LSG Sky Chefs to acquire UK operations of Abela group
LSG Sky Chefs, the worlds largest in-flight service provider, has agreed to buy the UK assets of airline catering operator Abela at London-Gatwick, London-Heathrow and London-Stansted airports.
The deal will boost existing UK capacity at LSG Sky Chefs. It will help reinforce the groups position as the leading player in the international in-flight catering business in the strategically important UK market. LSG Sky Chefs is already active at Heathrow and Gatwick, as well as a number of other UK airports including Birmingham, Manchester and East Midlands, whereas Stansted will be a new addition to the companys extensive global network.
This deal will help strengthen LSG Sky Chefs existing business at Europes No. 1 airport Heathrow and at Gatwick. Additionally, the company obviously welcomes the opportunity to serve new customers from Stansted which has become an increasingly important and fast growing international airport.
Under the deal, LSG Sky Chefs will purchase the fixed assets of Abelas airline catering operations at both Stansted and Gatwick and of Abelas halal facility at Heathrow. The halal facility will add to LSG Sky Chefs culinary expertise in handling ethnic food. It is an important addition to the companys existing facilities as it is one of the few in-flight catering premises in Europe devoted solely to halal production.
Abela employees immediately become part of the LSG Sky Chefs organisation. The operational transition at Heathrow is likely to take up to six weeks while the transition at Gatwick will take place through the winter. Operations at Stansted will remain unchanged.
LSG Sky Chefs is the worlds largest in-flight service provider, including catering, procurement, equipment management and Total In-flight Service Management. LSG Sky Chefs caters to 260 airlines from almost 200 customer service centres in 46 countries. In 2002, the companies belonging to LSG Sky Chefs Group achieved consolidated sales of 3.1 billion euro. In the United Kingdom LSG Sky Chefs employ up to 1,600 staff and currently supply 50,000 meals each day to more than 200 flights.