IRVING, Texas (April 11, 2025) – LSG Sky Chefs – Americas (Sky Chefs), the market leader in airline catering and culinary solutions, today announced it was named Airline Caterer of the Year for North America at the 2025 PAX International Readership Awards on April 9 during the World Travel Catering & Onboard Services Expo in Hamburg, Germany. This is the third consecutive year the company has been honored with the award.

“We are honored to once again be recognized for this prestigious award by PAX International readers, supporters and colleagues in the industry,” said Greg Anderson, CEO, LSG Sky Chefs – Americas. “One year ago, we embarked on a transformational journey, with a vision for elevating the culinary experience that reinforces our leadership position in delivering innovative airline catering solutions and exceptional service to our clients. This award is a testament to the hard work of everyone involved in our transformation.”  

In the last year, the company has invested $60 million in a new fleet; introduced modernized digital tools focused on operational and food safety, as well as efficiency; hired a number of key strategic positions; expanded its capability to gather data and insights to understand the rapid change of culinary with its clients; and view everything through a client-centric lens so it moves at the pace of its clients. All these efforts support Sky Chefs’ vision, which is to execute on a roadmap defined by client needs, driving transformation to improve performance and elevating the value it brings to its clients. 

About LSG Sky Chefs – Americas

LSG Sky Chefs for the Americas is the market leader for airline catering and hospitality services in North and Latin America. Operating in nearly 50 airports across the Americas region, the company provides culinary solutions to airlines, commercial retail and other travel-related industries. With safety at the core, Sky Chefs delivers elevated culinary experiences through exceptional service and constant innovation, while putting its clients and people at the heart of everything it does.  

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“Based on what I’ve seen and learned over my first several weeks in my new position, it doesn’t surprise me that the team has earned this prestigious accolade again this year,” said Anderson. “I believe that the key to our continued success in airline catering is to stay fo-cused on better understanding our clients, how we can best support them and the evolving trends in client expectations. I am very proud of our team and look forward to continue earn-ing this recognition from industry executives. This is a great source of motivation in our con-stant pursuit of product and service excellence.”

The PAX International and PAX Tech Readership Awards recognize the excellence achieved by airlines, caterers and suppliers from around the world.

The WTCE (World Travel Catering & Onboard Services Expo) is the leading event for the travel catering, onboard retail and passenger comfort industry.

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Looking to reassert its standing in the industry, the theme will be a reaffirmation of its mission: “We connect food and people. Everywhere.” By focusing on its legacy mission, the company is doubling down on its goal of being recognized as the leading global inflight catering provider, with clear strategic goals in place and a determination to deliver innovation, operational efficiency and value creation across the industries it serves.

“Our debut as a standalone company at this year’s WTCE represents a pivotal moment for our expert brands LSG Sky Chefs and Retail inMotion, as we reaffirm our commitment to shaping the future of aviation catering and onboard retail,” said Alexandra Appel, Head of Communications and Marketing at the LSG Group. “With a refreshed and sustainable booth design and a team of experts presenting our product range, we aim to strike a balance between continuity and innovation, showcasing our longstanding industry leadership and relationships with customers.”

That aim is reflected in a booth environment that will seamlessly blend its innovative spirit with its long legacy. From holograms that showcase cutting-edge technology to private lounges designed to be idea-generating spaces, visitors will be invited to immerse themselves in a unique sensory experience infused with an enticing culinary theme that will spotlight the company’s vast capabilities and reach in this core area: “Flavors of the World.” The theme is a celebration of the diversity of the company’s network of chefs.  From fine-dining menus to casual bar snacks, attendees will be able to indulge in a fusion of global flavors curated by the company’s culinary experts on site.

As further evidence of the company’s commitment to its sustainability goals, each dish’s carbon footprint will be calculated as a baseline for fueling substantive discussions related to menu development. LSG Sky Chefs will also be showcasing its vision of the “Airline Catering of the Future,” a holistic and data-driven concept that blends products and services with advances in technology across the entire travel value chain. 

The company intends to expand visitor’s experience beyond the booth with panel discussions like the Passenger Experience Conference on “Cycle Proofing the Cabin” and the Taste of Travel on “Fighting Fraud in the Cabin.” An exclusive by-invitation-only evening customer event is additionally planned to honor and celebrate existing relationships. Building on what has become a tradition at the WTCE, partners Barilla, Kaelis and Cuisine Solutions will also be contributing to the company’s presence this year with a combined dining experience marrying culinary expertise with innovating ware design. The launch of a new and exciting partnership in the area of plant-based products is also in the works. 

“We are proud to once again bring our presence to the WTCE in 2024, which is our industry’s premiere event,” said Philipp Hees, Head of Sales EMEA Region. “This being our first full year as a standalone organization, it marks a new chapter for the company as we continue to aim at exceeding expectations at every level, drive industry standards and deliver superb value and quality to our customers worldwide.”  

“Our teams from around the world will be present, and they are eager to welcome and host our valued customers and discuss the novelties and trends of our industry,” said Laura Roesges, CCO at Retail inMotion. “The WTCE is the perfect forum to meet face-to-face and engage in in-depth conversations about how we can best meet their needs and take their onboard-retail offering to the next level.”  

The WTCE takes place at the Hamburg Messe in Germany, May 28-30. The LSG Group stand will be located in hall A1 (1E20).

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This was underlined by a 97 percent customer retention rate in the United States, the company’s largest region. Meanwhile, its EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) region, as well as Latin America, also enjoyed a very strong operational year despite the effects of some currency fluctuations. The Asia-Pacific region experienced a significant post-pandemic resurgence that is reflected in the many opportunities the company is currently exploring. In the course of the year Retail inMotion (RiM) invested in transformative initiatives and structural enhancements, hence reaching full maturity and stability as a mid-size company. The Onboard Retail expert also expanded into the Asia Pacific market, where it set the stage for accelerated expansion.  

For the year 2023 as a whole, the LSG Group (LSG Sky Chefs and Retail inMotion) reported a consolidated total revenue of EUR 2,347 billion, surpassing the pre-pandemic figure of the year 2019 (EUR 2,302 billion). This was thanks in large part to its strong performance in the classic airline-catering segment and high inflation protection. As a reflection of that performance, the company’s number of FTEs (full-time employees) stood at 20,950 by the end of the year, an almost 12 percent growth over 2022. An adjusted EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) of EUR 142.3 million, fell in line with the company’s business plan, which translates into a doubling of the results compared to the previous year.  

“We achieved a solid financial performance in 2023 and delivered on our business plan for the second year in a row,” said Group CFO Karin Sonnenmoser. “This is a remarkable accomplishment, which clearly shows our resilience and strong foundation, particularly because the latter part of the year brought so many changes to our company. In 2024, we are working to further grow our results and to secure our cash situation while looking forward to even more improvements from a financial stability and CapEx (capital expenditure) standpoint.” 

A transformative trajectory in 2023 

During the year, there were several milestones highlighting how the LSG Group pursued its strategic goals during its transitional ownership period. At the international management conference early in the year, Group CEO Erdmann Rauer stated that the strategic focus would remain on the diversification of the business segments, digitalization in all areas, globalization, effectiveness and efficiency.  

In line with its sustainability goals in the People dimension (per the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development), LSG Sky Chefs installed Employee Experience Managers at its customer service centers (CSCs) in the U.S. to tackle the important issues of employee retention and satisfaction, a challenge which arose during and after the pandemic.   

In April, it was announced that the company would be sold to private equity investor AURELIUS. The sale was closed on October 31, giving the LSG Group a new status as a standalone company independent from the Lufthansa Group. On November 1, a new chapter in its long history began for the LSG Group with the conclusion of the sale. 

Innovation and Partnerships in Focus 

At the WTCE (World Travel Catering & Onboard Services Expo) in May, the LSG Group showcased its emphasis on hybrid products and services, like its inflight management suite and the new AICA, our consumption analytics tool that was awarded “Catering Innovation of the Year” at the Onboard Hospitality Awards. At those same awards, subsidiary Retail inMotion (RiM) won gold for Best Onboard Beverage and Best Onboard Catering innovation. One other innovative example by RiM is the AutoSync feature developed for increased onboard-retail payment authorization rates. The feature can also support airlines within an offline payment environment. Another example is the Virtual Try On Webpage RiM created for Discover Airlines.  

Partnerships also took center stage at the WTCE with the participation of Kaelis and Barilla at the company’s booth and an onsite gathering of the LSG Group’s joint-venture partners from around the world. Later in May, the company unveiled “next,” an internal innovation program designed to accelerate how new customer-centric ideas can come to life. 

In June, LSG Sky Chefs North America won the PAX International Award as “Airline Caterer of the Year,” recognizing the company’s high level of excellence in its core area. In partnership with leading customer American Airlines, LSG Sky Chefs unveiled the future of airline catering with the opening of a new state-of-the-art production facility at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport in May. 

Business wins and extensions 

In the second half of 2023, LSG Sky Chefs expanded its relationship with important customers and retained several key accounts. New acquisitions included, among others, Qatar Airways and Air Premia in Seoul, South Korea (ICN), Air France in Washington-Dulles (IAD) and IndiGo Airlines in Nairobi, Kenya. As far as retentions is concerned, WestJet was retained in Canada, FedEx in multiple locations in Asia-Pacific, Azul at various stations in Brazil and Emirates and LOT in Toronto, Canada. In the onboard retail area, Retail inMotion secured a milestone two-year contract extension with Ryanair, in addition to acquiring Braathens Regional Airlines, Marabu and Cebu Pacific as new customers. In the food commerce area, convenience-store chain RaceTrac was retained with a contract renewal in Orlando, Florida.  

“Even as we were navigating the often-challenging sale process, our people never wavered in their effort to deliver to our customers with the same passion for food, safety and quality that has made us their inflight and food commerce services provider of choice,” said Erdmann Rauer, LSG Group CEO. “Our results for 2023 are a good indicator of the strength of the LSG Group as we transitioned to a new owner and became a standalone company. Through our customer-centric approach and focus on innovation, we will continue to create value through our end-to-end solutions across the travel spectrum. Leveraging the power of our global network and valued partnerships, we will continue to claim a position of leadership in our industry and rise above expectations.”  

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While retaining the original yellow and blue brand colors, the updated logo streamlines the radiating bars and concentrates them inside the globe. The lettering has also turned into a more subtle blue, accentuating the subsidiary’s strong connection to the LSG Group. All other corporate identity components will replicate these changes with a variety of creative iterations that emphasize a more playful and versatile use in digital communications.

The new design elements were developed using a combination of shapes: curved lines, cropped circles and colored surfaces for content. Two new colors have been introduced to compliment the blue and yellow, gold and beige, in support of the brand’s refreshed communication.

“LSG Sky Chefs is a widely recognized brand, one that immediately catches your eye on the tarmac, and we did not want to jeopardize that level of recognition with a drastic logo change,” said Alexandra Appel, Head of Communications and Marketing at the LSG Group. “That is why this will also be a gradual transition in terms of corporate imagery, for instance, when it comes to updating of all our catering trucks across our worldwide network. These changes will take place over time, because we intend to also make this a responsible and sustainable transition. So, for the time being, our classic logo will continue to co-exist with the new one.” 

With this logo and image update, the LSG Group honors the long history and deep-seated brand values of its core business while embracing a new era as a standalone, forward-thinking company.  

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In the first half of 2023, the LSG Group reported a consolidated revenue of EUR 1,107 million, compared to EUR 857 during the same period in 2022, which translates into a 29 percent increase. This is thanks to continuing positive trends across all geographical regions of the company, particularly North America and Asia-Pacific.  

The LSG Group’s result turned positive in the first half of 2023. The adjusted EBIT (earning before interests and taxes) improved by EUR 23 million to EUR 10 million after a loss of minus EUR 13 million in the previous year. As a reflection of the overall business recovery, the number of FTEs as of the end of June was 20,918, a 21 percent increase over last year. “We are on track with our business performance and pleased with this positive result in the first half of the year, despite suffering a negative impact from currency developments,” said LSG Group CFO Holger Fleige. “Overall, we are looking optimistically forward to the coming months and especially expect the Asian market to continue to recover.”

Business wins and extensions  

In the span of the quarter, LSG Sky Chefs won new business and extended classic catering contracts across all regions. Among the business wins are contracts with Delta Air Lines in Auckland (AKL), New Zealand, and Air Tahiti in Seattle (SEA), Washington, USA. There were also extensions secured with Cathay Cargo in the U.S., in Anchorage (ANC), Alaska, Miami (MIA), Florida and Pittsburgh (PIT), Pennsylvania. Emirates also extended its contract in Beijing (PEK), China. In the area of food commerce, there was a new deal signed with food services company Samsung Welstory (canteen/cafeteria catering) in South Korea and a contract extended with Home Chef (meal kits) in Raleigh-Durham (RDU), North Carolina, USA. 

Innovation and Digitalization  

The latest LSG Group innovation is called AICA, a consumption analytics tool that offers airline customers the ability to adjust their onboard service to better satisfy the tastes of their passengers and minimize waste. “Next,” the company’s own innovation program continues to make progress with the training of the first slate of facilitators. They are now prepared to conduct and guide innovation workshops, both internally and with customers, to drive new ideas forward faster from conception to implementation. Virtual reality is also making its way into the company’s operations with the latest virtual truck driver training, and virtual tours of its facilities that can save customers travel time and resources. 

WTCE 2023 

At this year’s World Travel Catering and Onboard Services Expo (WTCE) in Hamburg, Germany, the industry’s largest trade show, the emphasis was on the value of partnerships for the future of the LSG Group. At the center of the company’s booth was the culinary stand where chefs prepared a slew of enticing dishes alongside strategic partners like pasta giant Barilla and sous-vide specialist Cuisine Solutions, all served on equipment courtesy of partner Kaelis. In addition, the company invited its joint venture partners from around the world to learn more and lend their support to the execution of the three-pillar strategy mentioned above. 

Awards 

LSG Sky Chefs North America was recognized at the WTCE as Airline Caterer of the Year 2023 by PAX International, a leading industry publication. Meanwhile, at the Onboard Hospitality Awards, the consumption analytics tool AICA was named Catering Innovation of the Year . For its part, RiM took two Onboard Hospitality Awards in the Best Onboard Beverage category for their Deux Frères dry gin, and Best Onboard Innovation for their Currywurst & Fries in the Sky that is served on Eurowings. 

Sustainability and People 

The LSG Group recently set a number of sustainability targets and corresponding key performance indicators (KPIs) under the People, Planet and Prosperity umbrellas. Those targets will now be broken down further. The goal is to allow the organization to take ownership of these targets at their most granular level, so that achieving them becomes an accumulation of wins across the company’s network. As it seeks to also achieve its sustainability targets under the People umbrella, the LSG Group’s own internal LGBTQ support network, Rainbow Sky, continues to carve out its place within the company’s corporate culture. The network aims at further promoting diversity, equity and inclusion within the Group.

“All of these developments point in one direction,” said Erdmann Rauer, LSG Group CEO. “Our company is well on track, both financially and strategically, to becoming a stand-alone organization, with the full support of our future owner. That is why we are continuing to pursue our three-pillar strategy with renewed motivation, as we further develop our business and master our challenges while creating value for our customers. At this inflection point in our history, we remain a strong and innovative organization with a clear vision to assert leadership in the market.”

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PRE-FLIGHT. Before the flight, passengers can order the food they desire, including Indian curry, healthy bowls or kids’ meals, through a seamlessly embedded system within the flight booking and check-in processes.

The flight can be individualized easily and intuitively. For example, you can enjoy wine from a higher booking class. The airline can increase its revenue by selling additional products, optimize its loading, prevent food waste and increase passenger satisfaction.

Thanks to our fully integrated solution, your passengers can finally get exactly the product they really want on the flight. With Pre-Select, your passengers can also choose the food that is included with the ticket price.

INFLIGHT. Onboard, you can order via the screen in front of you or your own device with Order 2 Seat. Even boutique items like fragrances, sunglasses and jewelry that can then be paid for directly onboard via app or credit card. The concept also works for digital magazines.

POST-FLIGHT. If the wine you tasted onboard was so good that you want to buy a bottle to enjoy at home, you can order it directly via the platform and have it delivered.

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“This strategic partnership means a powerful synergy,” says Erdmann Rauer, CEO of the LSG Group. “Together, we will be able to deliver an even more comprehensive offer to the aviation sector and allow airlines to increase their Net Promoter Score (NPS), measuring customer satisfaction. We want to deliver a package that covers exactly what the consumers want and includes more sustainable solutions.”

The LSG Group and Kaelis are planning to expand and diversify their portfolios, offering a range of high-quality and innovative inflight products from classic catering, onboard retail and hybrid offers to amenities, tableware and textiles. The collaboration will facilitate the co-creation of cutting-edge and passenger-centric solutions, tailored to the evolving demands of the travel industry.

The LSG Group and Kaelis will optimize their supply chain networks, leveraging their global footprints to enhance efficiency, reduce costs and enable airlines to enjoy seamless operations and responsive support. With a shared commitment to sustainability, the LSG Group and Kaelis will work together to develop eco-friendly solutions that minimize the environmental impact of inflight operations. Innovation in sustainable materials, packaging and waste management will contribute to a greener travel industry.

“We believe that this strategic partnership between the LSG Group and Kaelis will bring significant value to the onboard industry, positioning us as the preferred choice for airlines seeking top-notch inflight products and services,” says Federico Heitz, CEO of Kaelis. “Together, we are dedicated to creating unforgettable experiences for passengers, driving operational efficiency for airlines, and shaping the future of inflight services.”

Kaelis is the world’s leading independent provider of onboard products, services and solutions, serving 1.5 billion passengers from more than 100 airlines and railway companies in more than 55 countries, with an experience of more than 25 years contributing to customers’ success.

The WTCE takes place June 6-8 at the Hamburg Messe in Germany. The LSG Group stand will be located in Hall 1A, Booth 1E20 and Kaelis’ booth at Hall 1A, Booth 1E10.

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