Gategroup
Corporate brand
UnclaimedA Zurich-headquartered global food and hospitality company whose businesses span airline catering, onboard retail, packaged meal solutions, food packaging, and related travel services.
Last updated September 25, 2026
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Overview
gategroup is a global food and hospitality company headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland. Its origins trace to 1931, when Swissair launched an in-house catering division. Gate Gourmet became an independent company in 1992; the gategroup umbrella brand was introduced in 2008 to bring Gate Gourmet and ten other companies under one group identity. The company describes itself as a global food company and the world’s leading inflight caterer, with a broad portfolio of culinary and hospitality services. The group serves travel and wider food-service markets through a collection of specialist brands. gategourmet provides airline catering and provisioning, including services for airport lounges. gateretail delivers onboard retail programs for airline and train customers. gatesolutions develops catering and packaged-meal solutions for the food-service and retail industries. The portfolio also includes Servair, which provides airline catering and cleaning services, deSter, a designer and manufacturer of food packaging and serviceware, and Uqonic, which offers culinary experiences for lounges and special events. According to its website, gategroup employs more than 46,000 people and operates in 300 locations across all continents. Its catering network serves more than 680 million passengers annually in over 68 countries. The company presents culinary expertise, product innovation, advanced technology, operational excellence, and sustainability as central elements of its business. Its activities extend beyond aircraft catering to travel retail, hospitality, food solutions, and packaging. The group’s expansion has included acquisitions and geographic growth, including the acquisition of deSter in 2007, expansion in Canada and India in 2010, growth in Oceania in 2013, control of Servair in 2017, and acquisition of LSG Group’s European operations in 2020. Its history page records that Temasek and RRJ Capital became equal co-shareholders in 2019. The company remains active and continues to present itself as a global provider of culinary and travel experiences.
History
gategroup’s corporate history begins with Swissair’s in-house catering operation. In 1931, Swissair launched an internal catering division, which the company identifies as the official beginning of Gate Gourmet’s journey. Gate Gourmet was established as an independent company in 1992 following Swissair’s restructuring. The company’s history page records a period of growth beginning in 1994, with acquisitions in Europe, Latin America, Asia, and the United States, including SAS Service Partners. In 1999, Gate Gourmet merged with Dobbs International Services. Swissair Group sold Gate Gourmet to investment firm Texas Pacific Group in 2002, and in 2003 Gate Gourmet acquired the remaining 70% of Iber-Swiss catering from Iberia. The group subsequently broadened its activity beyond catering for airlines. In 2007 it acquired deSter as part of a strategy to diversify into other services for the airline industry. In 2008, gategroup was introduced as an umbrella brand representing Gate Gourmet and ten other companies. The company was listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange in 2009. In 2010 it acquired Cara Airline Solutions in Canada and expanded its footprint in India with Skygourmet. In 2011 it launched gateOPEX, a global operational-excellence program; in 2012 it launched gateretail, focused on onboard sales management. Its presence in Oceania expanded in 2013 through Australian Qantas Catering and Pacific Flight Catering in New Zealand. The company introduced its Gateway 2020 strategy in 2015. Ownership and acquisitions continued to shape the group. HNA Group acquired gategroup in 2016. In 2017, gategroup acquired control over Servair from Air France. Temasek and RRJ Capital joined HNA Group as investors in 2018 and became co-shareholders in 2019, each owning 50% of the company shares, according to the company’s history page. In 2020, gategroup acquired the European operations of LSG Group. The group’s later history page notes that it responded to pandemic challenges with a new vision 2025 in 2021. Today, gategroup describes itself as a global food and hospitality company headquartered in Zurich, with operations in 300 locations across all continents and a portfolio spanning airline catering, travel retail, food solutions, and packaging.
- 2021
Vision 2025 set in response to pandemic challenges
[2] - 2020
European operations of LSG Group acquired
[2] - 2019
Temasek and RRJ Capital become equal co-shareholders
[2] - 2018
Temasek and RRJ Capital join as investors
[2] - 2017
Control of Servair acquired
[2] - 2016
HNA Group acquires gategroup
[2] - 2015
Gateway 2020 strategy introduced
[2] - 2013
Expansion in Oceania
[2] - 2012
gateretail launched
[2] - 2011
gateOPEX launched
[2]
Products and positioning
A global food and hospitality group with culinary roots, positioning itself around airline catering leadership, a broad portfolio of travel and food-service brands, bespoke experiences, innovation, operational excellence, and sustainability.
gategourmet
Airline catering and provisioning services, including services onboard and in airport lounges.
gateretail
Bespoke, data-driven onboard retail programs for airline and train customers.
gatesolutions
Tailor-made catering and packaged-meal solutions for food service and retail.
Servair
Airline catering and cleaning services, with a stated presence in France and Africa.
deSter
Designs and manufactures food packaging and serviceware for aviation and food service.
Uqonic
Culinary experiences for lounges and special events.
Brand decisions
Sources4 sources
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