WTCE issue: Committed to honour with GIC
This is a special feature from PAX International's May 2024 WTCE issue, on page 83.
An example of GIC’s fingerfood offering
With roots firmly planted in a commitment to excellence and familial camaraderie, while GIC International Catering has grown since its inception in 2001, the company still largely operates like family. In fact, the Kelsterbach-based company, directly adjacent to Frankfurt International Airport, remains family-owned.
Founded by a team of airline catering pioneers, GIC was built on the foundation of providing high-quality, personalized service to its airlines. Now, the company has expanded service to more than 15 airlines including Air Astana, Air Dolomiti, Air India, SriLankan Airlines, Air Hamburg, SF Airlines and other commercial and cargo flights.
Goeksel Yildirim, Managing Director,
GIC International Catering
“At GIC, we do not just run a business, we live a culture which is based
on loyalty, a positive work environment
with mutual respect and tolerance,”
says Goeksel Yildirim, Managing
Director at GIC. “Our commitment to quality started from day one—it’s
a matter of honour,” says Yildirim.
As part of GIC’s expansion over the years, it also services executive private jets, school cafeterias and supermarkets. As it grew, the company knew that in order to stay ahead of its competitors, its intimate team would need to capitalize on making quick decisions while committing to continuous innovation, special care and reliability.
At its heart, GIC values its team and recognizes that it is the efforts made by each individual that move the company forward. “With the necessary sensitivity to deliver our brand promise in our highly competitive, service-oriented industry, our employees were always the key to our lasting success,” explains Yildirim. With its team holding the brand’s vision so adamantly, GIC’s unique approach to staying competitive lies in its employees’ capable hands. “Thanks to a flat hierarchy, our decision-making is uncomplicated, which allows us to quickly find the best solutions. With a strong hands-on mentality, we are able to ensure urgent requests and all kinds of individual needs are met,” says Yildirim.
With customization and personalization leading the way when it comes to customer demands, GIC specializes in ensuring its meals meet passenger expectations. GIC has a dedicated section for halal meals, and its offers kosher meals as well, proving that its team is capable of handling any dietary or religious nutrition request. Additionally, all meals are cooked fresh without any additives or flavour enhancers.
A fish platter by GIC International Catering
But GIC recognizes that dietary needs go beyond religion or allergies, and the company is now seeing trends arise in eco-friendly eating. It is not just plant-based options that customers are looking for anymore, Yildirim tells PAX International. “Some of our customers are newly interested in knowing more about the source of our products, like if the salmon is carrying the blue MSC label or if our fruits and vegetables have a fair-trade or Rainforest Alliance label; even if we use cage-free eggs or if our meat, like chicken, is kept according to the EU commitment.”
For its industry’s future, GIC believes that it is the responsibility of each service provider to move away from umbrella terms such as “environmentally conscious nutrition” and embrace specific, pointed efforts toward offering passengers with not only sustainable choices, but information about those choices. Which is, of course, where GIC’s strengths lie. “Our focus is always on the demand of our customer,” says Yildirim. “We specialize in tailor-made solutions.”
At WTCE, the company will be placing a focus on finding new sustainable solutions while building meaningful connections with new and old contacts. “The show is a wonderful combination of cultural, product and supplier diversity,” says Yildirim.
