How to Get Listed on Eurostar: Inside Momentum’s Playbook for F&B Brands
posted 16th March 2026
For many food and beverage brands, travel can feel like a black box. Complex. International. Hard to access.
But behind the scenes of Eurostar’s onboard F&B offer is Momentum Services, the exclusive hospitality and catering partner responsible for sourcing, curating and delivering the experience across routes connecting the UK, France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany, with more expansion to come.
We recently sat down with Gaelle Vernet (Head of F&B) and Véronique LeVasseur (Procurement Manager) at Momentum to unpack:
- What it really takes to get listed onboard Eurostar
- The biggest challenges for buyers and suppliers
- Why rail is one of the most underleveraged brand awareness platforms in Europe
- And how suppliers can position themselves for long-term success
If you’re an F&B brand considering the travel sector, this is what you need to know.
The top 3 things Momentum looks for
1. Sustainability is non-negotiable
Sustainability isn’t a marketing line, it’s embedded in procurement decisions.
Certifications/initiatives that immediately stand out:
- B-Corp Certified
- Fairtrade Certified
- Rainforest Alliance
- Organic Certified
- ISO / BRC Certified
- Ethical sourcing credentials
- Plastic-free or reduced packaging
- Waste management commitments
- Even electric delivery fleets
Momentum and Eurostar operate under strict Sustainable Restaurant Association standards (3-star SRA rating), so alignment is critical. Products imported from outside the EU are a hard no. Sustainability for Momentum extends beyond the environment to include fair pricing for small producers, long term partnerships, and avoiding excessive cost pressure on early stage brands. This is sustainability across environmental, human and financial pillars.
2. Innovation (but the right kind)
'Innovative' doesn’t mean extreme flavours or niche products that alienate passengers.
It means:
- A fresh take on a classic
- A new format
- A category shift
- A better-for-you alternative
- A marketing repositioning that unlocks a new audience
Candy Kittens is a perfect example. When Momentum listed them nearly a decade ago, vegan confectionery was still emerging. As Véronique puts it, “It wasn’t radical, it was relevant... and we’ve worked with them ever since.” Innovation that scales and appeals across a multinational audience wins.
3. International scalability
Eurostar passengers include British, French, German, Belgian and Dutch travellers, as well as international visitors, spanning families, business travellers, retirees and leisure passengers alike.
Véronique says, “There are challenges we need to overcome with suppliers. The products we choose ideally need to be available across multiple countries and be export-ready. Brexit didn’t help at all.”
As Gaelle explains, "there is a fine balance between avoiding ranges that feel overly supermarket-driven while ensuring brands can scale production and potentially supply multiple countries."
That tension between 'emerging brand' and 'operational readiness' is where strategic positioning becomes essential.
The double customer challenge
Momentum serves two customers: Eurostar (the client) and the passengers (the end consumer/customer).
They must:
- Present curated selections Eurostar will approve
- Ensure customer satisfaction in each class of service
- Balance innovation with familiarity & ensure new news for frequent business or leisure travellers
- Deliver consistency across routes
Momentum makes the initial selection and plays a highly influential role in shaping the range, but Eurostar makes the final decision, so understanding this layered approval process is essential for any supplier pitching into rail.
The reality: What suppliers must be ready for
Momentum asks for:
- Flexibility
- Operational readiness
- Multi-country supply capability (or importer partnerships)
- Alignment with sustainability specs
- Willingness to collaborate on bespoke offerings
- Long-term thinking
Rail is not a quick win. It’s a strategic growth channel.
What’s coming in 2026?
Gaelle says, “We’ve all heard about the same F&B trends in the market. This goes from sustainability above all to ethical and slave free sourcing, local sourcing, flavour and pleasure with function. But what will matter most and where differentiation will come from is players able to crack the F&B plus service excellence equation, whatever product is served.
Suppliers need to grasp that we’re not just listing a product, like we would in a supermarket, but that each product could be an opportunity to transform the way our teams deliver a unique service and impact final customer satisfaction.
Actionable for players like us is to ensure complete consistency and collaboration between the food, beverage and customer service teams so the final experience feels seamless and special for customers. The future lies in integrating product quality, storytelling, personalised service and brand experience into one cohesive journey.”
Where TickEat comes in
Momentum has supported TickEat’s events and services for over a year, regularly attending our Meet the Buyer events because they value structured, purposeful engagement with suppliers. Our pre-arranged one-to-one meetings create focused, commercially relevant conversations rather than quick introductions. Our events also bring together key travel players, enabling peer-to-peer discussions around trends, category shifts and operational challenges across the sector. That shared insight and collaboration helps buyers make more informed decisions.
Exposure to new product development remains critical. Through initiatives like TickEat’s Buyer Box, buyers such as Momentum consistently discover emerging brands and innovations shaping the market.
Travel is a relationship driven sector. One meeting is rarely enough. Building visibility, trust and long term engagement is what creates real opportunity.
For F&B brands entering rail, understanding procurement frameworks, sustainability standards and operational realities is just as important as having a strong product. Meeting buyers like Momentum in the right setting, with the right positioning, significantly improves the chances of long term success.
The bigger picture: Rail is still undervalued
Airlines have traditionally dominated the travel F&B conversation, but rail offers a distinct and often overlooked advantage.
Passengers spend longer onboard. They are more engaged. Rail carries strong sustainability credentials. It connects major European capitals and serves a multinational audience. It offers premium lounge environments as well as high frequency commuter traffic.
For UK brands looking to expand into Europe, and European brands entering the UK market, rail is a strategic gateway. Momentum is one of the key players shaping what that opportunity looks like.
