Brahim`s caps meals at RM10

06
FocusM | Oct 24-30, 2015
WHEATORCHAFF
There is much talk and buzz in corporate Malaysia. You decide.
Brahim’s caps
meals at RM10
KL International Airport (KLIA)-based
Brahim’s Airline Catering Sdn Bhd, which
provides meals to nearly 30 international
air carriers, is believed to have set the
budget for each economy-class meal at
RM10 as part of keeping costs down for
clients.
Among the airlines it serves are Emirates, Etihad, Malaysia Airlines, Garuda,
AirAsia and Cathay Pacific.
In view of increasing competition and
rising costs, airlines seek with greater
intensity to lower their expenses, says
a source. “One way of keeping the cost
down is to manage perishable items,” he
adds.
Naturally, first-class and business-class passengers will continue to
enjoy a better menu, believed to cost
more than RM100 per head, says the
source.
“People generally think airline food
is overpriced but there’s more to it than
the cost of preparing the food,” the source
continues. Part of food preparation is
reducing the risk of bacterial growth and
No more after-sales support
for Alfa Romeos
SIME Darby Bhd’s indirect subsidiary
Auto Selection Sdn Bhd, formerly known
as Sime Darby Auto Italia Sdn Bhd, no
longer provides after-sales support for
Alfa Romeo cars in Malaysia.
Auto Selection voluntarily relinquished its distribution rights to the
Italian marque in Malaysia in December
2013. The company is a fully-owned unit
of Sime Darby Motors Sdn Bhd, the auto
arm of the conglomerate.
A source close to the company
says effective that date, Alfa Romeo’s
principal stopped supplying parts, warranty-processing and technical support
to Auto Selection.
The company now refers Alfa Romeo
customers to brand owner Fiat Chrysler
Automobiles in Singapore with regard
to parts and warranty, the source adds.
However, there has been some
confusion as the Sime Darby Motors
website says: “While Sime Darby Auto
Italia (SDAI) has voluntarily withdrawn
as distributor for the brand, it will continue to provide service and honour its
of food’s spoiling, he says, pointing out
this adds to the price. Brahim’s, like other
airline caterers, employs a “blast-chilling” method to freeze cooked meals at
high speed to reduce bacterial risk.
Meanwhile, Singapore’s leading
provider of gateway services and food
solutions, SATS Ltd, has made an offer of
RM218 mil to Brahim’s Holdings Bhd for
a 49% stake in Brahim’s Airline Catering
Holdings Sdn Bhd (BACH). BACH in turn
owns 70% of Brahim’s Airline Catering
Sdn Bhd. Malaysia Airlines Bhd holds
the remaining 30%.
Brahim’s said on Oct 22 it had
received a conditional binding offer from
SATS unit SATS Investments Pte Ltd to
acquire the 490,000 BACH shares.
“The board will appoint the relevant
advisers in due course and discuss the
terms of the offer as well as deciding on
the next course of action,” it said.
warranty commitments to customers
for after-sales through its sole outlet at
Jalan Ipoh, Kuala Lumpur, until a new
distributor is appointed by Alfa Romeo.”
The source also says Sime Darby has
just removed the webpage.
So far, no new distributor has been
appointed for the brand. However, it
was reported at the end of 2013 that
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles was in
discussion with DRB-Hicom Bhd to
expand its brand presence in Malaysia.
There seems to have been no further
development.
Alfa Romeo reportedly sold 38 cars
in 2012 and only 18 as of August 2013,
based on Malaysian Automotive Association (MAA) total industry volume.
Among the airlines Brahim's serves are
Emirates, Etihad, Malaysia Airlines, Garuda,
AirAsia and Cathay Pacific
LETTER TO EDITOR
Spring Energy
‘not affected’
WITH reference to the report “Bauxite
mining probe hits IPO-bound Spring
Energy” (FocusM, Issue 150), we wish to
clarify that our company’s bauxite-mining operation is not affected by ongoing
action by the Pahang government to
revoke mining licences. There are different categories of mining licence and
Spring Energy’s is a Proprietary Mining
Licence, unaffected by the Pahang government’s decision.
There is no need for us to “come
up with alternatives and approach the
Securities Commission to see if it can go
ahead with the IPO” as reported. There
is no basis to claim that a “large portion
of the company’s future income is meant
to come from bauxite mining”.
Though our bauxite-mining is in the
Bukit Goh area, it is not on Felda land.
Spring Energy Resources Bhd