By Albert Kwan
Sun Country Airlines has revamped its inflight menu to include several new food and beverage options sourced from local Midwestern brands. The Minneapolis-based company recently partnered with Caribou Coffee, Fulton Brewing and Dot's Pretzels, all Minnesota-based companies, as part of its new initiative to offer a more Midwest experience to travelers on its flights.
In addition to a Midwest-sourced food and beverage program, Sun Country also screens 15 Minnesota-themed movies and TV shows as part of its complimentary onboard offerings. Travelers will be able to enjoy titles such as Purple Rain, The Mighty Ducks, Grumpy Old Men, The Mary Tyler Moore Show and Juno.
Travelers on any of Sun Country's 95-plus itineraries in the U.S., Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean will be able to track the new onboard purchases in phases starting as early as this month. The partnership with Caribou Coffee, Fulton Brewing and Dot's Pretzels adds to the airline's existing partnerships with Midwest brands including Prairie Organic Spirits and Jack Link's Protein Snacks.
Sun Country partnered with Caribou Coffee, Fulton Brewing and Dot's Pretzels, all Minnesota-based companies, as part of its new initiative to offer a more Midwest experience to travelers on its flights. (Photo: Sun Country Airlines)
As part of its partnership with Caribou Coffee, Sun Country has designated Caribou Coffee as the “Official Coffee” of Sun Country Airlines. The partnership also includes a $250,000 investment by Sun Country in cooking equipment upgrades on its Boeing 737 aircraft to ensure the high quality taste and consistency of freshly brewed Caribou Coffee across its fleet.
However, as part of these upgrades, Sun Country flights will not begin serving free fresh Caribou coffee to passengers until early 2022, when these upgrades are complete. Meanwhile, ready-to-drink Cold Brew cans are now available for purchase.
Starting this week, travelers will be able to purchase Fulton Brewing's “Sweet Child of Vine” IPA. Sun Country will also continue to feature the Minneapolis brewery's Lonely Blonde Ale, which has remained on the in-flight menu since 2019.
Passengers who purchase tickets in Sun Country's “best seats” will receive a free bag of Dot's Pretzels. Additional Dot's pretzel bags and other snack options are also available for in-flight purchase.
[the_ad id=”53943″]
“We're excited to share more of what Minnesota has to offer on our flights,” said Brian Davis, Sun Country chief marketing officer. “With the addition of new local products from our friends at Caribou, Fulton Brewing, and new food offerings like Dot's Pretzels, we can share a little more of our city with our guests.”
To entice travelers to try Minnesota's new items, the airline is offering the “Tastes of Hometown Package” that gives travelers a discount on a selection of Minnesota-based items. For example, travelers who purchase any Minnesota beer or liquor will be able to save $1 off the purchase of any snack.
Despite being a low-cost airline, Sun Country provides free in-flight entertainment and free soft drink service on its flights, including fruit juices, Coca-Cola, tea and coffee. The airline only charges for its snacks and alcoholic beverages. The airline has remained committed to supporting local and family businesses, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Albert recently completed his undergraduate studies in Business Accounting at USC in Los Angeles and is currently recruiting for a corporate analyst position at one of the US legacy carriers. During his college years, he interned at LAX for Los Angeles International Airport, working behind the scenes (and on the ramp) in public relations and accounting. In addition to writing for AirlineGeeks, he enjoys hiking the Hollywood Hills, visiting new hotspots throughout SoCal, and taking the occasional Spirit Airlines weekend.
Sign up for AirlineGeeks' daily check-in
Get a daily dose of the airline industry's top stories along with market insights straight to your inbox.
