AIRASIA’S INFLIGHT MEALS LAND IN KL
Low-cost carrier opens 1st fast-food joint at MidValley Megamall, with plan for 100 more within 5 years
AIRASIA Group yesterday opened its flagship Santan Restaurant and T&CO Cafe — its first fast food outlet in the region— at the MidValley Megamall, here, with the aim of launching another five by end of next year.
Group chief executive officer Tan Sri Tony Fernandes said the low-cost carrier planned to have 100 franchisees in three to five years.
“Food is an important element for Malaysians and our airline food has been successful. We are the first airline to commercialise our food,” said Fernandes at the launch.
Also present were Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, AirAsia Group Bhd executive chairman Datuk Kamarudin Meranun, AirAsia Group president (RedBeat Ventures) Aireen Omar and Santan Restaurant and T&CO Cafe general manager Catherine Goh.
The restaurant cum cafe will feature an artificial intelligence equipped smart menu that will recommend popular dishes based on time, past ordering patterns and demographic taste.
Foodies can now indulge in popular favourites such as Pak Nasser’s Nasi Lemak and Uncle Chin’s Chicken Rice, as well as other Asean cuisines such as Pineapple Fish Noodles from Cambodia and Chicken Inasal with Garlic Rice from the Philippines, from just RM12.
Fernandes said AirAsia had partnered various players to open its first restaurant as the airline was a new to the fast-food chain business.
“We want it to be affordable. We have gone directly to suppliers so that we can bring the prices down.”
“We are going to be aggressive as we would like to be all over the world, such as in London, New York and other locations in Asean.
“We have received many enquiries relating to the franchise. We expect to open a Santan and T&CO franchise in China soon,” he said, adding that the company would also offer food delivery services.
Fernandes said its venture into the food business would complement, rather than eat into the market share of existing fast food chain players.
“The only difference is that we use big data (of customers) to offer good value. We will source everything locally,” he said.
Fernandes said Santan and T&CO might be developed into Santan Food Corp with operations that include airline food, restaurants and franchises.
Goh said there was rising demand for AirAsia’s inflight menu offerings beyond its flights in the region.
“We want to extend what started out as inflight menu into new markets and pledge our support for local and Asean producers and suppliers, apart from creating new job opportunities with affordable franchising,” she said.
Goh said the restaurant would feature different inflight menu products.
She said the company aimed to have three to four restaurants in the Klang Valley and one in Penang by the end of next year.