Gate Gourmet Completes Acquisition of Aviapartner Catering

Gate Gourmet confirmed that it has completed the purchase of Brussels, Belgium-based Aviapartner Catering from Aviapartner Group, the leading independent ground handler in continental Europe.

“We are very pleased to include the Aviapartner Catering business in the Gate Gourmet portfolio,” said Philippe Op de Beeck, Senior Vice President of the company’s Central European region. “Brussels is an important aviation market given the growth of intercontinental travel, and we see it as a key location in our long-term strategy,” he said.

Aviapartner Catering has an excellent reputation and will be a significant addition to Gate Gourmet’s network offering to its customers, along with the recently added partners deSter (design and in-flight service ware) and Supplair (packaged food components), said Op de Beeck, who will oversee the transition and future development. In addition, Aviapartner Catering is expected to provide synergies with IAS/Fernley, Gate Gourmet’s newly acquired aviation services partner that has ground handling presence in Brussels, he said.

Aviapartner Catering Brussels offers the complete range of catering services, including meal production, logistics, dry stores, and catering loading. It currently serves 80 different menu types per day for 30 airlines. In its 11,000-square-meter facilities, 300 staff prepare some 3.5 million meals a year for some 25,000 flights. Aviapartner Catering has been awarded “A” status in the BRC (British Retail Consortium) standard, which incorporates a HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) food safety system, specific operating procedures and good manufacturing practices.Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.