Informatica (NYSE: INFA), a leader in enterprise AI-powered cloud data management, has partnered with Emirates Flight Catering (EKFC), one of the world’s largest catering operations, to modernize its digital infrastructure and enhance the efficiency, transparency and sustainability of its operations. EKFC selected Informatica’s cloud-based Multidomain Master Data Management (MDM) SaaS platform which addresses data fragmentation across product, suppliers and customer data, creating a deeper understanding to efficiently meet customer needs and offer hyper-personalized services.
As a key pillar of the Emirates Group, Emirates Flight Catering operates with the same commitment to world-class excellence and innovation that defines one of the globe’s most prestigious aviation brands. Producing more than 225,000 meals a day for over 100 airline customers, Emirates Flight Catering operates one of the most complex catering facilities in the world. Its success relies not only on large-scale production but also on precise coordination across sourcing, stock management and logistics, to deliver high-quality meals on time, every time.
“At Emirates Flight Catering, accurate, real-time data is at the heart of every ingredient, recipe, meal and decision. Partnering with Informatica and adopting their cloud MDM SaaS solution empowers us to build a unified, trusted source of item data accessible across our business and our hundreds of suppliers. The transition to an AI-first and cloud-first model elevates our data governance and supplier collaboration, enabling us to streamline operations, improve visibility and accelerate sustainability initiatives. Informatica’s governed material onboarding workflows and supplier self-service capabilities are key to maintaining rigorous data quality,” said Tad Nadolny, Vice President, IT Information Systems, at Emirates Flight Catering.
Central to this transformation is the deployment of a supplier self-service portal powered by Informatica’s MDM SaaS platform. This provides EKFC’s network of over 300 suppliers with data-governed workflows, significantly improving accuracy at the point of entry and directly accelerating procurement cycles. By standardizing data onboarding and governance through Informatica’s cloud platform, EKFC is building the operational agility needed to meet customer demands quickly, with the data transparency required to measure its environmental, social, governance (ESG) and sustainability commitments effectively.
In the near term, EKFC expects this integration to foster seamless collaboration between suppliers and internal teams on one unified cloud platform, improving stock control and enabling more agile production planning. This is essential for an operation that values precision and scale, as it meets high demands expected by global customers.
Looking forward, EKFC envisions a fully transparent, responsive supply chain, with instant updates on product substitutions and recalls, smarter inventory management to minimize waste and AI-powered predictive analytics to automate processes and uncover continuous improvement opportunities. As EKFC strengthens its data governance framework, the organization plans to leverage the AI capabilities built into Informatica’s MDM SaaS solution and EKFC Data Platform to predict operational needs, automate repetitive processes and uncover new opportunities for continuous improvement.
“Ultimately, it’s about creating a smarter, more sustainable and more resilient catering operation that’s ready for the future,” added Nadolny.
Already diverting over 300 tons of recyclable material monthly and generating clean energy through an 8,000-panel solar rooftop, EKFC’s improved data accuracy and traceability can help reduce food waste, improve procurement efficiency and enhance the traceability of responsibly sourced ingredients.
“We’re proud to partner with Emirates Flight Catering, as they are setting a global benchmark for operational excellence,” said Yasser Shawky, Vice President, Emerging Markets (MEA) at Informatica. “This Informatica MDM SaaS partnership exemplifies how data-driven innovation transforms complex operations into intelligent, efficient and sustainable models. By enhancing supply chain visibility, governance and sustainability performance, this initiative sets a new standard for catering, driving measurable business outcomes and smarter decision-making. Working with such a forward-thinking organization exemplifies how data can transform even the most complex operations into intelligent, adaptive and future-ready endeavors.”
