ON JUNE 29 the SAirRelations division of SAirGroup (formerly Swissair Group) signed a purchase agreement with the management of British-based European Rail Catering. The new acquisition will be integrated with Rail Gourmet, thereby more than doubling its revenue and increasing its European market share from 6 to 11%, according to parent SAirRelations. Formerly known as OBS Services (RG 4.97 p220), ERC has an annual turnover in excess of £40m from direct catering on 350 services a day, and the supply of food and drink to another 1000 from 36 station-based service centres throughout Britain.
Rail Gourmet Chief Executive Officer Edy Fischer saw the acquisition as creating ’a powerful partnership’ of his company’s ’high-quality production and supply capabilities’ with ERC’s ’expertise and flair’ in cultivating the rail catering market. Following the acquisition of Restobel/ Restorail in March, Rail Gourmet expects revenue to grow to over SFr100m this year from the SFr33m recorded in 1996. o
