Cathay partners The Coffee Academïcs to elevate inflight coffee experience

Cathay has partnered with Hong Kong-based The Coffee Academïcs to launch a coffee blend, enhancing the inflight coffee experience for passengers. 

This collaboration stems from the rise of Hong Kong’s homegrown coffee scene over the past few decades. With endless options available to them, coffee lovers have become more selective about what goes into their cups. For many travellers, inflight coffee can be inconsistent - a challenge Cathay aims to address with this initiative.

It also forms part of Cathay’s ongoing efforts to forge partnerships with brands that enhance local experiences while making a global impact. It underscores the airline’s commitment to championing homegrown brands on the world stage, with a strong focus on Asian markets.

To boost visibility, Cathay has released a thematic video across its social media channels, emphasising the blend’s premium qualities.

The development process began with an analysis of passenger preferences and the unique challenges of serving coffee at 30,000 feet, where taste and aroma are often muted. Through joint evaluation sessions, the teams selected a blend of freshly roasted beans from Vietnam and Brazil. These beans were chosen for their rich, aromatic profile, which features notes of dark cocoa, roasted almond, and an earthy finish. Notably, the blend retains its character even at high altitude.

Each portion is custom-packed in a biodegradable, non-woven filter that allows water to gently infuse through the grounds, ensuring consistent extraction and clarity in every cup. 

The coffee is now available in Cathay’s Economy and Premium Economy cabins, catering to passengers seeking a morning boost or a mid-flight wind-down.

“We continually seek partnerships with brands that enhance local experiences while making a global impact,” said Cathay Pacific head of dining and hospitality Bernard Mills. “With a strong focus on Asian markets, The Coffee Academïcs embodies exactly this ethos.”

“This collaboration marks a significant milestone for The Coffee Academïcs,” said The Coffee Academïcs' founder Jennifer Liu. “We’re very proud to bring the taste of Hong Kong to the skies and share it with a global audience. A heartfelt thank you to Cathay for supporting homegrown businesses and helping us take our passion for coffee to new heights.”

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE has reached out to Cathay for more information.

Don't miss: Cathay Cargo recreates a modern-day ark with AI-inspired campaign

Last month, Cathay Cargo unveiled an AI-inspired campaign featuring sloths, flamingos, alpacas, penguins and other adorable creatures, highlighting its meticulous care and attention that each animal receives when travelling with Cathay Cargo’s live animal services.

Created with the help of creative agency Leo Hong Kong, the campaign, titled "We carry them all, big and small", reimagines a modern-day “ark” - only with wings, not sails - to showcase the spectacular diversity of animals that can travel with the airline, as well as the bespoke care they receive on every flight.

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