EVA Air invited UK travel trade partners behind the scenes at it’s catering provider’s LHR facility to experience first-hand the premium inflight food and beverage programme that has become a key part of the airline’s customer proposition.
The event combined a product seminar with a tasting of meals served across Business Class, Premium Economy and Economy, while catering provider DO & CO chefs explained how the menus are created and adapted to reflect the airline’s Taiwanese heritage.
Business Class dishes included Braised Scottish Prime Beef Cheeks, Braised Lamb Shoulder and Lamb Cutlet, Lobster Thermidor and a Chocolate and Raspberry Tart, while guests also sampled Premium Economy favourites including Truffled Chicken and Mushroom Ragout and Thai Basil Seafood Rice, alongside Economy meals such as General Tso Chicken and Beef Patty with Peppercorn Sauce. Wines paired with the dishes formed part of the tasting.
A spokesperson at EVA Air, said the event was designed to give trade partners a deeper understanding of the airline’s onboard proposition so they can better communicate its value to customers.
“EVA Air hosted this exclusive meal tasting and product seminar to strengthen relationships with our valued trade partners while providing them with a first-hand experience of our premium inflight products and services,” she said.
“We hope our trade partners have gained a deeper understanding of EVA Air’s commitment to delivering an exceptional passenger experience. Experiencing our inflight meals, beverages and product updates first-hand enables them to confidently recommend EVA Air to their clients, highlighting the quality, comfort and value that set our airline apart.”
The spokesperson added that the inflight experience remains one of the airline’s strongest differentiators, pointing to its partnership with DO & CO, premium Taiwanese food and beverage brands, curated wine programme and pre-order meal options as examples of how EVA Air is investing in the passenger experience.
The event also gave attendees an insight into the work that goes into developing airline menus. According to Ionut Sova, Head of Overseas Airline Customers at DO & CO, each EVA Air menu takes between three and five months to develop in collaboration with the airline.
“Our development team – every chef you see today – has worked in a Michelin-starred restaurant,” he said. “For every airline that we cater, we bring experience from that country, so for EVA Air we have chefs with Taiwanese backgrounds helping to create an authentic onboard dining experience.”
For agents, the event demonstrated how onboard products can become a valuable selling point when discussing airline options with clients.
Jenna Neenan, Aviation Product Executive at Audley Travel, said: “With what we’ve learned today, we will go back to our sales team, who are the guys who talk directly to the clients. They would then be able to sell this as an upsell, whether they travel Economy, Business or whatever, depending on the food and the experience. It’s a good upselling opportunity.”
Beyond dining
Beyond its food and beverage programme, EVA Air is continuing to invest in premium onboard touches designed to enhance the passenger experience across its long-haul network.
In Premium Economy, the airline has introduced new Hunter-branded amenity kits made from recycled materials. The cross-body bags include travel essentials such as a dental kit, earplugs, eye mask, body cream and lip balm, with a focus on sustainability through features including FSC-certified paper packaging.
In Royal Laurel Class, passengers receive sleepwear created in collaboration with fashion and lifestyle brand Maison Kitsuné. Available in black or sage green, the pyjamas are made from a blend of recycled and renewable materials and have been designed to combine comfort with contemporary style, reflecting the growing emphasis on premium, design-led onboard experiences.
The EVA Air spokesperdon said these elements form part of EVA Air’s wider approach to premium travel, alongside its curated dining programme, carefully selected beverages, personalised meal pre-order service and consistently high service standards.
“We take a holistic approach to premium travel by combining award-winning dining, carefully curated beverages, outstanding cabin comfort and attentive service to create a memorable journey from take-off to landing,” she said.
