A trusted supplier


Gate Gourmet

At Gate Gourmet, food safety and operational security are our top priorities. As a trusted supplier we focus on food safety protocols, facility inspections, technology, security and monitoring, supplier-related protocols as well as sustainable sourcing and supplier diversity.

Our 100+ locations around the world operate in ways that are more sanitary and with more safety checks and assurance systems than most fine dining restaurants, fast food chains and home kitchens. We stand by our quality control measures to serve you with confidence.

  • Food Safety Protocols

    Every Gate Gourmet employee is committed to operating a safe and clean workplace, and we are proud of our strong record. We have implemented rigorous food safety standards and we see their direct benefits.

    Gate Gourmet operates under the most stringent health and safety regulations in the food service industry. We apply Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) globally, pursuant to the 2010 version of the World Food Safety Guidelines for the airline catering industry, established by the International Flight Services Association (IFSA). The principles of HACCP were initially created by NASA to ensure food safety for astronauts traveling in space.

    We conduct extensive monitoring and methodical food safety checks thousands of times a day every day at all of our kitchens.

    • We inspect every vehicle that delivers our raw materials, as well as the ingredients themselves.
    • We monitor and check by digital probe food temperatures during the prepping, cooking, storing and delivery of food all the way to the airplane galleys.
    • We closely monitor oven and refrigerator temperatures throughout the day.
    • We perform temperature checks on every batch of cooked food.
    • And we ensure the safety of the way every dish is washed and every cook and food prep surface is cleaned.

    We continue to refine our food safety program, to include specific customer requirements and any relevant new measure, as part of our overarching compliance and quality management system, and based on a proactive, risk analysis-based approach.

  • Facility Inspections

    An average facility is audited in unannounced inspections at least twice a month by government regulators, third parties and our own health and safety experts.

    • Government authorities make unannounced inspections to check our food and our facilities.
    • Our airline customers inspect our kitchens for safety, quality and performance.
    • Our own Quality Assurance personnel have responsibility within each facility and for ongoing training of our teams.

    Many of Gate Gourmet’s own mandatory procedures go beyond even those federal, state/provincial and local requirements.

  • Our Technology

    Though not mandated by any regulatory authority, Gate Gourmet is proud that we use state-of-the-art technology to ensure that our food and facilities are safe and clean:

    • We’ve added electronic equipment to monitor the cleanliness of our countertops and work surfaces.
    • We utilize cutting-edge technologies to test for and ensure that our kitchens are listeria free.
  • Security and Monitoring

    Security is paramount to our organization and is continuously monitored by each Gate Gourmet facility.

    Although we cannot disclose specific security measures, each Gate Gourmet unit ensures compliance with location-specific standard facility security requirements. These may include but are not limited to biometric access control, turnstyle access, as well as security cameras monitoring various points across the operation.

    All points of entry are access-controlled with multi-layered processes to restrict entry to authorized parties.

    In some locations, Gate Gourmet has implemented heightened security standards including extensive camera coverage of production areas or access restrictions within the kitchen itself. Certain Latin American facilities, for example, have been certified by the Business Alliance for Secure Commerce, an international program that promotes secure international trade in cooperation with governments and international organizations.

    Broadly speaking, Gate Gourmet has systematic, multi-layered processes in place at every point in our operation.

  • Supplier-Related Protocols

    We hold our suppliers and business partners to the same high standards under which we operate. Therefore, working with Gate Gourmet as a trusted supplier means that you have transparency into the full supply chain.

    We regularly monitor and audit our supply chain to ensure adherence to our strict supplier-related protocols, including full compliance with all specifications and labeling.

    In the event of an irregularity, we reserve the right to ban products or even certain vendors from future business, depending on the nature of the identified issue. In the unlikely event that a non-compliant product was identified, it would be immediately withdrawn from production or sale.

  • Sustainable Sourcing and Supplier Diversity

    Gate Gourmet is always seeking to improve standards throughout our supply chain to optimize value, keeping the needs of our customers at the forefront of our decision-making.

    For full-service catering and provisioning, our procurement team’s approach to sustainable sourcing is driven by our capability to source alternatives for customers that are durable and lighter in weight but also cost-effective. This approach includes reduced raw material sourcing, reduced energy to create those materials and examining new technologies that automate traditionally manual processes. These alternatives translate into less fuel use by our customers and a reduction of their overall carbon footprint.

    Today, we globally source products for many of our customers that focus on reducing the use of packaging and water or look for different packaging like biodegradable and recyclable materials.

    Gate Gourmet’s sister company, deSter, also provides recycled disposable and rotable products that are made of sugar cane.

    Additionally, we are committed to enhancing business opportunities for small enterprises or those run by minority ethnic groups. We believe that every reasonable attempt should be made to include a varied base of supplier firms, as long as they are competitive on price, quality, service, and provide the best overall value for its company and customers.

    Our sustainable sourcing strategy encourages the development of small and local suppliers and places millions of dollars of business annually with those suppliers providing market-priced distribution services, products including fresh fruits and vegetables, disposables as well as other non-nominated airline products.