Explore the wanderlust for flying with inflight dining in the home For the first time, Finnair’s Nordic inflight Business Class menu can now be bought in Finland and enjoyed without taking a flight.
The Finnish flag carrier has started selling ready-made Business Class-inspired meals so customers can enjoy a ‘Taste of Finnair’ in their own homes.
The ready-made meals are just available in one Finnish store – the K-Citymarket Tammisto, located near Helsinki Airport, in the city of Vantaa. And if the pilot is successful, Finnair could increase production and start selling the meals in other stores too.
Costing from €5.90 for a starter and €12.90 for a main dish, the specially developed concept meals have been designed by Finnair’s own top chefs and hand-made in the airline’s dedicated Finnair Kitchen.
As well as offering those missing flying the ability to enjoy the inflight dining experience on the ground, the initiative has also helped secure the jobs of catering staff who were called back from furlough, because of the pandemic.
With Finnair providing the quickest route between Europe and Asia, Helsinki customers can now choose from the airline’s fusion of Finnish and Asian signature dishes, such as Finnish reindeer and beef in teriyaki-radish sauce.
Marika Nieminen, Finnair Kitchen VP, said: “We want to offer the opportunity for a Finnair experience and everyday luxury at home, now that travel has been restricted in many ways.
“At the same time, this is a new business opening for us and employs our chefs in Vantaa. As so many of Finnair Kitchen’s employees are temporarily laid off, the project enables us to create new work and employment for our people.”
Juha Stenholm, Finnair Kitchen Head of Product Development, said: “The meals are inspired by Nordic and Japanese flavours and seasonal ingredients. The menus
include, for example, Finnish reindeer and beef in teriyaki-radish sauce, which draws on Tokyo’s street food culture.
“Our food cultures are united by the appreciation and emphasis of ingredients and their natural flavors in food, and it is evident in these meals as well. We are excited to bring flavors from our Business Class easily available to the grocery store.”
Kimmo Sivonen, K-Citymarket merchant, based at Tammisto, said: “It is very important for us to provide our customers with quality food, easily and effortlessly: ready-made portions bring variety to home-made cooking.
“It is especially great to do this with the Finnish flag carrier Finnair. Taste of Finnair meals are high quality
only five kilometres away from our store.”
dining experience which are handmade in the Finnair Kitchen
Two main course options are available throughout the week from Monday to Sunday and an additional appetiser from Friday to Sunday. The menu changes every two weeks.
To begin with, customers can buy the roasted carrot and blue cheese mousse with hazelnuts starter for €5.90, followed by a choice of two main dishes each for €12.90; a smoked char and chanterelle risotto or a beef and teriyaki-radish sauce, with spring onion and rice.
For more information about Finnair flights, schedules and products, please visit Finnair.com.
