In 2017, SAS unveiled its ‘New Nordic by SAS’ concept, introducing passengers on some 80,000 short-haul Scandinavian and European flights to seasonal dishes made with ingredients sourced from regional farmers.
New Nordic by SAS this month expands its vision of healthy, sustainable eating with the addition of two regularly featured vegetarian or vegan dishes on the airline’s 10 different menus in rotation.
Customers can now choose from such imaginative plant-based creations as Camelina-roasted cauliflower with a Gotland lentil, black bean, and beet-flavored wheat salad, or dill- and horseradish-cured Hällestads mushrooms with a rutabaga, Slätte Gård field pea, radish, and Persula Gårds roasted turnip-rapeseed salad. Spreads of golden beet and Vreta yellow pea, as well as nigella seed pickled onions and Fagra slätt quinoa are also incorporated into the dishes.
Skift spoke with Alexander Lund, product manager, food and beverage, who oversees menu development and design. Lund: “We listened to our customers and their feedback when shaping our concept. They say they have a healthy lifestyle and they want to choose what they eat. They care about animal welfare and where their food comes from, so there was already a huge emphasis on plant-based dishes. Even in our meat dishes, the meat protein is only about 20 percent. We live with more flexitarian eaters now and healthier meals are more in demand.”
