Gate Gourmet's Mark Wall Lays Out Expansion Plans at ITCA Asia-Pacific Bangkok

Mark Wall, Gate Gourmet’s President of the Asia-Pacific/Middle East division, was a featured speaker at ITCA’s Bangkok conference in September. Against a backdrop of airline industry trends to simultaneously contain costs and develop products and service to build their brands, Gate Gourmet has transformed itself to respond, Wall said.

With a sound strategy to reorganize the company and expand its product solutions, Gate Gourmet has attracted investors and transitioned from a single owner to multiple owner structure, he said. In addition to its core catering business, Gate Gourmet is expanding through acquisition and investment in partners to provide more options for customers. “We offer best-in-class solutions in catering/hospitality; airport handling/logistics; and in-flight hospitality through our new portfolio of brands,” he said.

Gate Gourmet recently has announced the acquisition of deSter Holding, the world’s top provider of in-flight hospitality items and owner of Supplair, the innovative supplier of packaged airline meals. The company also recently acquired Packattack and POTM Studios, Netherlands-based design and packaging specialists, and has made a strategic investment in Pourshins, the leading global provider of fourth-party logistics solutions for airlines, caterers, manufacturers and suppliers.

Other speakers at the conference were Pismai Chandrubeksa, Managing Director of Thai Airways Catering and Peter Harbison, Executive Chairman of the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation. In the 'Panel of Chefs' headed by Hansueli Meili some of the most experienced Chefs including Peter Lai, Marco Brüschweiler and Sittipong Yimniyom came together to share their views on Asian cuisine now and in the future.

The Guest of Honor was Flying Officer Apinan Sumanaseni, President of Thai Airways International.

Thai Airways President opens Asia Pacific Travel Catering 2007