dnata Catering & Retail has expanded its advanced facility at Melbourne Airport (MEL), further strengthening its position as Australia’s leading inflight caterer.
With an AUS$50 million ($31 million) investment, this development will enhance dnata’s ability to meet the evolving needs of its growing customer base with innovative catering and retail solutions.
The project will add 5,700 square meters to dnata’s existing facility, increasing its total footprint to over 16,000 square meters. This will make it the largest airline catering center 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 highly-trained employees in Melbourne, contributing to an excellent onboard dining experience on over 60,000 flights annually.
Hiranjan Aloysius Regional CEO for Asia Pacific, dnata Catering & Retail expands
“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. 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.”
Jai McDermott, Melbourne Airport Chief of Ground Transport, Property and Retail, said that, “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.”
