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2012 DIGITAL SUMMER EDITION

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A taste of the world

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

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EDITOR’S LETTER

Remembering

Willie

n the days and weeks to come, the people who have spent decades in travel catering will be talking about how this industry was shaped in no small way by the presence of Willie Seeman. The Founder – President of what is now the International Travel Catering Association passed away June 21. Though he had been largely away from activities recently, the one image I’m going to recall is seeing Willie at one of the ITCA conferences, standing alone on the second level of one of the event venues, elbows fixed on the railing, looking out over the people and stands from a high vantage point. I only saw him for a few seconds, but it seemed to me he was deep in thought and I remember wondering what he was thinking. One of the amazing things about the encounter was that it wasn’t that long ago. Willie Seeman, who died at the age of 89, came from that generation where many men would work well into advanced age. It didn’t

matter which country or what they did. In the early 90’s I lunched in the Mare section of Paris with Jean Valby, who, at 90 was still head of the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs. After a long French lunch that included wine and cognac he headed back to work, while I went back to the hotel room to sleep. Why do they continue? Reasons are probably different for each person. But I think often it has to be that there’s something that needs to be done; and if I’m not there, it’s not going to get done right. Other memories are more lighthearted, and gave me a glimpse into another side of Willie. I’m going to remember how he called my Ricky – one of the few people besides my father to do that. I’ll remember his curmudgeonly threat to hunt me down at midnight if I didn’t treat him fairly following an interview in Singapore. I’ll also remember the folks at Association Services laughing about the fact that at the IFSA conference in Orlando, Willie and I were spotted on the same day wearing identical shirts. In looking around the Internet for information on Willie, little is found. But I came across this line from a publication called Feast Magazine in a story about ITCA: “Each Mercury statuette has been cast from the original Mercury statue, which is in the safe keeping of Founder- President Willie Seeman, who donated the award 28 years ago as the truly global recognition of excellence in our business.” The keeper of Mercury is gone, and the segment of the industry that Willie worked for decades has changed much. But it’s not hard to imagine him still watching over things somewhere.

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

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

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

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PAX International is published six times a year (January/February, March/April, May, June/July/August, September/October, November/December) by PAX International, 26 Pearl Street, Mississauga, Ontario L5M 1X2, Canada. International Distribution. Subscriptions: $200 for one year; $300 for two years; $400 for three years. Art and photographs will not be returned unless accompanied by return postage. The views expressed in this magazine do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the publisher or editor. July/August 2012, Vol. 16, No. 4. Printed in Canada. All rights reserved. Nothing may be reprinted in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher. © PAX International magazine

Rick Lundstrom Editor-in-Chief, PAX International

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J U LY / A U G U S T 2 0 1 2 | V O L . 1 6 , N O . 4

8 INDUSTRY FIGURES 13 PeoPle of Distinction

Contents EVENT REVIEW 8 aPot.asia forum 2012 tests ‘un-conference’ formula From June 12-14, the Hyatt Regency Incheon was the elegant setting for a unique and exciting gathering of inflight service and hospitality professionals focused on developing business and relations in the Asia Pacific region

REGIONAL REPORT: EMERGING MARKETS 10 culinary class for africa Servair Formation and the Institut Africain des Métiers de l’Aérien are in the second year of a program that fine-tunes chef skills in a growing region in need of trained professionals

11 tam’s feel-GooD flavor The Brazilian airline kicked off a transformational year with a new celebrity chef and a longtime sommelier and a merger partner in Chilean airline LAN

For this electronic issue, PAX International asked a few longtime industry professionals a short list of questions about their work, advice for new entrants and what they may have daydreamed about in their years in the travel catering business

16 next Generation PAX International speaks with a new generation of industry leaders about inspiration, valued mentors and the complex task of balancing change with tradition

TRADE SHOWS 19 the roaD to lonG beach PAX International highlights some exhibitors not to be missed at the upcoming IFSA Conference and Trade Show in September

22 GeneratinG buzz PAX International explores the realm of eye-catching displays and innovative designs that exhibitors are using within the travel catering industry to attract visitors and drive new business at tradeshows

D E PA R T M E N T S 4 EDITOR’S NOTE 6 NEWS/PEOPLE 26 ASSOCIATION NEWS 26 CALENDAR

On the cover: Business Class Crew on TAM Airlines of Brazil. Photo Courtesy TAM by Gladstone Campos

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NEWS

Malaysian Style Curry Beef with Steamed Rice and Vegetable

AIRLINE

Dragonair menu spans cuisine from nine countries Dragonair has unveiled its new Asian Delights menu of signature dishes for Business Class now on flights to and from Beijing and Shanghai through mid-April 2013. From surveys, Dragonair found that passengers had a preference for varied Asian dishes. Planners developed new menu that includes more than 80 dishes drawn from the cuisines of nine Asian countries: Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Indonesia, India and the Philippines. The menu features a range of popular Asian specialties including Singaporean coconut rice, Malaysian laksa, tom yum from Thailand,

Indian curry, miso dishes from Japan, Korean ginseng among other offerings. “Asian tastes have become increasingly popular among our passengers and now, thanks to a great effort by our catering team and catering provider, we are offering a wider range of exciting Asian dishes to satisfy customers’ needs,” said Dragonair General Manager Inflight Services Cecilia Leung. “We hope our passengers enjoy the Asian Delights choices no matter whether they are on business trips or leisure journeys with family or friends.” A look at Dragonair’s varied menu can be found here.

Etihad goes down on the farm for eggs, honey Etihad Airways has recently purchased 200 laying hens that are being raised free-range at Abu Dhabi Organics Farms for the carrier’s Diamond First Class service and its popular ‘eggs any style’ breakfast option, prepared fresh by onboard chefs. In addition to the hens, honey produced by the bees in three hives will be served exclusively to Etihad passengers in several dishes. “Etihad Airways is immensely proud of the range of its fresh in-flight produce, and the addition of eggs from our own freerange hens gives an indication of what we strive for so our customers receive the finest, healthiest, and home produced items on our menus,” said Lee Shave, Etihad Airways’ Vice President Guest Experience. “As the national airline of the UAE, we are committed to sourcing and using ‘Product of the UAE’ items wherever and whenever possible, and our partnership with Abu Dhabi Organics Farms is a great example of how we work together with UAE companies to bring local products to the world.” Etihad Airways is planning to introduce its first entirely

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JULY/AUGUST 2012

organic, local dish, the Tomato Caprese Salad, to the Diamond First class Mezoon Grille menu. The salad’s ingredients will be cherry tomato, basil, rocket leaf lettuce, mozzarella, and olive oil with organic products of the UAE. The airline is also developing a line of signature pickles made from entirely organic ingredients such as paprika, chilli, onion, capsicum, and dates. They will be served with warm bread and a range of cheese. Khalid Al Shamsi, an Emirati national passionate about organic living, established Abu Dhabi Organics Farms in 1997. The farms cover more than 55 hectares of land and feature greenhouses and fields. The farm produces more than 60 organic vegetables, fruits and herbs, as well as poultry and livestock. Abu Dhabi Organics Farms works with the Food & Agricultural Organization of the United Nations and has been awarded the food security medal. It is also a member of the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM), which issues accreditation and certificates for organic produce.

A chef at Etihad poses with one of the airline’s laying hens

NEWS Qantas announces new uniform designer

Finnair Deli concept includes Starbucks, French fries, and “Scandinavian tapas” Finnair is experimenting with a new deli concept in Economy Class on flights between Manchester and Helsinki through October of this year. The goal, says the airline, is to gather information on customer preferences as well as the impacts of buy on board service to the customer service procedures. The trial is a part of Finnair’s continuous service development. The new Finnair Deli menu has French fries and pizza as well as “Scandinavian tapas” plates with reindeer mousse and smoked elk. Starbucks’ coffee, tea and hot chocolate complement the beverage selection, while different drink and snack combos are also available. The Deli menu is available in economy class. In business class, the meal is included in the ticket price. For customers in either class transferring via Helsinki to or from Finnair’s 11 Asian destinations, a complimentary snack box is included in the price of the ticket. “Many of our customers would like to have more freedom of choice on what they eat on these kinds of short flights”, says Maarit Keränen, Head of Service Concept. “With this trial, we hope to gather information about customer preferences and views on buy on board selection, in order to be able to further develop our service offering.” The five-month trial started in June. Finnair flies from Manchester to Helsinki 14 times per week. A majority of the passengers on these flights continue from Helsinki to one of Finnair’s 11 Asian destinations.

Qantas announced at the end of May that Martin Grant will be the leading Australian designer to develop airline’s new uniform. “Martin’s work reflects modern and contemporary designs and we were extremely impressed with his appreciation for the Qantas brand and his enthusiasm to design the next installment of the Qantas uniform,” Qantas CEO Alan Joyce said. Grant said it was an honor to be selected as the new Qantas uniform designer. “I’ve already had the opportunity to engage with a number of employees across the business and I look forward to working with them again as we develop the uniform.” The next stage in the design process will see Grant working with the Qantas uniform panel and collaborating with Qantas employees to evolve concepts and designs. The uniform panel is composed of uniformed employees representing their colleagues across the business, to provide feedback on elements such as design, wear and comfort. Qantas aims to have its international and domestic cabin crew and ground staff sporting the new design in 2014.

PEOPLE NEWS

RCI’s Weber honored with Silver Plate

Green Gourmet’s MD commended for company success

Frank Weber, vice president of Food and Beverage for Royal Caribbean International, Royal Caribbean was recognized with the International FoodInternational’s service Manufacturers Association (IFMA) Frank Weber Silver Plate Award in the Hotel and Lodging category. IFMA recognizes excellence and outstanding innovative talents in nine segments of foodservice operations. A jury of trade press editors and previous award recipients chooses winners. “I am honored to receive the IFMA Silver Plate Award and the acknowledgements from not only an industry organization but from my peers as well,” said Mr. Weber. “This recognition reaffirms Royal Caribbean’s commitment to continually deliver the Royal Advantage to our guests through diverse and innovative dining concepts that rival any land-based establishments.”

UK Based food innovation company, Green Gourmet, is celebrating after its Managing Director Julie Moore was highly commended at the Institute of Directors South West Director of the Year Awards. Moore steered the Gloucestershire company through a recessionary environment after joining as Managing Director in 2008. She has doubled the company's sales, maintaining double digit growth in each year, and has increased profit. Part of the strategy was expanding the business from its education institutional catering niche into the wider foodservice market to develop a more sustainable base as the business grows. The company has since branched into the transportation sector, supplying products to airlines and railroads.

gategroup appoints new Head of Corporate Communications Jean-Luc Ferrazzini will be the new Head of Corporate Communication for gategroup starting, August 1. Ferrazzini’s most recent job was as Chief Communications Officer of Kaba Management + Consulting AG, a provider of solutions in the premium segment of the security industry. From 2000 to 2003, he was Head of Communications of the Service Center Distribution of SRG SSR idée Suisse (Swiss National Television). From 2003 to 2005 he was Head of Public Relations of Bruno Piatti AG.

New sales support at UNISET Anne Kathrine Husted has been added to the Sales Supporter Airline Division UNISET a developer of toys and gadgets for airline travel. She recently completed her internship with the Denmark-based company, while completing her education in marketing management this summer. She will be the full-time assistant to the company’s Charlotte Gade. Responsibilities include order processing and coordinating special artwork to the airlines and launching new product lines. Anne Kathrine Husted

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EVENT REVIEW

APOT.Asia Forum 2012 tests ‘un-conference’formula

Attendance up for second APOT.Asia forum, hosted by Korean Air at the Hyatt Regency Incheon by Maryann SiMSon rom June 12-14, the Hyatt Regency Incheon was the elegant setting for a unique and exciting gathering of inflight service and hospitality professionals focused on developing business and relations in the Asia Pacific region. Hosted by Korean Air and sponsored by key industry players like Diageo, Pernod Ricard, gategroup, Thales, Panasonic, FROMA, CJ Group, BUZZ and many more - the second annual Asia Pacific Onboard Travel (APOT) Forum featured educational seminars, keynote speakers, valuable networking opportunities and home-grown Korean entertainment in a casual setting conducive to open dialogue and the exchange of important ideas. The event’s three-day schedule had something to intrigue each of the more than 250 delegates who attended. June 12 saw six international culinary teams from some of the region’s top airline catering units battle it out in the kitchen as part of the second annual APOT.Asia Chef’s Competition. Other visitors spent the day setting up exhibit booths, touring the 38th Parallel separating North and South Korea or sightseeing in nearby Seoul. Later that evening all came together for a welcome barbeque by the hotel pool featuring an array of culinary delights, a fun casino theme, and even a splash or two as a few guests (who will remain anonymous) ended up going for an unexpected swim! Managing Director and Corporate Chef at happyK Solutions, Keerthi Hapugasdeniya, is both founder and organizer of APOT.Asia. At

David Loft, IFSA President encouraged APOT.Asia attendees to visit the IFSA Conference and Trade Show in Long Beach from September 18-20

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JULY/AUGUST 2012

the welcome reception, he took a moment to address the delegates, publicly thanking Heather Cho of Korean Air and APOT.Asia Chair for her enthusiastic support of the organization and gathering. Next he thanked the sponsors and delegates for their involvement before encouraging everyone to shun sleep in the exchange for memories of a great time together. Phillip Ho, Managing Director of Keisha Trading, traveled from Singapore to attend APOT.Asia for the second time. “What a meaningful forum we had in South Korea last week,” he told PAX International after the event. “We enjoyed ourselves with the networking parties into the wee hours with friends new and old. Just like last year, I had the opportunity to meet friends, associates and new contacts, while updating one another on the latest happening in our regions. It is well noted that this century belongs to AsiaPacific and there is an enormous growth in tourism coming out of China and India - as evidenced by the phenomenal purchase of aircraft we are seeing all across the board.” Ho added that he, like many other delegates, intends to continue to support this “un-conference” going forward. New ties to other key associations such as the International Flight Services Association (IFSA), Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX) and the Tax Free World Association (TFWA) brought heightened diversity to the list of guest speakers and discussion topics. After a warm welcome address from APOT.Asia Chair Heather Cho, IFSA President David Loft took the podium and offered his personal invitation each of the delegates to attend September’s IFSA Conference and Trade Show in Long Beach in addition to announcing the formation of the Communications Advisory Council (CAC). The CAC is intended to help the Association become more active in providing a united voice on matters involving the interests of the onboard services industry. Comprised of seasoned industry communications and marketing professionals, the Council will serve as a media spokesperson on topics related to broader industry issues, a resource for shared industry statistics and best practice information to help showcase industry commitments and will enhance membership communication.

Heather Cho, APOT.Asia Chair welcomed more than 200 delegates to Incheon on June 13 Chefs preparing a ‘mystery box’ menu for the Chef’s Competition

In addition to the ‘mystery box’ items, the six chef’s teams had a wide array of ingredients at their disposal

Joan Filippini, Senior Vice President Non Theatrical distribution for Paramount Pictures and APEX Treasurer also addressed the delegates on the morning of June 13, expressing the goals of the organization and the outlining the many synergies between these and the passenger-centric goals of groups such as APOT, IFSA and TFWA. Other morning speakers included Kim Young-bae, Executive Director of the IDTC (Incheon tourism development) who welcomed APOT.Asia on behalf of Incheon’s 2.8 million citizens, educated the group on the evolution of the local economy, potential for tourism, world-class international airport and its careful preservation of history and nature. William Huot-Marchand, Vice President Sales and International for Thales IFEC and Chris Lundquist, Vice President of Corporate Strategic Innovations at Panasonic Avionics Corporation each educated visitors on current programs and future innovations

which included time to visit exhibitor stands and an opportunity to experience the making of Korean-style foods.

Cooking up a winner

Delegates took advantage of breaks in the program to visit exhibitors

to come from their respective organizations, while Dr. Ian Lyons informed and entertained with a lively demonstration of the ways in which quantum engineering can help passengers and cabin crew achieve wellness inflight. Representatives from Korea Ginseng Group discussed the health benefits of Korean ginseng and CJ Cheiljedang (Korea’s leading food, pharmaceutical and bio company) lectured on the art of balancing the nutritional advantages of serving Korean cuisine inflight with the relative complexity of its preparation. CJ Group took a large stand in the exhibition area of the show where it displayed a number of innovative packaging solutions designed to simplify on-the-go preparation of Korea’s favorite meals and snacks. Breakout sessions included a luxury brand marketing perspective and the insights on power of partnerships from Roland Grohmann of FORMIA, a Rosé wine tasting seminar, an update by inflight retail company GuestLogix and a look at the advanced short and long haul passenger cabins of the

The winning menu from Team Abu Dhabi

future from Ingo Wuggetzer, Vice President of Cabin Innovation and Design at Airbus. After a buffet-style dinner onboard a river boat June 15, delegates were treated to an impressive display of fireworks set to music (both sponsored by Korean Air) and danced to the sounds of a local DJ on the vessel’s top deck before boarding buses back to the Hyatt Regency to rest before the next day’s program,

APOT.Asia ended with a diner gala on June 16, where creative courses were served to guests; and dazzling Korean-style entertainment (in the form or drums, dance and theatrics) was in no short supply. Another highlight of the night’s festivities was the announcement of the winning chef duo from the second annual APOT.Asia Chef’s Competition. Team Abu Dhabi, made up of Nadeem Farooq, Executive Sous Chef, Menu Design & Development at Abu Dhabi In-Flight Catering and Etihad Airways’ own Inflight Chef Francoise van Zyl took home the prestigious crystal awards in addition to two Korean Air tickets presented by Heather Cho. PAX International caught up with Farooq,

As part of the Farewell Dinner, Heather Cho posed for a photo with all the Chef’s Competition contestants

The winning menu: Starter: Eel variation - Eel cooked three ways Eel terrine with baby asparagus, spicy eel paupiette with herb salad and squid ink tuile and eel ravioli with burnt sage butter. Main: Beef flank rolled with olive and fresh herbs accompanied by sweet potato stacks, fresh garden vegetables and sesame leaves stuffed with exotic mushrooms and herbed beef jus. Dessert: Mango pannacota accompanied by a homemade ginseng ice cream and caviar of grape juice and blue caracou, finished off with fresh vanilla and berry compote.

who partook in – and won - the competition for the second time in South Korea. “APOT Bali gave me the first chance to prove myself. Being the joint winner there gave me that extra push to defend my title,” he said. “Since this year’s theme was ‘mystery box’, our strategy as a team was to use the main ingredients and showcase them in various cooking methods.” According to Farooq, he was initially a little intimidated by the contents of the box (eel, fresh ginseng, apple mango and beef flank), as the eel and ginseng were unfamiliar to him as a chef hailing from the Middle East. “When I saw both of those ingredients I was blank for a few seconds,” he revealed. “But once I felt the texture of the fish and tasted the ginseng, I had a lot of ideas running through my mind. We were a bit slow to get off the blocks after opening the box, but had a very well balanced menu in the end. It gives a chef extreme satisfaction and joy to compete and win against top chefs from various countries. This award is yet another feather in Abu Dhabi In-flight Catering Company’s hat.”

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PAX INTERNATIONAL

REGIONAL REPORT

TAM’s

Chef Bel Coelho. Photo by JR Duran

feel-good

flavor

The Brazilian airline kicked off a transformational year with a new celebrity chef and a longtime sommelier and a merger partner in Chilean airline LAN by

he Brazilian Airline TAM may be looking beyond its horizons, merging key parts of its operation with another successful South American carrier and preparing for a future where the sports world will flock to its shores, but its selections for food service in the front and back cabins have an eye for the simple and satisfying. In January of this year, TAM launched its Flavor That Makes You Feel Good menu developed by Brazilian Chef Bel Coelho. The service is rounded out with a selection of international wines picked by consultant Arthur Azevedo of the Brazilian Association of Sommeliers and topped off with an important component – a popular tea blend whose red hues symbolize life and infused with the fruity and herbal flavors of a tropical country.

Rack of Lamb with Couscous served in First Class on TAM. Photo by Gladstone Campos

rick LundStroM

Other preparations are on the horizon. A sports-crazy country is preparing to host two of the largest sporting events in the world – World Cup Soccer in 2014 and the Summer Olympics in 2016. Both events hold the promise of placing Brazil in the center of the world’s attention and filling the cabins of TAM in the short term. The airline is also betting that the events will carry over to a permanent flow of more than half a million international passengers each year. But, for now, passengers on TAM are enjoying a menu developed by Chef Bel Coelho, who has a restaurant in Sao Paulo called Dui (www.duirestaurante.com.br). Coelho played an important role in not only developing the new menu items, but also selecting aspects of the theme, whicth stresses wellness and nature. “TAM’s menu offers passengers meals that are a well-balanced combination of functional, whole and organic ingredients,” said a spokesman from TAM at TAM. “Which are then prepared to give nutrient-rich dishes with a feeling of lightness, well-being and satisfaction.” Like many airlines in South America, TAM relies heavily on food service to set it apart from the competition. Themes are changed yearly in January. Last year, TAM started out the year with a Mediterranean themed product. Planners at the airline were at work through 2011, scouting out gastronomy trends and seeking out well-known chefs. “The theme must be a new trend, but one that for obvious reasons is practical to the restraints of commercial aviation,” said the spokesman. “The Inflight Services team then visits all our international caterers and they taste each of the dishes, which can number more than 800.”

Blender Carla Sauerssig created a popular tea flavor for TAM. Photo by Marie Hippenmeyer

The big

A small sample of the offerings in long-haul first class on TAM reveal a number of international influences: Appetizers include Smoked Haddock with an Apricot, Tamarind and Macadamia Nut Comfit or Parma Ham with Artichoke Hearts and Baby Arugula. Five entrees are part of First Class: Rack of Lamb with Morrocan Couscous with Almonds and Raisin and Steamed Asparagus; Fillet of John Dory with Quinoa and Butter Zucchini; Chicken Fillet in an Herb Sauce served with Potatoes and Roasted Vegetables; Ravioli stuffed with Buffalo Mozzarella, Sun Dried Tomatoes and Pesto. Since the launch, TAM has been seeking out the opinions of crew and passengers on the offering. “We are always receiving feedback from this and then we contact our caterers in order to make any changes thought necessary,” said the spokesman. Another small, but important part of the service has been TAM’s ongoing association with tea blender Carla Sauerssig who the airline calls “the leading tea specialist in Brazil.” Her specially developed blend for TAM has proven popular enough to be carried over to another year. “With a mix and blend that has the fruity and herbal flavors of a tropical country, as well as a floral tone and sweet vanilla background, which represent the best moments in life,” says a description of the blend. Sommelier Arthur Azevedo selected these wines for long-haul first class. Photo by Gladstone Campos

games

Visitors by the hundreds of thousands will be arriving in Brazil in two years looking to experience some of the best moments in their lives. During the 45 days of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, TAM expects to handle an additional 2.5 million passengers on international and domestic routes. “The air traffic, during the event period will emulate that expected by 2020,” said an assessment from the airline. During the first week of the big soccer tournament, scheduled at venues around Brazil, weekly international passenger arrivals will more than double the current 150,000 per week into the country. The airline also anticipates the buzz over Brazil will mean an additional halfmillion passengers per year. “For our part, we have our fleet plan prepared to meet the demand in the period of the World Cup and are quite optimistic with the changes that the Brazilian government is adopting for the area,” said the airline. The additional traffic has meant fleet planning for the airline. During 2012 and 2013 TAM will be taking delivery of eight 777s. In February 2011 TAM announced that it has ordered 32 A320s and two additional 777-300ER’s in a deal that has been pegged at US$3.2 billion. The 777-300ER’s will be delivered in 2014 giving the airline 12 Boeing aircraft in its fleet. TAM is keeping some of the plans under wraps for now. In 2009, the carrier hired the UK design firm of Priestmangoode to redesign the interiors of its aircraft. The new looks are scheduled to be flying by August of this year. A few aspects of the inflight service changes were put through a trial program last year, when passengers on TAM aircraft were able to make phone calls and send text and e-mail messages and access the Internet on selected short haul flights through its program with OnAir. The service on TAM’s long-haul fleet is expected to be completed in the second half of this year, while installation on its short-haul fleet has been ongoing since last year.

LATAM Group now unite LAN and TAM The newest South American powerhouse airline group was finalized at the end of June when LAN and TAM completed the share exchange offer and merger forming the LATAM Airlines Group, S.A. The two airlines will continue to operate under their existing brands, said a joint release from the LATAM Group June 22. However, passengers in the region will notice more ease of travel with increased connectivity, improved routes and frequency and reduced connection times. By June 27 passengers, were able to earn frequent flier miles on the LANPASS and TAM Fidelidade programs. The share exchange is the end result of a process that began in August 2010. By January of 2011, the two airlines announced they had entered into a binding agreement, and sought the approval of the two countries’ civil aviation bodies. The LATAM Group will be offering passengers access to 150 destinations in 22 countries. “This is the beginning of a long journey and the benefits to our customers will be added gradually as the integration of our companies’ progresses,” said Ignacio Cueto, who will be the new CEO of LAN Airlines.

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EMERGING MARKETS

Culinary class for Africa

Servair Formation and the Institut Africain des Métiers de l’Aérien are in the second year of a program that fine tunes chef skills in a growing region in need of trained professionals arlier this year, the first nine students ended hands-on training in the classroom and at Servair’s unit in Bamako, Mali as part of a partnership with the Institut Africain des Métiers de l’Aérien (African Air Careers Institute). The instruction came in part with Servair’s training subsidiary called Servair Formation. In Mali, Servair Formation offers two types of instruction ranging from two weeks to nine months. Students learn to create dishes from local products and to improve hygiene practices and dining room service. In this issue’s Industry Q and A Servair Formation’s head Stephane Perreau talked about the new operation and how it will serve West Africa as the region takes on more and more air travel.

PAX International: In the year since it was launched, how many students have been trained at IAMA? Where are the graduates working now? Are graduates all in airline catering or are they in restaurant/hotel work as well? Stephane Perreau: IAMA trains several hundred students per year; employees of airport assistance companies and airline operators, in Mali and in most of its neighboring countries. Training in catering and food is provided in association with Servair Formation. In March 2012, nine cooking staff of the AZALA hotel group was trained by Servair’s Corporate Chef, Michel Quissac, who taught them culinary techniques and about Servair's expertise in this field. The students trained for work in the air sector and in the hotel and catering sector. The aim is to provide comprehensive training adapted to the needs of the air and hotel catering industries. PAX: What was the motivation to the start the program in Bamako? Perreau: Africa is a boom continent for the air, hotel and catering industries, due mainly to the growth in tourism and the arrival of more and more airline operators. The continent’s major resource is its human capital, desirous of support in career development towards positions of responsibility in work sectors with a high development potential. One of these countries in expansion, Mali, is the second biggest tourist destination in West Africa and is a hothouse of professionals and young talent looking to move forward and develop their skills. To support them, the agency for the safety of air traffic in Africa and Madagascar (ASECNA) and Air France set up the Institut Africain des Métiers de l’Aérien (African Air Careers Institute) in 2005. Its main purpose is to provide training to the employees of African companies working in the air transport sector. As an air careers and catering expert and a subsidiary of Air France, Servair Formation, which Servair Formation’s steers the development Stephane Perreau. Photo by Laurence Videl

PAX INTERNATIONAL

JULY/AUGUST 2012

of skills and knowledge of Servair’s employees in France and throughout the world, has joined forces with Servair Mali for this ambitious project. Servair Formation today provides expertise and know-how in catering, food and the air industry to hundreds of students. PAX: How was the location picked? Perreau: The IAMA institute has its offices at Bamako Senou International Airport, at the country's economic and social hub. Bamako is, after Dakar and Abidjan, the third-biggest economic platform in West Africa. Furthermore, its geographical position makes it a strategic crossroads and the airport receives daily flights from Paris. Its geographical proximity to companies and the airport means that organizations and students gain in flexibility and efficacy. Finally, Mali’s leading authorities have shown an interest in this project from the outset and have always given it great support. PAX: How did you decide on the curriculum? What are some of the most important elements? Perreau: Servair Formation put together a training program that met the expectations of employees, hotel companies and air-sector players. There was no approved organization or structure (of this type) in Mali or in the whole of French-speaking Africa. For example, the development of training programs in cooking techniques was started because the local offer in this field was nonexistent. The same goes for the modules on creating a tasting menu and on customer service. IAMA and Servair Formation are committed to providing effective, recognized training courses that meet the needs of Mali's professionals. PAX: This must be a significant investment in personnel and facilities on Servair's part. How are your costs recouped? Perreau: In the context of the IAMA-Servair partnership, which concerns culinary training only, the human and material investment is basically provided by Servair. IAMA indeed uses trainers who are experts in their field and who come from Servair and Servair Formation. IAMA also uses Servair Mali's infrastructures and premises for all "cooking techniques" training courses. Theory classes are given on the Institute's premises. Like any training organization, IAMA invoices its services to its customers at a fair price. PAX: What sort of cooperation or partnerships from Mali are you working with? Perreau: IAMA currently includes partners such as Air France, the Agency for Aerial Navigation Safety in Africa and Madagascar (ASECNA) and Mali's national authorities. International and local accreditation organizations, such as IATA, International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), Malien FAFPA (the help Funds for professional training and apprenticeship) also work with IAMA. Since 2005, a wide range of companies have used the IAMA institute, including Air Burkina, Aéroports du Cameroun, ATS Assistance Aéroportuaire and a travel agency called Avia Voyages.

INDUSTRY FIGURES

“The unexamined life is not worth living” – Socrates For this electronic issue, PAX International asked a few longtime industry professionals a short list of questions about their work, advice for new entrants and what they may have daydreamed about in their years in the travel catering business Bob Shepherd, Managing Director, Alpha Mainland Europe/USA, Alpha Flight A. Looking back, what have been the most rewarding aspects and experiences of your time in the industry? Three instantly come to mind: 1) Being at the forefront of ‘Inflight Retailing’ with Alpha in the 1990’s; which culminated, subsequently several years later, in an industry first airline ancillary revenue stream: selling ‘food product on board online’, under the brand name d’lish. Alpha’s d’lish program effectively provided ‘direct online food retail for onboard consumption.’ The key initiative was that, exceptionally, the passenger could order what they wanted. Passengers selected the food product, on line, during or after the ticket booking process. For this innovation we, through Alpha’s Product Development Department, devised an upscale food product with contemporary ‘high street’ packaging. Alpha invested in a ‘retail on line’ website, uniquely at the time for a caterer, that hyper linked to the airlines’ reservation website. There are many industry conversations about ‘working together’ certainly with the d’lish product, delivery and service innovation, we seamlessly secured the true active partnership of the visionary Board of ‘Virgin Express’ in Brussels. 2) Strategically successfully developing and rationalizing markets through acquisitions and joint ventures both in central and western mainland Europe and then subsequently developing and managing differing cultures in these diverse, dynamic markets. 3) Overcoming the ongoing cycles of crisis in the airline industry, which continue to put extreme pressure on the onboard product and service, particularly as ‘Flight Catering’ is frequently viewed as a discretionary cost.

B. If you had the power, what is one aspect of the industry you would change and how would you change it? Only one that is a little unfair - to commonly agree the proposition that ‘’catering and related service product onboard, do and can represent true ‘passenger value’, in all cabins of the aircraft” Why? - in many segments passengers are prepared to pay for the same product and service. How? - continue to develop the value debate. And change perceptions and thereby, ultimately, eradicate the concept that over 50,000 catering items processed, packed and loaded on an aircraft, by human beings, cannot be commoditized as ‘Flight Catering’. C. Any advice for new entrants in the industry? Do you mean apart from needing a good sense of humor? As a minimum to be dedicated, driven, determined and above all focus on the detail if you are not diligently focused on the Detail, the EBITDA will miss you. D. If you could have been in ANY other profession (i.e. firefighter, scientist, astronaut etc.) what would it be and why? Diplomat: although a couple of my colleagues would question this. Master of Wine: just one more set of exams to achieve! Investment Banker: a breeze compared to being a flight caterer!

John Long, Executive Vice President Business Development at Flying Food Group

A. Looking back, what have been the most rewarding aspects and experiences of your time in the industry? The ability to meet people from diverse cultural backgrounds, develop friendships and travel the world!

C. Any advice for new entrants in the industry? Learn the art of listening and take the time to really understand the needs of your customers, and what is important for them.

B. If you had the power, what is one aspect of the industry you would change and how would you change it? It’s really out of my control as market conditions dictate the reality of the dayto-day opportunities and challenges.

D. If you could have been in ANY other profession (i.e. firefighter, scientist, astronaut etc.) what would it be and why? In retrospect, I feel very lucky to have followed the career path I did.

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Hideo Miyabe, Managing Director-Customer Sales and Service TFK Corporation A. Looking back, what has been the most rewarding aspects and experiences of your time in the industry? Other than meeting many fine and outstanding people in the industry over many years, building lasting relationships, and extensive travel to very interesting places, one of the highlights was as Chairman of the IFSA Asia Pacific Conference Planning Committee. Our first conference was in Tokyo which was a very exciting experience followed by successful conferences on Jeju Island Korea, Phuket, Thailand and in Singapore. B. If you had the power, what is one aspect of the industry you would change and how would you change it? Of course we face very challenging times in the industry and are under constant cost pressure which is very important, but I would like to see a more balanced relationships in our industry between buyers and suppliers that would be more based upon partnerships, relationships, synergies, and win-win situations rather than solely a price based result regardless of any other factors.

times. These days we seem to be in constant crisis with one thing after another. An event can come out of the blue from some unexpected place to upset carefully laid plans and efforts. However, our in-flight catering industry is very challenging and can be highly rewarding, for me the most rewarding is personal relationships built over the years within the in-flight catering family which is rather small.

D. If you could have been in ANY other profession (i.e. firefighter, scientist, astronaut etc.) what would it be and why? I would like to have been an artist, more specifically a musician. I enjoy music by playing in a band and know how difficult it is to master musical instruments. Music performed by professionals really touches my heart and makes C. Any advice for new entrants in the industry? I would advise that our industry is very tough and the economic cycles me calm. It would make me very happy if I could give people inspiseem to get smaller and smaller between the good times and bad ration and move their hearts as a musician.

Martyn Jelley, Global Accounts Director - Food Service and In-Flight Diversey, now a part of Sealed Air A. Looking back, what has been the most rewarding aspects and experiences of your time in the industry? Having worked for Diversey for over 30 years and within the inflight catering and associated industries for some 20 years, the most rewarding aspect of this has been my ability to get my company Diversey, now a part of Sealed Air, to a position where we are the global market leader in the provision of hygiene and sanitation products and systems to the in-flight catering industry. We now have global agreements and great relationships with most of the global players within the airline catering industry. B. If you had the power, what is one aspect of the industry you would change and how would you change it? To take us back to the days when you could expect a great inflight meal, irrespective of the carrier or the class of travel. C. Any advice for new entrants in the industry?

Ensure you understand the key elements of the industry. Be prepared to "walk the walk and talk the talk" and get to know the great people that work in this industry. Always be prepared to manage change. Nothing stays the same for long in this industry. D. If you could have been in ANY other profession (i.e. firefighter, scientist, astronaut etc.) what would it be and why? An astronaut. I recall the great speaker Buzz Aldrin (the second man to walk on the moon) we had some years ago when I attended IFSA in Boca Raton. I was blown away and hearing what he had to say made me feel that I really wanted to experience space.

Bill Braun, Managing Director of Global Sales and Marketing at Chelsea Food Services ter and better if you work hard and deliver good results. But, expect to work lots of hours, weekends, nights, holidays, seven-day weeks, etc. The industry will be full of mergers, acquisitions, bankruptcies, downsizings, fuel price changes, strikes, etc. You may be required to relocate at some (or several) B. If you had the power, what is one aspect of the industry you points in your career in order to advance your position. You may change companies at would change and how would you change it? The industry is exciting and ever-changing and the new challenges one or more times in your career. are ongoing. I wouldn’t change anything. D. If you could have been in ANY other profession (i.e. firefighter, scientist, astronaut etc.) what would it be and why? C. Any advice for new entrants in the industry? It’s an exciting business with lots of great opportunities to advance, I would have pursued a career with Marriott Hotels or commercial travel, and meet people from all walks of life. Your pay will get bet- real estate. A. Looking back, what has been the most rewarding aspects and experiences of your time in the industry? 1) Living and working in some great cities. 2) Learning from some “industry great” managers in several assignments throughout my career. 3) Traveling throughout the world and meeting lots of great people.

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INDUSTRY FIGURES

Taking the reins

Maryann SiMSon

PAX International speaks with a new generation of industry leaders about inspiration, valued mentors and the complex task of balancing change with tradition

t might be easy for some to develop the preconception that second-generation leaders of successful family-owned business don’t have to do much to prepare for taking the reins of these previously established companies. It may seem to many, that for those born into an industry and fully immersed in it from childhood, the foun-

Albert D. Uster Albert D. Uster II, Director of International Business at Albert Uster Imports (AUI), discovered a love of cooking early in life. He knew from a young age that one day he would join the family business and set about collecting a wealth of education and experience in the culinary field to help him do just this. “My father always supported me and advised me to get as much professional training and practical experience as possible, since he and I both understand what it means to be an artisan,” Uster recently revealed. “These experiences provided the backbone and set me on the path to pursue a future in the food import business.” Uster’s father, Albert Uster Sr., left some fairly tall boots to be filled. A talented chef who trained in some of the most prestigious kitchens and finest hotels of Europe and the United States, he established AUI in 1968 after winning a bid to develop and run the Watergate Terrace Restaurant and Pastry Shop in Washington D.C. Unable to source the fine quality products he needed in the United States, Uster’s search brought him back to his homeland of Switzerland. Soon, this search for premium products developed into a business which now spans the globe. “My first position at AUI was as a Sales Representative,” says Uster. “Eventually I grew from there to become Sales Manager. In 2011, I was given the privilege of working as the Director of International Business.

dations have been set and much of the grunt work completed. PAX International recently sat down with several second and third generation administrators from around the travel catering industry to dispel any such notions and discuss the process by which they grew into their current roles. I believe it is especially important to work one’s way up and across different roles within a company so that one can gain an understanding of each department and how they interact.” Like his father did before him, Uster also looked outside the company to collect knowledge that would help him hone his culinary skills and better anticipate the needs of AUI’s growing customer base. He spent three years as an apprentice pastry chef and confectioner in Zurich, followed by several internships in the city of Brussels, before joining up with the AUI Research and Development kitchen back in the United States. Additionally, a stretch in the consumer goods purchasing department for Procter and Gamble in Geneva added a business prowess to Uster’s resume. “My time in the kitchens provided me with strong background knowledge in food and an understanding of the dynamics in food service and organization that are essential to properly importing, informing and selling to customers,” says Uster, adding that his time at Procter and Gamble was equally beneficial. “It was here that I applied my business skills, which helped my career’s plan inch one step further to joining AUI. Ultimately, my practical experience as a chef, my education and my business skills allow me to effectively relate to our customers as well as anticipate their needs.” This ability to anticipate changing needs and forecast the moods of the market will serve Uster well in his newly appointed position.

“I believe it is especially important to work ones way up and across different roles within a company, so that one can gain an understanding of each department and how they interact.”

Albert D. Uster II, Director of International

Business at Albert Uster Imports (AUI)

“Since the foodservice industry is constantly evolving and has become hyper-competitive, we as a company will only remain a leader by addressing what our customers need and want,” he says. “In today’s market, we aim to provide high-quality, yet competitively priced products across many industry segments. Differentiation and USP’s are very important.” Recently, AUI expanded into the savory and beverage markets and began to exclusively import and distribute products from BRUAN: a premium, value collection of pastry and baking ingredients.

PAX INTERNATIONAL

JULY/AUGUST 2012

Katrin Moos-Achenbach After graduating from secondary school, Katrin-Moss Achenbach began a three year apprenticeship at the five-star Traube-Tonbach Hotel in Baiersbronn, Germany, to become a â&#x20AC;&#x153;Hotelfrachfrauâ&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201C; meaning a specialist in the hotel business. Upon completion of this endeavour, she worked as a sales assistant for the Hotel Sonne in Frankenburg for one year and attended hotel management school at Heidelberg University, before going on to a practical placement in Dubai with one of Achenbach Delikatessen-Manufakturâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s importers in preparation for joining the family business. According to Moos-Achenbach, her penchant for edible creations began long before any of this formal training took place. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Through our family enterprise, I have been in contact with the food business since my early childhood,â&#x20AC;? she told PAX International. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Furthermore, my dad is a master-chef who loves to cook at home, so I simply could not avoid developing a passion for good food.â&#x20AC;? Moos-Achenbach and her sisters performed various jobs within the family business as they were growing up â&#x20AC;&#x201C; something that MoosAchenbach says helped her to learn about the internal structure of the specialty food company and major supplier to the inflight catering sector. Now in charge of marketing, public relations and export, MoosAchenbach also underscores several weeks spent in the production area of the company as a key experience, enhancing her understanding of the complexities of production flow and quality control. A sense of community and company culture is strong within Achenbach, and something that Moos-Achenbach is proud of. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Tradition is an important part of our family enterprise,â&#x20AC;? she explains. â&#x20AC;&#x153;My grandfather founded the company in 1954. Today my parents are leading it and my sister and I joined last year. Our main tradition is to produce high quality food products for our customers in Germany and abroad. Another tradition is the Rudolf Achenbach Award, which my grandfather initiated in 1975 together with the German Chefâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Association. It is a prestigious and demanding contest for young apprentice chefs within Germanyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hospitality sector.â&#x20AC;? Moos-Achenbach is quite happy and proud help form a third generation of leaders at Achenbach Delikatessen-Manufaktur. She looks forward to increasing export volumes by winning new customers and gaining traction in previously untapped regions through the development of attractive premium products and on-point marketing efforts which include a social media presence, new catalogue, English homepage(coming soon) and a current company portrait. â&#x20AC;&#x153;A family business is always a challenge,â&#x20AC;? she admits. â&#x20AC;&#x153;But having family around can be a very positive experience. When two generations work together and they have different opinions, they must find a compromise.â&#x20AC;?

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;Tradition is an important part of our family enterprise.â&#x20AC;? Katrin Moos-Achenbach

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INDUSTRY FIGURES

Anne Bauer

Jo-An Tremblay

According to Anne Bauer, recently appointed President, CEO and sixth generation leader of Racket Group, a non-food product supplier to the global airline industry, learning about a business from ground up is essential to a full understanding of programs and processes. Founded in Kansas City in 1891 as an outfitting post for travelers moving west on the Santa Fe and Oregon Trails, Racket has evolved from a general store, to a restaurant supply company and now to an international airline supplier with branch offices in Brussels and Hong Kong. “My first position with Racket was a summer internship in high school,” she recalls. “I spent the summer labelling and sorting envelopes for mass-mailing advertising. And that was the good job. I lucked out. My brother had to spend the summer in the warehouse doing spotchecks of inventory. At least I was in the air-conditioning!”

At just 20 years old, Jo-An Tremblay was well on her way to earning a Bachelor’s degree in Food Science at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, while at the same time working as a flight attendant for a Canadian carrier. Like many, she had never before paid much attention to airline food before a direct involvement with the industry, but it wasn’t long before her role in the cabin, combined with ongoing education in matters of food, led to a fascination that would eventually lead her into the flight catering industry. “I was always amazed at how our food quality seemed fairly consistent at different airports, whether we loaded meals in Barcelona, Manchester or Honolulu,” Tremblay admits. “I was also very intrigued at how organoleptic properties of food seemed to change at altitude; for example, why did food taste so salty on the ground compared to when it was served midflight? It seemed baffling to me that thousands of SKU’s were required to be boarded on one flight.” Tremblay went on to pursue a career that would allow her to merge her passion for food and the commercial aviation industry. In 2002 she achieved a Masters in Food Management at the University of Surrey in the UK where she wrote her thesis on the subject of branding inflight service. By 2007 she has become actively involved in the International Flight Service Association (IFSA) membership task force and learned about the various opportunities available through the association. She took note of those opportunities and in 2008 applied for the DSI Supply Chain Scholarship.

“You don’t make it six generations without a tradition of adaptability and a lot of tenacity!” Anne Bauer, President and CEO, Racket Group

Since then, Bauer has gone on to earn a diploma in English and psychology, to which she attributes her subsequent success in the management of her family’s business. “The foundation of any good business starts with clear communication; whether it is with your customers, your employees or your subcontractors. It is essential that information be exchanged clearly and efficiently,” she says. H.G. Wells once said “adapt or perish,” and Bauer tends to agree, adding that “You don’t make it six generations without a tradition of adaptability and a lot of tenacity!” She tells PAX International that in her opinion, the challenges she faces in her role today are really not all that dissimilar to those faced by the five generations that came before her. Sure, they may look different due to the pace of change in society at large, but at the core she tends to think that the practices and principles of a sound business are intrinsic. “Business has always been about people and we want our customers to feel a personalized experience,” she says. We strive to provide an old-fashioned quality customer service with modern convenience and accessibility. I want to emphasize the ‘small business’ feel of our company. I want our customers to know that every single employee at Racket is personally invested in meeting their airline’s challenges, requests and goals.

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JULY/AUGUST 2012

“It was very nice to be recognized as an up and comer in our industry. It was even more of a perk to use the scholarship funds to pursue a leadership program at Columbia University’s School of Business in New York City”

Jo-An Tremblay, US Partner, Aviate Consulting

“It felt amazing to win!” says Tremblay, who answered questions, wrote a short essay and provided references as part of the application process. “It was very nice to be recognized as an up and comer in our industry. It was even more of a perk to use the scholarship funds to pursue a leadership program at Columbia University’s School of Business in New York City.” Tremblay currently holds the position of US Partner with Aviate Consulting, where she cultivates business prospects in the Americas and APAC region.

TRADE SHOWS

The

road to

Long Beach

PAX International highlights some exhibitors not to be missed at the upcoming IFSA Conference and Trade Show in September

Circling the Globe in Service

Company: D&F Marketing, Inc. D&F Marketing, Inc. (DFMi) offers the highest quality products, with dedicated resources from around the world. Whether you need entrees or the trays that hold them, snacks, dinner rolls, gourmet desserts and the flatware used to enjoy them, or a refreshing beverage or your favorite juice mixer served in the glass to drink it from, DFMi can provide a full range of products to fully integrate the onboard experience. Proudly representing national brands such as: Hillshire Farms, Land O Lakes, Sara Lee Bakery, International Delight, Ocean Spray, Community Coffee, Godiva, La Croix, Taylor Farms, Bolthouse®, along with specialty companies like C.U.FR.OL Italian Olive Oils, Asher’s Chocolates, Preferred Meal Systems frozen entrees, DeBeukelaer, J&J Snacks, Uno Foods, Joseph’s Gourmet Pastas, Grecian Delight, Friends Just Wine, Mediterranean Snacks and Regenie’s Pita Chips. Last year Steelite International was added to the catalog, offering china, tableware and flatware. New products added this year are cleaning solutions for airplane lavatories or on the ground from Betco®; cleaning equipment from O’Dell; and multiplex film packaging for freezing, sealing, and heating from VacPac. With their newest alliance with SkyPro Shoes of Portugal, even your Flight Crews can enjoy the benefits of serving passengers in style and comfort! Visit D&F Marketing, Inc. at IFSA Long Beach: Booth #100-109; 200 (total of 11)

Innovations Ready for Takeoff!

Company: En Route International Don't miss En Route International at this year's IFSA event, not only will we be showcasing a variety of new concepts and products, we will also be celebrating our 10th anniversary. Along with our signature breads, why not take a look at our award winning brands, exclusively designed for travel, and our latest innovations ready for launch! We look forward to toasting our 10th birthday with you. Simply book an appointment with the Sales team for a chance to win an iPad2! Email: sales@en-route.com Visit En Route International at IFSA Long Beach: Booth #513

Quality Products and Outstanding Customer Service

Company: Flying Food Group Flying Food Group (FFG) is an internationally respected, large-scale caterer known for quality products and outstanding customer service. FFG produces over 300,000 meals daily for leading airline and retail customers. Founder (1983) and CEO Sue Ling Gin is still at the helm. FFG’s strategic network of 18 US kitchens stretches from Honolulu to New York City—plus a bustling kitchen in Shanghai, China. Airline catering kitchens are located close to terminals of major US airports. Airline customers are over 70 of the world’s top airlines, primarily international. These include Air France, Air India, Alitalia, British Airways, China Airlines, Etihad, Lufthansa, QANTAS, Singapore Airlines and TAM. Private label retail customers are respected global brands, and include Starbucks cafes across the US. The company continues to grow: based on the past two periods, the projected annualized meal run rate for 2012 is 97.5 million, up 6.5% over the annual run rate of 91.1 million in 2011. FFG employs over 3500 people worldwide. Five FFG kitchens at gateway cities are owned and operated by a longstanding partnership between Flying Food Group and Servair. Sue Gin is the first non-French citizen to join Servair’s board. Visit FFG: Booth #206P, 208P

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TRADE SHOWS

A Unique Product Expertise

Company: FORMIA FORMIA offers the travel industry a full range of quality amenity kits, cosmetics and comfort items as well as tailor-made in-flight service concepts. Over the past three decades, FORMIA has forged a unique product expertise in working with hotels and airlines. The company operates globally and brings a professional and distinctive approach to premium guest and in-flight service amenities. FORMIA combines its amenity expertise with a strong understanding of design, fashion, luxury and trends. Amongst FORMIA’s key pillars are a large portfolio of luxury and lifestyle retail brands sustained by the recognition of consumers’ behaviors and passengers’ expectations. FORMIA is contributing to change the industry by driving a more dynamic and up-to-date approach, highlighted every year by a trend forum the company organizes: the aim is to bring light on trends spotted and on the way they manifest throughout different industries, inspiring the travel business with relevant clues for products, services and communication. Renowned trendwatchers are invited to present latest trends under one theme: 2010 was the year of “Essential Reflections”, presented by trend futurist Kristina Dryza, 2011 saw trend analyst Raymond Kollau introduce “Echoes of the Past” whilst in 2012 Sarah Da Vanzo, trend-watcher, cultural strategist and futurist, shared insights on “The Quest for (my) Hedonism”. Visit FORMIA at World Travel Catering Expo April 9-11, 2013: Hall B4 booth 4B40

More Than 100 Happy Airline Customers

Company: F.S.P. GmbH Established in 2006 F.S.P GmbH is a top supplier of paper products to airlines large and small in every part of the globe. Located in the city of Emmerich near the German-Dutch border, F.S.P. GmbH has a modern 10,000 square meter production facility (near both Dusseldorf and Amsterdam Schiphol International Airports) with state of the art machines for cutting, printing and packaging paper goods suited perfectly to the airline sector. More than 100 airlines around the world have taken flight with various napkins, headrest covers, pillow covers, trolley covers, hot towels, cold towels and more from F.S.P. GmbH. Our famous non-skid tray mats are a true success. They are available with a high quality non-skid coating, that can be applied a variety of different papers including SM 60 or 80, airlaid white or colored, OS 70 and Toptex. Recently, we have launched colored TD material with printing options and non-skid coating. The raw material is 100% cellulose, an ideal choice for environmentally conscious airlines. Visit F.S.P GmbH at IFSA Long Beach: Booth #630

Industry Leader in Aseptic Packaging

Company: Leahy IFP With the “green” trend gaining traction in packaging, Leahy-IFP is ready with industry-leading capabilities to manufacture and package beverages in a sustainable and eco-conscious manner. From a 500-milliliter carton to a five-gallon bag-in-the-box, or a 1.5-liter stand up flexible pouch, LeahyIFP has the size and format to fit the needs of beverages like juices, teas, smoothies, wine and blended cocktails. With both Midwest and West coast manufacturing facilities, Leahy-IFP has a wide reach. The company’s aseptic processing and packaging results in products with a long shelf-life, which do not require refrigeration or preservatives. Aseptic (or carton) packaging also has supply chain advantages. With its lightweight material and standard cube design, the carton is more efficient and less expensive to ship. In fact, a truck carrying filled cartons to a retailer transports 91% product and only 9% packaging. Best of all is the consumer perception. Consumers recognize that cartons use less material, and create less waste compared to traditional packaging, resulting in a better eco-profile. Cartons are also viewed as superior with regard to storage and handling. Visit Leahy IFP at IFSA Long Beach: Booth #442

Innovative and Healthy Snack Options

Company: Transmed Foods Transmed Foods is part of the Crespo Group, which manufactures and distributes superior quality olive products on a worldwide basis. The Crespo Olive Group is one of the world's largest and best-known producers of Table Olives; we have a significant presence in the European market and have recently initiated a strategy to expand sales in the United States retail market, with new revolutionary packaging concepts. The CRESPO brand has become a true signature of quality on the world stage: its characteristics red and green colors can be found in 104 countries. For sheer range, variety and product know-how, the CRESPO organization truly is the world's olive-expert. At IFSA, we will be showcasing our delicious CRESPO Les Olives du Marche, an innovative and healthy snack option that every inflight passenger can enjoy. These seasoned gourmet olives are conveniently packaged in easy-to-open 1.06 oz pouches and are available in a wide variety of flavors, including herb and garlic, chili pepper, mixed cocktail, stuffed olives with blue cheese and many more. Visit Transmed Foods at IFSA: Booth #134

PAX INTERNATIONAL

JULY/AUGUST 2012

Premium Chocolate Confectionery Products

Company: Lily O’Briens Lily O’Brien’s has been creating premium chocolate confectionery products for the travel catering and airline sectors for over fifteen years. One of Ireland’s best-loved chocolatiers, the company was founded in a small Kildare kitchen in 1992 by Mary Ann O’Brien, who remains one of the company’s driving forces. Renowned for its commitment to innovation, product quality and style-driven packaging design, the company has built a reputation for excellence among its customers, competitors and consumers over the past two decades. In 2011 the company launched its new range of award-winning gourmet desserts, which include a variety of possets, mousses and cheesecakes; all created to meet Lily O’Brien’s exacting high standards. Lily O’Brien’s will be exhibiting in the AMI Booth at IFSA 2012, where it will be showcasing a wide range of chocolate and dessert offerings. Visit our booth to learn more about Lily O’Brien’s extensive range of exciting chocolate flavours and products including mini bars, 35g bars, cookies, single portion twist wraps and 2 choc boxes. Visit Lily O’Briens at IFSA Long Beach: AMI booth #417

The Finest Quality Stainless Steel Products

Company: Sola Airline Cutlery B.V. Founded in 1868 by the Gerritsen family in The Netherlands, Sola is a privately owned company that has developed into a well known and trusted international cutlery brand. The airline section of Sola has built up an excellent reputation for providing quality steel products in all required designs, volumes and quality. With our wide range of cutlery and hollowware available, we aim to enhance the dining experience by simply adding a touch of elegance. Sola has proven to be successful in creating new designs which can be supplied world-wide in any volume required. Sola Airline Cutlery B.V consists of a team of experienced staff, who take care of any of your questions and requirements from start of the process till final delivery. At the present time, we supply to 70 airlines worldwide, most of them for longer than 10 years already. We highly value the business we get from our existing clients and we always seek new business on a continuing basis. Visit Sola at IFSA: Booth #218P

TRADE SHOWS Frankenberg’s booth at the World Travel Catering and Onboard Services Expo in Hamburg this year offered live cooking capabilities, an eat-in kitchen with a front cooking desk and a large wooden table where guests can sit together to enjoy their food

Generating buzz PAX International explores the realm of eye-catching displays and innovative designs that exhibitors are using within the travel catering industry to attract visitors and drive new business at trade shows Lauren brunetti by

erving as a solitary marketing purpose, tradeshows are recognized as one of the most effective means of advertising, due to their ability to build new business relationships and create countless faceto-face networking opportunities. The unfortunate reality is that the competition can be fierce within this powerful marketing medium. Time and time again, exhibitors are often left rivaling for a booth that will stand out among the crowds, with the hope of attracting valuable traffic full of potential customers. PAX International recently spoke with several companies within the travel catering industry to discuss the competitive world of exhibiting at industry related trade shows.

Visual appeal and strategic design It is a well-known fact that people are more inclined to purchase products in great numbers when they can see, feel and experience them - and this is something that inflight frozen meal manufacturer, Frankenberg keeps in mind. Boasting an exhibit that offers live cooking capabilities, an eat-in kitchen with a front cooking desk and a large wooden table where guests can sit together to enjoy their food, Frankenberg’s booth simply fits the needs of their company, said Dirk Thoenissen,

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Frankenberg’s Sales Manager. “Our main aim was to have a pleasant stand, with a specific and cozy atmosphere, which is more of a meeting point for our customers and us. We wanted to invite people to pass by and to feel comfortable.” Frankenberg works with booth builder, Heines, which originally was a carpentry business. “The advantage for us is to have a customized stand, which is unique and on the other hand, fits 100% of our specific needs,” he said. Since 1985, Frankenberg’s main activity has been to develop and manufacture frozen meals for the inflight industry. Each meal or component fills specific needs of the airline or caterer. According to Thoenissen, Frankenberg wanted to steer away from the “clean and standard style booth”, which is often used by other exhibitors to showcase products. Instead, they wanted something unique, that involved using the aroma of fresh-cooked food to attract delegates. “The customers love it, they return sometimes several times a day to have a small break, talking to the chefs about the food they prepare or only watching them during the cooking process. We believe that this is a good attraction that draws in the crowd.” Similarly, Richard Thorpe, International Sales and Marketing Director at Retail inMotion said that the design of their booth is also strategically set up - with the ultimate goal of visitors interacting with one another, while

learning more about what the company has to offer. According to Thorpe, the booth also stands out thanks to its “bustling busy bar, ‘chill out’ sofa and large free space for people to network.” “The main objective with our stand is not only brand promotion, but we want it to be as enticing as possible. We are aware of the importance of ‘standing out’ from everyone else, and design wise we wanted to achieve this in an obvious yet inviting way. It is fundamentally important to have something that draws people in; otherwise it is a wasted exercise. Our design is bold, colorful, strategically composed and looks professional yet fun.” Like most companies, Retail inMotion’s stand is built with a modular design for easy assembly and teardown. It is also sustainable, as it can be re-used and scaled out in the future. “Our stands are designed in-house by our Graphic Design team. Not only is this cost effective but our own team is very experienced and they also know exactly what message and image we want to portray,” he explains.

Location, location, location For a business large or small, it’s no secret that a potentially hefty price tag usually comes with the territory of exhibiting at a trade show; between creating customized booths and banner stands, to shipping costs, event fees

Retail inMotion’s booth design strategy is to encourage interaction

and travel expenses, the final fee can often leave business leaders feeling challenged to justify the absorbing costs. And on top of all of this, there is also the exhibitor’s booth location to consider. According to Hans Engels, Export Manager at Sola Airline Cutlery in The Netherlands, a premium location inside the convention is something he considers to be “vital,” due to the increase in exposure it can bring. “But prices are exceptionally high,” he explains. “Because of that, we book a smaller booth compared to

the status and amount of airlines we supply.” A family business run by the Gerritsen family, Sola started with the production of cutlery in 1868 and was officially founded in 1922. Today, Sola supplies to more than 70 airlines worldwide. “We change our booth every four to five years. After that period of time you want to show something different. But really, it’s the cutlery that does the talking,” Engels said. “The booth itself is a reflection of the way Sola does business; you can see everything, you can touch anything. We are showing

Going green with sustainable trade show displays

Last year, Global Inflight Products demonstrated its commitment to environmental products and practices with a design concept that was first displayed at the International Flight Services Association (IFSA) and the Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX) show, held alongside Aircraft Interiors Expo Americas. Designed by Paulina Chalita, Marketing and Design Manager at Global Inflight Products, the company’s booths was made of 100% earthfriendly materials and also displayed their newest collection at the time called ‘Green is Possible,’ a range of products made of natural materials such as corn and bamboo. The booth won Global Inflight Products the Best of Show prize voted for by IFSA attendees. “This design was developed with eco friendly materials such as

everything and we are there.” Likewise for Thoenissen, paying a premium for a good location is something that he says is worthwhile as well – in fact, this is a detail he noticed after Frankenberg exhibited at the World Travel Catering Expo in Hamburg this past year. “We had the impression that some companies, which were far in the back felt a little bit underrepresented. The disadvantage is always that a company can be overseen when they are in the last corner or that visitors do not look into all halls,” he said.

cardboard, fabrics, MDF and we even used a recycled floor. It had very creative solutions to display the products, including a row of airline passengers made out of honeycomb cardboard,” Chalita said. It goes without saying that designing a “winning” tradeshow display requires planning, innovation, and also professional expertise. For more than 40 years, Nimlok has specialized in creating integrated face-to-face brand experiences with their tradeshow display solutions, including customized banner stands, portable displays and exhibits. “We use crates and some banner stand cases that are made from 100% recycled material. Most of the components we manufacture with and use in our booths and other solutions are recyclable,” Joan Krumsee, Nimlok’s National Sales Manager told PAX International. In 2010, Nimlok announced its ISO 14001 “green” certification, making Nimlok the first company in its class to achieve this certification within North America. “Recognizing that the world’s natural resources are limited and fragile, Nimlok considers environmental protection to be consistent with its overall goals and values. We strive to minimize our impact on the environment in the design, manufacturing, and storage of exhibitions.”

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Single-serve wine Company Name: Vinovation International B.V. Company Location: Brabant, The Netherlands Description: Vinovation International B.V. presents Wild Pelican, a premium quality, single-serve wine brand available in red, white and rosé. The wines are vibrant and fresh, while offering a smooth blend and mouth-watering flavors. Made with alternative aluminum packaging, this non-sparkling distinct wine range is also available in two sizes: 187 mL and 250 mL.

Multiuse Porcelain Crumpled Cups Wholesome goodness Company Name: The Hoffman Group Company Location: Seattle, WA Description: The Hoffman Group proudly introduces two new flavors to Kozy Shack’s classic pudding line-up: Banana and Butterscotch. Passengers can now enjoy the rich, silky taste of Banana Cream Pie or the creamy, buttery, brown-sugar taste of Butterscotch. Made from a gluten-free recipe and all natural ingredients, these convenient and tasty single serving desserts have only 130 calories per 3.75 ounce cup.

Convenient Risotto Ready Rice

Company Name: Revol® Company Location: Cumming, GA Description: REVOL, manufacturer of French culinary-grade porcelain, has expanded its FROISSÉS collection by adding new colors and designs to their existing lineup. Offering a sleek and modern design, this cup makes for an everyday item that every passenger can enjoy. Like all REVOL porcelain, the FROISSÉS collection can go from the freezer to oven and from the microwave to the dishwasher. They are also easy to clean due to the smooth glazed finish, which will keep them free from bacteria and odors.

Company Name: Woodland Foods Company Location: Waukegan, IL Description: Woodland Foods presents their newly developed Porcini Arborio Rice, a time-saving Risotto Ready Rice, meant to take the guesswork out of flavoring risotto and provide convenience by eliminating the need to buy multiple flavoring ingredients. This product infuses the highest quality traditional risotto rice, Arborio Rice, with the popular porcini mushroom flavor. The multi-layered risotto seasoning is hand blended from premium ingredients including garlic, roasted garlic, shallots, porcini mushrooms and other select spices.

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Integrated wine services Company Name: Portavin Company Location: Cheltenham, Australia Description: Portavin, the largest independent wine bottler in Australia and New Zealand, offers integrated wine services to airlines traveling inbound and outbound within the entire region. Servicing over 1,500 customers, Portavin provides inflight wine service products in glass or 1L or 187mL PET format – a convenient option for costconscious airlines that are looking for a high quality appearance, reduced fuel consumption and cost savings. PET is also environmentally friendly, shatterproof and offers a long shelf life.

Colombard Chardonnay Company Name: Inflight Wines Company Location: Oisterwijk, The Netherlands Description: Inflight Wines, an independent provider of wine onboard solutions to airlines, introduces Colombard Chardonnay - a refreshing white which offers a fresh, crisp and fruity taste. Amid a sparkling golden straw yellow color, this wine displays fine, delicate and elegant aromas. Colombard Chardonnay also has a flavor combination of ripe fruit and delicate vanilla â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a smooth taste for every passenger to enjoy.

New range of dressings

Healthy snacks Company Name: Transmed Foods Company Location: Baltimore, MD Description: Transmed Foods introduces CRESPO Les Olives du Marche, an innovative and healthy snack option for every inflight traveler to enjoy. These seasoned gourmet olives are conveniently packaged in easy-to-open, 1 oz pouches and are available in a wide variety of flavors, including herb and garlic, chili pepper, mixed cocktail, stuffed olives with blue cheese and many more. They are also nut free, low in fat, cholesterol free, vegetarian, kosher and require no refrigeration.

Company Name: Birch & Waite Company Location: Marrickville NSW, Australia Description: In an effort to make their great products even better, Birch & Waite has reformulated their core range to improve both flavor and product integrity. This reformulation has enabled them to offer a range that is Gluten Free and contains no added MSG - meaning a fresh new range of dressings. Birch & Waite's Italian Dressing incorporates delicate herb flavors into an authentic blend of superior quality ingredients to create an elegant dressing that's sure to impress.

ASSOCIATION NEWS

Asia-Pacific airline PAX traffic up 8.9% in May

Ports, like the one in Tallinn, will be part of a guide and rating system by Cruise Baltic

ember carriers of the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) carried 16.6 million international passengers in the month of May, an increase of 8.9% compared to the same month last year. Revenue passenger kilometers (RPK) for international traffic also grew by 7.0%. Growth in available seat capacity matched the increase in traffic demand, which resulted in an international load factor 73.7% for the month. The ongoing weakness in the region’s cargo markets persisted. International cargo loads declined 5.3%, in freight tonne kilometers. The average international air cargo load factor for Asia Pacific carriers fell by 1.6 percentage points to 66.6% for the month, based on a 3.0% contraction in offered freight capacity. “During the first five months of the year, we have seen a relatively robust 8.7% growth in the number of international passengers carried by Asian airlines, reflecting positive consumer confidence, despite lingering concerns over the fragility of the global economic recovery,” said Andrew Herdman, AAPA Director General Herdman added he was encouraged by the increase in passenger demand and the moderating oil prices. “Nevertheless,” he continued. “Asian carriers are still braced for a challenging second half of 2012, in view of widespread competitive pressures, the continued weakness in air cargo markets, and unresolved concerns over the outlook for the global economy.”

M Baltic Ports to be benchmarked by organizing group he Ports Standard Working Group of Cruise Baltic is preparing an interactive document that will serve as a guide and rating system for all ports within the region. The Working Group outlined the recently approved format for the document at the mid-year Conference of Cruise Baltic, held last month in Tallinn, Estonia. “This process will allow us to benchmark our Baltic destinations, motivating each port to reach the same, consistent standards. With this monitoring system in place we can assess what is needed for the future," said Luis de Carvalho, CEO of Consult, who moderated a panel discussion on the new study during the Cruise Baltic mid-year conference. Forty-four cruise lines and 88 ships are operating in the Baltic. Cruise Baltic

Director Bo Larsen said the new document would help create a “platform” for business opportunities in the region. “There is always room for improvement and we must continue to achieve our goals by doing better,” said Larsen. “At our next meeting in Oslo in October we shall concentrate on our future strategy for growing business, providing cruise travelers with easy access to the 10 countries in our region.” The following day, analyst and freelance journalist Tony Peisley moderated the day’s events. In his introduction, Peisley predicted modest growth in the industry with cruise passengers boardings increasing from 20 million today to 30 million by 2025-25. “Even in times of economic recession, in terms of the travel industry, the cruise sector performs best in terms of sales and satisfaction levels,” he said.

IFSA forms communications committee he Communications Advisory Council (CAC) of the International Flight Services Association was recently formed to help the group “become more active in providing a united voice on matters involving the interests of the onboard services industry.” The committee will be responsible for several tasks initially, and will finalize a list of priority projects at the end of July. The Council will serve as a media spokesperson on topics related to broader industry

issues. IFSA also plans for the council to be a source for industry statistics and a place where membership can look for communication. Members of the CAC are: (Chair) Christina Ulosevich, Corporate Communications, gategroup; Josefine Corsten and Dena Aly, Corporate Communications, LSG Sky Chefs; Gail Kay, Inflight Services Commercial Manager, Virgin Atlantic Airways; Judy McLaren, Marketing Specialist, Green OnBoard; and Uyen Nguyen, Marketing Manager, Cuisine Solutions.

UPCOMING EVENTS 2012 5th China Airline Catering Management Summit 2012, September 5-6, Hotel New Otani Chang Fu Gong, Beijing. For more information, contact Yvonne Pan Telephone (8621) 5169 6210 e-mail: yvonne.pan@gisevents.com IFSA Annual Conference and Exhibition, September 18-20, Long Beach Convention Center, For more information Contact IFSA at (404) 2523663, e-mail ifsa@kellencompany.com Airline Passenger Experience Association 2012 Annual Expo, September 17-20, Long Beach Convention Center. For more information contact APEX at (212) 297 – 2177, info@apex.aero

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Cruise Shipping Asia-Pacific Conference, September 17-18, Marina Bay Sands, Singapore. For more information www.cruiseshippingevents.com/ asia-register-now Aircraft Interiors Expo, Americas, September 25-27, Seattle. For more information, call 203 840-5680 or e-mail aircraftinteriorsus@reedexpo.com Guestlogix 4th Annual User Group Conference, October 1-3, Intercontinental Centre, Toronto. For more information, contact Guestlogix at +1 416 642 0349 or Ruth Morayniss at rmorayniss@guestlogix.com

Railway & Mass Transit Interiors Technology and Design Expo, October 24-26, Seaport World Trade Center, Boston. For more information, contact David Stradling – Event Director, david.stradling@ukipme.com China International Aircraft Interiors & Design Expo, September 26-28, Shanghai Science Hall. For more information, contact Grace Fair International Limited. Phone: +86-10-64390338 Contact: Jasper Shi: e-mail: Jasper@gracefair.com International Travel Catering Association/SIAL Middle East Trade Show and Networking Forum, November 26-28, Abu Dhabi. For more information, go to www.itcanet.com

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