Goddard Catering Group
– The 32-Year-Old Recipe of Success
For the past three decades, Goddard Catering
Group (St. Lucia) Ltd., based in Vieux Fort,
Saint Lucia, has been a principal supplier for
international airlines insofar as catering to
passengers’ gastronomic needs. The company’s
well-trained and dedicated staffers make it
their business delivering consistent high-quality
service.
Such success did not come overnight, says the
company’s General Manager, Anthony Samuel,
who joined the company in 1994, seven years
after it started operations.
Starting out as a janitor, Samuel has served
as cabin service operator, stores clerk, stores
keeper, purchasing officer, purchasing manager,
operations manager.
With about 70 different corporations in its
portfolio, in-flight catering is the diverse
Goddard Catering Group’s principal business.
After the ICC Cricket World Cup was held in
the Caribbean in 2007, the Group diversified
into events catering. Its main customers now
include Virgin Atlantic, British Airways, Delta
Airlines, Thomson and JetBlue. However, the
company caters to private flights.
The Group’s 24 kitchens in 23 territories employ
nearly 6,000 staffers, with the Saint Lucia
operations numbering 76.
Wherever possible, Goddard Catering Group
uses local products in its preparations, often
supplied by Trans Caribbean, CPJ, and Lazy
Lagoon, among others, these suppliers, who are
audited to meet quality standards. Suppliers
based outside of Saint Lucia are audited by the
company’s regional office in Miami, Florida.
For long-haul flights like British Airways and
Virgin Atlantic, Goddard Catering Group
provides dinner and breakfast, while for Delta
Airlines they cater for first-class. Choice of
meals is determined by the airlines.
Food safety and security is a top priority
for the HAACP-compliant company which
is audited annually by the airlines its serves.
These include security and hygiene audits
which the Group must pass in order to maintain
its contracts.
Refresher training courses are conducted
periodically by the Group’s in-house hygiene
coordinator, with some training done either
overseas or through the Saint Lucia Bureau of
Standards (SLBS) or any other institution that
facilitates that type of training.
Aside from its in-flight catering commitments,
Goddard Catering Group also operates two
delis at the Hewanorra International Airport
(HIA) -- one at land side, the other in the
departure lounge, called “Island Deli”. Another
subsidiary, GCG Events, deals with any
other aspects of catering, such as birthdays,
corporate events, and weddings.
What sets Goddard Catering Group apart
from the competition is its emphasis on food
safety, which remains a number one priority
after all these years. The Group also explores
other avenues that can influence its continued
growth and success. With a tagline like “Simply
Outstanding”, the company is definitely using
the right recipes that cook up nothing but
quality service and satisfaction.