We’re all very good at asking for what we already know,” says Nick Wiley, Global Managing Director of En Route International. “The challenge is getting people to think differently.”
That thinking sits behind the company’s latest insights report, which explores changing passenger expectations around food, authenticity and onboard experience. Using this report, the caterer is innovating its offer to be at the forefront of trends and innovation with the development of new products.
For Wiley, the aim is not just to gather data, but to challenge assumptions within airline catering.
“If you ask suppliers for a chocolate cookie, you’ll get variations of a chocolate cookie,” he explains. “But if you ask for a better snacking experience, you might end up with something completely different – maybe a Dubai-style pistachio and chocolate cookie. The conversation becomes more creative.”
Authentic differentiation
That mindset is increasingly important as airlines look to differentiate their onboard offering. Wiley says passengers today are far more adventurous and globally aware than they were even a decade ago.
“People travel more, they’ve experienced more cuisines, and they’re more prepared to experiment,” he says.
Authenticity, he adds, is becoming critical, particularly on routes serving international passenger bases.
“If Malaysian passengers are flying home, they don’t want a Western interpretation of Malaysian food,” he says. “They want the flavours they recognise from home. That’s what creates comfort and emotional connection.”
Unexpected innovation
Some of the clearest examples of that innovation-first approach could be seen at this year’s WTCE; the En Route Club, a premium sandwich concept created especially for the event that has been designed for consistent replication across multiple regions, and En Route’s Ice Cream Sundae with warm cookie concept, combining adaptable indulgence and comfort.
Wiley believes many successful food innovations come from being open-minded rather than sticking rigidly to convention. “If briefs are too tight, everything becomes about cost,” he says. “But if they’re too vague, you don’t understand the problem you’re solving either. The best partnerships are long-term and collaborative.”
