launched a range ofhand-crafted pizzas with Emirates.



Addis InternationalCatering welcomes

newest customerby MAryAnn siMson

Latest contract win coincideswith the unit’s fourth anniversary

n September, Addis International Catering beganpreparing and uplifting a range meals featuring inter-national flavors, with an ‘African and Ethiopian twist’to its sixth commercial airline customer, Kenya Airways.“We are delighted to be providing services for

Kenya Airways, ‘The Pride of Africa’,” said Tomas Jämtander,Chief Operating Officer at Addis International. “Theoptions were in discussion for quite some time and we arevery happy for KQ to join the Addis family. We look for-ward to a long and successful relationship.”Kenya Airways operates 14 flights per week from Addis

Ababa with connections to Nairobi and Djibouti, usingBoeing 737’s and Embraer aircraft. The airline has both Busi-ness and Economy Class featuring different service levels,however some aircraft have purely economy seating and ser-vice. Passengers departing Addis Ababa in the morning canenjoy hot and cold breakfasts prepared by Addis Interna-tional. The kitchen is also supplying lunch items for the car-rier, as well as ‘hot light snacks’.Designed by ACE (African Catering Enterprises) and

built to high European standards in cooperation with Swedishconstruction management firm Midroc AB, the 6,000 squarefoot ADDIS International Catering unit was completed in 2008– making it now four years old.The unit sources many non-local ingredients from the

Middle East and obtained Halal certification in February2011. The in-house lab at ADDIS works diligently tomaintain the highest possible standards of safety internallyand also runs programs to educate other catering andhospitality business in the region. Inflair catering soft-ware and a highly experienced, management team (manywith 20 plus years of relative experience) keep the state-of-the art kitchen running at optimal performance toserve its commercial and business aviation customers.

I

Lead by Executive chef WillieRiesen, ADDIS chefs are

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MD Foodservice of Supreme Group, a US$7Billion Dubai-based company that operateslogistics for the United States Army andNATO among many others. He also workedfor a period with Compass Group the foodservice and support company based in theUnited Kingdom. Logistics experience is an important asset

in a country as vast as Saudi Arabia, withtwo large pilgrimages taking place each year,said Jonathan Stent-Torriani, Co-CEO ofNewrest. Saudi Catering has four units inSaudi Arabia and an additional unit in Cairo.From the four central units, Saudi Cateringadditionally operates back-catering service to22 domestic airports within the country To handle the needs of pilgrims for Hajj and

Umrah, SACC opened a central productionunit in Riyadh in May of 2011. The unit sup-plies frozen meals for economy class serviceand was the source of all the inflight meals forthe most recent Hajj pilgrimage. In June of thisyear, production capacity was ramped up atthe CPU to 54,000 meals per day. In the years to come, Newrest & Saudi

Catering wish to play an important part in thedevelopment of inflight service on Saudi Air-lines. The carrier is moving ahead with a fleetexpansion of 32 new aircraft and bold plans tocompete with the service oriented carriers in

the GCC region. In addition to catering, SACCis also responsible for procurement of all cater-ing equipment, including chinaware, glass-ware and cutlery, on behalf of Saudi Airlines.“Their fleet is expanding at an impres-

sive pace, and so is their service offering. Youcan see they are modernizing and improvingcustomer services at a rate that is quite excep-tional,” said Stent-Torriani. Saudi Airlines’ successful Skysales busi-

ness resulted in SAR26 million (US$33.3 mil-lion) in sales in 2011 and is again growing byalmost 25% in 2012. Newrest supplies guid-ance and operational support and synergiesthrough its own inflight sales division, Airshop,which provides duty free and BOB solutionsto more than 30 airlines worldwide. Saudi Catering’s non-airline business is

growing at a rate of 30% to 40% per year inthe country, said Stent-Torriani. SAAC han-dles food service for the Aramco Cafeteria theSABB-HSBC bank in Riyah and MaadhenPhosphate project center in Dammam. At theIslamic Development Bank, ‘The Lunch’ byNewrest serves breakfast and lunch to 1,500employees.Most recently, Saudi Catering was picked

to handle foodservice for Princess NouraUniversity, a US$10 billion investment bythe Saudi Arabian Government in a women’sonly college for 60,000 students opened in Sep-tember 2011. SACC already operates morethan 20 restaurants on a campus so largethat the faculties are linked by metro rail ser-vice and the university has two Olympicswimming pools and sports stadiums. Finally, the company recently opened indus-

trial laundry operations in Jeddah and Riyadh(with an output capacity of more than 24 tonsof laundry per day) that will supply airlines,hotels and hospitals in the region.


A key to the Kingdom

With a long awaited IPO now completed,Newrest-managed Saudi Airlines CateringCompany is ending its year with a newCEO and opportunities in and out of the airline environment by Rick LundstRom

n early November, Newrest announcedthat a new Chief Executive Officer wouldbe taking the helm of Saudi Cateringwith the departure of Christophe Par-ent who has accepted a position with

Qatar Airways. Waiting ahead for new CEO, Gerhard

Marschitz, is an operation deeply involved ina kingdom with a rapidly growing flag car-rier, improving airport infrastructure andtourism and opportunities inside and outsideof airline catering.Saudi Catering is now a publicly held

company, after a long and often-delayed ini-tial public offering that concluded in July ofthis year with an initial market capitaliza-tion of US$1.18 billion, 30% of which was suc-cessfully offered to the public. By November2012, the value of the company had increasedto US$1.7 billion. Newrest with their consortium partners

in Strategic Catering Company Ltd (SCCL)remain the second largest shareholder in thecompany after Saudi Airlines, and are thestrategic partner in charge of management ofthe company. After an extensive internal &external international recruiting process, thecompany settled on Marschitz who has exten-sive experience in food and beverage, logis-tics and supply. Most recently, he worked as

Newrest Co-CEOJonathan Stent-Torriani

Newrest operates morethan 20 restaurants at the

massive Princess NouraUniversity in Saudi Arabia


“The Emirates are growing so quickly,and people see that if they get in here quicklythere’s a golden opportunity to be part ofthe expansion, which is of course, what wewant to be,” said John Brayford, RAK Airways’Chief Executive Officer. Brayford comes to RAK Airways with

more than 30 years experience in airline oper-ations that have taken him around the world.For 15 years he worked in overseas locationsfor British Airways. He later worked with theforerunner of Flybe, British European. Healso has worked at Qatar Airways and Arik Airin Nigeria. In June of 2011, he joined RAK Air-ways as the airline was newly emerged andshaking off the affects of the property and busi-

ness crashes that halted scheduled service. After2008, RAK Airways operated as a charter andwet-leasing business before returning toscheduled operations in the spring of 2010. Now, RAK Airways operates scheduled

service from Ras Al Khaimah (RKT) to Cairo,Jeddah and Doha in the west, Lahore andPeshawar in Pakistan, the Bangladesh citiesof Chittagong, and Dhaka and Calicut in theKerala state of India. The airline also has a partner in Etihad Air-

ways, for which RAK shares the airline’s codeon four weekly flights between RKT andAUH. Brayford said he surprised officials atthe airline when he first proposed the idea ofa domestic route.

REGIONAL REPORT

he United Arab Emirates fits betweenAustria and the Czech Republic intotal area, but few would argue thatits many operating scheduled airlinesmake the seven states a competi-

tive aviation environment well outside itsgeographical footprint.In early October of this year, the world’s

aviation press – gathering in Abu Dhabi -was treated to a respite from the normally busi-ness-oriented World Route DevelopmentForum. On October 3, an A320 operated byRAK Airways touched down at Abu DhabiInternational Airport, marking the first domes-tic flight within the UAE. The event was also another signal of the

return of Ras Al Khaimah’s flag carrier, res-urrected and broughtback into scheduledservice less than three years ago. RAK Airwaysoperates a fleet of four A320s to nine desti-nations. In the years ahead, RAK Airwayshas plans to grow its aircraft fleet and add newdestinations to capitalize on the burgeoningtourism industry in its back yard. Also, a newcode-sharing agreement with Etihad Airwaysis another key aspect of this strategy.

Domestic dynamicsRAK Airways may be smallest of the UAE’s flag carriers, but this year it recorded an indus-try first, with its new service between Ras Al Khaimah and its close neighbor Abu Dhabiby rick LundstroM

RAK Airways may be smallest of the UAE’s flag carriers, but this year it recorded an industryfirst, with its new service between Ras Al Khaimah and its close neighbor Abu Dhabi

RAK Airways CEO John Brayford (center)cuts a welcome cake with Abu DhabiAirports Company CEO James Bennettand Etihad Airways Vice President ofNetwork Operations Chris Youlten


“No one had ever thought of it before, buttheir answer was very encouraging,” he said. Once the two sides agreed to go ahead

with the arrangement, RAK began the lengthyprocess of adapting and testing its computerreservation system to adapt to Etihad’s. Thisoccurred at the time the larger carrier was alsochanging its own CRS from the SITA systemto Sabre. Work is still continuing, and Etihadplans a switchover to Sabre next year. Brayford and RAK Airways were not the

only ones excited at the new partnership. “This is the first time Etihad Airways will

have its EY code on a domestic UAE flightwhich is an exciting milestone for us,” said theairline’s CEO James Hogan, on the October3 inauguration of the flight. “We look forwardto welcoming travelers through Abu Dhabi andonto international flights across the Etihad Air-ways network.”Once Etihad completed an operational

audit on RAK, the task was then to convincepassengers to forego the freeway linking thetwo emirates by about three hours drive andopting for a flight that is scheduled for 45 min-utes, but is often completed in 25 minutes, saidBrayford.

But as it turns out, Brayford said many res-idents of the Emirates might find that aneasier choice than one would think. Com-muting the busy freeways in a fast growingregion has brought increased traffic to theUAE’s highway system. Brayford says delayson the Emirates’ main thoroughfares havebecome more frequent. Soon when RAK Air-ways expands the service to daily flights, andlater to flights twice daily, the frequency willbe a vital selling tool. “Once we have a scheduled morning and

evening flight next spring that will be a veryserious alternative to people taking theircars,” he said.In the early fall, Brayford said many of the

passengers in the RKT-AUH route were usingthe flight and its short, one hour connectiontime to the Etihad Airways flight to Bangkok.Passengers departing the RAK Airways toAUH have also been boarding the Etihadflight to Manila. On such a short flight, as RKT-AUH, cabin

service is limited to a sandwich box with amuffin, juice and water. RAK Airways’ catererout of RKT is Rakabela, part of the AlbertAbela group that operates catering and restau-

rant business in the UAE and Lebanon. Rak-abela is also under a 15-year concession con-tract to operate restaurants and coffee shopsat the airport. But if plans work out and thepromising tourist industry in the emirate con-tinues to grow, a new Rakabela airline-cater-ing kitchen has received approvals from the gov-ernment and could be built in the near future. In the shadow of the scenic Hajar moun-

tains, Ras Al Khaimah has a climate andtourism dynamic different from much of therest of the UAE. Its slower pace and unspoiledbeaches have been beckoning development inrecent years. Among the notable propertiesthat have located in the emirate, Brayfordlisted the Banyan Tree Wadi Hotel and theHilton Resort or Cove Rotana among sevento eight major properties. In the first quar-ter of next year, Brayford added that the Wal-dorf Astoria will open “a most amazing look-ing property” that will bring a clientele thatRAK Airways is planning to cater to. “We are gearing up for that, because we

believe the sort of people who stay at theWaldorf will not be coming in on charterflights, but coming here as premium travel-ers on scheduled service,” he said.

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Among the airline’s routes, the flight fromDubai to Beirut has been a top producer of rev-enue for inflight entertainment. “We also havevery strong demand on our flights to and fromRussia and Ukraine destinations, in additionto Istanbul and Belgrade,” said Ghaith Al Ghaith. For AED10 (US$2.70) passengers have

access to a base package of 154 televisionshows, and 300 musical compact disks and aselection of games. For AED30 (US$8.15)passengers have access to the entire selectionof IFE, which adds 190 movie titles. Routemaps, airline information and news and dailynewspapers are always available free of charge.

“We are always looking for ways to enhancethe flight experience and offer our passengersmore choice of optional extras,” said GhaithAl Ghaith in the February announcementthat flydubai had won the Budgie. “We alsowant to pioneer new standards in aviation, andwe have done it again with these developmentsput our IFE ahead of all other low cost car-riers around the world.”

REGIONAL REPORT

Highly definedSince flydubai installed its Lumexis system in November2010, a modest fee has not stood in the way of passengerstaking advantage of its IFE selection by rick LundstroM

rom the days of early distributedvideo, the airlines of the MiddleEast have been among the pio-neers of inflight entertainment,being early adopters of some of

the newest systems. And two years ago, flydubai became the

launch customer for the Fiber-To-The-Screen®(FTTS®) system from Lumexis that promisedhigh-definition technology for the first timein the cabin of a scheduled airline. The car-rier took the innovation one step further,betting the passengers would be willing to payfor high-quality inflight entertainment. Two years from the launch, flydubai has

upgraded the system adding more content andcreating a second tier payment category thatcan give passenger freedom to roam the morethan 800 hours of programming now avail-able on the system for about the price of asandwich at one of the airport restaurants. TheIFE system earned the airline a “BudgieAward” for Best Ancillary Revenue Innova-tion or Strategy at this fall’s World Low CostAirline’s Congress, held in London. “Since we upgraded our IFE system in

February of this year, we have built a film selec-tion to offer more Hollywood movies than anyother airline in the world,” said Ghaith AlGhaith, CEO of flydubai. “We also have thetop ten highest grossing movies of all time.”Hollywood, Bollywood, Russian and Ara-

bic titles make up an extensive multi-culturalmix that the airline developed with the helpof major international studios. The airlineworks with all the major Hollywood studiosas well as regional centers and distributors tomake up its selection. The airline also has anongoing relationships with AMP Internationalwhich handles logistics of getting the titlesfrom the distributors onto the aircraft.

Most popular films on flydubaiMission Impossible: Ghost Protocol

The Avengers

Contraband

Men in Black 3

The Hunger Games

FREEJ™ safety video in second year on flydubaiIf airlines have a difficult time getting passengers to listen to the safety video with

flight attendants, could a group of grandmothers get their attention?

That’s the approach flydubai has been taking since December of 2011 when it

launched a new animated safety video featuring characters from FREEJ™ a popu-

lar cartoon series in the region.

The approach was done to capture the interest of passenger of all ages, said fly-

dubai. It is shown in every seatback of the airlines 737-800 NG aircraft. The airline

worked with the General Civil Aviation Authority to make sure it met all the standards

of a safety video.

“There is great compatibility between FREEJ™ and flydubai,” said the creator

Mohammed Saeed Harib. “As we are both young and inventive brands that have become

household names very quickly.”

flydubai has 800 hours ofentertainment on its

Lumexis system

CEO offlydubai,Ghaith alGhaith

FREEJ™ celebrates the cultureand traditions of the UAE through

the eyes of four grandmothers


I am really excited to see Mercury back in fullswing.”The Mercury Awards, established by the

late Willie Seeman, ITCA’s founder and life-long advocate of the travel catering industry,were last held in 2010. Watermark Productshopes to take one home this year, havingentered several innovations.According to Young, the luxury airlines of

the region constantly challenge supplierssuch as Watermark to test their creativeboundaries and resourcefulness. This, com-bined with a near-constant stream of tenderactivity and a uniquely diverse demographicmix of cabin crew and passengers, meansthat the Watermark design team is kept hop-ing in an effort to bring forth cabin productsthat will impress discerning buyers. “Price is always a given, but the luxury air-

lines are also looking for things that makethem stand out,” says Young. “Whether it’s abrand association, the materials used in a

product’s design and construction or theway it is delivered to the customer, each facetof the process is important. Designs tend tobe classic with leathers, faux leathers, browns,gold and blacks. The customer base here, inmany ways, appears to prefer more conser-vative designs and materials that are closelyaligned with the luxury brands we sell inthe region.”Watermark sources its products globally.

While many items and materials come fromChina, a popular point of supply for many,the company is actively pursuing new pur-chasing opportunities in other Asian coun-tries, Europe and the Middle East through dif-ferent partnerships.“We see real growth opportunities in

America, Australasia and, of course, the Mid-dle East,” says Young. “We have recruited newtalent in these areas and are spending moretime on business development. We are in a veryhealthy position.”

SUPPLIER REPORT

view the full range

my bag of southern fried

chicken poppersmy cheese and tomato bloomer

my bag of fries

Tradition and changeWatermark Products is inspired by diversity in the Middle East by MAryAnn siMson

eeking insight on what it’s like doingbusiness in the booming MiddleEastern airline supply market, PAXInternational needed to look no fur-ther that one of our favorite sources

of commentary on a number of topics. DavidYoung is the President and CEO of WatermarkProducts, a leading creative productagency specialising in end-to-end solutionsfor the travel, leisure and retail industries.Young is also former President of the Inter-national Travel Catering Association (ITCA),which is hosting the ITCA Abu Dhabi 2012November 26-28, the region’s only event ded-icated to the world of travel catering.“The Middle East region continues to be

one of the powerhouses of global aviation andthe opportunity to spend time with currentand potential customers in the region isalways a pleasure,” he said of the forthcom-ing event. “As a new location, Abu Dhabi isa different direction from previous shows, but

S


SUPPLIER REPORT

by all Muslims at least once in their lifetime,provided that they of able body and canafford the journey.In mutual recognition of Mecca pilgrim’s

fundamental needs and with a desire to exceedthem, FORMIA and Turkish Airlines haveannounced an extension to their existing com-mercial relationship with the development ofspecialty amenity bags for presentation to Hajjand Umrah pilgrims en route to Mecca. “It gives us particular pride to have devel-

oped these special kits for Turkish Airlines,”said Roland Grohmann, Managing Directorat FORMIA. “The thoughtfulness of TurkishAirlines in catering for the comfort and

convenience of its pilgrim passengers hasbeen matched by the care with which we havedesigned these kits. We hope they will add tothe convenience and enjoyments of every-one as they undertake their pilgrimage.”During their flight, each passenger will

receive a bag containing an extensive range ofitems designed to heighten their enjoymentof both the flight itself, in addition to servingthem at their end destination. The bags canbe worn comfortably over the shoulder oracross the chest for added security. Many ofthe quality products found within are specif-ically designed to enable pilgrims to performsacred rituals in comfort.

FORMIA and Turkish Airlinesextend cooperation

by MAryAnn siMson

ituated roughly 50 miles inland fromthe city of Jeddah and the westernshores of the Red Sea, lies the city ofMecca (Makkah in Arabic) in SaudiArabia.

Mecca is inhabited by almost two millionpeople, a number which is more than quadru-pled by annual visitors. During the days of Hajj(meaning pilgrimage), which vary from yearto year, millions of Muslims will make the jour-ney to this Holy City, the birthplace of theirProphet, Muhammed and the site of com-position of the Holy Quran. This pilgrimageis considered the fifth pillar of Islam and isa religious duty, which must be carried out

S

Purpose-designed kit recognizes needs of Mecca pilgrims, inflight and at their destination

| PAX INTERNATIONAL | 25

SUPPLIER REPORT

Snack time

in Australia, Asia, Africa, Europe and NorthAmerica as well. “Interestingly enough, whatis popular here in the UAE is also popular inother parts of the world,” reveals Jaykrishna,Director of Business Operations for HunterFoods. “In the overseas markets, our LentilPoppadums are a unique product. We areone of the few snack companies with truly eth-nic flavors, and so we are actually focusing onthat characteristic as opposed to making typ-ical snack food products which are beingproduced everywhere.”More than 10 years ago, Hunter Foods got

a foot in the door of the airline catering sec-tor when Emirates Flight Catering became thefirst customer for their then-newly developedproduct. Ready-to-eat Fried Onions are avail-able in cans and catering packs. They are easyto use, time saving, cut down on oil wastage,and are an ideal product for airline catering. “The Fried Onions are used by Emirates

Flight Catering to prepare and garnish variousfoods,” says Jaykrishna. “We do a considerablevolume each year to them, and also to AbuDhabi In-flight Catering. Since those associa-tions started, we have definitely recognizedthat airline catering is a very important segmentof the business that we should be looking at.As a result we decided to go one step furtherand develop kettle-style, hand-cooked chips.”Emirates has been serving its own private

label version of these chips to passengers inthe Business Class section of its A380’s forroughly two years.

Last year, Hunter Foods began supplyingthe kettle-style potato chips under the OmanAir private label. The product can be foundin the airline’s executive lounges in Muscat andelsewhere. “We see in the years to come thatthe airline catering segment would be a veryhigh growth segment for us. The airline indus-try here in the Middle East is quite vibrant andnew alliances are being formed that will fos-ter additional growth,” Jaykrishna explains.“Qatar has joined oneworld, Etihad is signinga code share with KLM/Air France and Emi-rates has signed on with Qantas. Dubai willbecome an even larger hub than it is now.”A HACCP certified, 7500 square foot pro-

duction unit complete with four high capac-ity fryers, composite canister manufactur-ing area (capable of producing 2000 canis-ters per hour) and packaging section, HunterFoods has established a strong sales team,warehousing and distribution network. Themedium size of the company allows it to beflexible, something that is very importantwhen working with airlines and flight kitchens.“We are not large, nor small,” says Jaykr-

ishna. “Because we are not too large, like someother manufacturers, we can be more flexibleand move quickly in a given direction. Thisis exactly what airlines are looking for. Wecan respond quickly to a private label orderin any pack size, even if it’s only one pallet. Atthe same time, we are big enough to providethe volume and economy of scale should thecustomers require. We are constantly devel-oping idea and evolving and are open to newor custom suggestions from airline customers.”Most of Hunter Food’s products enjoy a

shelf life of nine to 12months and the com-pany has also beguntrading in other healthy,shelf-stable snack foodsand ingredients such asgranola and driedfruits. They have pre-sented several of theseitems to various air-lines and caterers in the region.

heck in to a five-star hotel in Dubai,open up the mini bar, and there isan excellent chance that you willfind a snack developed, manufac-tured and packaged by Hunter Foods

there for your enjoyment. Of course, as a majorprivate label supplier to hotels, restaurantsand catering companies in the UAE and aroundthe world, Hunter Foods often won’t have itsown company name on the packaging. Yetwith a unique product portfolio boasting exoticflavors and healthy ingredients, snacks fromHunter Foods have proven that they are spe-cial enough to bear the names of top-tier hotelslike Intercontinental, Kempinski, Yas Viceroy,St Regis, Sofitel, and even prestigious airlinessuch as Emirates and Oman Air.Established in 1985 by an Indian busi-

nessman named Bharat Narayan, HunterFoods was the first factory to begin produc-tion in the Jebel Ali Free Zone in Dubai, andsince has become one of the UAE’s leadingsnack food manufacturing and distributioncompanies. In the retail market, Hunter Foods’products are sold under various brand namesincluding Hunter’s Gourmet, Hunter, Safariand Shikar. They enjoy a high level of consumerrecognition in the UAE and in countries thatmake up the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC),such as Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Kuwait. Beyond the Middle East, one can find

Hunter Foods signature snacks like the bite-size Lentil Poppadums, Corn Poppatillas, IceLollies and kettle style hand-cooked chips

CEmirates Flight Catering became the first

customer use Hunter Foods’ Ready-to-eatFried Onions in food preparation

Hunter Foods’ Hand Cooked Potato Chips can be found in Oman Air’s executive lounges

With more than 25 years in business, Hunter Foods iskeen to grow its footprint in airline catering as part ofa larger plan boost exports by MAryAnn siMson


and disposable income are creating demandfor ready-to-eat Halal products that are per-ceived as healthy and nutritious.However, with the growth brings impor-

tant challenges. Talk with companies involvedin supplying Halal products and words like“faith” and “assurance” will come up again andagain. In crowded airline cabins, where foodis transported from multiple sources alongcomplex supply chains, a consumer needs faiththat the product is compliant to religiouscodes, as much as he may

need the nourishment the product itself pro-vides. Suppliers, caterers and food manufac-turing companies are turning to trustedsources, whether they are government and reli-gious certification bodies or firms designedto help make the process of certification onethat is complete and trustworthy.

SUPPLIER REPORT

isitors browsing the aislesand walking the many hallsof this year’s SIAL and Inter-national Travel CateringAssociation (ITCA) events in

Abu Dhabi will find themselves in the heartof a region that has for centuries accommo-dated the dietary needs of followers of Islam.However, radiating from every direction

from the Islamic population centers in Africa,the Middle East and Southeast Asia is a newlymobile and sophisticated consumer that istraveling and settling in every corner of theworld. Companies, like those in the travelindustry, are realizing that catering to thispopulation will be their responsibilityand challenge, now and in the fore-seeable future.The market is huge and growing

quickly. Recent research done by theCanadian Government has peggedworldwide Halal food sales at US$632 bil-lion per year. Millions of Muslims now maketheir home in China, Russia, the Philippines,France, Germany and the United Kingdom.Populations with busy middle class lifestyles

V

A worldwide awarenessAsia and the Middle East may be the origins of Halalcooking, but awareness of the need to supply Muslimpopulations is taking shape everywhere by rick LundstroM

ARAlimentare Halalpizza products arecertified by IHSRAM

Production of Halal dairy products at PRAN in Bangladesh


Such a need is part of what drives people likeMurtaza “Ali” Alarakhia, Director of MalaysiaHalal Consulting and Training (MHCT). Inwork with Malaysia Airlines and Qatar Airways,he has been involved in making airline-cater-ing units Halal compliant since 1996. Now,his firm has teamed with Atlanta-based ClearQuality Group to offer airline-catering units animportant combination of services that includeHalal auditing and food safety and hygiene. Thetwo companies began offering the joint servicesto caterers this fall.What the synergy between the two com-

panies is offering to the airline caterer’s cus-tomers and their passengers, says Ali,is peace of mind.“The need is growing with a

(Muslim) population that is moresavvy and is asking more questions,”he said. At one time, Ali said it mighthave been acceptable for airline cater-ing units to adopt a simple stance toprepare meals without using pork oralcohol. Now, he said, demand hasbeen raised several notches, and hestresses to customers that strict com-pliance with Halal practices is reallythe only option.A Halal compliant audit of the

variety carried out by MHCT can takeapproximately three days. The com-pany conducts a pre-assessment andmakes recommendations, much of which isdevoted to ways a unit can conduct day-to-day operations with separate portion of oper-ation devoted to handling, storing and prepar-ing Halal products. A second audit is conductedto ensure the operations are in place, and a finaldebriefing of the staff takes place before it iscertified.In all the steps along the way, Ali said that

MHCT’s task is as much educational as it iscompliance related.“We will actually impart knowledge to

the staff to ensure they are aware and thereis more of an understanding as to why theyare not supposed to do something,” he said.Within airline catering units, the task of

maintaining the Halal integrity often fallson people who work in quality assurance.“Halal means clean,” said Lin Holcomb,founder of Clear Quality Group. “We want tomake sure it is clean from a Halal standpointand clean from a hygiene standpoint.”

Taking Halal internationalIts newest product may have the flavors of theold southern United States in some of itsspices, and coatings, but the new Southern

modified products for their Muslim cus-tomers. Ham toastinis and croque-monsieurscan be made with turkey and Halal compli-ant chicken.“Because we have experience of Halal we

can source a product and turn it around rea-sonably quickly,” said White.The company also expects to spend more

and more time in the Middle East. The “it’sjust… my bag of fries” is now part of a sec-ond service in Diamond Class on Etihad Air-ways. It achieved the sales with an innovativeapproach allowing products such as FrenchFries and, now, Southern Fried Chicken to be

Fried Chicken Poppers now developed byGreen Gourmet has another group of con-sumers that it can satisfy. At this year’sITCA/SIAL event, the U.K.-based companywill be showing passersby the latest offeringin the “it’s just…” line.Rob White, International Business Devel-

opment Manager at Green Gourmet said tomake the product Halal compliant, the firmbanked on its experience supplying schoolsthroughout the United Kingdom with Halalcompliant products. The company’s cus-tomers in France and Germany have alsoprevailed upon Green Gourmet to supply

has made a chicken tikka pizza for an Indianairline and a prawn and coriander pizza fora Thai customer. ARAlimentare products have made their

way into the airline cabin on nearly all the ser-vice-oriented carriers in the Middle East. Grossiattributes the company’s success in the trans-portation sector to its selection of all naturalingredients sourced mainly form Italy, and thecompany’s ability to meet stringent airlinespecification not just for dietary needs, butthe flexibility of production that can place aproduct of just about any weight and size to suitthe confines of an airline cabin.

produced in an airline environment with-out a fryer. Its first trip into the airline-cater-ing segment took place at last year’s WorldTravel Catering Expo in Hamburg. The com-pany is now in the process of development anumber of follow on products.Another food product with nearly universal

appeal is pizza, consumed in some shape,form or interpretation in countries far andwide. From two plants in Italy, ARAlimentareproduces pizzas of natural ingredients thatmeet British Retail Council and InternationalFeatured Standard specifications. But on many of the pizza products, pas-

sengers may see the IHSRAM logocertifying the product is Halal com-pliant. “Basically, the passenger is able

to recognize that they are con-suming a meal that meets their cul-tural standards,” said GiuseppeGrossi, Sales and Marketing Direc-tor for ARAlimentare.ARAlimentare’s two plants each

have different missions. One plantproduces products for the retailmarket and the other makes piz-zas that require a more hands-onlook and appeal. It is from thelatter plant that many of thepizzas for the company’sairline customers use as asecond service on long-haulflights. Some of the cus-

tomization requires more thanchanging the look. In the past, ARAlimentare

“The need is growing witha (Muslim) population thatis more savvy and is ask-ing more questions.”

Murtaza “Ali” Alarakhia Director of Malaysia Halal Consulting and Training

Green Gourmet used its experience in education food service to develop a Halal compliantproduct in the company’s “it’s just…” line


At this year’s SIAL fair, a Bangladesh basedcompany called PRAN will be treating visitorsto its line of fruit juices and beverage productsas well as its line of confectionary and culinaryproducts that are all Halal compliant. Thecompany has exported its products to 88 coun-tries. Exports make their way to global hotel

chains and hypermarkets around the world.Many of the company’s manufactured

products make the way to domestic and inter-national airline service where caterers and air-lines value them for taste, affordability anda long stable shelf life. “The Halal market is growing well in the

past years,” said Arifur Rahman, Brand Man-ager at PRAN. “People are getting consciousabout what they are (eating) and companiesare also focusing on meeting the consumer’sdemand efficiently.”Like many companies, PRAN turns to

regulators in Malaysia for its certificationprocess. Jakim Halal does regular evaluationsof the company’s facilities and productionareas. One of the primary drivers of theadvancement of Halal compliant meals hasbeen Malaysia Airlines, which employs spe-cialists to evaluate all potential caterers. “Now, a lot of people are traveling by air

and some of them want assurance of Halalbefore consuming anything,” said Rahman.“We value their priority and we encourageHalal products on board.”Assurance is also one of the watchwords

that Ali Alarakhia takes into his work as a Halalauditor for MHCT. As much as he is a regu-lator, he says he is also an ambassador for thefaith. Airlines and caterers may be his cus-tomers, but he says, the end consumer isalways on his mind and drives his work. “At the end of the day, its all about the faith

for me and to try to ensure that people can eatall kinds of food and be sure that it is Halal.”

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Cateringpor welcomes Emirates with Halal compliant unitWhen Lisbon-based Catering de Portugal SA (known as Cateringpor) learned at the begin-

ning of this year that it would be supplying meals for Emirates’ daily service to Dubai, the

company began a process in the spring to not only meet the food service requirements of

its new customer, but to make its unit ready for the possibility of other Middle East carriers

that may be eyeing the Portuguese capital as a destination.

In March, Cateringpor took the first steps to modify its units, in order to meet the needs

of Emirates’ daily 777 service to Dubai. To begin the process, Cateringpor looked to the Halal

Excellence Center of LSG Sky Chefs, which has been in the business of certifying the

caterer’s units around the world since its launch in Kuala Lumpur. The caterer also relied heav-

ily on the Muslim community in the Portuguese capital, which gave the company direction

to appropriate suppliers for meat and dry goods.

Now, Luís de Sousa, General Manager and Cateringpor tells PAX International that the

unit has several dedicated Halal area that are completely segregated from the rest of the oper-

ation. Halal products are stored in a separate 55 cubic meter section of the unit. There is

also a dedicated loading dock where products are accepted for delivery.

“It was very hard, because we had a short time to do the changes to the kitchen,” said Sousa.

“But we finished all the work two weeks before we started the operation with Emirates.”

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HALAL

Strict rules and regulationsWhen it comes to the Halal certification process, Abu Adnan’s Halalcertifier, HFSAA has strict policies and guidelines to follow. “Thereare many certifiers out there who will compromise for any methodof Halal but with HFSAA, they make our life and the life of the aver-age consumer a lot easier,” said Sheikh Asif. For example, one ofHFSAA’s policies is that they have the right to inspect the area at anyday and time without notice to ensure hand slaughtering is actuallytaking place at the facility. HFSAA can also evaluate the whole Halalprocess - from birth of the bird, to the products going to the distributor- to ensure there is no mixing or cross contamination taking place.

The bottom lineFor any airline carrier who offers a Halal option onboard, the realityis that these meals need to be prepared, stored and transported sep-arately in order to comply with Muslim dietary rules – making themmore expensive in the long run. But on top of this, if an airline choosesto serve Halal Hand Cut products, it can cost even more. “One of thebiggest challenges that we face in our industry is the price factor. Bydoing the Halal Hand Cut products our cost increases about 15%-20%,”Sheikh Asif told PAX International. “This makes it more challengingfor us to sell the product. It is sad to say that when it comes to the mat-ters of our stomach we are ready to give up our belief for only 20 cents.” In the past, Pexim Inc. has been contacted by LSG Sky Chefs, but

according to Sheikh Asif, “we have not come to any terms just yet,”he said. Looking for more exposure in the airline catering sector, PeximInc. will be exhibiting at SIAL Abu Dhabi for the second year in a row.“We hope that many airlines will understand what our process is andto perhaps bring this method into their flights. We can only hope thatone day all major producers will switch over to Hand Cut.”

“In this industry the word Halalhas been labeled as a very generaland easy to achieve process.”

Sheikh Asif Pochi, Vice President of Pexim Inc.

n recent years, suppliers from around the globe have wit-nessed a steady growth in the fast-paced, billion dollar Halalindustry. For Sheikh Asif Pochi, Vice President of Pexim Inc.(brand owners of Abu Adnan Poultry), business is quite sim-ply booming; after only only two years in business, Pexim Inc.

has become one of top three suppliers in the Halal Hand Cut Poul-try industry within the United States and now, the company isexpanding their network into the overseas market.A family-operated organization which was founded in 2010,

Pexim Inc. offers several different types of raw poultry products, includ-ing whole chicken grillers, chicken leg quarters, boneless skinless breast,boneless skinless thighs and drumsticks. According to Sheikh Asif, the Halal market is growing on a daily

basis, and in the past couple of years he has specifically seen anincrease in the demand for Halal products which use the ‘Hand-Cutmethod,’ involving each chicken being blessed and killed individuallyby hand in accordance with Islamic principles. “There was a time whereno one knew what this process was but after many educational pro-grams and lectures, the awareness is being built up,” he said. On top of their poultry products being vegetarian fed and hav-

ing no added hormones or antibiotics, the Hand-Cut method is a strongadvantage that Abu Adnan products have against their competition.“Our main concern has always been to provide the consumer withtrue Authentic Halal,” he explains. “This makes us very different toour competitors because, unlike us, they use a mechanical slaughtermethod which many of the Islamic religious scholars do not acceptto be Halal.”

ISheikh Asif Pochi of Pexim Inc. and AbuAdnan Poultry discusses the Halal marketand the challenges he faces as one of thelargest Halal poultry suppliers in the USA

by LAuren brunetti


purchases will help move consumers intothe shopping environments. Once there, confectionery companies can

count on the impulses of consumers for sweets.Another industry giant, Mars, exhibited inthe Bay Village at Cannes. The companybrought along several of its new products,exclusively designed for buy-on-board sales.Mars is developing a line of inflight exclusivegift packs of M & M’s candies that will be avail-able in March of next year. The M&M's TabletCase comes along with 90 grams M&M's - andthe M&M's Speaker Case will include 45grams of M&M's chocolate.Lieke Duijmelings, a development manager

for Mars’ travel retail division said airlinesmight also see success by combining confec-tionery with hot or colddrinks. “We see thattimes (confectionery) is linked with hot or colddrinks, we are increasing the average passen-ger spend by at least 10 to 15 percent,” she said.Mars has also introduced two new pock-

etsize Extra Mints 33-gram tins into twovarieties: Peppermint and Forrest Fruit.“Airlines hardly sell any chewing gum on

board,” said Duijmelings. “We believe this isa great alternative for our consumers in theair, as these Mints are refreshing, scrub andclean your tongue, helps against ear-block-ing; and they are sugar free and have a greattaste. What else do you want?”

Palm dates and pralinesIn the final weeks of November, the MiddleEast will be a crossroads for the sweets andconfectionery industry. In mid-November,

Dubai will be hosting theannual Sweets and SnacksMiddle East. Then, theyearly SIAL Middle East(co-located this year withthe International Travel

Catering Association) will have two adjoin-ing halls dedicated to the annual EmiratesInternational Date Palm Festival. Two hun-dred exhibitors from 17 countries will betreating passersby to 500 varieties of dates. During the holy month of Ramadan, dates

are an important part of the snack service onairlines in the region. It is during that timethat Bateel date products have been part ofthe service on Emirates Airways. Etihad Air-ways, Malaysia Airlines and Kenya Airwayshave also been customers. Bateel has been inbusiness since 1992 when growers in SaudiArabia sought to market their meticulouslyproduced dates to consumers seeking gourmettasting treats. Since then, the business hasexpanded to more than 50 boutiques andcafes. Harrod’s in London and Kuala Lumpurnow sell Bateel products. The company iskeen to grow further outside its home region. The Persian Gulf area is said to be the

birthplace of dates, says Vivek Sharma, DeputyManaging Director at Bateel. The company hasgreatly expanded its line to include sweet andsavory products. Bateel products are com-bined with chocolate and nuts. They are madeinto date mustard, pesto and olive tapenade.From a factory in Italy, Bateel makes a date bal-samic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil.“Dhibs is a date syrup extracted from the

finest fully ripened pressed fruit,” Sharmatells PAX International.“Dark and delicious,Bateel dhibs is offered alone or as creamydhibs when combined with creamed honey.”One of the companies following the local

trends is Le Chocolat LLC of Dubai, which hasexhibited in previous years at the ITCA Mid-dle East Trade Show. Le Chocolat is one of theretail store brands of Chantilly Chocolatier. Partof the Le Chocolat line has been supplied toEmirates and Emirates Flight Catering for thepast seven years. Le Chocolat products aresold in Dubai Duty Free and soon will be onthe shelves at King Power Duty Free in Bangkok. A portion of the company’s sales are choco-

late products made with flavors such as saffron,cardamom, halawa and Turkish coffee. The

SUPPLIER REPORT

Thesweet spotome ancient products, traded in cen-turies long before air travel, are mak-ing their way in and out of the Mid-dle East in greater numbers nowmore than ever.

At the bustling airports and the shopsand boutiques in United Arab Emirates, vis-itors are being tempted and won over by oneof the world’s oldest enticements — sweets.The products of worldwide companies, andsmaller, gourmet producers are finding moreconsumers year after year. In 2010 the United Arab Emirates

imported 36,844 tons of chocolate, a 21.5%increase from the previous year according toa report for the National Confectioners Asso-ciation, reported in Euromonitor Interna-tional. In Saudi Arabia, chocolate confec-tionery sales were projected to grow by 5%in real volume over 2010. From 2010 to 2015,confectionery sales in the Middle East andAfrica are projected to grow 20%.This growing market of mobile consumers

is catching the attention of large companiesthat recently displayed products at the Tax FreeWorld Association annual event in Cannes.There, Kraft Foods World Travel Retail(KFWTR) sent a buzz through the halls withits plan to grow the confectionery marketin travel retail by US$3 billion over the nextthree years. Using data it gleaned from anextensive survey of 70,000 travelers AnnaSzentivanyi, Manager of Customer Market-ing at KFWTR called for partnerships amongindustry stakeholders. Increased visibility,cross-category purchases and more cash-till

S

The Middle East is becoming a center for imported confectionery, but the regionitself lays claim to an ancient and universal sweet snack of its own by rick LundstroM

Eye-catching displays andpromotions are part of the

drive by confectionerymanufacturers to increase

impulse buys

Dates in every form will besampled and debated duringthe Sixth International DatePalm Festival in alongside theSIAL/ITCA/Rice and Grainsevent in Abu Dhabi


company also does well packaging a chocolatewrapped date selection, which is sold duringholidays in the UAE.“Although customers are always interested

in new products and tastes, fillings, such asGanduia, almond praline and mixed nutsremain a favorite,” said Gordana Nikolic, Salesand Marketing Manager at Le Chocolat. One of the company’s making the trip to

this year’s ITCA Middle East event will beLily O’Brien’s, which as been supplying Mid-dle Eastern Airlines with in-flight servicechocolates from the European departurepoints for more than 10 years. The companyhas now expanded its distribution capabili-ties to supply out of the Middle East and

adapted its product line to suite a travel market for buy-on-board and duty free sales. “The company’s chocolate recipe and

product range have been entirely re-developedin 2012 to cater to passengers’ changing tastesand we have the pleasure in showcasing thenewly developed Halal approved section,”said Caroline Thompson Food Service Man-ager at Lily O’Brien’s.Among the products now found in the Lily

O’Brien’s line is a 12-chocolate box weighingin at 185 grams designed to fit neatly into air-line trolleys. In the last 18 months the Irishcompany has kept ear to the ground, devel-oping a line of products to meet changing con-sumer tastes. Some of the products that will

SUPPLIER REPORT

Your Partners for Catering Solutions out of EuropeCome talk to us at our booth in Abu Dhabi

Wishing everybody a successful ITCA and SIAL

www.dfmarketing.de Hall #1, stand A13

The independent C – PET supplier to the airline industry

Lily O’Brien’s is adapting a line of chocolates for easy use in anairline environment

Le Chocolat products are part of the Chantilly Chocolatier company

be featured at ITCA/SIAL will be a new zestyorange chocolate, a praline chocolate, andchocolates carrying the flavors of classic stickytoffee and lemon meringue pie.

The search for the Best Airline Signature Cocktail is on!

TravelPlus Airline Amenity Bag Awards 2012

Regarded as the industry’s pre-eminent event, the TravelPlus Airline Amenity Bag Awards 2012will be celebrated in Hamburg at the Radisson Blu Hotel Marseller Strasse next year, coinciding

with the World Travel Catering & Onboard Services Expo.

The dictionary definition of Amenity is “… a useful, attractive or enjoyable feature; anythingthat adds to a person’s comfort and convenience; …” This is just what our industry is all about,

so put yourself forward - this is your time to shine.

NEW AWARD CATEGORIES FOR 2012

Best Airline Signature Cocktail: The drink designed to bring a bit of fun to the passenger ex-perience. Cocktail mixologists will judge this category and the winning cocktail will be servedat our Awards Ceremony. So let the search begin!

Best In-flight Amenity or Gift: This category is for those airlines that go the extra mile but maynot provide passengers with an Amenity Bag. However they might provide loungewear or sleepsuit, slippers, pillows, blankets or the in-flight entertainment system, headphones and onboardWi-Fi offering. Or perhaps a specially blended tea, cupcakes, a box of after dinner chocolates orthat special little gift that says “thank you.”

We are delighted to have Onboard Hospitality as the official trade media partner for the thirdyear running and welcome the support of PAX International as a media associate and category

sponsor of Best Airline Signature Cocktail this year.

Entries need to be submitted by Friday 4th January 2013 and the winners will be unveiled on the 9th April 2013, when they will be presented with their awards at an Awards Receptionat the Radisson Blu Hotel in Hamburg. Full details of how to enter together with a full list of

categories can be found on our website www.travelplus.co.uk.

To attend the TravelPlus Awards Ceremony and Evening Reception onthe 9th April 2013, take advantage of our early bird ticket offer. Book

your tickets online at www.travelplus.co.uk before 31st December 2012and save £12.50 per ticket. Numbers are limited so don’t miss out.

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IFSA REVIEW

IFSA/APEXbrings more of industryto Long Beach by rick LundstroM

Chef Ravi is based in Reston, Virginia,and serves Gate Gourmet North America asthe Executive Chef of Culinary Training. Elsewhere, delegates spent an hour in a

lively session discussing buy-on-board, greeninitiatives and the effects of back catering, foodsafety, and quality assurance in a Hot Topicssession where participants moved from tableto table. They were also entertained by theinsights on human nature by Mimi Donald-son of MimiSpeaks! After a brief surprise, when an animal-

rights protester was escorted from the stageafter a disruption of events, Dave Hilfman,Senior Vice President of Worldwide Sales forUnited Airlines filled in the gathering on thefuture of the newly merged carrier and the roleit will play in a U.S. airline industry that hasconsolidated and adapted to the ever-chang-ing environment. In his brief discussion, Hil-fman painted a picture of an airline that wassearching for ways to match capacity with sup-ply. United is also looking to maximize itsancillary revenue by unbundling fares and cre-ating value added services and improvingpassenger satisfaction by investing US$550million in improvements to aircraft cabinswith everything from lie-flat seats to the lat-est in Wi-Fi technology. But even in the face of consolidations,

high fuel costs and razor-thin profit margins

ide by side for another year, theInternational Flight ServicesAssociation (IFSA) and the Air-line Passenger Experience Asso-ciation (APEX) (see related story

page 36) gave the cabin services industry a one-two punch for networking, learning and cama-raderie the week September 17 at the LongBeach Convention Center. In the main hall, the IFSA trade floor was

home for two days to the 860 attendees withstands taking up a total of 164 exhibitionspaces. On stage, chefs from the world’s majorairline caterers busied themselves efficientlyin a full-day competition under the watch-ful eye of judges and the competition orga-nizer Bob Rosar of Gate Gourmet. In theend, Chef Ravi Nage, of Gate Gourmet wasthe competition winner. The three-judge panel gave Chef Ravi

high marks for taste, presentation and orig-inality, as well as his overall kitchen tech-niques, organization, professionalism, clean-liness and timing.“We are extremely proud of Chef Ravi and

his contributions to our culinary success as acompany,” said Damien Flynn, Chief Com-mercial Officer – North America Division atGate Gourmet. “Chef Ravi’s win was a high-light of the entire IFSA conference for all of usrepresenting gategroup.”

S

Chef SaraLawson ofLSG SkyChefs worksthe stove forthe Chef’sCompetition

One of the manyexhibits with fresh

natural ingredients atthis year’s IFSA

Conference andExhibition

Chef Ravi Nave’sTour of Tastes Appetizer: Asparagus and Almond ShooterEndive and Green Tomato SaladSea Bass with Chipotle Honey. Main Course:Thyme and Garlic Veal Chops Peppercorn Sauce & Cheddar Fondue Potato and Mushrooms Confit with Tiny Vegetables.

compared to other industries, Hilfman toldthe group that “things are getting dramaticallybetter.” Ancillary revenue per passenger seg-ment flown has increased 54% in the last fouryears to $9.73. In the same four years, pre-taxearnings by the airlines have gone from redto black, with the International Air Trans-port Association anticipating a modest profitacross the airline industry of $1.1 billion in

2012. Since IFSA, IATA has modified its out-look stating that improved airline perfor-mance could see industry wide profits climbto US$4.1 billion.Does the modest profit and increased

attendance at this year’s IFSA event indicatea significant change in industry fortunes? Thejury seemed out among some of the compa-nies vying for airline business. Some wereencouraged by the airline’s approach toimproving the experience for the passengers. “I think it’s fifty-fifty. Every year, airlines

have a different need,” said Adeline Tran,Sales and Service Manager at the caterer AirFayre in Los Angeles.

IFSA President David Loft said he wasimpressed with the buzz and the excitement ofthis year’s event, which drew approximately100 more people than last year’s Conference andExhibition, which was held jointly with APEXand Aircraft Interiors Americas in Seattle. Air-line attendance increased approximately 12%from the previous year, and 21 new exhibitorsset up shop for the two-day trade show. “There is an effort in the industry to improve

the quality of everything they’re doing,” Loftsaid, of the airlines recent activities. The two associations will again be together

next year the week of September 9 in Anaheim,California.

Dave Hilfman,Senior Vice

President ofWorldwide Sales

for United Airlineswas the IFSA

keynote speaker

Harvey Alpert and Company were the winners of this year’s Best of Show, for the most attractive stand


INDUSTRY EVENTS

APEX EXPOdrawslargest crowd in 15 yearsPlanning is already underway for next year’s APEX EXPO, to beheld September 9-12 in Anaheim, California by MAryAnn siMson

exhibitors vied for the attention of buyers fromairlines large and small from around theglobe. Another high point during the show,the APEX Awards ceremony, recognized theairlines and industry giants who are improv-ing the passenger experience and reshapingthe industry. Big winners at the awards included Emi-

rates, which took home the award for ‘BestOverall Passenger Experience’ for airlineswith more than 50 IFE-equipped aircraft ina fleet, and Virgin America, which won ‘BestOverall Passenger Experience’ out of a fieldof many with under 50 IFE-equipped air-craft in a fleet. Virgin America was also rec-ognized for its exceptional user-interface andcabin ambiance. Presented in conjunctionwith IFSA, the award for ‘Best Food & Bev-erage’ went to Singapore Airlines. The awards ceremony was hosted by Joel

Connable, an Emmy Award-winning travel

journalist and news anchor hailed for hisin-depth reporting in Los Angeles, Miamiand New York.Although planning is already underway

for next year’s APEX EXPO, to be held Sep-tember 9-12 in Anaheim, California, Novem-ber proved to be another busy month for theassociation. APEX expanded its internationaloutreach by hosting an educational event inSantiago, Chile, November 7-8. Attendees ofthis event were treated to more than a dozenkeynote sessions with topics ranging from anoverview of the Latin American market, wire-less IFE and portable devices, Latin Americancontent trends and in-seat power, among oth-ers. Keynote speakers included Fernanda Toro,Travel Experience Director for LAN (the air-line also invited delegates to tour its new 787Dreamliner), Mohssine Lahlou, Head of LatinAmerica at OnAir and Roberto Schiattino,Editorial Director for Spafax Chile as well asEditor-in-Chief of DirecTV’s Access magazine.Back in California, APEX also held a Tech-

nology Committee meeting in Irvine fromNovember 13-14, to help delegates evaluateindustry-wide quality and compatibility stan-dards as well as new technologies through ses-sions and vendor displays.

eld September 17-20, along-side IFSA’s exhibition at theLong Beach Convention andEntertainment Center in Cal-ifornia, the 2012 APEX EXPO

attracted 2,462 visitors, the most bodies toattend the event in 15 years. “We knew going into this event that our

full agenda would draw in a huge crowd of pas-senger experience professionals, and we arethrilled by the level of enthusiasm this year,”said Chris Babb, APEX Immediate Past Pres-ident in a post-show release. “Our efforts torevamp the popular educational sessions paidoff, as our speakers addressed rooms packedwith attendees eager to learn more aboutWiFi, onboard gaming, connectivity and newtechnologies that are changing our industry.”During the four day event, new APEX

board members were announced, educationopportunities abounded, a wide variety of

H


INDUSTRY EVENTS

Delegates gather at thepopular Zodiac Aerospacebooth for a presentationduring Aircraft InteriorsExpo Americas 2012

Taisha Fernandez,Marketing and Sales

Associate for BUCHERdemonstrates the

company’s IFEDeployment Arm

Satisfactionin the spotlightExperts at AIX Seattle agree that passenger comfort and satisfaction cannot be achieved by a ‘one size fits all’ approach by MAryAnn siMson

elighting passengers, driving revenues, improving com-fort and bringing innovations to fruition; these aregoals that any sensible airline is constantly striving toachieve. For those that attended the Aircraft InteriorsExpo in Seattle September 25-27, these common objec-

tives were also among the topics of the numerous keynote presenta-tions and interactive forums which took place in the seminar area ofthe Washington Convention Centre tradeshow floor. Over the three days in September, distinguished speakers such as Blake

Emery, Director of Differentiation Strategy for Boeing CommercialAirplanes, Chris Pride, Business Development Director at Teague, ClaireNurcombe, Aircraft Interiors Marketing Manager for Airbus and JamiCounter, Senior Director of Seatguru, plus many more took their turnaddressing those of the delegates who sat to listen. A key theory debated was one suggesting that passenger comfort

and satisfaction within economy cannot be achieved by a ‘one sizefits all’ approach, that there must be some level of individualisationbuilt into an airline’s strategy, regardless of whether it is an ultra low

cost carrier or a network operator. Jami Counter of Seatguru stressedthat comfort is defined and perceived in many different ways, explain-ing that over the last 10 years, airlines have realised this and incor-porated different product attributes to help differentiate and persuadecustomers to fly with them.As another part of the seminar schedule, Vern Alg, former Pro-

ject Manager for Continental Airlines, respected industry consultantand “Voyageur Extraordinaire” asked a panel of industry expertswhich airlines, in their view, were winning the battle of persuasionhighlighted by Counter. Jenny Ruegamer, Associate Creative Director of Teague (a global indus-

trial design consultancy headquartered in Seattle) expressed her viewthat the best airlines are the ones with a clear brand and strategy foronboard services. If IFE is not available on a flight and the passenger isaware of this when booking, she said, then their expectations have beenmanaged. However, if a passenger has not been given these details andwalks onboard expecting IFE, then their satisfaction levels are reduced. “The seminar program has been a great success and we were really

encouraged by a number of sessions being standing room only,” saidKatie Murphy, Aircraft Interiors Expo Americas Exhibition Director.“The diverse range of topics that were debated highlights just how com-plex the interiors sector is.”As per usual, Zodiac Aerospace Group was no wallflower at this

event. The entity, composed of leading-edge companies like seatingmanufacturer Weber, galley insert suppliers Monogram Systems andSell, galley and trolley expert Driessen and many more, had thelargest and busiest stand at the show, which boasted roughly 150exhibitors in total. C&D Zodiac, part of Zodiac Aerospace, used theexhibition to showcase ZEO, its groundbreaking design and innovationstudio. The company says that ZEO’s philosophy is simple: great designis about the product and the process. Also in Seattle, EADS Sogerma announced the signing of a con-

tract with Boeing to offer Equinox, its fully flat business class seat,on the all-new 787 Dreamliner. This contract signals the first EADSSogerma product to be included in the 787 catalogue and is also indica-tive of the France-based company’s desire to break further into theNorth American market.In other news from the show, which final figures indicate was

attended by more than 60 airlines, Aim Aerospace presented its new pas-senger bar concept, designed to promote a social area in the businesscabin without infringing on precious real estate. BUCHER’s IFE Deploy-ment Arm, developed in collaboration with Thales, also drew much atten-tion, thanks to its double jointed articulation and The Dynamo DrinkCart Company presented its version of the automated drink trolley.

D

Submission closes for Crystal Cabin AwardsAt press time for this edition of PAX International, the submission

period had just closed for the many companies vying for a shot at becom-

ing one of the next to possess a prestigious Crystal Cabin Awards.

From October 8 until November 13, companies in the aircraft inte-

riors sector (and University students studying the field) had a chance

to enter concepts and product innovations. Some categories have

been redefined since last year’s awards, they are now as follows:

1. Greener Cabin, Health, Safety & Environment

2. Industrial Design & Visionary Concepts

3. Material & Components

4. Passenger Comfort Hardware

5. Passenger Comfort Systems

6. Premium Class & VIP

7. University - Student submissions should fulfill the requirements

of one of the six categories listed above

An expert international Judging Panel will narrow the field, select-

ing the best submissions in each category and inviting these entrants

to the final round of the competition in Hamburg, where they can then

present their products in person for the final round of judging. The offi-

cial announcement of the winners and the presentation of the seven

trophies will take place at a formal dinner as part of the Aircraft Interi-

ors Expo in Hamburg April 9-11, 2013.


INDUSTRY EVENTS

The POSie for Highest Revenue per Flight for a Buy on Board Program was won by Alaska Airlines

Frontier took home thePOSie for Most InnovativeUse of a POS Solution

GuestLogix’ 4th annual User GroupConference deemed a successThe three-day event brought together roughly 150 representatives from thecompany’s global airline customers and technology partners by MAryAnn siMson

The POSie for BestOnboard MerchandisingStrategy went to WestJetAirlines, which had alarge group on-hand toaccept the award

t the InterContinental Toronto Centre hotel in Ontario’sbooming capital and home of its head offices, GuestLogixrecently hosted its 4th annual User Group ConferenceThe theme of this year’s gathering was “Innovation

through Collaboration” – and that theme could not havebeen more fitting. In the weeks leading up to the conference, Guest-Logix announced that it had acquired long-time competitor Ini-tium Onboard, thus acquiring a host of new international customers,and partnered with Panasonic Avionics to integrate its paymentsolutions into Panasonic’s seatback IFE systemsThe three-day event brought together roughly 150 representatives

from GuestLogix' global airline customers and technology partnersto discuss both the challenges and opportunities impacting theirindustry today, and to share their strategies for success in overcom-ing those challenges.The conference featured keynote and breakout sessions with

industry analysts and experts including Al Voels of KPMG, who dis-cussed Big Data and its impact on travel retail while Seth Friedmanof Visa looked at ancillary data considerations. William Giles of Mas-terCard took a deep dive into the burgeoning world of mobile pay-ment and wallet services, while Scott Scheer of Panasonic AvionicsCorporation explored the monetization of IFEC systems – a recur-ring theme throughout the conference.After a networking breakfast on October 2, GuestLogix' President

and CEO Brett Proud welcomed a packed conference room, notingthat ancillary revenue activities, especially onboard retailing, havereached a “critical mass”. He added that his company had made sig-nificant investments in infrastructure and taken all necessary stepsto ensure that communication channels remain open and that its globalexpansion is well supported. He assured the group that the company’sDallas offices were “firing on all cylinders” and that the firm’s suc-cessful North American business formula was being implemented inother regions. He also added that all of GuestLogix’s North Ameri-can customers had recently extended their contracts and that Europeand Asia showed exciting growth.

“Ancillary revenue for airlines is achieving astounding annual com-pounded growth,” said Proud. According to recent data, it has gonefrom US $2.45 billion in 2007 to US $22.64 billion in 2012, a 920%increase. Proud also noted that this trend is projected to acceleratein the next five years, creating an exciting landscape for the future.According to GuestLogix, airlines must now leverage new tech-

nologies such as consumer devices in order to better engage with trav-elers, as well as begin to better manage data as ancillaries widen. Air-lines must also be prepared to support new payment types, but can-not ignore standard payments that passengers need during transition.Proud stressed that with travelers set for higher spending and greaterconnectivity through social media, airlines must be able to offerproducts and services that enhance a passenger’s trip and ensurerevenue gain through a positive travel experience.Analytics was also a key focus of the conference. One of the fea-

tured sessions, Analytics: Harnessing the Power of Your Data, demon-strated how data management relates to both payment security alongwith entertainment and retail opportunities and how OnTouch Ana-lytics – the company’s hosted and fully automated data and businessintelligence framework tailored specifically for onboard retailersactually works. The presentation detailed that by further monetiz-ing IFE, average transactions per flight will grow from 10 to 60 (a 500%increase), and that average transaction value could jump 29%.The event was rounded out with demonstrations of GuestLogix'

new OnTouch® Destination Deals and Mobile Concierge Applications,plus real-time feedback from a panel of airline operators who discussedtheir strategies for improving buy-on-board store performance, reduc-ing onboard payment strategy risk and capturing new Kiosk sales.Ample networking opportunities were also enjoyed by delegates.

Most notably, the annual POSie Awards were presented at Toronto’sfamed Second City comedy club and theatre. Airline were recognizedin three critical categories: Highest Revenue per Flight for a Buy onBoard Program, won by Alaska Airlines, Most Innovative Use of a POSSolution, won by Frontier Airlines, and Best Onboard Merchandis-ing Strategy, which went to WestJet Airlines.

A

World Travel Catering& Onboard Services

9 – 11 April 2013Hamburg Messe , Germany

www.worldtravelcateringexpo.com/pax

Organised by:Co-located with:

Contact us now to book your stand 9-11 April 2013 Hamburg Messe, Germany

The event for travel catering & onboard servicesSave the Date 9 – 11 April 2013World Travel Catering & Onboard Services Expo provides a dedicated business platform for those responsible for catering operations, passenger comfort and buy-onboard items during air and rail travel. To book a stand contact: Daniel Kazimierczak Tel + 44 (0) 208 910 7132 Email [email protected]

Enquire about visiting at:www.worldtravelcateringexpo.com/enquiry

Modern porcelain setCompany Name: Global Inflight ProductsCompany Location: Redmond, WADescription: Global Inflight Products’new porcelain set called Ava,offers a modern and sleek designthat every passenger will enjoy.Made from a combination ofmineral soil and bone powder,these new pieces will allow youto bring the beauty and style offine restaurant dining to the air.Ava is also lightweight, stackableand chip resistant.

Unisex amenity kitsCompany Name: FORMIACompany Location: Hong KongDescription: FORMIA has announced an extensionto its existing commercial relationship withAir Astana by launching a specially developedunisex kit containing products from the well-known global luxury brand, Chopard. Eachitem in the exclusive kit is created usingtraditional craftsmanship with thesame meticulous care, attention to detail and drive for perfection as Chopard’sfamous watchesand jewelry.


Inflight catering disposablesCompany Name: Deeko Bahrain W.L.LCompany Location: BahrainDescription: Deeko’s assortment of inflight cateringdisposables are extremely versatile for use inside thecabin. Options on size, with or without lacquer andprinting are also available. All materials used in theproduction process are chosen specifically for theirfood use requirements and as a BRC certified company,Deeko Bahrain guarantees hygiene and safety of thehighest standard for each of their products. Visit Deeko Bahrain at ITCA Abu Dhabi: Stand #14 (Hall 1)

Turkish Airlines’ economy class blanketsCompany Name: SZIC Industrial Company Ltd.Company Location: Shanghai, ChinaDescription: SZIC Industrial Company Ltd., a Shanghai basedcompany which has been supplying global airlines for overtwenty years, has recently been awarded a three yearcontract with Turkish Airlines to supply their Economyclass blankets. The new contract was won with a fresh,

new design that uses only the highest qualitymaterials. SZIC’s woven textile selections arecomprised of both luxury and economy options.The textiles can also be personalized with adesign to complement the interior of the cabin.

The real joeCompany Name: Mother Parker’sCompany Location: Ontario, CanadaDescription: Mother Parker’s Tea & Coffee isproud to introduce Martinson’s singleserve instant coffee sticks. For over 100years, Martinson coffee has been craftedwith a dedication to quality; back then JoeMartinson would wait at the dock topersonally select only the finest beans.He’d then fire roast them in small batchesto bring out the best coffee flavor. MotherParker’s single serve instant coffee sticksnow offer the same commitment to tasteand quality in a single serve.

New amenity kit for Comfort ClassCompany Name: SkysupplyCompany Location: Munich, GermanyDescription: Condor’s new desirable Amenity Kitfor Comfort Class is designed by Skysupply.The company composed the new concept tofit Condor’s standard of well-being andcomfort onboard. The new amenity kit

features a tin box, earplugs, socks,eyeshades and dental set.Additionally, passengers will behanded an iPad bag, which willbecome a great collector's item

and can also be used aftertravelling, for use at home.


Delicious cannelloni of prawnsCompany Name: AchenbachCompany Location: Sulzbach, GermanyDescription: Offering an innovativeinterpretation of the Italian classic,Achenbach's Cannelloni of Prawnswith Purée of Mint FlavoredPeas replaces pasta dough withthinly sliced fish farce andembedded prawns. It is hand wrappedaround a soft purée of green peas withfinely sliced leaves of fresh mint, and thenformed into a small roll. The combinationof fish, seafood and the mint-pea-puréeoffers passengers a delicious and tastefulstarter that they will thoroughly enjoy.

Herb roll with confit of tomatoCompany Name: Gut SpringenheideCompany Location: Ochtrup, GermanyDescription: Gut Springenheide is bringing severalcreative innovations to ITCA Abu Dhabi thisyear. The “Herb roll with confit of tomato” isone of their new products – and all lovers ofMediterranean cuisine will be delighted. It ischaracterised by its hearty flavour andappetizing appearance. These egg-rolls allowfor flexible consumption, whether as a snack,a menu item or for presentation at a buffet. Visit Gut Springenheide at ITCA Abu Dhabi: Stand #C12

Unique bone chinawareCompany Name: ZIBO RainbowCompany Location: Shandong, ChinaDescription: ZIBO Rainbow presents a unique type of soft-pasteporcelain called bone chinaware, which is made from clay,feldspar and quartz. Bone chinaware offers severaladvantages for inflight cabin use, such as a superior strength,low weight, clarity and brightness. This unique chinaware isalso well known and widely used in airlines all over the world,benefitting from its good quality in weight and high grade.Visit Zibo Rainbow at ITCA Abu Dhabi: Stand #C10


ASSOCIATION NEWS

UPCOMING EVENTS

10 receive scholarshipsfrom IFSA Foundation

Vicky Stennes IFSA Chairperson(left) and Denise Poole of AMI GroupPresent the AMI Scholarship awardto Todd Traynor-Corey, a student atRoosevelt University

2012International Travel Catering Association/SIALMiddle East Trade Show and Networking Forum,November 26-28, Abu Dhabi. For more information,go to itcanet.com.

2013Aircraft Interiors Expo/World Travel Catering andOn Board Services Expo, April 9-11, Hamburg. For more information, contact Reed Exhibitions athttp://www.aircraftinteriorsexpo.com/en/Forms/Enquiries/

28th Annual Marine Hotel Association Conference& Trade Show, April 21-23, The Peabody Hotel,Orlando. For more information, [email protected] or call (415) 332-1903.

Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA)cruise3sixty, June 19 – 23, at the Vancouver Con-vention Centre. For more information, contactNicole Dunbar, at (949) 457-1545, extension 113 ore-mail [email protected]

International Flight Services Association AnnualConference and Exhibition, September 9-11, Ana-heim, California, For more information Contact IFSAat (404) 252-3663, e-mail [email protected]

Airline Passenger Experience Association 2012Annual Expo, September 9-12, Anaheim, California.For more information contact APEX at (212) 297 –2177, [email protected]

Marine Hotel Association European Conference &Trade Show, November 5-7, Hotel Arts Barcelona.For more information, contact [email protected] orcall (415) 332-1903.

rganizers of the InternationalFlight Services Association Foun-dation scholarship program hailedthis year’s distribution of 10 schol-arships in September as the yearly

program’s most successful. “In 2012, the IFSA Foundation experienced

its most successful year to date,” said KeithMcGrath, IFSA Foundation President andRegional Sales Director, The Americas withdeSter. “This year was the first time the Foun-dation offered the scholarship awards exclusivelyto IFSA members and their families, whichprovided additional value for IFSA member-ship. We received 179 scholarship applications,compared to 41 in 2011, and awarded nearly$40,000 in scholarship funds, the largest amountsince the Foundation’s inception.”

Several new scholarships were added this year. The following is a list of recipients, under-writers and participating universities: � Harvey and Laura Alpert Award, $5,000 to Taryn Bierhuizen to attend Michigan StateUniversity.

� AMI Scholarship Award of $4,500 to Todd Traynor-Corey to attend Roosevelt University,� DHL Airline Business Solutions Scholarship Award of $2,500 to Mandi Roan to attendPfieffer University.

� Flying Food Group Scholarship Award of $2,500 to Haben Ghebergergish to attend theUniversity of Chicago.

� The Hoffman Group Scholarship Award of $2,000 to Eric Troilo, to attend Drexel University.� The IFSA Foundation Scholarship of $4,500 to Gabriella Imeri to attend Loyola University.� The IFSA Foundation Scholarship of $4,500 to Grace Gimensky to attend Central Michi-gan University.

� The John and Ginnie Long Scholarship of $2,500 to Vivian Do to attend Carleton College. � The John Louis Foundation Scholarship Award of $5,000 to Evelyn Vasquez to attend Uni-versity of California, Los Angeles.

� The Oakfield Farms Solutions Scholarship Award of $5,000 to Lauren Martinez to attendthe University of Texas at Austin.

O

ADVERTISER’S INDEXCastello Monte Vibiano .............p. 7

Clearwater Seafoods...............p. 29

Cuisine Solutions ....................p. 28

D|F Marketing GmbH ..............p. 32

Driessen....................................p. 9

Dubai Duty Free ......................p. 43

Etihad .....................................p. 44

FORMIA ...................................p.15

G.I.P. .......................................p. 16

Gem Air Supply.......................p. 36

Green Gourmet .......................p. 23

Gut Springenheide ...................p.17

Mallaghan ...............................p. 24

Massey’s Production ................p.19

Meiko.......................................p.21

Servair .......................................p.3

Watermark Products ................p.35

WESSCO..................................p. 5

Zibo Rainbow..........................p. 41

pax international magazine

Documents

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c o mn e w s

contributora r t d e

e n tpatrick balanquit

o f f i c e srick lundstrom

i s h e raijaz khanemail

international travel