These are the challenges facing the world’s airline catering firms. We found answers when we joined a select group of journalists for a guided tour of SATS’ kitchens at Singapore Changi Airport.
SATS got its start as Singapore Airlines’ in-house catering service, before being privatized and grown into the publicly traded company that supplies 60 of the world’s airlines including: All Nippon Airways, British Airways, Cathay Pacific Airways, Etihad Airways, Qantas Airways, Thai Airways and, of course, Singapore Airlines.
To manage demand for nearly 100,000 airline meals a day, the two SATS catering centers employ the same standardized manufacturing processes and inventory control systems as are used by the aircraft manufacturers which make the planes on which SATS meals are served.
Of course, there are additional complications in food preparation for SATS to contend with: handling perishables, ensuring food safety, maintaining high standards for consistent meal preparation, avoiding food waste, and accommodating short lead times, just to name a few.