Ethiopian Airlines to More Than Double Catering Capacity to 150,000 Meals Daily Within Six Months

Betegbar Yaregal

#EBR_News Sep 24, 2026

Ethiopian Airlines is expanding its inflight catering production capacity from 60,000 to 150,000 meals per day, with the project set for completion within six months, Mesfin Abate, Director of Inflight Catering at Ethiopian Airlines, told EBR at the official unveiling of the airline’s 2027 inflight menu, held at Ethiopian Skylight Hotel on September 24, 2026.

According to Mesfin, the first phase of the expansion will be completed within a month, with the remainder finished within six months. He said the investment amount involved is significant but declined to disclose the figure publicly. Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO Mesfin Tasew described the project as a massive expansion effort at the event, saying the airline is investing heavily in its catering facility and modernising kitchen equipment to keep pace with its growing passenger numbers.

Mesfin Abate said Ethiopian Airlines’ catering operation extends well beyond serving its own flights. He said the airline prepares meals for all other carriers flying into Ethiopia, including Emirates, Etihad, and Turkish Airlines, and that Chinese airlines are expected to begin operations soon and will also be served by Ethiopian’s catering facility.

On the 2027 menu itself, Mesfin Abate said new additions this year include an ice cream service for business class passengers, a Mediterranean-inspired dish, and additional seafood options, developed based on customer feedback gathered over the year. He said the airline rotates its meal offerings in cycles, changing the business class menu every two months and the economy class menu every three months, with the menu presented today covering a full year of offerings beginning in January.

On quality control, Mesfin Abate said Ethiopian Airlines’ catering operation includes eight independent departments, with a dedicated Quality Control section deploying staff around the clock across every stage of production, from receiving raw goods to loading meals onto aircraft. He said the airline has recorded zero health-related customer complaints over its 80 years of catering operations.

CEO Mesfin Tasew told the gathering that Ethiopian Airlines has been named Best Airline in Africa for nine consecutive years by Skytrax, and that the airline’s catering has separately been recognized as Best Economy Class Onboard Catering in Africa. Mesfin Abate said the airline now intends to enter Skytrax’s dedicated catering category next year, aiming to win international recognition specifically for its inflight food service.