BANKOK: Thai Airways is expanding its culinary ventures beyond airline catering by assuming a new role as gourmet food supplier. The SET-listed full-service carrier has set up a subsidiary called Gourmet Primo Co (GPC), with initial capital of 50 million baht, to pursue an integrated food business ranging from production to distribution and catering.
More specifically, GPC aims to supply high quality food, delicacies and special frozen meals for consumers of kosher and halal food.
Its targeted clientele will be airline catering firms, international airlines, restaurant chains and hospitality concerns both in Thailand and overseas.
For instance, GPC could supply bakery items and other products to famous fast-food chains in Thailand like McDonald’s and Pizza Hut.
Furthermore, it could supply baked goods or kosher meals to other airline catering companies and carriers that do not produce those items themselves.
GPC director Linus Knobel said the company would serve as a new platform for Bangkok Airways Group to expand its airline catering operation undertaken since 2006 at Suvarnabhumi airport by Bangkok Air Catering Co.
BAC is one of the three major airline catering companies allowed to serve airlines operating through Thailand’s primary international airports under a concession granted by the Airports of Thailand Plc.
With the concessional terms, BAC is not permitted to directly use its Suvarnabhumi facility to expand its business beyond airlines serving the airport.
“We have our hands tied (under the AoT terms) and the chance of expanding airline catering business at other Thai airports looks dim, we have to look for avenue to grow our food-related venture with Gourmet Primo being such a vehicle, ” the Swiss executive, also BAC managing director, noted.
Furthermore, GPC’s creation will respond to demand from various parties including Gulf airlines to supply them with specific food items, he added.
GPC will invest millions of baht to set up its facility over a land belonged to Bangkok Airways in the outskirt of Suvarnabhumi as the site.
The facility, manned by 70-80 employees, is expected to start operation in November this year as the earliest, according to Mr Knobel.
