Leading companies getting sustainability right at WTCE 2026

Matt Crane, WTCE Sustainability Ambassador and Founding Member of Aviation Sustainability Forum (ASF)

The Steps to Sustainability trail exists to recognise businesses where environmental responsibility has genuinely shaped how they operate, source, design and go to market. It also gives a helping hand to visitors looking for a curated route through the wide range of companies exhibiting.

The 2026 trail is the most extensive we have put together. What is most encouraging is the growing number of exhibitors who have moved beyond the materials conversation and towards genuine circularity, supply chain transparency and measurable outcomes.

Here’s a closer look at some of the companies on this year’s trail and why they are all worth a visit:

Linstol (Stand 4E30 & 4E50)
Linstol is one of the few suppliers in this sector who has built the internal capability to sit down with an airline and work through its sustainability reporting requirements as a real partner. A business that places sustainable practices at its core, openly reports on progress and actively partners with airline customers on their own sustainability journeys is something special. The new ranges on display at WTCE 2026 make the stand worth visiting on products alone. The conversation you can have about your own airline’s sustainability trajectory makes Linstol an essential stop at WTCE.

The Barista Cup (Stand 1D60)
If onboard coffee service sits within your remit, this is a stand you cannot afford to miss. The Barista Cup has developed a paper lid with an integrated drinking filter that replaces the plastic lid in an onboard coffee system – and it is already flying commercially with Swiss International Air Lines as part of a fully paper-based coffee service. The system is proven. The operational questions have been answered in a live environment, and the team will walk you through exactly how it works in service for crew.

Global-c (Stand 1C30)
If you are a buyer or specifier still working through how to move your airline’s hot meal service away from single-use CPET and aluminium trays – the Global-c stand should be high on your list. Its Neverleak ovenable meal box is an operationally proven alternative, and Global-c is a supplier with the sustainability track record to back it up. This is a company with a track record in sustainable materials, responsible manufacturing and end-of-life recovery to have resolved most of the questions newer companies are still grappling with.

Mallaghan (Stand 03)
Ground operations tend to sit in the gaps of the aviation sustainability conversation – too operational for the sustainability team, too environmental for the ground operations team. Mallaghan’s CT6000E lands squarely in that gap to close it. The first fully electric catering truck in North America, it has been put through a rigorous 60-day operational trial with dnata Catering & Retail and performed in live service. For airlines and caterers beginning to map emissions across ground operations, or working with airport partners on electrification timelines, the Mallaghan stand offers one of the most practical conversations available at WTCE this year.

Pain de Minuit (Stand 1B106)
Simple concept well executed and it tastes great. Converting bread waste from partner hotels, restaurants and transport companies into a premium beer demonstrates a circular economy that works both technically and commercially. Leading airlines, rail operators and lounge teams are already serving it and spreading the story too. What makes Pain de Minuit particularly valuable as an onboard product is that passengers respond to it. The sustainability story travels because what is in the glass is genuinely good. There will also be tastings on the Steps to Sustainability trail, and I would highly recommend trying it.

Bottega (Stand 4C51)
Bottega has appeared on the Steps to Sustainability trail before, and each time they bring something new and exciting. In 2026 it is the introduction of recycled ocean plastic labels. This is another example of sustainability being placed at the centre of the business where it drives innovative change, rather than following it. Bottega is a producer that has made material innovation genuinely central to its identity, and for buyers in the premium cabin space this stands out to me as something to see.

Snackboxtogo (Stand 1G20)
What distinguishes Snackboxtogo is that sustainability reporting drives processes from the start, rather than being bolted on at the end. Using validated CO₂ insights to help airline customers rethink their product ranges is a mature model of supplier-airline sustainability collaboration. It also reflects where responsible procurement in this sector is heading. For procurement teams who need their supply base to contribute to carbon reporting and range optimisation, this is a company not to miss.

Clip Limited (Stand 1E60)
Headphone waste is one of the cabin’s sustainability problems that has been acknowledged for years without a particularly satisfying answer. Clip Limited’s response is to design modularity in from the outset – replacing individual components rather than discarding the whole unit when a single part fails – and its first airline customer has confirmed the savings this delivers. It’s also great to see the company now producing injection-moulded components from ocean-recovered plastic too.