EKFC’s vertical farm, the world’s largest, will deliver fresh produce for millions of meals at Expo
Caterers will work with a host of participating countries to serve up authentic national cuisines
DUBAI: Fresh produce grown at the world’s largest vertical farm will be served to millions at Expo 2020 Dubai as part of a collaboration with Emirates Flight Catering (EKFC) to provide delicious and diverse culinary choices while showcasing the future of sustainable gastronomy.
The tie-up will also introduce visitors to the world’s most tantalising up-and-coming cuisines at Expo Culinary Experience restaurants. Operated by EKFC, the eateries will embrace authentic recipes from participating countries – enabling diners to sample global flavours, ingredients and foodstuffs they may have never considered before stepping through the Expo 2020 gates.
Gillian Hamburger, Senior Vice President – Programming at Expo 2020 Dubai, said: “With 50 million meals expected to be served during Expo 2020, both quality and sustainability are crucial to our aim of creating an exceptional – and delicious – World Expo, while also contributing to a more sustainable future for us all. Expo 2020 and Emirates Flight Catering share this strong commitment, and we look forward to exchanging knowledge and ideas.”
Aligning with the United Nations’ Sustainable Gastronomy Day on 18 June, Expo 2020 and EKFC have signed a Memorandum of Understanding that sets out a shared vision for the largest event ever staged in the Arab world. This forms part of a broader collaboration which puts the planet first – with Expo 2020 and EKFC innovating together to advance Expo 2020’s Sustainability subtheme and create lasting positive environmental impacts.
Saeed Mohammed, Chief Executive Officer of Emirates Flight Catering, said: “At Emirates Flight Catering we are constantly looking at innovation and ways to improve our productivity, product and service quality. We are committed to bringing our customers the freshest and highest quality food possible by adopting the latest technology into our operations. Our ‘farm to fork’ concept not only secures our own supply chain of locally-sourced, fresh vegetables, but it significantly reduces our environmental footprint as well. We are delighted to collaborate with Expo 2020 to provide millions of visitors with a truly memorable gastronomical experience.”
EKFC is set to launch a series of F&B locations across the Expo site’s three Thematic Districts. Its fine dining restaurants will feature rotating menus and a monthly star chef from its extensive network, while Grains and Greens will offer gourmet sandwiches, bowl creations and sharing platters. Meanwhile, La Patisserie will provide sweet treats and coffee in an elegant atmosphere, and Deli2Go will serve simple and fresh bites that can be enjoyed on the move.
EKFC’s 130,000 square foot vertical farm, located next door to the Expo 2020 site in Dubai South, will produce 2,700 kilos of herbicide- and pesticide-free leafy greens every day, using 99 per cent less water than outdoor fields. A proportion of its output will go to Emirates-operated outlets and various other pavilions at Expo during the 173 days of the event.
In light of Expo 2020’s wider environmental commitment, every F&B vendor that collaborates with Expo 2020 must sign the Food Ethos – a document designed to push forward sustainability and wellness through local sourcing, use of organic produce and environmentally-conscious packaging. The Food Ethos also promotes affordability and sets standards for accessibility by encouraging vendors to account for allergies and intolerances.
F&B providers are also encouraged to meet more ambitious targets in areas such as food and packaging waste. This could include donating excess food to the UAE Food Bank or implementing technologies to track and reduce waste.
EKFC, one of the world’s largest airline catering companies, diverts a wide range of materials from landfill through a comprehensive recycling programme and uses sustainable materials throughout its operation. As part of its ‘farm to fork’ policy, EKFC works directly with suppliers to best source the right ingredients and reduce food miles while actively supporting SMEs in the local market. EKFC is sharing these best practices with Expo 2020.
A foodie’s paradise, Expo 2020 Dubai is set to welcome visitors from every corner of the globe to discover mouthwatering dishes, creative gastronomic experiences, future-shaping food tech, old classics, new favourites, street bites and gourmet delights across more than 200 F&B outlets.
There will be options to suit every palate, with 50-plus cuisines to try across an area equal in size to seven football pitches and almost 300,000 meals served every day throughout the six-month celebration that begins on 20 October 2020.
About Expo 2020 Dubai
Expo 2020 Dubai is guided by the belief that innovation and progress are the result of people and ideas combining in new ways. For six months from 20 October 2020, Expo will bring together 192 countries and millions of people to celebrate human ingenuity: ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’.
During the six months from 20 October 2020 to 10 April 2021, we expect to welcome 25 million visits
About 70 per cent of all visitors are anticipated to come from outside the UAE – the largest proportion of international visitors in Expo history.
We aim to create and deliver an inclusive and global Expo with more than 200 participants, including nations, multilateral organisations, businesses and educational institutions.
Expo 2020 also has an ambitious volunteer programme, which aims to include more than 30,000 volunteers from a wide range of ages, nationalities, cultures and backgrounds.
The Expo site covers a total of 4.38 sqkm, including a 2 sqkm gated area. It is located adjacent to Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai South.
Expo 2020 Dubai is the first World Expo to take place in the MEASA (Middle East, Africa and South Asia) region
Applications for media accreditation for Expo 2020 Dubai are now open and media organisations are invited to submit their expression of interest at https://www.expo2020dubai.com/media-centre/expression-of-interest by 30 June 2019. All accredited media will have access to the Expo 2020 Media Centre and all associated services and facilities within the Expo 2020 site. Additionally, if your media organisation has television or radio studio requirements during Expo 2020, please email media.services@expo2020.ae by 9 May 2019.
Visit: www.expo2020dubai.com
Follow: Twitter: @expo2020dubai | Facebook: @Expo2020Dubai | Instagram: expo2020dubai
About World Expos
In 1851 the Crystal Palace was the centrepiece of London’s Great Exhibition – the first World Expo. It celebrated the man-made industrial wonders of a rapidly changing world. Architecture, contents and a theme, ‘Industry of All Nations’, were combined to create a big idea of nations meeting nations in shared technological and commercial progress. In more recent years, participants in World Expos, including governments, international organisations and companies, have gathered to find solutions to universal challenges and to promote their achievements, products, ideas, innovations, their national brand, and their nations as destinations for tourism, trade and investment.
World Expos are held under the auspices of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), the intergovernmental organisation responsible for overseeing and regulating international exhibitions (‘Expos’) and for fostering their core values of Education, Innovation and Cooperation. Today, four types of Expos are organised under the BIE’s auspices: World Expos, Specialised Expos, Horticultural Expos and the Triennale di Milano.
About Emirates Flight Catering
Emirates Flight Catering is one of the world’s largest catering operations. Offering airline, events and VIP catering as well as ancillary services including laundry, food production and airport lounge food and beverage, Emirates Flight Catering is a trusted partner of more than 100 airline customers, hospitality groups and UAE government entities. Each day, the company’s 11,000 dedicated employees prepare an average of 225,000 meals and handle 210 tonnes of laundry. EKFC is building the world’s largest vertical farm in a joint venture with Crop One Holdings Inc.
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