Ethiopian Airlines and the United States announced a new partnership agreement that will enable the nation’s flagship carrier to source locally grown produce and ingredients for preparing in-flight meals for global passengers.
Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO Mr Tewolde GebreMariam and U.S. Ambassador Michael Raynor signed a memorandum of understanding in which the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) will provide Ethiopian farmers and food producers technical assistance and access to financing in order to ensure they are able to meet the airlines’ standards of quality and volume to serve its customers.
These new business linkages will help farmers and local agribusinesses reach a prominent new market and increase their revenue streams – with annual sales as high as $10 million in total while providing Ethiopian Airlines farm-fresh ingredients sourced directly from
Ethiopia, reducing the need for foreign suppliers’ processed foods for their catering services. USAID support will help Ethiopian Airlines identify local suppliers for the list of catering materials the airline might potentially require, as well as provide support to farmer cooperative unions, youth groups, women groups and other local agriculture businesses to enable them to meet production requirements. A U.S. government loan facility.
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Embassy of the FDR Ethiopia (Sources)