Gate Gourmet Makes Strategic Investment in Performa/Elan

ZURICH, Switzerland, Dec. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Gate Gourmet, the world's largest independent airline caterer, hospitality and logistics provider, today announced a strategic investment in Performa, the Sydney- and Bangkok-based world leader in helping service-oriented companies design and deliver unique experiences at every customer touch point.

For more than two decades, Performa has been working with airlines, luxury hotels, airports and retailers to design and improve service concepts and delivery and product strategies to enhance brand value and encourage customer loyalty. It counts among its many clients some of the world's most prestigious airlines and hotels, including Cathay Pacific, Malaysian, ANA, and Lufthansa, and the Savoy Hotel, Moscow, and various Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, respectively.

In addition, Performa has created Elan, a separate unit that provides cabin crew search and training services. Elan is a service institute and builds on the record and capabilities that Performa has created, educating individuals in the finer points of guest interaction, service mind-set and self-presentation. Performa's Elan has provided crew members for over two years to major international airlines.

"Gate Gourmet is strategically adding best-in-class capabilities to our evolving business lines and Performa/Elan certainly meets the criterion of being a top-quality innovator and world leader in its field," said David Siegel, Chairman and CEO of Gate Gourmet. "We are very excited about this investment because Performa pulls together for its clients so many of the Group's services and products in a way that allows customers to establish a competitive advantage."

Siegel added that, "We view the expansion of Elan's services to the crew- leasing business as a major growth opportunity. The global shortfall in airline crews is estimated at about 25,000 in 2008 and is expected to grow to 10 times that by 2025. This will enable our airline customers to address one of their key strategic challenges in a flexible and cost-competitive way, with top service standards."

Gate Gourmet has recently expanded well beyond its traditional expertise in airline culinary and logistics support. Among its new partners are world- class leaders in design and provisioning of in-flight equipment and catering service ware; passenger comfort and entertainment items; sourcing and logistics solutions; and aviation services, including passenger processing, security services and ramp activities such as aircraft cabin cleaning and exterior washing and de-icing.

Performa was founded in the early 1980s by Keith Yates, who continues to lead the business as Executive Chairman of Performa and Elan. Kevin Murphy, who was instrumental in devising and establishing the Langham Hotels international brand, heads up the hotel side of Performa's business. Performa Hotels provides pre-opening and training services to leading hotels.

Terms of the agreement, which was signed on Dec. 11, were not disclosed.

Founded in 1992, Gate Gourmet is the world's largest independent airline catering, hospitality and logistics company with dual headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland, and Reston, VA, USA. The company has substantially expanded its portfolio of products and services recently through acquisitions and strategic investments. These new business lines include cabin service ware (deSter); comfort/entertainment items (Harmony); packaged food components assembled in central production units (Supplair); aviation services such as cabin cleaning, aircraft washing and deicing and passenger services (Fernley/IAS); business applications (eGate Solutions) and supply chain optimization (partnership with Pourshins). Visit our Web site at www.gategourmet.com.