MARIETTA, Ga. — Inside a commercial kitchen in Marietta, a crew of bakers makes bagels and challah bread familiar to patrons of Goldbergs delis — right alongside staff preparing tidy rectangular dishes of chicken marsala to be loaded onto Delta Air Lines planes as in-flight meals.
Goldbergs Group a year and a half ago expanded well beyond its bagel shop roots, cracking into the fast-paced world of airline catering thanks to disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. In world where global giants like Gate Gourmet and LSG Sky Chefs rule, local favorite Goldbergs now serves flyers on Delta international flights departing from Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.
As the pandemic drove airlines like Delta to pause most food and beverage service on flights and then pivot to ramp up offerings amid a rebound in travel, the situation has opened opportunities for smaller operators like Goldbergs.