Duty Free Confectionery Special Issue 2017 by Paramount Publishing Ltd.

CONFECTIONERY JUNE 2017 · SPECIAL ISSUE

Category update: Confectionery p. 6 Dufry sees potential in Confectionery p. 16 Mondelez powers up personalization p. 24

DUTYFREEMAGAZINE.CA

INSIGHT

56%

of duty free shoppers buy from a single category only.

CONFECTIONERY • IS THE MOST IMPULSE CATEGORY. • HELPS TO INCREASE BASKET SIZE.

Source: M1nd-set Travel Retail Research, 2016 (18,000 interviews) Photo: Rio de Janeiro Airport, February 2017.

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Sweet window of

opportunity JUNE 2017 · SPECIAL ISSUE

Global Marketing Company Ltd., 26 Pearl Street, Mississuaga, Ontario L5M 1X2 Canada. It is distributed to duty free operators and distributors in the following countries: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Yemen, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Benin, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Djibouti, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Iran, Ivory Coast, Jordan, Kenya, Lebanon, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Namibia, Pakistan, Reunion, Senegal, Seychelles, South Africa, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Zaire, as well as to duty free suppliers worldwide.

AMERICAS, GULF-AFRICA, ASIA DUTY FREE & TRAVEL RETAILING 26 Pearl Street Mississauga, Ontario L5M 1X2 Canada Tel: 1 905 821 3344; Fax: 1 905 821 2777 www.dutyfreemagazine.ca PUBLISHER Aijaz Khan aijaz@globalmarketingcom.ca EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Hibah Noor hibah@dutyfreemagazine.ca SENIOR EDITOR Wendy Morley wendy@dutyfreemagazine.ca ASSOCIATE EDITOR Jas Ryat jas@dutyfreemagazine.ca ART DIRECTOR Jessica Hearn jessica@globalmarketingcom.ca CONTRIBUTORS Claire Malcolm Kevin Rosario

CIRCULATION & SUBSCRIPTION MANAGER accounts@globalmarketingcom.ca

or those on the confectionery front line, the category’s travel retail fortunes have at times resembled a game of jelly snakes and liquorice ladders, with short ‘n’ sweet wins and souring losses emulating the international ripple effects of currency instability, political uncertainty and acts of terror. But faith is being restored in future category potential with Generation Research’s preliminary FY2016 figures reporting a marginal dip in global confectionery and fine food sales of just 0.3%; a vast improvement on the 4% slide seen in 2015. More people are traveling than ever before, and this is set to impact the global duty free retailing sector according to market research firm, Technavio, with forecasted CAGR growth of 8.56% between 2017-2021. However, as we are all too aware, increased passenger traffic through airports, border stores and aboard cruise vessels isn’t translating into corresponding rates of conversion, and the list of reasons why is broad and long. From the consumer point of view, value perception is a major issue, with a TFWA and Counter Intelligence Retail (CiR) survey reporting that only 30% of travelers surveyed believe that confectionery is cheaper at the airport than on the high street. And, on the flip side, leading confectionery brands have highlighted the ‘inhibitive’ cost and limited execution window of airport promotions as another hindrance to purchase. Data from M1nd-set’s Business 1ntelligence Service reinforces the impulsive nature of the confectionery purchase for travelers of all ages, from millennials to seniors, with almost 60% of surveyed passengers ticking the impulse decision box when at the airport. These consumers are influenced by products that represent value, showcase exclusivity and proclaim differentiation; but remain disengaged if their expectations aren’t met. Engage them successfully and M1nd-set’s data shows that 60% will buy something for the first time, 44% will pick up a promotion and 42% will home in on unique products. A huge percentage of travelers are also clued up before they even set foot in store with more than 88% aware of the confectionery retail offering through online channels. And when the 30% of travelers who do make it to the confectionery store join the queue to purchase, 15% emerge with goodies in hand according to TFWA/CiR, which marks the category apart as a conversion trailblazer. In this special report, we talk to category players representing every layer of the confectionery candy box, to get their insight, input and ideas on how to drive the category forward. And, ultimately, it’s all about managing that sweet 60-minute window of opportunity between security and boarding. Happy reading! Kindest Regards,

Hibah Noor Editor-in-Chief hibah@dutyfreemagazine.ca

www.dutyfreemagazine.ca CONFECTIONERY

CONTENTS

What’s inside

LEAD STORIES 6 Category overview CATEGORY UPDATE: CONFECTIONERY

Look beyond the groundhog day grind of converting browsers to spenders; out-of-thechocolate-box strategic thinking and a united confectionery community are the way forward say category experts

12 m1nd-set research A VALUE PROPOSITION

New research from travel retail specialist m1nd-set points to the need for good value, promotions and a wide assortment of brands in

18 Brazil and LATAM GROWING CONCERN

The confectionary category in LATAM has been growing on multiple levels: luxury and local, self-consumption and gifting; at Dufry Brazil, focus has also swung around to duty paid, where the company sees huge potential for growth

22 Tallink CORE CONFECTIONERY SUSTAINS TALLINK… BUT NICHE IS COMING

24 Kraft Heinz KRAFT HEINZ GOES NUTS FOR TRAVEL RETAIL

US brand leader, Planters, has global ambition in the snacking category, with an indulgence-meets-health driven proposition that covers all customer bases

26 Mondelez World Travel Retail POWERING UP PERSONALIZATION

Mondelez World Travel Retail has put its considerable weight behind a travel-exclusive personalized experience for its best-selling Toblerone brand

29 AstraGrace HELLO HONEY

Leading natural health supplement manufacturer AstraGrace is finding a niche for its travel-friendly product range in major travel retail stores

FEATURES Perfetti’s passport to success 14 Lindt makes confectionery magic 16 Anthon Berg’s unlimited generosity 28 Wheels down for Hershey in Asia 30 Neuhaus dials up experiential connection 32 Big ambitions for Loacker in TR 34

Duc d’O keeps it (in)formal 36 NITR focuses on 60-minute window of opportunity 38 Guylian’s market-leading creations 39 Butlers introduces new luxury collections 40

CATEGORY OVERVIEW

Category

update:

confectionery

Look beyond the groundhog day grind of converting browsers to spenders; out-of-the-chocolatebox strategic thinking and a united confectionery community are the way forward say category experts by

CLAIRE MALCOLM

arginal sales declines were the order of the day in 2016, according to Generation Research’s preliminary FY2016 figures, with the global confectionery and fine food category reporting a 0.3% dip to US$4.86 billion. But, compared to 2015, with its 4% slide, the tide does appear to be turning. Europe is leading the resurgence, registering 3.4% growth last year with Asia Pacific and the Middle East posting declines of 1.6% and 1.5% respectively, and the Americas and Africa worst hit, dropping 7.4% and 6.3% respectively. “Sales in the largest channel, airport shops, fell 1% to US$3.2 billion, however we saw an increase for ‘other shops’ which were up 1.5% to US$1.2 billion,” says Erik Juul-Mortensen, TFWA President. According to the latest ForwardKeys data, BRIC departures increased in the first quarter of 2017, especially from Brazil and Russia, both of which have seen significant recovery, with further growth in travel demand pegged for H2 2017. Europe is also seeing a rebound in international arrivals after the terror attacks in 2016 (although this doesn’t take into account traveler sentiment post the recent attacks in Manchester and London), while the Americas have been buoyed by Canada and Mexico. In Asia Pacific, even though Chinese arrivals to South Korea are down due to the THAAD situation, they are still traveling to other ASEAN countries and beyond.

CONFECTIONERY JUNE 2017

Taste and Quality canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be measured in inches, but in minimeters!

www.ritter-sport.com

CATEGORY OVERVIEW

Jaya Singh, APTRA Board Member and Mondelez World Travel Retail (WTR) Global Sales Director

Says Juul-Mortensen: “As the industry enters its 70th anniversary year, currency instability, political uncertainty and threats from terrorism are all taking their toll. Increasing legislation, particularly in relation to labelling and health warnings, as well as the growing negative response to ‘unhealthy’ products, continue to be detrimental to the confectionery sector in particular.” According to Jaya Singh, APTRA Board Member and Mondelez World Travel Retail (WTR) Global Sales Director, the biggest challenge for confectionery is increasing conversion while keeping pace with this expected passenger traffic growth. Space is another consideration, both the amount and location, with over-premiumization the third confectionery axe to grind, which Singh says has created the perception that airports are expensive places to shop. “According to a survey conducted by TFWA and Counter Intelligence Retail (CiR), only 30% of travelers surveyed believed that confectionery is cheaper at the airport than one the high street, and 18% of confectionery non-buyers did not purchase because they thought airport prices were more expensive. This translates into a significant loss of sales,” he clarifies. “The cost of promotional executions at airports can also be rather inhibitive for brands, which would be more willing to invest if given the flexibility of a longer promotional period and more space,” he adds. Generation Research FY2016 figures also pinpoint sales growth on board ferries and at other shops, including border and downtown, outpacing that of airports, with 2.9% growth for ferries and 4.5% for other shops, compared to 1.9% for airports. Says Singh: “At Mondelez, we are seeing huge improvements in the way duty free is being retailed in the cruise sector.

CONFECTIONERY JUNE 2017

Compared to airports, where travelers have limited time to shop before departure, cruise ships have a truly captive audience that is actively looking to be engaged and entertained. Passengers are more likely to be open to trying new things and have more chances to come back to the offer during their stay.” With the onus on brands, retailers and operators to address and potentially mitigate the impact of geopolitical issues and economic forces on bottom line, Singh says that reliance on passenger growth and a handful of key nationalities are misdirected. “We can never fully anticipate future challenges, but we can soften the impact by identifying key white spaces and investing in expansion during bullish times.” Adds Juul-Mortensen: “The pressure on our industry has perhaps never been greater – our value proposition and our ability to compete with e-commerce eroded. To counter these threats, we need to take a united approach, with all stakeholders – brands, retailers and landlords – making greater efforts to understand each other’s positions and concerns.” The case for capitalizing on industry association resources has also never been stronger, as Singh explains: “While I have stepped down as the President of APTRA, I remain a passionate and strong believer in the association’s mission, which is to help members – including brands and retailers – safeguard their businesses when challenges arise. APTRA works closely with fellow associations such as European Travel Retail Confederation (ETRC) and Duty Free World Council (DFWC) to anticipate potential issues and engage in a strategic way with national governments and policymakers when needed. It’s a similar story for TFWA membership. Says JuulMortensen: “Today’s world is powered by e-communication, and at TFWA we’re among the first to say that our industry needs to Erik Juul-Mortensen, TFWA President

E L B A L RESEA CH POU

CATEGORY OVERVIEW

embrace technology. However, it’s also fair to say that there is no substitute for forging business relationships face to face or being able to see and touch a new product. We saw five new confectionery companies at TFWA Asia Pacific Exhibition & Conference this year, for example. TFWA/CiR survey results show that 30% of travelers visit the confectionery section, with 15% eventually making a purchase; marking the category out as one of the leaders when talking conversion. Says Singh: “We can certainly do more with what we currently have and, dare I say it, even if traffic becomes negative the opportunity to drive conversion still remains. The key to unlocking this is insights and how to use these valuable insights to convert travelers/visitors into shoppers.” The need to address multimarket regulatory challenges is another perennial thorn in the side for the category, and something that Singh sees requiring a collective approach to finding workable solutions. “One of the key issues we are facing in Europe is labelling language declarations on pack, and this is being addressed with both ETRC and DFWC. This is something that needs to be done, because if the potential regulations are imposed in Europe then they will most certainly be rolled out to Asia. By bringing together all the stakeholders to tackle the current challenge in Europe can we then begin to avert the potential impact in Asia,” he says. A high performing category, the role of confectionery as a

CONFECTIONERY JUNE 2017

consumer purchase driver for the bigger travel retail value picture shouldn’t be underestimated, as Singh explains: “The affordability and universal appeal of confectionery make it the perfect category to draw shoppers into the overall duty free offer. It is attractive not just to gift buyers but also to those looking to treat themselves. In fact, TFWA/CiR data revealed that over one-third of shoppers purchased confectionery as a gift – higher than any other category besides watches and jewelery. “We believe there is a lot more potential for the confectionery category to grow if we can leverage opportunities in cross-category placement/promotion and omnichannel digital marketing.” While e-commerce influence continues to impact the industry, Singh is excited about future engagement opportunities, as he explains: “The good thing about e-commerce is that it allows us to leverage retailer platforms and gives us an additional touchpoint to reach our customers. “The affordability of confectionery means it is less prone to ‘showrooming’ and price comparison than other categories, but offering click-and-collect services, home delivery and real-time deals can go a long way in guaranteeing a sale before the traveler even reaches the airport.” And Juul-Mortensen adds that retailers with e-smarts can win in other ways. “You shouldn’t underestimate the poetry of digital communications and the power of ‘word of mouth’. By giving shoppers something they want to share on social media, brands can tap into that as an effective – and free – advertising channel.”

POPULAR GUESTS AT ANY PARTY

CHOCOLATE LIQUEURS

CHOCOLATE COFFEE LIQUEURS

CHOCOLATE COCKTAILS

YOU CAN NEVER BE TOO GENEROUS

â&#x20AC;&#x201A;M1ND-SET RESEARCH

Peter Mohn, Founder & MD, m1nd-set

A value proposition New research from travel retail specialist m1nd-set points to the need for good value, promotions and a wide assortment of brands in-store

CONFECTIONERY JUNE 2017

t appears that there’s a substantial level of planning among visitors to the confectionery section in duty free shops. Of total duty free visits to an airport confectionery shop, more than half (52%) were planned, with 48% visiting on impulse. Why were shoppers motivated to visit the confectionery department in an airport duty free store in the first place? According to m1nd-set’s research, around one-third (32%) said they were looking to buy something as a gift for someone, while 26% were browsing to see if they could find something suitable. A quarter of respondents (25%) said they had a specific purchase in mind, while 24% knew there was a price advantage. More than one-fifth of visitors (22%) were attracted by a promotion they saw advertised outside the store, and the same number visited the confectionery section to see if there was a promotion. Some 22% of people said they wanted to buy a treat for themselves, and the same number said they always visited the duty free confectionery section every time they flew. One-fifth (20%) said they wanted to kill time before their flight. New product launches (12%) and duty free exclusive products (13%) were also reasons for visiting the in-store confectionery area. When asked about what else was in their shopping basket, in addition to confectionery and chocolate, many global confectionery purchasers also bought perfumes, and this was true for both men (41% bought perfume in addition to confectionery) and women (39%).

Impulse purchase motivations M1nd-set’s research found that confectionery was the duty free category bought most on impulse. There were three main reasons for purchasing confectionery on impulse: the most popular reason was its suitability as a gift for children, family and friends. The second reason was a good promotion and appealing prices, offering 20% or more off the item, as well as good value for money. The third reason given by travelers was to indulge themselves. Packaging was also a key factor for why passengers bought confectionery on impulse. One customer said of the color of the packaging: “The golden package looks nice and would be good for the Chinese New Year.” The wide variety of packaging formats (such as dispensers, boxes, and cans for brands such as M&M’s and Smarties) also attracted their attention. Seasonal items aiming to celebrate Valentine’s Day, etc, were also popular, with one customer commenting: “The heart-shaped box caught my attention right away.” Convenience of size was also commented upon. Passengers wanted products that were easy to carry, “not so big”, and good to share. Shoppers also wanted reusable packs after the product’s consumption, and some desired a luxury format. “The packaging looks very fancy and elegant,” said one. Shoppers who bought confectionery on impulse did so because it was a known brand/because they were loyal to the brand, and some said it was suitable as souvenir/to take home. Others said the item satisfied cravings during their trip. Some 40% of total confectionery purchasers bought an item as a gift, while 32% bought for self-consumption, 24% to share and 4% on request, m1nd-set’s research showed. Further, around 70% of purchasers bought a product they had not purchased before, with 31% saying they only purchased a product they already knew.

Promotions were also popular among confectionery purchasers, as the majority of people bought something on promotion, or only because the item was on promotion.

Importance of brands Turning to the importance of product characteristics, brand was the most significant characteristic with 43% of confectionery purchasers citing this factor, followed by price (27%), ingredients (15%), attractiveness and originality of display (11%), size of pack (5%) and shape of pack (4%). Regarding the importance of sales staff, more than 60% of confectionery purchasers said their interaction with store personnel influenced their decision to buy a certain product. Asked about their last trip, the vast majority (93%) of duty free shoppers noticed information about duty free shopping when consulting the internet: 44% noticed information when they were booking their trip, e.g. ads on an airline website, travel agency website, etc. Some 40% of people noticed ads or posts on social media, and 39% consulted a duty free shop website or smartphone app. More than a quarter (26%) saw ads on other websites or banner ad campaigns, while 30% consulted an official brand’s website or smartphone app.

Taking down the barriers to purchase As for the barriers to purchasing confectionery at the airport, most people (78%) were put off by price or lack of promotions, and 65% cited the assortment. The majority of the latter group said that they couldn’t find new or interesting products, were not attracted by the product selection, or that the products were too similar to what they could find at home. Around one-third of shoppers who did not purchase confectionery (31%) cited Customs allowances and carrying items as their barriers to purchase, with 22% saying they did not want to carry any more items. International global travelers generally agreed that duty free confectionery stores should always offer more reasonable, better prices, cheaper than downtown, which is not always the case, says m1nd-set. Travelers also wanted more promotions and good deals and a greater variety/wider assortment of products, with some wish-listing more dark chocolate varieties and a bigger variety of low calorie and sugar-free items. Other possible improvements requested by passengers included more sampling/tastings, more duty free exclusive products, chocolate and candy in small packs, more gifting ideas, and more store staff assistance.

Some 40% of total confectionery purchasers bought an item as a gift, while 32% bought for self-consumption, 24% to share and 4% on request

www.dutyfreemagazine.ca CONFECTIONERY

PERFETTI VAN MELLE

Perfetti’s passport

to travel

retail success Focus on cash till POS optimization for the company’s must-have assortment plus rollout of latest innovations supporting Asia growth prospects in 2017

Perfetti expects big things with the launch of its Mini Mentos Passport Kit designed to entertain kids on the move

T Femke van Veen, Brand Manager, Global Travel Retail, Perfetti Van Melle

CONFECTIONERY JUNE 2017

he proven popularity of a number of key products over the last few years is the focus of Perfetti Van Melle’s current Asia strategy with its ‘must-have’ assortment of high rotation sugar confectionery lines providing a solid foundation for further growth. According to Femke van Veen, Brand Manager, Global Travel Retail, Perfetti, the region still has plenty of untapped potential, as she explains: “There are still some white spots in the market that we believe we can fill. Our strategy is to first maximize distribution while also looking more closely at point of sale where, again, we see significant potential as a vital consumer touch point. This is supported by research data shared by the company, which found that 48% of travelers would like to find sweets, candies and mints at the cash till point, with 55% keen to pick up a supply of gum ‘to go’. Says van Veen: “The impulse driven nature of the category, coupled with our POS-friendly products, means that we have the perfect assortment for the cash till and we want to help the distributors and retailers make this a bigger point of purchase by providing the right assortment.”

Chupa Chups Trolls Tin Gift Pack is another star item for Perfetti

began shipping them in March this year, we have received very positive customer feedback.” In the adult arena, the newly launched Mentos Choco rolls are already registering with the traveling consumer as an unexpected alternative to the traditional Mentos flavors, with the jumbo roll in the market since February and showing early signs of strong performance. The current market challenge is regulation. “Especially labelling, which is becoming more of an issue with all the different country requirements. We do have the volume to maintain several SKUs of the same product but this has to be carefully managed when it comes to labelling challenges. We have to evaluate how we can comply with regulations and still maintain customer appeal, without covering products with stickers,” remarks van Veen. “It’s also very labor intensive and has obvious cost implications. There is a pressing need to find a solution for the category in general, whether it’s using QR codes or working with booklets, for example,” she adds. However, the prospects for market growth look solid for Perfetti according to Benedict Ho, Area Manager Travel Retail Asia. “We’ve seen much success in the Asia Pacific region, but we still see untapped opportunities for growth in Hong Kong, China, South Korea and Japan. Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand will also be expected to grow at a sustainable pace this year.”

Perfetti’s newly launched Mentos Choco rolls are already registering with the travel retail audience

Mentos gum (including the new Pure Fresh Mint Euca, Pure Fresh Spearmint and Pure Sweet White Mint flavors), mint tins and the new pouch bags are a perfect POS fit, and Perfetti’s new display stand has been designed to fill the last minute impulse purchase gap. The latest round of new product development inspiration has also seen the arrival of the Mini Mentos Passport Kit, and van Veen expects big things in the market with its release. “This gives kids some entertainment and fun while traveling. They always want to have their own passport so we created a realistic version that contains a personal details page and is filled with games, colouring-in pages, stickers and crayons, along with seven multi-flavored Mini Mentos rolls,” she says. Another star item is the travel retail exclusive Chupa Chups Trolls Tin Gift Pack, based on the popular movie of the same name and designed to jump out on shelf with an eye-catching colour combination personalized with travel-related messaging such as ‘Good friends travel together’ and ‘Hugs make the world go round’. Says van Veen: “We chose three different lollipop-filled variations, targeting boys, girls and unisex, and although we’ve only

Perfetti’s new display stand has been designed to fill the last minute impulse purchase gap

www.dutyfreemagazine.ca CONFECTIONERY

LINDT & SPRÜNGLI

Lindor Mango and Cream has been a fantastic success in Asia

Maximizing the magic of the confectionery category Lindt is continuing to make confectionery magic and grow market share with a triple focus on premium quality, innovation and premium partnerships, rather than short-term price fixes by

CLAIRE MALCOLM

A Lindt’s ability to adapt and evolve while staying true to its values is driving new product and experiential opportunities

CONFECTIONERY JUNE 2017

ccording to Peter Zehnder, Head of Global Duty Free Division, Lindt & Sprüngli, the company is fulfilling its ‘make it magical’ proposition following a successful 2016 that saw the Swiss heritage brand bag number four spot in the official travel retail market rankings. “When the category went into decline two years ago, we decided that we wouldn’t follow the trend of adjusting pricing, rather we would invest more into the quality and premium aspect and tackle the market challenges together with our customers, through premium win-win partnerships,” he says. Dufry was one of the first retailers to be approached, as Zehnder explains: “With the consolidation of Dufry we saw this as an opportunity to partner with a global player with tremendous reach, and we developed an exclusive partnership for two bestselling lines – the so-called Heavenly range, consisting of Heavenly Naps 550g and the Heavenly Lindor Tube 400g, both including the exclusive new Stracciatella flavor.

The Dufry exclusive featured the Heavenly range with Heavenly Naps 550g and the Heavenly Lindor Tube 400g

Showcasing its chocolate competence with the presence of Lindt Maître Chocolatiers adds value to the brand and the customer experience

Travel packs like the Lindt Chocolate Trolley and Swiss Masterpieces are popular gifting items

Dubai Duty Free is one location where ‘going big’ with pre-launches or location firsts is a given

“We’ve also talked to other retailers about creating unique partnerships and how to work together to maximize opportunities in a challenging market environment without it becoming a price war. Exclusivity is just one route.” The Dufry campaign, which was a first for both parties, was supported at POS with a staff incentive program, and Lindt plans to draw on this experience when working with other partners in emotionalising the brand at point of sale. Says Zehnder: “Confectionery, and especially chocolate, is a very emotional product. If you talk to consumers they often describe it as their ‘best friend’ or more; and there is still huge potential to convey this level of emotion at the POS. “There are different ways to achieve this, whether it’s physical interaction or digital engagement. People want to feel, smell and taste chocolate and this is where we bring in the chocolate competence through our Maître Chocolatiers, but we can also convey the experience through appealing images, for example, and the category needs to see more of this.”

He uses Dubai Duty Free as an example where ‘going big’ in terms of promotional support is a given for campaigns such as pre-launches or location firsts, with Lindt’s successful chocolate trolley promotion and the launch of Lindt Swiss Masterpieces a case in point. Lindt’s ability to adapt and evolve while staying true to its values has also given rise to change, as Zehnder elaborates: “In Asia, Lindor Mango and Cream was a fantastic success and in looking at partnerships in this region, we realized that if we want to step up and differentiate further going forward, we really needed to be more open to the idea of adjusting to fit Asian cultural and market needs. “Festive seasons are a special time and often spent with close family and friends. This means passengers will be looking for gifts fitting for those occasions. And Lindt is the gifting option in travel retail. Lindt research has shown that gifting is the most important purchase motivator for Asians, and the traveller group that gifts most, which, as Zehnder explains, was the motivation for 2017’s emphasis on providing Lindt’s Asian customers with seasonal gifting selections. The strategy of securing win-win partnerships and developing market-targeted product is clearly paying off, with Zehnder noting that the company is gaining ground in terms of operator recognition as a market player driving real change. “With the Dufry exclusivity, customers and operators are now thinking about how they can really grow in the longer term, and mitigate risk by implementing targeted solutions. Currency fluctuations, the rise of digital information and the millennial influence are issues that each need a different solution, and for Lindt it’s about real exclusivity and making this channel special by offering the best POS and product experience.” www.dutyfreemagazine.ca CONFECTIONERY

BRAZIL AND LATAM M&M’s Carnival theme brings a sense of place to its offerings

Growing

concern by

ot too long ago, the confectionery category was little more than an afterthought, but that has changed drastically in the past few years – certainly that is the case in LATAM. “Confectionery is growing,” says Gustavo Fagundes, Director of Dufry operations in Brazil and Bolivia. “We are always working in close partnership with suppliers and seeking opportuni-

WENDY MORLEY

ties to capitalize on and continue this growth pattern.” According to Fagundes, this category is one of the most relevant for Dufry Group, accounting for 17% of the overall sales. Brazil follows the same trend; in this country confectionery is now in third place for sales behind P&C and liquor. The complete reconstruction of many of Brazil’s airports has afforded the opportunity to plan the most effective use of space, and that has certainly included the confectionery area. “The confectionery space at RIOgaleão has substantially increased its size, reaching close to 400 square meters across the whole retail space of Dufry in the airport,” says Fagundes. “This new space covers both duty free and duty paid, showcasing several brand personalization and thematic areas. In the past few years this category has been performing very well. We’ve added several novelties like Lindt’s Napolitains and Lindor Stracciatella exclusive items, Godiva entry-price-point promotions and tasting activities in addition to the introduction of Ghirardelli.”

Customer interaction With an aggressive promotional calendar and an increase in entry-level price point offerings, Godiva has seen sales increase dramatically over the past two years

CONFECTIONERY JUNE 2017

Sampling, tasting, testing and interaction in general are apparent in every category

as travelers make their way through Dufry’s duty free and duty paid stores at RIOgaleão, but none more so than confectionery. “Interaction is key,” says Fagundes. “Confectionery is the most important category for interaction. People react positively, especially to sampling.” As Confectionery is an impulse purchase category, he says, in-shop activations such as tasting, price offs and pick & mix have a high impact on sales. “Promotional sales represent a large part of this category.”

A greater product range As the category grows, so too does the range of what’s being offered. In Brazil, for example, people tend to be health conscious. This means they are more likely to pick up items that are considered healthier, such as dark chocolate, nuts and dried fruits. Another trend is toward local favorites. In Rio de Janeiro, there is a very popular local brownie that is proving to be a real hit. Dufry will be trying the product in other Brazilian cities in coming months. “International products are always popular, and we work with suppliers to present Dufry exclusives, and exclusive packaging, which become even more popular,” says Fagundes. “But local

offerings such as this brownie are really helping to increase spend.” The Destination area at RIOgaleão offers another opportunity for sales of popular local confectionery. “National and local products are becoming more popular,” says Fagundes. “The trend is toward more regional and local flavors. In this case tasting even more important, as travelers might be unfamiliar with the brands.”

Associations agree: category is growing Michael Payne, CEO of IAADFS, says the category offers a world of opportunity. “Confectionery is the default gift – great gifting, light and easy to carry,” he says. “Millennials love chocolate, it’s easy to offer upscale packaging and the price points are good. It’s a category on a real growth trend.” He adds that, as confirmed by Fagundes, the space allocation for the category is growing. José Luis Donagaray, Secretary General of ASUTIL, also confirms the category is doing well, though he says it depends on the specific country in addition to whether the store is in arrivals or departures. “Global brands tend to be more for personal consumption and local brands tend to be more for gifting,” Donagaray says.

Promotions, activations and exclusives Promotions are always a big part of success in travel retail, and the confectionery category is no exception. At Dufry in Brazil, the confectionery promotional calendar is busy. “Our stores have a full year calendar of promotions that includes tastings, in-store activations, price off and pick & mix offers,” says Fagundes. “At this moment, for example, we are having a launch of Lindor Tube Mango 400g with tasting, pick & mix price-off promotion and in-store activations.”

Winning combinations The top brands for Dufry Brazil are: Lindt, Toblerone, Milka, Nestlé, M&M’s and Godiva, as well as Garoto, a Brazilian brand. These brands that see the most success are those that go the extra mile when it comes to promotions, activations, contact with the customer in general, and creating exclusive packaging “Passengers want to show they have been traveling when they bring back gifts,” says Fagundes. “Lindt creates Dufry and TR exclusives. M&M’s has created characters specifically for Rio de Janeiro, which have the appearance of Carnival drummers and a dancer.” Price point is another factor in overall sales. “Godiva has had a significant increase in market share in the past two years,” says Fagundes. “This improvement

was due to the introduction of entry price items and an aggressive promotional calendar activation, including gift-withpurchase and tasting.”

Gifts for others or yourself Some products are clearly for gifting and some for self-consumption, and lots of others straddle the two. These are two clear and distinct trends, and both are growing. Fagundes says duty paid sells more for self-consumption. He adds that this channel also offers more opportunity, because it really has not yet been developed as duty free has. The introduction of Hudson News in the market has also added to Dufry’s overall confectionary sales percentage. As with duty paid, Hudson News offers more opportunity to the travel retail giant. As a convenience store, these shops sell both local and global brands but in smaller sizes, increasing the portfolio and increasing overall sales.

Dufry’s role Fagundes says Dufry considers itself a facilitator. “Our brands understand their customers and are very good at communicating with them. We don’t try to tell the brands what to do. We always work in partnership and collaboration with our suppliers on all fronts, including activations and promotions, to deliver the best experience for travelers.”

Lindt’s current location at the beginning of the confectionery area offers it a prime spot to draw people in with samplings

Samplings and interaction with customers are the keys to success in the confectionary category

TALLINK

Megastar has a twostorey shopping area

Core confectionery sustains Tallink…

but niche is coming

Nordic markets have always been big confectionery consumers. Generation Research breaks down the European duty free and travel retail confectionery market into three regions: the British Isles, Continental Europe and Nordic, such is the size of the UK and Scandinavia when it comes to their appetite for chocolate and sweets by

KEVIN ROZARIO

mong the biggest duty free and travel retail players for confectionery in the Nordics is Tallink Group, the ferry and short-cruise operator, which has two brands Silja Line and Tallink. Last year, its ships transported 9.46 million passengers across multiple routes in the northern Baltic Sea. The company, listed on the Tallin stock-exchange in Estonia, does not divulge exact category sales but, last year, confectionery represented 12% of retail revenue. The retail and restaurant business accounted for 56% of Tallink’s US$1,052 million total revenue, by far the most important revenue stream for the company. It is estimated that the retail share of the retail and restaurant business is 75%, which puts confectionery sales at approximately US$52.7 million. Confectionery’s share has been a stable part of the retail offer over time according to Tallink Duty Free’s Head of Business development, Magnus Skjörshammer. “We split the category into chocolate, sugar confectionery, and pastilles/gum and these shares are 50%, 40%, and 10% respectively.”

Mainstream focus Due to the price-competitive nature of the Nordics – as well as Finnish and Swedish consumers in the region shopping on the ferries mainly to bag a bargain – confectionery brands on board are mainly in the mid-market segment. Skjörshammer comments: “The category is driven more by price especially now that the Finnish sugar tax has been changed. However, we do see an increase in niche brands as well.”

CONFECTIONERY JUNE 2017

Finland scrapped its confectionery excise tax in January as it potentially violated European Union state aid rules because it applied to chocolate and candies but not biscuits for example. The end result forduty free and travel retail operators such as Tallink – some of whose key routes start and end in Finland – has been a more competitive pricing scenario. “It has not caused any issues so far, and at this stage we are not looking at reviewing pricing,” says Skjörshammer. The move will, however, put pressure on all ferry groups in the Northern Baltic region to keep prices as competitive as possible against what are now domestic prices that free of excise tax in Finland.

Niche gets a look in A change for Tallink – perhaps part-driven by the mainstream price pressures – has been a move towards some high-end lines which have arrived this listings season (starting on 1 May). “For example, we have a handmade Finnish chocolate called Kulda Suklaa which is doing quite well – it’s a niche market which we didn’t have on board before.” He adds: “This is also a type of ‘souvenir’ targeting tourists like Asians, because it’s handmade and some travellers want this as a gift.” This year, Silja line is celebrating its 60th anniversary and Kulda Suklaa is making a special edition chocolate for the event. So is upscale confectionery expected to become more widely available? “In terms of upmarket brands we may look for more… but they will, most likely, be local brands,” says Skjörshammer. “We’ve had some Finnish organic chocolate already for a couple of seasons, and we might consider other brands from outside our

Toblerone in oversized format on Megastar CREDIT KROZWORLD@AOL.COM

Deli is expansding fast CREDIT KROZWORLD@AOL.COM

Tallink DF’s Magnus Skjörshammer

Multi-buys are a big focus

region in the future, but not now.” The big brands from the Nordics are names like Fazer and Marabou (Mondelēz) though, the global brand Toblerone, also from Mondelēz, is a key line as well. Other regional names include Cloetta, Dumle and Daim. The Estonian confectioner, Kalev, also has a place in the mix as Tallink Group sells a number of its products as another ‘souvenir’ brand. “They have some blueberry white chocolate bars which are popular, especially among the Asians,” Skjörshammer comments. Deli food products have also been working well for the increasing numbers of Asian passengers on board and Tallink has developed this category by expanding it and adding more Mediterranean brands.

School holiday highs Across the Baltic, consumers traditionally shop on boats for core categories like liquor and beauty as well as confectionery. The difference between the three is that confectionery is a family driven proposition. “As soon as there is any kind of school holiday – confectionery sales go up immediately, says Skjörshammer. “Being a very family-focused category, it is one of the reasons why confectionery is always positioned adjacent to toys in most of our stores.” It is also the first category shoppers encounter on many of Tallink’s vessels, with multi-exposure for the category because top sellers are often located at the check-outs. The key routes for confectionery sales are the duty free ones – essentially Finland

to Sweden (via the Åland Islands which allows them to be duty free), but all routes are important for the category. To drive volume sales, promotions are a big element of the confectionery category and the focus tends to be on multi-buys. This serves two needs: shoppers have high consumption of confectionery – especially chocolate, and they are looking for value. “We often have four for the price of three and other multi-buys,” says Skjörshammer. “In this region it is something that all brands need to do.”

Mega sizes This year in January, Tallink Group brought a flagship new vessel – the US$258 million LNG ‘green’ ferry, Megastar – into its fleet, servicing the shuttle route between Tallinn and Helsinki. With a two-floor 2,800sq m Traveller Superstore on board, confectionery has more space and a different offer for the more than five million passengers that use this route. “On Megastar, because of the name, we’ve brought in a lot of jumbo-sized products. These over-sized items were not just for the launch – they are a permanent part of the selection. It’s doing well but is also a niche of its own,” says Skjörshammer. Megastar doesn’t have more brands, but existing labels have more space to showcase their offers, with some, like Toblerone and M&Ms, having very prominent positions. Looking ahead to the rest of 2017 Skjörshammer sees smooth water for the confectionery category, despite the scrapping of the Finnish sugar tax. “The outlook is stable though I expect to see more niche chocolate products in the future.”

www.dutyfreemagazine.ca CONFECTIONERY

â&#x20AC;&#x201A;KRAFT HEINZ

The arrival of number one US nut brand, Planters, into travel retail is bringing new flavor to the snacking category

Kraft Heinz goes nuts for travel retail US brand leader, Planters, has global ambition in the snacking category, with an indulgence-meets-health driven proposition that covers all customer bases

Philippe Bernay, Marketing Manager Travel Retail International, Kraft Heinz

Jacco Douma, Global Travel Retail Manager, Kraft Heinz

CONFECTIONERY JUNE 2017

Berend-Jan van Egmond, Global Travel Retail Sales Manager, Kraft Heinz

The new Planters ‘grab and go’ and gifting travel packs feature distinctive new packaging designed to stand out on shelf The travel retail offering includes Dry Roasted Peanuts, Honey Roast Peanuts and the health-focused Protein Mix

he arrival of number one US nut brand, Planters, into travel retail is bringing new flavor to the snacking category with its tailor-made travel pack portfolio offering two takes on savory treats. “We have a very strong brand in our hands, and are confident that it will resonate in the travel retail channel, supported by the trend towards healthier snacking. Our new packaging also represents a breakthrough for the brand and, following domestic market success, we hope to replicate the same in duty free,” says Philippe Bernay, Marketing Manager Travel Retail International, Kraft Heinz. The new Planters ‘grab and go’ and gifting travel packs comprise Dry Roasted Peanuts, Honey Roast Peanuts and the health-focused Protein Mix containing peanuts, redskin peanuts, cashews and almonds. A relatively late entrant to the travel retail industry, Bernay says that, following the 2015 Kraft Heinz merger, the team recognized that Planters was a huge opportunity waiting in the wings. “In 2016 we took the brand to Cannes to evaluate the potential of the category, and to build on the global trend for healthier segment offerings. Our vision is to become the leading nut brand and supplier within travel retail, and we are here for the long term,” adds Jacco Douma, Global Travel Retail Manager. Planters regional ambition is already taking shape, as Douma explains: “We have global contracts with the major retailers in the industry and, in addition, we work with a Hong Kong-based ASPAC distributor, and with Crossings International in Dubai, who take care of the Middle East and Africa; and will start with Heinemann on July 1 2017. New customers are also still coming on board.”

Planters’ 100-year pedigree and product expertise are major brand USPs and a well-known figure has also been drafted in to front Planters travel retail presence with its brand ambassador, Mr Peanut. The character features across packaging and POS material, with life-size cutouts set to become airport fixtures. Mr Peanut will also travel the world and come to life as part of a series of tactical live character activations. The team also highlights the healthy eating proposition as a unique selling point. “Our Protein Mix has a very strong customer reference and is unique to Planters. We are covering all the customer bases in travel retail and have a number of projects in the pipeline that will help grow the category and satisfy consumer needs,” remarks Bernay. According to Berend-Jan van Egmond, Global Travel Retail Sales Manager, Kraft Heinz, brand extension plans include a new energy mix featuring almonds, peanuts and walnuts. “This will complement our existing range. We want to position Planters as being both indulgent and health driven. We have strong claims for both, and our customers have a good understanding of what we offer. “In fact we are adding a kind of sub-category to the brand, within snacking. This requires retailers to approach it a little differently, which can be a challenge, but we see it as an opportunity, and are working very closely with our partners to make it a success.” Adds Douma: “Our initial travel retail customer results show that the Protein Mix is currently a best-selling item. It’s early days, but this supports the general global health trend and the need for more healthy snacking.”

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â&#x20AC;&#x201A; MONDELEZ WORLD TRAVEL RETAIL

Passengers at Stockholm Arlanda Airport choose an emotional Superstar message to share with their friends on social media

Powering up

personalization Mondelez World Travel Retail has put its considerable weight behind a travel-exclusive personalized experience for its best-selling Toblerone brand

CONFECTIONERY JUNE 2017

ondelez World Travel Retail (WTR) has successfully rolled out Toblerone Messages – the biggest launch of the year from travel retail’s number one chocolate brand – at travel retail locations worldwide, following a promising pre-launch with Dufry in the first quarter. Toblerone Messages was developed in response to the growing trend towards exclusivity and personalization, particularly among millennial travelers who are looking for unique gifts to bring home from their trips abroad. To leverage this demand for exclusive and personalized gifts, Mondelez WTR has repackaged Toblerone’s best-selling 360g Milk bar as a travel retail exclusive product, customizing the packaging with emotional messages such as I Love You, Missed You, Thinking of You, and Superstar, aiming to deliver a major boost to the Memory segment. Explaining the reasoning behind the product launch, Irina Tarabanko, Manager Category Marketing, Mondelez WTR, said: “Toblerone has a history of pioneering innovations which respond to changing consumer demographics and need states – the new Toblerone Messages is no exception. Based on our consumer insights, we have built a playful, emotional offer around one of our most iconic products, the Toblerone bar, to address different gifting occasions and made it exclusive to travel retail. This has certainly struck a chord with the millennial jetsetters, and we are seeing very positive results in terms of footfall and consumer engagement.”

Messages and attract footfall into the stores, Mondelez WTR has developed a 360-degree promotional program with targeted digital engagement at various stages of a traveler’s journey – from planning the trip and traveling to the airport, through check-in and security and dwell time to boarding. Madrid Barajas was the first airport to roll out this digital initiative, which ran from February 14 to March 13 and included phased advertising on Facebook and Instagram and a specially commissioned video to promote Toblerone Messages. For the first time, Mondelez WTR partnered with global airport app startup FLIO to promote Toblerone Messages to app users at nine airport locations across Europe, including Madrid, Barcelona, London Heathrow, Dusseldorf and Helsinki. The pre-launch campaign at Madrid Airport also received additional support from Dufry that drove awareness and traffic in-store. Members of the retailer’s Red by Dufry loyalty program were sent e-mail alerts urging them to pick up Toblerone Messages at Dufry’s stores, and they could earn bonus loyalty points simply by flashing the QR code on their Red by Dufry app at the cash till.

Creating an emotional connection Shoppers could also use Dufry’s dedicated Reserve & Collect service to pre-order Toblerone Messages online and pick up their purchases before departure. The online push was further amplified by

advertising on Dufry’s digital platforms, as well as popular websites and channels frequently used by travelers. “This is our most digitally focused campaign to date, leveraging key digital and social media platforms to create an emotional connection at each and every customer touchpoint,” Tarabanko said. “Online engagement has given a strong push to the in-store activations, which have significant appeal for younger travelers craving for bespoke experiences and shareable moments. This is a testament to the reach of the Toblerone brand, and a strong reflection of the direction we are taking this year to deliver ‘More Shoppers, More Spend, More Often’, in line with our Delighting Travelers vision.” Mondelez World Travel Retail, a member of the Mondelēz International family, is one of the leading confectionery manufacturers in global travel retail, including airports, ferries, airlines, and border stores. Its portfolio covers four categories – Chocolate, Gum & Candy, and Biscuits – and includes popular brands such as Toblerone, Milka, Cadbury, Daim, Côte d’Or, Oreo, Trident, and Bassett’s. Mondelēz International Inc aims to build the best snacking company in the world, with 2016 net revenues of approximately US$26 billion. Present in approximately 165 countries, Mondelēz International is a world leader in biscuits, chocolate, gum, candy and powdered beverages. Mondelēz International is a member of the Standard and Poor’s 500, Nasdaq 100 and Dow Jones Sustainability Index.

Tailored experiences The launch campaign has also been designed with this increasingly important demographic group in mind, with a strong focus on creating tailored experiences and socially shareable content. Shoppers were invited to ‘Say It With Toblerone’ with a photo opportunity in-store where they could choose from a variety of message boards and fun props to create their own special message, and share it on social media with the hashtag #sayitwithtoblerone. Twitter users who shared their photos with the campaign hashtag received a personalized thank you message from Toblerone. To push awareness of Toblerone

Shoppers at Dubai International Airport Concourse D are invited to ‘Say It With Toblerone’ with a photo opportunity in-store to communicate their own special message

www.dutyfreemagazine.ca CONFECTIONERY

’The Liqueur Tin Bottle’ is storytelling bottled up, tapping into the experienced consumer trend and endorsed by some of the most famous original spirits brands:

ANTHON BERG

• • • • • • • • •

Cutty Sark Jim Beam Canadian Club Famous Grouse Sobieski Ricard Sauza Galliano CointreaU

• • • • • • • • •

Grand Marnier Borghetti Drambuie Danzka Citrus Danzka Cranraz Danzka Currant Rémy Martin Mount Gay Camus XO

Unlimited

Anthon Berg offers their entire range of ‘Chocolate Liqueur Bottles’ in this keepsake tin bottle

generosity

SE E AAnthon Berg is celebrating L E

its mastery of liqueurfilled chocolates with a limited-edition product in keepsake packaging

YOU CAN NEVE R BE TOO GENE ROUS

anish confectionery company Anthon Berg was the original U N L I M I T E D G E N E RO S I T Y – L I M I T E D E D I T IO N INFORMATION, inventor of liquor-filled FOR MORE Exclusive keepsakePLEASE CONTACT: Beam, Canadian Club, The Famous Marketing Director: packaging Lone Lyng Andersen Grouse, Sobieski, Ricard, Sauza, Galliano, chocolate bottles. As a tribute Exclusiveproduct, keepsake packaging +45 21 75eye-catching 09 45 · llan@tomsgroup.com The tin bottle contains the Cointreau, Grand Marnier, Borghetti, to this premium and best-selling The molded matt tin bottle has an extraordinary festive visual and the company is launching what it calls the entire range of Anthon Berg’s signature Drambuie, Danzka Citrus, Danzka tactile appeal, placing it in the very top of premium gift items. It ultimate statement gift item the limited Chocolate Liqueur Bottles, premium Cranraz, Danzka Currant, Rémy Martin, will –stand out on shelf due to the bottle shape.a This feature bears edition The Liqueur Tinreference Bottle 2017.to the spirits quality product. Filled awith genuine placementMount Gay, and Camus XO. category in which secondary would be perfect. tin isbymade as abrands, keepsake to store items, The Liqueur Tin Bottle is described as The spirits famous the 50% smooth With over 130 years of experience once empty. the perfect gift for the sophisticated man dark chocolate enhances the flavors of producing fine chocolate, Anthon Berg who enjoys high quality, fine liqueurs and the liquid liquor fillings. The product is a name recognized around the world. A peak inside life in general, and offers full traceability of the cacao beans The company is always seeking new When you open the tin, you will find the 18 individually wrapped wholiquor is not afraid ofnestledtoinside villagealevel in soft southwest and pouchways to improve its products and the bottles black fabric Ghana, drawstring showing it. The tin and premium is transformed bean into way it does business. This has meant an for protection feel. Afrom smallcacao pamphlet introduces the product and edishows, with twinkle,entirely the only way to enjoy the bottle is a limited dark achocolate byright the company’s increased focus on corporate responsibildrinks. tion chocolate and will only be own experts. ity throughout all levels of the available from April The molded matt tin bottle has an production process. ’The Liqueur Tin Bottle’ is storytelling bottled up, tapping into the 2017experienced to April 2018.consumer extraordinary festive visual tactile trend and endorsed by and some of the most To take responsibility in the supply “We are seeing appeal, placing it in the very top of prechain, Anthon Berg has for more than famous original spirits brands: every new product we mium gift items, according to the firm. ten years had a partnership with NGOs • Cutty • Grand Marnier launch in ourSark range of It is expected to stand out on-shelf due working directly with the 5,000 cocoa • Jim Beam • Borghetti to the bottle shape. “This feature bears farmers in Ghana who grow all of the liquor-filled chocolate • Canadian Club • Drambuie reference the spirits category in which company’s West African high-quality bottles placing Grouse itself • Famous • Danzkato Citrus a• secondary placement would be perfect,” cocoa. Through ambitious and sustained right• on top of sales, Sobieski Danzka Cranraz • Danzka Dige says. Currant Once empty, the tin is made as cooperation with the farmers and their and •weRicard are confident Sauza Rémy Martin a• keepsake to store items. families, these partnerships have achieved that •this beautiful tin • Galliano • Mount Gay On opening the tin, the 18 individusignificant improvements in the farmbottle will also do that • CointreaU • Camus XO ally wrapped liquor bottles are nestled ers’ productivity and living conditions job very well,” said inside a black soft fabric drawstring in general – improving both the social Travel Retail Director pouch for protection and a premium feel. and environmental sustainability in the Peter Dige. “A limited A pamphlet introduces the product and cocoa districts. As an important part of edition urges the conshows, “with a twinkle”, the only right way the efforts to ensure continued supply of sumers to buy today to enjoy the chocolate drinks, says the responsibly grown high quality cocoa, the rather than tomorcompany, whose motto is “You can never partnerships fight for the eradication of row. In addition, the be too generous”. child labour and the children’s’ access to unusual format of the “The Liqueur Tin Bottle is storytelling good education. Consequently, the projtin bottle will encourbottled up, tapping into the experience ects include establishment and support age a first-time purconsumer trend and endorsed by some of of parent-teacher associations and local chase of our products the most famous original spirits brands,” safety net groups supporting the children by those not already says Dige. They include Cutty Sark, Jim in the villages in their everyday life. in love with them.” FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Marketing Director: Lone to Lyng Andersen Anthon Berg continues to pay tribute its best selling +45 75 09‘The 45 Liqueur · llan@tomsgroup.com product by21 launching Tin Bottle’

CONFECTIONERY JUNE 2017

The World’s Favourite Belgian Chocolates www.dutyfreemagazine.ca CONFECTIONERY

Happy moments deserve Guylian’s finest Belgian chocolates.

ASTRAGRACE

Hello honey Leading natural health supplement manufacturer AstraGrace is finding a niche for its travel-friendly product range in major travel retail stores

ince 1999, AstraGrace has manufactured natural health supplements based on the Australian Institute of Life. Now, it is turning to the duty free sector to propagate its philosophy of natural health with a number of travel-friendly products. “Nature has an answer for our health,” the New South Wales-based company says. “Our contribution to helping you manage your health is with our 100% purely natural ingredients in all of our products. That, we believe, is how AstraGrace’s products maintain a high level of potency and efficacy with few, if any, side effects.” It adds: “Our company is committed to finding alternative and natural health supplements to help people’s bodies in a safe and reliable way.” Dr Natural, the AstraGrace brand, has undergone intense laboratory tests and the company is one of the leading health supplement manufacturers. In 2004, it developed its Mediactive 20+ honey, made from 100% pure Australian honey derived from native Australian flora. Created by AstraGrace and TGA (Therapeutic Goods Administration) registered, this honey has proved to show medical benefits in oral and topical treatments. The antibacterial agent within the product has

Mediactive 20+ honey is AstraGrace’s key product, made from 100% pure Australian honey derived from native Australian flora

CONFECTIONERY JUNE 2017

shown to treat wounds, ulcers and improve one’s immune system. “We are extremely proud to distribute our honey as a medical treatment in airport duty free stores and inflight duty free for promoting a healthier life,” AstraGrace says.

An instant feeling of healthiness Other products in the company’s range contain Mediactive 20+. They include Propolis Candy, Healthy Bite Nougat, Honey Sachet, Propolis Honey Sachet, and Manuka Honey Blend. Healthy Bite Nougat contains no sugar and is instead made from 100% pure Australian honey. “One bite and our nougat gives you an instant feeling of healthiness,” says the firm. “Being able to sell our products in nine major Korean duty free stores has made us realize the growth and transformation of duty free shopping,” says AstraGrace, whose products are sold at Lotte DFS,

AstraGrace’s nougat is packaged in sturdy tin cans and was developed to cater to Korea’s gift-giving culture

Shilla DFS, Shinsegae DFS, Daegu Grand Hotel DFS, Donghwa DFS, and airlines T’way Airlines, Asiana, Jeju Air, and Air Busan.

Boosting brand awareness Currently, AstraGrace is undertaking worldwide marketing and is negotiating with Southeast Asian duty free stores and airlines to boost brand awareness. Many Mediactive 20+ consumers tend to be travelers and their feedback has helped the firm develop products to suit their preferences. They include Propolis Candy, Honey Sachet, nougat, and Propolis & Mediactive Oral Spray. Because travelers are always on the go, AstraGrace developed honey sachets that can easily be carried inside bags or pockets. Meanwhile, the nougat is packaged in sturdy tin cans and was designed to cater to Korea’s gift-giving culture. Propolis Candy instantly soothes one’s throat and protects from infection and bacteria, according to the company. The tin can format allows consumers to carry it around easily. The lightweight Propolis & Mediactive Oral Spray was developed to keep your throat hydrated throughout the day. In a new product announcement, the company’s research and development team has recently joined with cosmetic engineers to develop its skincare brand SR20+. This skincare brand contains its popular Mediactive 20+ honey and other natural ingredients, giving an antibacterial effect and protection to the skin. “We are excited to see our business grow into diverse categories in the duty free shops,” the company enthuses.

Astragrace corp pty ltd has distributed Australian Medicated Honey since 2004 www.astragrace.com

ACTIVE 20+ HONEY Astragrace is proud to introduce Mediactive速 Honey, which contains 100% pure Australian honey with no additives just as the bees make it. Honey is an effective antibacterial agent beneficial to minor wound and burn healing process. Internally Mediactive速 Honey is an antioxidant which supports general well being. No additive. Contains naturally occurring sugars. Mediactive速 Honey is carefully processed to retain its special properties. It may naturally crystallize. Manufactured in accordance with the Australian code of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) for Medicinal Products.

AUST L 173201

Listed on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods

Being able to sell our products in major Korean Duty Free Stores and Sydney Airport Duty Free Store has made us realize the growth and transformation of duty free shopping. Our products are sold in

Use only as directed. If symptoms persist, consult your healthcare professional. Dr. Natural速 is the brand name of this product only. This product is not endorsed by a healthcare practitioner.

â&#x20AC;&#x201A;HERSHEY

Wheels down

for Hershey in Asia

US confectionery titan rolling with the times with a new mobile sales tool and adult twist on indulgent snacking from its popular Brookside brand

The new Brookside Merlot Grape and Black Currant flavor is inspired by wine varietals

The World Traveler Collection will be on shelf In Asia from Q3 this year

CONFECTIONERY JUNE 2017

The Word Traveler Collection trio of gift boxes includes Hershey’s Kisses, Hershey’s Miniatures and Reese’s Miniatures

obile innovation of a different kind added to the onsite fun at the Hershey stand at the 2017 TFWA Asia Pacific conference and exhibition. The repurposed airport baggage trolley is just one element in the US confectionery company’s new aesthetic approach to brand positioning. The trolley blends form and function and Hershey is planning to use it as a mobile sales and stocking option. “We had it branded and stocked so it can be used as an actual display. Our customers at the show loved the fact that it is a working cart so it can be wheeled to different gate locations, depending on demand, for example, making it a fun, functional and attractive tool,” says Shiqi Ngiam, Customer Marketing Manager, World Travel Retail – Asia & Middle East, Hershey. A new pop of color is also redefining Hershey’s physical presence at major trade shows and airport locations with the ‘Sweet World of Hershey’ branding replacing its traditional corporate brown with a vibrant blue backdrop.

Shiqi Ngiam, Customer Marketing Manager, World Travel Retail – Asia & Middle East, Hershey

“This very colorful, bold style is taking us in a different direction as we move towards a more fun and vibrant brand image, and is a great backdrop to our individual brands with their unique packaging,” remarks Ngiam. IAADFS 2017 saw the launch of the World Traveler Collection, a new line of travel retail exclusive gift boxes, which will be on shelf In Asia from Q3 this year. The boxes will feature unique assortment mixes of three top-selling global brands: Hershey’s Kisses, Hershey’s Miniatures and Reese’s Miniatures. According to Ngiam, the new collection delivers against the gifting occasion, the largest confectionery trip mission for world travel retail, and accounting for approximately 46% of total purchases as per a 2016 CIR Study. She adds that gifting options also remain a traveler bestseller, especially among Chinese passengers, with the Hershey’s World Traveler Collection launched specifically to fulfil this demand in the region.

“Another focus for us is expanding around the broader snack wheel. A total of 47% of confectionery buyers said they’d like to see a greater range of snacking options as per the 2016 CIR Study findings. We are featuring newly launched innovation, targeting indulgent snacks with our Brookside and barkTHINS brands,” remarks Ngiam. An exciting extension to the available assortment is the new Brookside Merlot Grape and Black Currant flavor, inspired by wine varietals and the brand is also raising its game with new-look packaging, product photography and a refreshed logo. A strong USP for barkTHINS is its Fair Trade dark chocolate origins plus a nonGMO focus, which says Ngiam delivers “a completely original take on snacking”. The current assortment ranges from unique flavors such as dark chocolate almond sea salt and dark chocolate blueberry quinoa to dark chocolate coconut almonds and a quintessentially American dark chocolate pretzel with sea salt.

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NEUHAUS Products like the Smurf Mushroom House Tin add fun with a Belgian connection to the brand portfolio

Dialing up the

experiential connection

E A changing consumer profile, volatile geopolitical environment and encroaching technology-based competition are spurring Neuhaus to develop new thinking

The World’s Top Chefs collection was developed in partnership with nine well-known international chefs

CONFECTIONERY JUNE 2017

xperience building and digital interaction will shape the future of the confectionery category. So says Philip Geeraert, Director International Sales for premium chocolate brand, Neuhaus. With a new website in the works and scheduled to go live this September, connecting to the customer is key for Neuhaus, as he explains: “When it comes to digital interaction, it’s about how you connect with the customer in store but also at airports, which is a different environment altogether. It’s on the agenda of brands, travel retailers and airports, and we are on our way as an industry but no one, as yet, has really figured it out.” Geeraert also says that the category needs to make better use of the emotional purchase connection to the category dynamic when developing digital communications strategies. He says: “You need to play on the emotional brand angle. New media offers an opportunity to explain what is so special about your brand and what makes your product different.”

Overall, social media engagement appears to be resonating with the brand’s global audience. The brand also enjoyed an unexpected cameo courtesy of US vlogger Casey Neistat, who videoed his first class experience onboard an Emirates flight to New York, with a Neuhaus bar pictured in the snack basket. Product packaging is another area where Neuhaus makes significant investment to create standout products on-shelf. Says Geeraert: “We don’t follow general trends and work to develop our own unique visual positioning. “The grouping of luxury brands together is important in drawing passenger attention, and we need to then further distinguish ourselves with a strong visual message that includes the materials used to create the display, the lighting and the atmosphere from the floor up.” The artisan aspect of the Neuhaus back story as well as its product icons like the Caprice pralines continue to attract attention from shoppers who, once they’ve tasted them, says Geeraert, become brand converts. And the millennial consumer is a big part of Neuhaus’ current success, as Geeraert explains: “They are different from other age groups as they are all about honesty, transparency and the all-natural aspect of food, and this fits the Neuhaus brand philosophy. “It’s less about segmentation in this respect, and more about us, as a premium chocolate brand, communicating in an

Philip Geeraert, Director International Sales, Neuhaus

honest and open fashion, and that wins over the millennial customer.” After three years that have seen weak sales as travelers hold on tight to their disposable spend, Geeraert reports a “real hike” in sales in the first four months of 2017. “This extends more or less across the region, with countries like Thailand performing particularly well over the last two to three years and then Korea, for example, clearly impacted by the political tension with China and the resulting 40% dip in Chinese travelers,” he elaborates. Luxury and Neuhaus may go hand in glove, but the fun factor and Belgian connection is also there with products like its Smurf Mushroom House Tin and the destination-specific gift boxes. At the other end of the spectrum is the 27-piece World’s Top Chefs Collection. “It’s part of the DNA of our brand to work with top chefs to develop products that help our customers discover the gourmet flavors of chocolate. Here, we asked nine well-known chefs about their childhood memories of food and created a uniquely personal flavour from each,” explains Geeraert. “For example, Germany’s Harald Wohlfahrt grew up on a pumpkin farm, so we created a praline made with pumpkin coulis, almond paste and ginger. This kind of storytelling translated into a limited edition item – complete with a booklet about each chef ’s inspiration - offers consumers a memorable experience.”

Neuhaus’ destination-specific gift boxes remain a popular travel retail purchase

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LOACKER

A leading light Already in a leadership position domestically and a power player globally, Loacker is getting set for further travel retail growth with its new innovations by

JAS RYAT

Loacker is based in South Tyrol, Italy

talian brand Loacker has big ambitions in the travel retail market for its specialty wafer and chocolate products, according to its CEO Ulrich Zuenelli. “The duty free channel is absolutely essential for our global marketing as well as multichannel distribution strategy,” Zuenelli tells Asia Duty Free. “The objective is to make Loacker a strong duty free brand whose position in the duty free channel shall reflect our international market position as a premium brand and quality leader of the wafer, patisserie and chocolate specialties categories.” Loacker, based in South Tyrol, Italy, exhibited at the 2017 TFWA Asia Pacific show, where it introduced items for formal and informal gifting, kids and family gifting, sharing/snacking, and products for self-consumption. The portfolio includes the Gran Pasticceria and Rose Range as well as children’s items containing an assortment of chocolate and wafer specialties.

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“Furthermore, we are working on particular innovations,” adds Zuenelli.

Market-leading brand in the premium wafer segment Loacker already has a powerful and successful presence on the domestic market. The brand is represented in all five continents with some 877 million product units sold. “We could even go as far as saying that we’re on everyone’s lips,” says Zuenelli, citing the brand’s impressive export figures. More than 70% (73%) of overall tonnage of more than 36,600 tons are sold by the South Tyrolean company to export countries. “This makes us not only a market-leading brand in the premium wafer segment but with an impressive market share of 4.9% [source: Euromonitor wafers with and without chocolate] – even the global market leader for wafers,” he enthuses. Loacker wafer and chocolate specialties are manufactured in the heart of the Dolomites at 1,000 meters above sea level,

in Auna di Sotto, South Tyrol, Italy, and in Heinfels, East Tyrol, Austria. Loacker was founded more than 90 years ago by Alfons Loacker as a little pastry shop in the center of the South Tyrolean town of Bolzano. Since then, the company has become a global player. Even though the

Loacker CEO Ulrich Zuenelli

main market for Loacker continues to be Italy, where the company as a domestic player holds a leadership position, its exports are continuously growing. Loacker products are sold in more than 100 countries worldwide. The Middle and Far East are the main stakeholders in the export business, says Zuenelli. These two regions, when combined, represent a 73% share of turnover with strong growth rates aiming to reach even higher. Europe, North America and Africa follow. Asked about the brand’s consumer demographics, Zuenelli notes that Loacker’s wafer and chocolate specialties are made for the whole family, whether young or old. “Our customers, as consumers of our products, are the company’s focal point. Taking our customers’ wishes and suggestions into account, offering them a unique and light taste sensation, as well as achieving positive market reactions, are regarded as constant challenges by the entire company,” he explains. “Only when our customers trust and appreciate our products can we consider ourselves to have been successful.”

Loacker’s wafer and chocolate specialties are made for the whole family, whether young or old

Fine ingredients from all over the world The most important characteristic of Loacker products is their exceptional quality, says Zuenelli, quoting the company motto: “Take the best – untreated and free of additives.” He continues: “We go about selecting the ingredients with dedication and an unerring eye: finest Italian hazelnuts, freshly roasted by Loacker, real Bourbon vanilla pods, savory aromatic cocoa, the best quality milk and fresh mountain water. We, too, are invariably enticed by the fine ingredients from all over the world. The result: new compositions with crispy wafers and chocolate baked in the family tradition. Loacker products are without colorings, preservatives and hydrogenated fats.” For the company, the main pillars of this quality philosophy are respect for nature and environment, the selection of the finest ingredients and the use of state-of-the-art production and wrapping technologies. “All this makes sure that millions of consumers throughout the world choose Loacker,” says the CEO confidently.

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DUC D’O

Currently, 90% of turnover in ASPAC comes from informal and formal gifting purchases

Keeping it (in)formal Belgian provenance, family ownership and a 2015 portfolio rationalization has put Duc d’O in the driving seat when it comes to managing market opportunity by

CLAIRE MALCOLM

elgian chocolatier Duc d’O, part of Baronie Group, is introducing a number of exciting new travel retail products in 2017 as it continues to steer the valuable partnerships it has developed with key retailers in key markets to support its market share and category growth goals. “We rationalized the Duc d’O range in 2015 and despite a flat category overall, as well as the competitive confectionery environment and slowdown in several major markets, we have been able to maintain our current market share in the region,” says Peter van der Meulen, Marketing Director, Baronie Group. According to van der Meulen, the Duc d’O range of flaked truffles has proved

CONFECTIONERY JUNE 2017

to be a hit in a number of Asia Pacific (ASPAC) markets alongside another top seller, the liqueur crate pralines. “These are unique from both a texture and flavor perspective, and presented in a special wooden gift box,” he remarks. “Currently, 90% of our turnover in ASPAC is in informal and formal gifting,” he says, adding: “Depending on the region, Duc d’O products appeals to a wide range of nationalities, primarily Chinese, Indian, Korean, Japanese and European customers, with a predominance of Russian travelers.” Baronie Group is also facing up to the current market challenges, as van der Meulen explains: “Logistics, margin and innovation are the biggest challenges that

Exciting new products hitting the market include Duc d’O’s Fruit Truffles range

we are facing in travel retail, with retailers are under pressure to offer unique shopping experiences and products for discerning international airport travellers. However, he remains bullish about 2017 prospects, as he explains: “Asia will continue to increase its market dominance in 2017 and China and India will drive overall future growth. And now that regulatory changes have opened up the Indian travel retail market for international brands like Duc d’O, this presents new opportunity. “In addition, we’re introducing some exciting new products with our Fruit Truffles, which are presented in a 200gram gift box, and the 160-gram Mousse Tablets, which have a delicious dark and milk chocolate mousse filling.” The fruit truffles build on Duc d’O’s strength in informal gifting, while the mousse tablets are being positioned as a self-indulgence snacking product, and which have been developed in response to retail partner demand. The Baronie Group team is also keeping on top of market trends such as the

demand for dark chocolate and special flavors. Says van der Meulen: “Authenticity and heritage is continuing to grow in prominence and this specifically presents opportunities for a brand like Duc d’O because many of the large international brands are expanding their ranges to such a degree, and are so omni-present that consumers don’t perceive them as being that special anymore.” Health conscious consumers are another challenge, or opportunity and Duc d’O’s new fruit truffles all come with natural fruit-based fillings. The growing influence of the millennial consumer is also impacting Duc d’O’ strategic direction. “The overriding difference between millennial consumers and previous generations is information availability. Brands are built not only in store and in advertising, but increasingly via referral marketing in social media,” he says. “Market-to-market differences are therefore becoming less relevant, although regional taste profiles are changing far more slowly. While some flavors are popular all over the world, others are far more regionally bound,” he adds. While its reach is global, Duc d’O remains resolutely committed to its Belgian origins, as van der Meulen clari-

fies: “Belgium continues to be a trusted source of high quality chocolates and being a family company keeps us here and allows us room to develop, without having any shareholder pressure to move to low cost countries.”

Baronie Group team is keeping on top of market trends such as the demand for dark chocolate and special flavors

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NESTLÉ INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL RETAIL

Maximizing the 60-minute window of opportunity With external forces putting the brakes on commercial category opportunity, il is doing more to give travelers a reason to step over the store threshold is a priority for Nestlé International Travel Retail by

CLAIRE MALCOLM

hile the continued decline in traveler basket spend is an ongoing reality for the industry as a whole, finding a solution doesn’t only revolve around the ups and downs of economic cycles and geopolitical issues. Stewart Dryburgh, General Manager, Nestlé International Travel Retail (NITR), has a hypothesis, as he explains: “When the growth rates of the first decade of the millennium began to falter as lower spend started to become a reality, despite continued passenger growth, we began to see a

Analogue and digital activity will work in tandem with ‘experience sharing’ via social media the end goal

Smarties’ upcoming summer 2017 campaign will center around a combination of product and a ‘create you own story’ experience

The four break themes speak to individual lifestyles and are supported with QR code-delivered content appropriate to each

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new shift in the consumer landscape. “This is nothing new, but what we have seen between 2010-16 was the advent of Web 2.0, and the world has become increasingly interactive on multiple levels.” In the airport environment this translates into more time spent on our handheld devices and using free Wi-Fi services, and less time in duty free, he elaborates, adding: “The happy hour we allocated between getting through security and boarding is no longer driving passengers towards the duty free opportunity, which previously used to be a default activity and part of our travel experience. “Now we have to do more to give travelers a reason to a come into the store, whether that’s physically or digitally. We need to engage at the right point, in the right way, and with a highly personalized ‘are you talking to me?’ approach.” Dryburgh says that consumers want to feel they are in control, but have actually always been in the driving seat, and merely historically constricted by limited options. An example of how the category can fulfil this need for consumer control whilst maximizing commercial opportunities, is Smarties’ upcoming summer 2017 campaign, which is centered on product combined with a ‘create your own story’ book filled with colouring-in pages, stickers and other activities that children can do with a parent, or on their own – as well as a clever link to digital channels of communication. “It’s actually a balance between analogue - creating moments where parents and kids can spend time together doing an activity, whether it’s during a flight or

after coming back from a business trip with a gift - and then sharing the experience digitally,” says Dryburgh. Digital sharing will take the form of a POS opportunity for parents and kids to snap a family photo against a backdrop related to potential storylines in the story book, such as under the sea or a spaceship. Dryburgh elaborates: “Parents can then share the picture through social media channels, with the crux of it being that we don’t dictate the channel, we simply create the content and let them post it, whether it’s on Facebook, Instagram or elsewhere. “That’s one mistake that brands make, in trying to be the channel as well. We believe that the consumer should be the judge of that and it’s up to them to share it if they have had a good experience.” KITKAT is also driving home the important of product personalization and relatability through both its Live Your Break packs, with a tailored message/ offering for four different consumer types, and the under-development premium packaged gift box with its personalized message sticker option that can be printed in situ. Says Dryburgh: “The four core types of break – urban, wellness, adventure and festival – speak to individual lifestyles and we support this with QR code-delivered content appropriate to each theme. “It’s about bringing it to life in a relevant way, and that can be digital or analogue; but in a manner that delivers real customer value, engages them and sees them share the experience with friends and family.”

GUYLIAN

Market-leading

creations

Guylian is stepping up product innovation as it cements its position as the top-swelling Belgian boxed chocolate brand in travel retail

uylian, the market leader in boxed chocolates, remains at the forefront of innovation with the launch of a range of Belgian chocolate-coated fruits. And by mid-2017, it will have invested €6.8 million (US$7.6 million) in a new production unit in Sint-Niklaas, Belgium. Guylian exports to more than 120 countries and is available in 75% of travel retail shops globally. It is the number one best-selling sea shell chocolate brand in the world and the top-selling Belgian boxed chocolate brand in travel retail. Sea Shell Chocolates are Guylian’s star product. Their in-house roasted hazelnut praliné filling is still produced according to a unique recipe in the traditional manner, in homage to the company’s founding father. The secret method of roasting and caramelizing hazelnuts gives Guylian chocolates their signature taste.

Guylian shares in many of Project Seahorse’s biggest conservation successes, such as the establishment of CITES, an international agreement that ensures that international trade in wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival. Their iSeahorse app and website is a ‘citizen science’ tool that allows anyone to upload a sighting of a seahorse, providing Project Seahorse with vital data to improve seahorse conservation. Besides Guylian’s financial contribution, the company also helps spread the word about seahorses and conservation by the millions of chocolate boxes sold worldwide every year. This long-term engagement was recognized with the Corporate Social Responsibility Award 2015, given by the Royal Belgian Committee for Distribution.

Award-winning conservation work

Innovation is key for Guylian. New products include Sea Horse Chocolates in flavors such as Matcha Green Tea and Latte Macchiato. Guylian has also brought together its four most popular Sea Horse flavors in one selection box. The Assorted Luxury Chocolate Tasting box contains 16 Sea Horse chocolates in Caramel, Milk Truffle, Crunchy Biscuit and Latte Macchiato.

Since 1999, Guylian has been the major sponsor of Project Seahorse, a marine conservation organization that protects fragile seahorses and their habitats. In total, Guylian has provided €1.5 million (US$1.7 million) in support of their programs.

New product innovations

Guylian’s Sea Shell Chocolates remain top sellers for the brand

Guylian’s Temptations have been revamped with new flavors and packaging. Three flavors are added to the assortment: Soft Caramel, Crunchy Biscuit and Latte Macchiato. Each wrapper has been designed so you can easily spot your favorite flavor. A variety of formats are available, including pouch pack 232g, Tubo 316g, transparent gift box 307g, and sharing gift box 290g. Guylian’s new range of Belgian chocolate-covered fruits are described as a perfect-sized snack that combines health and indulgence, and come in a resealable pouch. The range includes Dark Chocolate Covered Blueberries 150g, Dark Chocolate Covered Cranberries 150g, and Guylian’s Milk Chocolate Covered Raisins 150g. Guylian’s refreshed Deluxe Assortment features a new packaging design of bright white and golden yellow. The 174g box is filled with Original Praliné Sea Horses and the Opus assortment contains a collection of eight different chocolates inspired by the opera. In addition, Perlines – delicate truffles enrobed with the finest Belgian milk, dark or white chocolate and decorated with chocolate lines – complete the assortment in the 264g format. Meanwhile, Guylian’s No Sugar Added Bars have proven to be very popular products, according to Steven Candries, Sales Director, Chocolaterie Guylian NV. A new product in this range is Belgian dark chocolate with cranberry pieces.

Innovation is key for Guylian, as proven with its new product line that features Sea Horse Guylian’s No Sugar Added Bars have proven to be a popular item that adds to the brands already robust portfolio www.dutyfreemagazine.ca CONFECTIONERY

BUTLERS CHOCOLATES

Purveyors of

The Platinum Collection is a premium chocolate assortment featuring classic and contemporary favorites from Butlers’ extensive collection in elegant metallic packaging

HAPPINESS Building on its wide range of awardwinning confectionery, Butlers Chocolates has introduced two new luxury collections for inflight and ground store operators by

JAS RYAT

utlers Chocolates is celebrating 85 years purveying happiness through chocolate by launching a new range of gourmet chocolate mini bars. Taking inspiration from Butlers’ popular tablet range, the new collection features milk, dark and white mini bars in six flavors. Each mini bar is individually wrapped in vibrant, descriptive packaging to reflect the flavors inside of Dark Chocolate Orange & Almond, White Coconut & Almond, 70% Dark Chocolate, White Chocolate with Raspberry, Milk Chocolate Salted Caramel Crunch, and 40% Milk Chocolate. Butlers mini bars will be available individually for inflight catering or collectively presented in an attractive large family sharing box, specially designed to have strong on-shelf impact and wide appeal to travel retail customers. In addition to the mini bars, Butlers recently launched the Platinum Collection – a premium chocolate assortment featuring classic and contemporary favorites from Butlers’ extensive collection, elegantly displayed in a rigid rose gold box and complemented by a sleeve in precious metallic tones.

the region and worldwide, according to Aisling Walsh, Marketing Director, Butlers Chocolates. Butlers Chocolates was established in Ireland in 1932, and 85 years on, this family-owned company is still crafting premium chocolate and confectionery from a state-of-the-art BRC-accredited factory in Dublin. Butlers Chocolates has a world class reputation that continues to grow in travel retail and downtown stores. The Butlers brand is now available in 40 countries and 60 airports around the globe, including London Heathrow, Dublin, Dubai, Bahrain, Lisbon, Singapore, Delhi, Abu Dhabi and Sydney.

“Butlers is also known and loved throughout Ireland and beyond for our eponymous retail concept - Butlers Chocolate Café,” says Walsh, who describes the concept as an innovative experience personifying the Butlers brand in over 30 locations worldwide, including South Asia and Dubai. Butlers has been the recipient of many awards over the years, having received accolades for both its chocolates and its cafés. At the 2015 Irish Quality Food Awards, the Dessert Menu was crowned the winner in the Chocolate and Confectionery category. Butlers continues to be a brand loyal customers keep returning for.

Travel retail exclusive range performing well Meanwhile, Butlers’ comprehensive travel retail range includes its timeless premium collection rigid boxes and wrapped ballotins, Irish Whiskey Collection and souvenir lines as well as the modern Dessert Menu and the Cocktail Menu, which have performed very well in airports in 40

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Butlers’ new range of gourmet chocolate mini bars comes in six flavors, individually wrapped in vibrant, descriptive packaging to reflect the flavors inside