LSG Sky Chefs
A global aviation-services group centered on airline catering, onboard service logistics, retail, and related airport operations.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
LSG Sky Chefs is the principal operating brand associated with LSG Group, an international aviation-services business headquartered in Neu-Isenburg near Frankfurt, Germany. Its core activity is the preparation and delivery of food and beverages for airline passengers and crew, but its scope extends well beyond the kitchen. The group also provides inflight logistics, onboard-service management, retail-management services, and airport-lounge operations. It has additionally applied its catering and logistics capabilities to commercial rail services and to specialized food provision connected with space missions. The group's German corporate lineage dates to 1966, when Deutsche Lufthansa established LSG Lufthansa Service GmbH as a wholly owned subsidiary for catering activities. The other major component of the modern brand came from Sky Chefs, a U.S. airline-catering company created by American Airlines in 1942. Sky Chefs moved its headquarters from New York to Irving, Texas, in 1979, and became part of American Airlines' AMR holding structure in 1982. Onex acquired Sky Chefs in 1986, creating the basis for a later transatlantic combination with Lufthansa's LSG business. LSG acquired a 25 percent interest in Sky Chefs in 1993 and entered a joint marketing arrangement under the combined LSG Lufthansa Service/Sky Chefs identity. It increased its ownership in 1999 and purchased Onex's remaining stake in 2001. During the same period, the group expanded through acquisitions in airline catering, including Caterair International and the catering operations of Ogden Corporation. These transactions helped transform LSG from a Lufthansa catering subsidiary into a broad international aviation-services platform. The business diversified further in the 2010s. LSG acquired the onboard-retail specialist Retail inMotion in 2016 and introduced the Evertaste packaged-food brand in 2018. It also helped establish the Airline Catering Association in 2018, contributing to industry representation and standards discussions. Before the ownership changes of the 2020s, LSG was described as serving more than 300 airlines at approximately 214 airports, with almost 210 customer-service centers in 51 countries and annual production of roughly 591 million meals. Customer relationships have included major network, low-cost, regional, and flag carriers, although contracts vary by airport and market. Ownership changed materially after the COVID-19 period. In 2020, Gategroup acquired LSG Group's European business. In 2023, Lufthansa sold the remaining international business to Aurelius Group. The current LSG Group therefore represents the international activities retained after the European divestment, operating under Aurelius ownership. Its competitive proposition rests on global production scale, airline-specific menu and service development, airport logistics, operational reliability, and the ability to coordinate catering and onboard services across multiple stations. The company has also faced labor criticism, particularly in the United States, where unions and labor advocates challenged pay levels and alleged anti-union practices in 2019. LSG rejected the characterization that it undermined freedom of association and stated that it supported workers' rights.
History
LSG Group's history combines the development of Lufthansa's airline-catering activities with the growth of the American Sky Chefs business. The Lufthansa strand began in 1966, when Deutsche Lufthansa created LSG Lufthansa Service GmbH as a wholly owned subsidiary. The company was established to organize catering and related services for the airline group and subsequently became the foundation for a wider international aviation-services operation. The Sky Chefs strand originated earlier. American Airlines created Sky Chefs, Inc. in 1942 as a wholly owned catering subsidiary. In 1979, Sky Chefs moved its headquarters from New York to Irving, Texas, alongside American Airlines' relocation to the Fort Worth area. In 1982, Sky Chefs became a subsidiary of AMR Corporation, the holding company formed by American Airlines. Onex Capital Corporation acquired Sky Chefs from AMR in 1986 for $170 million, reported at the time as approximately C$99 million. Sky Chefs then operated as a subsidiary of Onex Food Services. The businesses moved toward a strategic combination in 1993, when LSG acquired a 25 percent stake in Sky Chefs for $75 million and entered a joint marketing agreement with Onex Food Services. The combined commercial identity used the name LSG Lufthansa Service/Sky Chefs, linking the German and North American operations while preserving the established Sky Chefs name. Expansion continued during the 1990s. In 1995, Onex acquired Caterair International for $516 million, while Lufthansa created LSG Lufthansa Service Holding AG as a holding company for its catering activities. Onex later acquired the airline-catering operations of New York-based Ogden Corporation in 1998 for $84.8 million. LSG purchased a further 23 percent of Sky Chefs in 1999 and completed its consolidation of the company in 2001 by acquiring Onex Corporation's remaining 47 percent stake for $827 million, reported as C$1.3 billion. The transactions gave LSG control of a substantial international catering network and established the basis for the modern LSG Sky Chefs organization. The group broadened its service portfolio in the 2010s. In 2016, LSG acquired Retail inMotion, adding specialist onboard-retail capabilities. In 2018, it launched Evertaste for packaged food products and helped found the Airline Catering Association in Brussels. LSG's activities came to encompass not only meal production but also inflight logistics, onboard-service management, retail operations, airport lounges, and catering for commercial trains. The organization has also supplied food associated with European Space Agency missions to the International Space Station, including provisions for German astronauts. The group underwent a major structural change in 2020, when Gategroup acquired its European business. The remaining international activities continued under the LSG Group and LSG Sky Chefs identities. In 2023, Lufthansa sold those remaining international operations to Aurelius Group. The current business is consequently an Aurelius-owned aviation-services group with a global operating footprint, rather than the wholly Lufthansa-owned organization that developed much of the brand's historical network. Labor relations became a significant public issue in 2019. An AFL-CIO study accused LSG of using anti-union tactics and highlighted wage and health-benefit concerns among U.S. employees. UNITE HERE, which represented approximately 11,000 LSG workers according to the cited material, reported that members authorized a strike. LSG rejected the study's conclusions and maintained that it supported freedom of association, collective bargaining, and broader worker protections.
- 2023
Aurelius acquires the remaining international business
[1]Lufthansa sold the remaining international LSG Group business to Aurelius Group.
- 2020
Gategroup acquires the European business
[1]Gategroup purchased LSG Group's European business, leaving the remaining international activities under the LSG organization.
- 2018
Evertaste is launched
[1]LSG introduced Evertaste as a brand for packaged food products.
- 2018
Airline Catering Association is co-founded
[1]LSG Sky Chefs helped establish the Airline Catering Association, headquartered in Brussels.
- 2016
Retail inMotion joins LSG
[1]LSG acquired Retail inMotion, extending the group's capabilities into onboard retail.
- 2001
LSG completes Sky Chefs acquisition
[1]LSG acquired Onex's remaining 47 percent interest in Sky Chefs and obtained full ownership.
- 1998
Onex expands through Ogden catering operations
[1]Onex acquired the airline-catering operations of Ogden Corporation, strengthening the North American catering network later consolidated by LSG.
- 1995
LSG holding structure is created
[1]Lufthansa created LSG Lufthansa Service Holding AG to serve as a holding company for its catering activities; Onex also acquired Caterair International.
- 1993
LSG takes a stake in Sky Chefs
[1]LSG acquired a 25 percent interest in Sky Chefs and entered a joint marketing agreement using the LSG Lufthansa Service/Sky Chefs identity.
- 1986
Onex acquires Sky Chefs
[1]Onex Capital Corporation purchased Sky Chefs from AMR, placing it within Onex Food Services.
Products and positioning
A global, operationally integrated aviation-services provider combining large-scale airline catering with inflight logistics, onboard retail, lounge services, and related transport hospitality capabilities.
Airline catering
LSG Sky Chefs airline catering
The group's core offering is the design, preparation, assembly, and airport delivery of meals and beverages for airlines. Services can cover passenger meals, special meals, snacks, beverages, and crew catering, with production and loading coordinated to each carrier's menu, aircraft, route, and departure schedule.
Aviation logistics
In-flight logistics
LSG supports the movement and handling of catering equipment, food, beverages, and other onboard-service materials between production facilities, airport facilities, and aircraft. The service is intended to integrate kitchen output with tightly timed aircraft turnaround operations.
Passenger-service operations
Onboard service management
Beyond food production, the group provides services connected with the management of onboard service programs. These capabilities can include coordinating service concepts, equipment, replenishment, and operational execution for airline customers.
Onboard retail · 2016
Retail inMotion
Retail inMotion is the group's onboard-retail business, acquired in 2016. It expanded LSG's role into the commercial management of products sold during flights and into related retail planning and service capabilities.
Packaged food · 2018
Evertaste
Evertaste is an LSG brand introduced in 2018 for packaged food products. Its creation reflected the group's effort to apply its food-development and production capabilities outside the traditional freshly prepared airline-meal segment.
Airport hospitality
Airport lounge services
LSG provides catering and management services for airport lounges, extending its foodservice and hospitality expertise into pre-flight environments used by airline and airport customers.
Specialized catering
Rail and space-mission catering
The group has broadened its catering activities to commercial trains and has supplied food associated with European Space Agency missions to the International Space Station, including provisions for German astronauts.
Controversies
2019
U.S. labor-practices controversy
An AFL-CIO study alleged that LSG used anti-union strategies and tactics despite public commitments to international human-rights and labor standards. UNITE HERE reported that workers authorized a strike and cited low wages and difficulty affording health benefits. LSG disputed the study's interpretation and stated that it supported freedom of association and workers' rights.
Brand decisions
2023
Sell the remaining international business to AureliusM&ABackground
Following the earlier divestment of the European business, Lufthansa exited ownership of the remaining international LSG operations.
Action taken
Lufthansa sold the remaining international LSG Group business to Aurelius Group.
Aftermath
Aurelius became the owner of the current LSG Sky Chefs-centered aviation-services organization.
2020
Sell the European business to GategroupM&ABackground
Lufthansa restructured its airline-catering holdings and separated the European operations from the rest of the LSG Group.
Action taken
Gategroup acquired LSG Group's European business.
Aftermath
The remaining international LSG business continued separately and was later sold to Aurelius.
2016
Acquire Retail inMotionM&ABackground
LSG sought to diversify its aviation-services portfolio beyond conventional catering.
Action taken
The group acquired Retail inMotion and added onboard-retail capabilities.
Aftermath
The transaction expanded LSG's addressable services into inflight commercial retail.
2001
Complete the acquisition of Sky ChefsM&ABackground
After acquiring 25 percent in 1993 and a further 23 percent in 1999, LSG moved to consolidate the remaining ownership held by Onex.
Action taken
LSG bought Onex's remaining 47 percent stake in Sky Chefs.
Aftermath
LSG obtained full ownership of Sky Chefs and strengthened the integrated international LSG Sky Chefs platform.
Purchase price for remaining 47 percent stake. $827 million (2001)
1993
Acquire a minority stake in Sky Chefs and combine brand marketingM&ABackground
LSG and Onex each controlled important parts of the international airline-catering landscape, creating a basis for cooperation between Lufthansa's catering business and Sky Chefs.
Action taken
LSG purchased 25 percent of Sky Chefs and entered a joint marketing arrangement under the LSG Lufthansa Service/Sky Chefs name.
Aftermath
The agreement preceded LSG's later purchases of additional Sky Chefs shares and eventual full ownership.
Purchase price for 25 percent stake. $75 million (1993)
Recent events
- 2023
Lufthansa sells the remaining international LSG business to Aurelius[1]
M&A
Aurelius Group acquired the remaining international business of LSG Group from Lufthansa, making Aurelius the current owner of the LSG Sky Chefs-centered operations.
- 2020
Gategroup acquires LSG Group's European business[1]
M&A
Gategroup acquired the European business of LSG Group, separating a substantial part of the former Lufthansa-owned catering portfolio from the remaining international operations.
- 2018
LSG introduces the Evertaste packaged-food brand[1]
Product launch
The group launched Evertaste as a packaged-products brand, supporting its diversification into food products beyond freshly prepared airline meals.
- 2018
LSG helps establish the Airline Catering Association[1]
Other
LSG Sky Chefs was among the co-founders of the Brussels-based Airline Catering Association, an industry body focused on representing and developing the airline-catering sector.
- 2016
LSG acquires Retail inMotion[1]
M&A
LSG Group expanded into onboard retail through the acquisition of Retail inMotion, broadening its offering beyond food production and airline catering.
Sources1 sources
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