Food and product sustainability | Sustainability in operations

Food sustainability

We serve over 110 million meals across our network every year. Whenever possible, we source our ingredients locally from the destinations we fly to. It means we get the freshest ingredients for our authentic, regional meals, it supports the local economy and reduces the environmental costs of transport. As well as looking for quality ingredients, we look for suppliers who use environmentally friendly practices. Here are some of their stories along with some of our other food sustainability initiatives.

Reducing food waste

Food waste has a huge impact on people, economies and the environment. In an effort to reduce our food waste, we’re using technology to track what our customers order on board. This gives us data on both satisfaction and consumption. We take that data and use the latest AI technology to predict orders, so we optimise the amount and type of food we bring on board. In this way we can reduce our food waste by up to 30 to 40%, without compromising on choice. As the technology improves, we aim to reduce food waste by 60 to 70%.

EKFC vertical farm

Emirates Flight Catering (EKFC) is building a sustainable vertical farm in Dubai. It’s a covered farm that grows produce in vertical stacks, taking up less land space and enabling food to be grown in all environments. The 130,000 square foot farm will use an estimated 99% less water than open fields, yet it can produce as much as a 900 acre farm. EKFC aims to produce 2,700kg of leafy greens every day, free of herbicides and pesticides, for our flights and for our lounges as well as its other customers.

Olive Oil from Monte Vibiano

We’ve been serving the finest extra virgin olive oil from Monte Vibiano on our flights since 2000. The olives are grown in the hills of Umbria in central Italy.

In 2009, Castello Monte Vibiano Vecchio Cantina became the first vineyard and olive oil producer in Italy, and one of the first in the world, to achieve zero greenhouse gas emissions in accordance with international standard ISO 14064. This was achieved purely through ecological methods and not by buying carbon credits.

Gate Gourmet Japan

We work with several catering companies around the world to provide our meals. For our authentic Japanese meals, we work with Gate Gourmet Japan, which offers farm-to-table produce. It sources freshly picked vegetables from local farms such as the Hokuso Vegetable Farm that are all within a one kilometre radius from their facility, reducing transport pollution.

Wine from Maison Louis Latour

We’ve built relationships with some of the best vineyards in the world to bring exclusive wines and champagnes onboard. Among them is Maison Louis Latour, whose vineyards cover 50 hectares and includes the largest collection of Grand Cru vineyards in Burgundy.

The winery uses organic and sustainable methods in the production of its wine. Together with other wine makers in the hill of Corton, they are combatting the effects of soil erosion and drainage, and replanting trees and hedges to strengthen the ecosystem and preserve the authenticity of the landscape.

Dilmah tea

We’re proud to have partnered with Dilmah since 1992. We serve more than 10 varieties of their tea, including our own unique Emirates Signature Tea created by Dilmah exclusively for First Class. Dilmah is founded on producing high quality tea while supporting communities and protecting the environment. In 2017 Dilmah achieved carbon neutrality through its efforts to both reduce and offset its CO2 emissions. It pursues several sustainability initiatives to achieve this, including the use of biochar on all of its estates, installing two solar power plants at Dilmah Headquarters in Peliyagoda, Sri Lanka, and setting up hydroelectricity plants on two of its estates.

Amarula Fruit Cream

This fruit cream liqueur is the only one to use real marula fruit, harvested from marula trees that grow wild and uncultivated in Africa. This unique liqueur is matured for two years in aged French oak casks, and is only ever combined with genuine African ingredients. The company also supports elephant conservation projects and supports the development of eco-tourism skills through the Amarula Trust.

Product sustainability

We’re making sustainability central to our business, and that includes our onboard products. We seek suppliers who have an environmentally friendly approach to their product design, and we’re finding alternatives to single-use plastics. Check back as we add new initiatives.

Economy Class blankets

Our Economy Class blankets are made from 28 recycled 300ml plastic bottles. They’re woven into fine thread and made into a warm blanket that feels like a soft fleece.

Voya products

You’ll find Voya skincare products in our A380 Shower Spa, and our First Class and Business Class lounges in Dubai. The range was formulated exclusively for us using sustainable organic seaweed hand harvested in Sligo, Ireland. The range includes hand and body creams, shampoo, conditioner, body wash and hand wash. VOYA takes care to only use sustainable and conservative harvesting practices to collect the seaweed to prevent damage to the coastline of County Sligo.