Delivering a wholesale change to the in-flight dining experience requires more than just menu planning. As Singapore Airlines revamped its economy class menus on regional routes earlier this month the 40+ new dishes are only part of the story. Also enabling the shift in dining options was the team at Global-C, a leading supplier of in-flight products worldwide, and its line of bamboo and paper-derived packaging.
We are delighted to be able to offer a greater variety and quality of meals on our short-haul flights, including selections from Singapore’s popular local favorites that we hope both Singaporeans and international customers will find familiar and comforting. This is part of our continuous efforts to enhance the customer experience while keeping sustainability at the forefront of our operations.
– Mr Yeoh Phee Teik, Senior Vice President Customer Experience, Singapore Airlines
Global-C worked with SATS, the catering provider, to fine-tune the products. After months of research and revisions the companies settled on a box that is” both versatile and eco-friendly, and yet also enhances taste, variety and meal quality.” The main course will be served in the new box, made of Forest Stewardship Council certified paper. The cutlery pack is now bamboo with a paper wrap, rather than plastic.
The new container is also deeper than the prior version, allowing it to hold saucier meal options. It also can better withstand the reheat process with the gravy-heavy options now on the menu.
Developing eco-friendly packaging solutions that can improve quality of food has to take into consideration various challenges unique to the preparation of aviation meals. We are pleased to lend our culinary expertise and knowledge of food and packaging technology to collaborate with SIA to transform the travel experience.
– Mr Kerry Mok, CEO Food Solutions, SATS
The paper-based offering dramatically reduces single-use plastics on board. And the new containers are notably lighter, helping to reduce fuel burn related to the catering.
Waste from the catering process will be returned to Singapore and processed at SATS, converting it pellets that can be used as refuse-derived fuel. Because it is processed on-site by SATS it reduces additional emissions tied to transport and incineration of the trash. This also represents a milestone in handling of international air traffic waste. Typically it is required by law to be incinerated rather than reused or recycled.
With the new tray service offerings the carrier can now offer a much broader selection of meals, from Chicken Congee to Pear Cinnamon Steel Cut Oat Porridge at breakfast to five different soups for lunch/dinner. The menu now also includes multiple Thai curry options and western entrees as well.
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