Virgin Australia has announced a long-term relationship with Gate Gourmet, the airline catering brand of gategroup, which will see the caterer become the sole service provider for the major airline.
The six-year relationship will deliver a wide range of benefits to all Virgin Australia passengers, with Gate Gourmet providing inflight dining and handling to travellers flying across Asia, Australia, and North America.
Virgin Australia operates around 400 domestic and approximately 50 international flights per day.
The partnership will see gategroup expand its Virgin Australia portfolio by 40 per cent, allowing both companies to drive operational and cost benefits while delivering continued improvements to the inflight passenger experience.
Virgin Australia’s catering operations will now be aligned with one strategic supplier, creating greater efficiency and control of on-board food and beverage offerings.
Xavier Rossinyol, gategroup chief executive, said: “This is an exciting evolution of our relationship with Virgin Australia.
“We are extremely proud to work with such a celebrated Australian airline.
“gategroup’s on-going relationship with Virgin Australia further strengthens its position as a leading airline caterer in Oceania region, leveraging our commercial and retail innovations.
“It’s an exciting time for the industry and for pushing boundaries on what inflight meals and services can be.”
gategroup currently works closely with Virgin Australia’s head chef Luke Mangan to deliver the airline’s renowned business class meals across domestic and international flights.
The relationship will be effective from late June 2018, when Gate Gourmet will transition to the full service provider for Virgin Australia.
The partnership will create around 100 jobs at gategroup which will be based around Australia.