Jessica Teo explores impactful solutions for SATS with an inquisitive lens, thanks to SIT’s Industrial Master’s programme and its mentor-driven, hands-on approach.

Today’s consumers are increasingly environmentally conscious, and studies have found that more than 80 per cent are willing to pay an almost 10 per cent premium for sustainably produced or sourced goods. These figures were published by professional services firm PwC in a global survey they did in 2024.

The aviation catering industry is no exception to these trends, found Jessica Teo, who completed her Master of Engineering, an Industrial Masters (IM) programme, at SIT in November 2023. The IM programme is designed for professionals to deepen their technical expertise through industrial research and development while preparing them for leadership positions in the industry. Students tackle real-world challenges, working on industry projects co-supervised by SIT’s expert faculty and industry professionals, ensuring a blend of academic rigour and practical insight.

“My research suggested that people are more interested in not just the food itself but the entirety of what makes up their tray. This could be how the food is being prepared, the packaging, and even the origin of the raw materials,” said the Assistant Manager of Catering Plans at SATS.

Some airlines are making the sustainable switch, with initiatives ranging from Japan Airlines’ redesign of various in-flight items to eliminate petroleum-derived materials, to Scandinavian Airlines’ New Nordic organic plant-based plastic packaging. 

Jessica (extreme right) with her coursemates graduating from the Master of Engineering programme. (Photo: Liu Yongsheng)

Crucially, her study quantified the extent of these shifts in consumer behaviours and sentiments in the era of post-COVID travel, as well as offered recommendations on how SATS Catering can adapt their operations accordingly. In particular, these recommendations aimed to guide SATS Catering’s planning for in-flight catering to support the future handling capacity of the upcoming Terminal 5 (T5) at Changi Airport, which will be completed in the 2030s.

Shaping Solutions with Faculty Know-How

Having graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from the Singapore University of Social Sciences, Jessica is no stranger to statistical analysis. But the IM programme at SIT allowed her to further deepen her expertise through her academic research and apply it in an industrial context – the fundamental aim of the programme.

For instance, in addition to conducting an online questionnaire to assess shifts in consumers' in-flight food preferences, Jessica was given the opportunity to develop and run a discrete-event simulation (DES) model under the guidance of Associate Professor Fung Ho-Ki from SIT's Food, Chemical and Biotechnology cluster. “I understood the mechanics of this model, but I’ve never had a chance to use it before,” Jessica said.

With his deep knowledge of industrial engineering and simulation techniques, A/Prof Fung helped Jessica refine the model, allowing her to input her findings from the questionnaire and project operational adjustments for SATS Catering. His expertise in applying advanced modelling techniques to real-world industrial challenges enabled Jessica to translate her research into actionable recommendations for SATS Catering’s future inflight catering operations.

                                 Jessica (left) with her reporting officer on the production floor at SATS. (Photo: Jessica Teo)

A conclusion that came out of her research was to rethink traditional assumptions and processes for resilience, especially in supply chain and food production, to better meet the demands of T5. While T5 is expected to eventually have a handling capacity of 135 million passengers per annum (mppa) close to that of Terminals 1 to 3 combined (approximately 82 million mppa), SATS Catering’s current in-flight catering centre model can only support the current handling capacity. The allocated space for its future catering centre may not be proportional to this increase.

One way to circumvent this roadblock is to develop possible implementation models that simulate current and future food production processes, and assess their effects on storage capacities. This will help with scenario planning for future inflight catering centres.

A/Prof Fung explained, "DES can holistically address meal preparation, cooking, and quality assurance at critical control points while also managing upstream raw materials inventory. Jessica’s model helps SATS Catering optimise operations under constraints like T5's space restrictions and plan resources for new meal specifications."

Other SIT faculty members with expertise in food technology and food safety also had a hand in shaping Jessica’s model, enabling it to effectively address meal preparation, cooking, and quality assurance.

Food for Thought

Jessica's decision to pursue the IM programme at SIT was driven not only by its academic rigour but also by the opportunity to work closely with its professors. Their expertise was instrumental in helping her refine her research approach. “This strengthened my sense of curiosity to keep up with the latest trends and developments in the industry,” she said.

“In any kind of work, you have to do your due diligence in terms of (keeping up with) what’s the latest out there, and how to benchmark against your competitors and industries dealing with similar issues.”

Along the way, she also picked up valuable soft skills, such as the ability to simplify complex concepts for clear presentation. Working hand-in-hand with A/Prof Fung, she grew out of her comfort zone and learned to convey intricate ideas in a more digestible way, which came in handy when she had to engage interns at the workplace. “I was able to properly break down some of the ideas into bite-sized levels of understanding for (the interns) to approach the projects they were working on,” she recalled.

Encouraged by her positive experience during the programme, Jessica is exploring the possibility of expanding her research.

“The IM programme is good for thinking. It teaches you how to apply yourself and approach challenges independently,” she said, reflecting on her three-year journey.