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.