After two years of working with farmers and suppliers across Vanuatu, Fine Foods is now supplying locally supplied and produced food to Air Vanuatu catering to be served on Air Vanuatu flights.
According to the Chief Executive officer (CEO) of Fine Foods, Cornelia Wyllie, she initially started work on this initiative about two years ago.
Fine Foods has worked with local suppliers and farmers throughout Vanuatu to create locally produced, processed and packaged food pouches and the “More than ENAF Chews’ bars to Air Vanuatu catering, as Air Vanuatu shows that it has listened to the public and has started using local suppliers to provide on flight meals.
Printing and packaging of all the fine food products have also been done locally.
“In the first 20 days, we injected over VT 2.4 million into the community, the suppliers and into the farmers pockets,” said Mrs. Wyllie.
“We are pleased to say that Fine Foods is able to supply the pouches for Economy Class hot meals,” an Air Vanuatu Catering representative said.
“We are working closely with Fine Foods and farmers to bring a unique meal option that will change on a regular basis and reflect what is best in season.”
Business Class passengers have enjoyed hot and cold choices from this initiative, including vegan, gluten free, butter chicken, brown rice and chia, pulled beef infused with tamarind, chicken coriander sesame salad, roast root crops and market vegetable with nuts and grains to name a few.
Both business and economy have enjoyed the “More than Enaf chew”, and the Fine Foods CEO stated that soon Economy passengers can also enjoy these in-flight meals.
Air Vanuatu is also working with Fine Foods in spearheading a VT5 contribution with every “More than ENAF Chews” to Rotary Oceania Medical Assistance for Children (ROMAC) Trust.
The Rotary Club President, Ashok Kumar, explained that ROMAC helps meet the medical expenses of children in Vanuatu that need special operations and care.
It collects funds and works with the sponsorship of the New Zealand Rotary Club to send the children abroad for their medical needs.
Mrs. Wyllie has presented the first cheque for VT100, 000 towards the ROMAC Trust, celebrating the first month of supply of More than ENAF Chews to Mr. Kumar who accepted the donation on behalf of Romac.
“Fine Foods and Air Vanuatu have committed to donate over the next 12 months to this worthwhile fund,” said Mrs. Wyllie.
The Acting Director of the Department of Trade & Industry, Noel Kalo said, “This is an important achievement and we have been talking about it for a long time. We are pleased to be in association with this development.”
The Vanuatu Made logo is advertised on every pack of the “More than ENAF Chews” bars, and it is available on every inbound and outgoing Air Vanuatu flight.
SOURCE: VANUATU DAILY POST
