A MOVE to transfer ownership of a catering firm for in-flight services to its staff has taken off, securing the future of 37 jobs.
Fresh-Jet Catering Ltd is a close partner to private and commercial operators including names such as Loganair, British Airways and TUI among others.
Headquartered appropriately in Dundee, Fresh-Jet launched in 2007 and has grown revenues to £2.7m a year, working with names which include many of the top airlines.
Now its team have become the latest to benefit from being part of an employee-owned company, a progressive move that secures the future direction for years to come.
The team covers operations spanning ten airports across Scotland, North of England, Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man, including airside services for major hubs at Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Inverness and Dundee.
Announcing the move, founder and Group Managing Director John Hume said: “I’m very proud of what we have created at Fresh-Jet.
“We might not all be related but we are very much a family business.
“There is no party better placed to take Fresh-Jet into the future than the people who made it the success it is today.
“We put our customers first and I have every confidence that the service we are renowned for will continue. Fresh-Jet is in safe hands.”
John was determined to do something different with Fresh-Jet out of loyalty to his current staff – many of whom have been with him for many years, including some from previous businesses that he owned.
John sought out a succession strategy that secured the future of the business and protected the staff who work in the company’s other locations, while ensuring the continued success and growth of the business.
As such, he has now completed the transfer of his entire shareholding to an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT), who will hold the shares on behalf of the employees.
Having recently won new contracts for three major Global airlines, Fresh-Jet is forecasting an increase in revenues of 40% – even better than pre-pandemic level.
John said: “The pandemic hit us hard, as it did with all aviation businesses.
“I was confident that we would come through it and made the decision to retain our entire staff. This decision means we were in a very strong position to bounce back.”
Loganair is a long-standing key customer of Fresh-Jet, whose Chief Operating Officer, Maurice Boyle, sees this as a great move for the aviation sector.
He said: “We have always received a brilliant service from Fresh-Jet and are delighted that this move to employee ownership puts the company into a stable and long-term structure.
“The fact that all employees now have a stake in the business means that we can look forward to working together for a long time to come.”
