Case Study: How Rivazur Cakes tackles the demands of the airline catering industry
The Yam fruits cake by Rivzaur Cake
In the highly competitive airline catering industry, companies face the challenge of providing onboard products that meet specific criteria such as long shelf life, optimal storage and overall quality. Rivazur Cakes, a specialist producer of ambient soft fruit and chocolate cakes based in France, navigates these challenges with a commitment to innovation and sourcing the best quality raw ingredients.
Olivier Ripoche, Managing Director of Rivazur Cakes, shares key insights exploring how the company is tackling the unique demands of the onboard hospitality industry.
Ripoche says exhibiting at the last two editions of World Travel Catering & Onboard Services Expo (WTCE) were significant for the business. As a direct result of exhibiting, Rivazur Cakes secured an average of 30 meetings with airlines each year, ultimately leading to securing two new customers and engaging in ongoing discussions with 10 others.
Ripoche describes Rivazur Cakes as “a little slice of French pâtissier savoir faire all over the world.”
Originally creating products for family and friends to enjoy together, when moving into the airlines space, Rivazur Cakes wanted its customers to be able to enjoy world-class, French baking everywhere in the world, including on the move.
Serving as a unique platform for suppliers, WTCE offers the chance to present products to a global audience, while facilitating the initiation of new customer relationships. To do this, the show provides a number of unique features that exhibitors and visitors alike can take advantage of. Ripoche specifically highlights the benefits of the WTCE Connect tool, which enables Rivazur Cakes to schedule a significant number of meetings each year, qualify contacts and maximize follow-up discussions with prospective clients. When discussing time at the show, Ripoche says, “we were able to meet most of the world's airlines to present our products.”
The Yam caramel apple cake by Rivazur Cakes
By exhibiting for two consecutive years, WTCE helped Rivazur Cakes to further its market research and gain a better understanding of the airline catering market.
"We were able to understand the different expectations of companies, so whether breakfast, lunch or even afternoon tea we can meet the needs,” Ripoche says.
The flavours offered onboard by the brand tick a variety of different boxes. Whether it is chocolate, fruits and muesli, apple and caramel, or clementine and chia, each product serves a unique function in forming the onboard experience.
Ripoche says it is “necessary to adapt the recipe or the product format [for airlines]. In such cases, we work closely with the airline.”
He adds that WTCE was able to support this process for the brand. “We have accelerated our relationships with the majority of the world's airlines over the last two years thanks to WTCE."
Rivazur Cakes entered the onboard catering market a couple of years prior to exhibiting at WTCE but it wasn’t until taking part in the event for the first time that the airline side of its business really took off. The show has proven invaluable for networking and supporting the brand in generating new business opportunities and leads.
For companies exhibiting (or those considering it), Ripoche explains the importance of covering all bases from a logistical perspective. In addition to using WTCE Connect to schedule meetings in advance, he emphasizes the value of spontaneous meetings and networking. He recommends businesses ensure they always have at least two staff members at the stand to avoid losing prospective clients that may be passing by.
More details and registration for WTCE 2024, running May 28 to 30, can be found online. PAX International is a media partner for WTCE. Keep watching this space for more news as the biggest inflight catering, onboard services and passenger comfort gathering of the year approaches.
