Cathay Pacific partners with VEDA by Ovolo to enhance wellness dining options for consumers

Cathay Pacific has partnered with VEDA by Ovolo, a Hong Kong-based plant-forward restaurant, to unveil a new contemporary range of plant-based dishes to enhance the wellness dining options available to customers when they fly with Cathay and contribute to its efforts towards sustainability.

The partnership comes as Cathay Pacific is moving toward becoming a more sustainable airline. It is exploring plant-forward alternatives and moving towards more eco-conscious use of resources in its catering equipment. According to the airline, in 2022, it removed 56% of its single-use plastic consumption from its 2018 baseline. The partnership also aligns with VEDA’s and Ovolo Hotels’ ongoing Plant’d pledge to ethical eating, conscious cuisine and cutting-edge vegetarian, with the group becoming the first hotel brand globally to commit to a vegetarian-led offering.

Cathay Pacific’s premium economy and economy class customers travelling on selected long-haul flights departing from Hong Kong from now until June 2024 will be served with the new menus with a rotating selection of dishes throughout the year. Premium economy class customers will be served with a selection of dishes such as Bombay carrot salad with cashews, raisins and cherry tomatoes (孟買腰果甘筍沙律), Keralan-style coconut curry with mushrooms, red bell peppers and cumin rice (南印度椰香雜菌咖喱配小茴香飯) and roasted vegetable tagine with halloumi cheese and pearl couscous (摩洛哥燴雜菜配羊奶芝士及北非珍珠米).

On the other hand, economy class customers will be served with dishes such as Mediterranean potato salad (地中海式薯仔沙律), purple quinoa tabbouleh (中東紫藜麥小米沙律), Northern Thai-style coconut curry noodles with mixed vegetables (泰北椰香咖喱雜菜麪) and vegetable masala with green pulao rice (咖喱雜菜配薄荷香飯).

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Commenting on the partnership, Vivian Lo, Cathay Pacific general manager customer experience, said: “For Cathay, the difference is in the detail. We know inflight dining is something that is extremely important to our customers, and we carefully work with partners to bring them memorable experiences by sourcing ingredients, designing menus and preparing dishes with great attention to detail. Drawing inspiration from the breadth and variety of VEDA’s dishes, we have collaborated with VEDA and Ovolo Hotels executive chef Raul Tronco to develop a reimagined selection of plant-forward creations that reflect our brand values of thoughtful and progressive, and go beyond the norms of airline vegetarian meals.”

“We want to ensure we are doing our bit to help preserve our environment, promote healthy eating and enhance the image of amazing vegetarian and plant-based dining. Our collaboration with Cathay Pacific aligns perfectly with this mantra and our Plant’d pledge, and our wider ‘Do Good. Feel Good’ sustainability commitment,” said Girish Jhunjhnuwala, Ovolo Hotels founder and executive chairman.

Meanwhile, Ovolo Hotels' executive chef Raul Tronco said: “Designing a meal to be enjoyed at 30,000 feet comes with its challenges. I had to consider everything from how taste buds are affected at altitude, to cooking techniques. After countless hours of recipe testing, I am really pleased with the result and am confident that the curated VEDA inflight dishes offer travellers variety, vibrancy and incredible flavour.”

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE has reached out to Cathay Pacific for additional information.

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