dnata Catering & Retail has embarked on a major $50 million expansion of Melbourne Airport’s (MEL) facilities, that it says will enhance its ability to meet the evolving needs of its growing customer base with innovative catering and retail solutions.
The project adds 5,700sqm to dnata’s existing facility, increasing its total footprint to over 16,000sqm. This makes it the largest airline catering centre in Victoria, with the capacity to produce 25 million meals annually. Construction is already underway, with the newly built area scheduled to become operational in September 2026.
dnata currently serves 20 airline customers with a team of 1,000 employees in Melbourne, contributing to an onboard dining experience on over 60,000 flights annually.
“This significant expansion of our Melbourne facility is an important step in our ongoing growth journey, enabling us to meet the rapidly increasing demand for our quality services,” dnata Catering & Retail regional CEO for Asia Pacific, Hiranjan Aloysius, said.
“It will also contribute to our efforts to support the local economy and communities by creating new jobs and stimulating growth in associated sectors. We will continue to invest in our highly trained team, infrastructure and equipment to deliver outstanding meals and retail offerings that passengers love.”
Melbourne Airport chief of ground transport, property and retail, Jai McDermott, added: “This development is a significant milestone in the long-standing partnership between dnata and Melbourne Airport.
“This project, and its interface with airside operations, will streamline dnata’s ways of working here at Melbourne Airport, and will ensure that as Melbourne Airport grows so too will dnata.
“This project will lay the foundation for dnata to accommodate new customers and support the long-term growth of existing airlines, especially as Melbourne Airport embarks on its own expansion to construct a third runway.”
dnata’s planned $80 million investment in infrastructure is expected to create over 300 direct jobs over the next three years, while also generating indirect employment through partnerships with local suppliers. In 2024 alone, dnata had invested over $200 million in products sourced from local Australian suppliers.
dnata currently provides catering and retail services in Australia to over 40 airline customers at nine airports with a team of more than 4,000 hospitality professionals. In the financial year 2023-24, dnata Catering & Retail’s teams uplifted over 50 million meals in the country for over 300,000 flights.
Their catering and retail division is one of the world’s leading inflight hospitality providers. In the first six months of the financial year 2024-25, dnata’s customer-oriented teams produced over 50 million meals, serving full service, low-cost and VIP carriers from more than 60 locations.
