Focus on: Drinks' garnish

Freeze Dried Fruits has developed a range of light-weight drink garnishes that could help airlines improve waste management. Jessica Pook finds out more

something as small as a slice of lime or a sprinkle of berries in a beverage can be all it takes to enhance the experience. Fruits For Drinks is the world’s first freeze-dried garnish solution, providing airlines with a light-weight alternative to fresh fruit whilst minimising carbon footprint and improving waste management.

full of flavour

While a staple in a G&T or lime and soda, fruits reserved for garnish are prone to dehydrating, especially on long flights. Fruits For Drinks found that by freezing the fruit they could maintain over 90% of all of the vitamins, minerals and flavours while reducing the overall weight by 85%.

Available in lemon, lime, orange, blueberry, strawberry and raspberry, the product is made through a process of freeze-drying citrus fruits and berries to maintain the natural colour, texture and flavour.

sustainable solutions

Fruit For Drinks conducted research that found that every kilo of weight saved on a 12 hour flight could amount to a reduction of half a kilo of fuel. Meaning the simple swap from fresh to frozen fruit could provide an immediate weightfuel cost saving for airlines looking to reduce their carbon footprint.

Furthermore, the swap could reduce the airline's fruit wastage, minimise storage costs and ensure high quality and consistent results.

The product is packaged in a 40 or 20 serve re-sealable bag specifically designed with the airline trolley in mind. The packaging also guarantees a nine month best before date and is fully compostable. It also eliminates any need for slicing equipment, preparation area, refrigeration, or labour intensive portioning.

David Ross, director of Fruits For Drinks says: “To create a product which delivers excellent flavour and in turn can provide a great solution for the staff in these arenas, while providing an upturn in margin and reduction in carbon footprint and waste is immensely satisfying.

"Our ethos and working practice is about being the leaders in sustainability, waste and carbon footprint reduction and easing of service. Fruits For Drinks is the ideal partner for airlines who are also working towards this too”. •

Freeze-dried fruit weighs 85% less than fresh fruit

Smart use of space has allowed Brussels Airlines to offer a unique self-service bar in Business, styled as a 'boutique hotel lounge bar in the sky'.

Conceptual thinking

The concept team turned to the experience delivered by the finest boutique hotels as its inspiration for the new Business class. The goal was to address a key trend in the business travel sector: the growing demand for a more personal area dedicated to networking and sharing. The resulting walk-up ‘Belgian bar’ at the Door 2 boarding area responds to this demand directly, as well as adding a ’wow factor’ for all guests.

SAFRAN Cabin was tasked with creating a boutique hotel experience in a space that could be used for networking and sharing experiences. The brief stressed the need to differentiate the Brussels Airlines C-class experience from the competition through design and function; and was to draw on the trademark Belgium café culture.

Design style

With design direction from JPA Design. SAFRAN Cabin succeeded in creating a genuine lounge bar atmosphere at the Door 2 area, where all guests board. This unexpected ‘lobby’ connects to the new Business cabin design and reflects the boutique look desired from the start.

Two large Led-lit wood panels are the first ‘ wow factor’ design elements guests see on entry. Mood lighting and a Dôme light located on the pelmet ceiling add to the atmosphere. The ceiling features an Art Nouveau signature design, a distinctive and typically-belgian pattern, that can also be seen in the airline’s award-winning THE LOFT Business lounge in Brussels. The bar counter uses the same birch-like wood style used for the lounge tables.

To fully test the concept, SAFRAN Cabin created a full-sized model of the bar which allowed the entire team to see how passengers and crew would move and interact.

Distinct choices

The self-service bar is structured around three distinct zones. An ambient area offers fresh fruits, wines and premium gourmet signature products such as the famous Belgian Neuhaus chocolates.