For those of you who love ice cream in flight (says a person who missed out on one on their recent transatlantic adventure), Brussels Airlines is extending its partnership with Ralph & Roxy’s ice cream to offer it across all classes of flight on its long-haul flights.
Ralph & Roxy’s ice creams were developed by Philip Bogaert, who, until recently, produced ice cream as a hobby. The ice cream originated in a small garage in Nodebais (Walloon Brabant), where Leuven-based founder Philippe Bogaert refined his recipes as a hobby ice cream maker, making ice cream in small, carefully prepared batches. Fr
When Bogaert first contacted Brussels Airlines, his project was still in its early stages and did not even have a definitive name. What started as a small-scale experiment grew into a professionally developed brand through that first collaboration. For Ralph & Roxy’s, Brussels Airlines’ interest represented an important first step in the company’s further development. Ralph and Roxy’s will supply 420,000 jars of ice cream a year for Brussels Airlines, allowing Philippe to scale up the brand.
Brussels Airlines remains committed to showcasing and sharing Belgian creativity and quality. The airline recently did so by collaborating with local talent, such as Gabrielle Szwarcenberg, the Antwerp Fashion Academy student who helped shape the new uniforms, and three Belgian craftswomen who designed the Business Class amenity kits.
With Ralph & Roxy’s, that Belgian touch now extends to the catering offer. The slogan “A little piece of Belgium in the air” thus gets an extra tasty interpretation.
Ralph & Roxy’s ice creams have been served in Business Class since January, and have now been extended to Premium Economy and Economy Class.
In Quotes
Philip Mortier, Inflight Product Manager, Brussels Airlines, said:
“As a Belgian airline, we consider it our role to give local entrepreneurs an international stage. The partnership with Ralph & Roxy’s shows how a small, authentic Belgian story can fly with millions of passengers and become visible worldwide.”
Philippe Bogaert, founder of Ralph & Roxy’s, said:
“Ralph & Roxy’s has always been small and honest: pure ingredients, pure passion. But when I heard that Brussels Airlines wanted to take our ice creams on board, it felt like the world stopped for a moment. Unbelievable. That something that started in a tiny production space is now allowed to take to the air – that remains for me one of the most beautiful moments in this adventure.“
Local and tasty – what more could you want?
There is something about a mid-flight ice cream after a meal – no matter what class you’re in – that makes it a little treat when in the sky. Be it after dinner in business class, or something sweet to nibble on mid-flight (and if you can’t sleep mid-flight, it’s a blessing… unless you’re lacto-intolerant).
In this age of massive corporations, it’s also heartening to see that Brussels Airlines (itself owned by a mega-corp) has gone local to source products (be it ice cream, uniforms or amenity kits) for its in-flight product, showing its individuality, whilst bringing a little more Belgian culture to the sky.
And ice cream in flight is never a bad shout.
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