The perfect cup: Learn more about Cathay and Coffee Academics’ new partnership

Hong Kong is a city steeped in tea culture. But the past decade has seen the rise of a homegrown coffee scene, with local roasteries and speciality cafés opening in every district. With endless options available to them, coffee lovers have become more selective about what goes into their cups. And for discerning drinkers, inflight coffee can be hit or miss.

That’s why Cathay is stirring things up. Specifically designed to be enjoyed in the skies, the new Cathay blend of coffee was created in partnership with The Coffee Academics , the award-winning speciality roaster founded in Hong Kong, and is now exclusively pouring in Economy and Premium Economy cabins on Cathay Pacific planes.

The collaboration was born out of the Cathay team’s desire to champion homegrown brands on the world stage. “We are always on the lookout for other brands that promote the concept of local experiences with global impact,” says Cathay Pacific Head of Dining and Hospitality Vassilios Georgakopoulos. “With a strong focus on Asian markets, The Coffee Academics embodies exactly this ethos.”

Since starting in 2012, The Coffee Academics has led Hong Kong’s speciality coffee scene. What started as a few spaces for the city’s baristas and coffee aficionados to exchange ideas has transformed into a 930sqm roastery and network of 40 coffee shops across Hong Kong and South East Asia. And now, a collaborative brew at altitude.

“Cathay wanted to go the extra mile and look for a Hong Kong brand that roasted in Hong Kong,” says The Coffee Academics Deputy CEO Jason Yang. “Working with other local companies to bring something back to the customer – it’s quite a meaningful project.”

The collaboration began with a brief. The Cathay team analysed the previous inflight coffee, a Robusta blend, then mapped out the requirements of passengers – most notably, taking into consideration the unique experience of drinking coffee at 30,000 feet, where senses of taste and smell are dulled. What followed was a series of tasting and evaluation sessions between the two teams.

For The Coffee Academics, each round was a step closer to the winning formula. “It was a process of improving the aroma – because aroma is really important, especially at high altitude – and catering to the flavour profile in flight because taste buds are less sensitive,” says Yang.

The team roasted beans for varying lengths of time and settled on a darker roast for maximum aroma and flavour while brewing the coffee in the same machines used in flight. Each blend was sampled and rated for its flavour, aroma, body, acidity and aftertaste. After three rounds, everyone was pleased with the result.

“This new blend comes with its very own flavour, provenance and sustainability credentials,” says Georgakopoulos. In other words, it’s not your standard inflight brew.

For The Coffee Academics, each round was a step closer to the winning formula. “It was a process of improving the aroma – because aroma is really important, especially at high altitude – and catering to the flavour profile in flight because taste buds are less sensitive,” says Yang.

The team roasted beans for varying lengths of time and settled on a darker roast for maximum aroma and flavour while brewing the coffee in the same machines used in flight. Each blend was sampled and rated for its flavour, aroma, body, acidity and aftertaste. After three rounds, everyone was pleased with the result.

“This new blend comes with its very own flavour, provenance and sustainability credentials,” says Georgakopoulos. In other words, it’s not your standard inflight brew.

The Cathay blend is composed of 100 per cent freshly roasted arabica beans from Vietnam and Brazil. For sourcing, The Coffee Academics ensures all beans are Sucafina-certified. This coffee company places a strong focus on quality, sustainability and social responsibility. Sucafina buys its beans directly from small-scale farms, promotes environmentally responsible coffee production, supports farmers and their communities, and ensures transparency and traceability in their supply chain.

Once selected, the beans are flown to The Coffee Academics’ Tuen Mun facility and roasted in small batches to ensure freshness. Then the final product – custom-packed for Cathay Pacific inflight coffee machines – is delivered in a special biodegradable non-woven material which allows the water to gently filter through the coffee grounds, producing an elegant cup of coffee.

Alongside a light body and minimal acidity, you can expect “a symphony of flavours”, says The Coffee Academics’ Head Roaster Ed Lam, “with notes of malt, liquorice, clove, and the delicate embrace of cedar”.

But don’t take Lam’s word for it. Ask the cabin crew for a cup and savour it yourself.

Learn more about our inflight dining here.