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CONFECTIONERY CONVERSATION Can confectionery still raise spirits this holiday season?


In this edition of Confectionery Conversation – a monthly column that shines a spotlight on the confectionery category, sponsored by Mars Wrigley ITR – Charlotte Turner asks suppliers how they will adapt their holiday gifting promotions ahead of what is normally a crucial trading period.


I


t was no surprise to hear from some of the industry’s biggest suppliers that 2020 has been a year that has challenged them


like no other; Richard Houseago, Head of Customer Marketing, Mondelez World Travel Retail (MWTR) told TRBusiness that this was in fact the most testing year the division had experienced in over 25 years. However, Houseago insists that MWTR is


weathering the storm. “Our long-standing commitment to the


channel has enabled us to build assets that help to reinforce our category leadership by remaining agile and resilient.” While this season is usually one of the


confectionery category’s peak trading periods, it will be far from that this year as a result of the global coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic and the travel restrictions that have been imposed. “We are very grateful for the collaborative


relationships with our retail and trade partners; together, we will capture and seize the opportunities that will appear during this holiday season,” adds Houseago. “We look forward to closing this year in a festive spirit, ready to play our role in the eventual recovery of our beloved industry and channel.” Seasonal gifting remains very important


to Lindt & Sprüngli Travel Retail, with its ‘magical seasonal portfolio delighting consumers all over the world’, insists Peter Zehnder, Head of the GTR division. “Due to the prevailing travel restrictions


our seasonal approach this Christmas is a bit more selective with a smaller assortment, which focuses on the Lindt Holiday bestsellers including our Lindor balls, finest Swiss Pralines and the iconic Lindt Teddy,” he explains. “We are working to make our selective


Lindt's festive promotions currently in situ at Zurich Airport.


“We see that Celebrate & Connect remain the largest drivers for purchase with shoppers and we expect this to continue once travelling picks up.”


Raghav Rekhi, Global Category Director, Mars Wrigley ITR


seasonal PoS presence as enticing as possible in order to live our mission to ‘make travelling magical’, [even] now.”


Conversion levels ‘not declining’ Mars Wrigley International Travel Retail (MITR) also admits that its holiday promotions will have to be adapted in 2020; a year when passenger traffic has declined by up to 90% in some places. “We’re also seeing new restrictions


popping up in Europe, including the Netherlands where we’re based, and traveling abroad restricted until January,” says Raghav Rekhi, Global Category Director, Mars Wrigley ITR. “So, we are still doing short term business


Mondelez World Travel Retail hopes to spread a little ‘tenderness’ in 2020.


DECEMBER 2020


planning, watching scenarios carefully and partnering with our customers. In this environment, we made several important decisions in restarting our business,


TRBUSINESS 11


including re-opening with a tight range of power items in June and making additional products available upon demand, and we’ll continue this approach into the next year.” Something that is positive in all of this


is that MITR isn’t seeing conversion levels drop, “meaning it isn’t an additional negative driver for confectionery sales besides the decrease in passengers,” according to Rekhi. “Also, we see that Celebrate & Connect


remain the largest drivers for purchase with shoppers and we expect this to continue once travelling picks up.” MWTR’s Houseago says that while the


trading environment has changed beyond recognition, the company believes it can encourage travellers – albeit a much lower number than usual – to ‘spread tenderness’ on their journeys. “Milka continues to spread tenderness in


travel retail,” he tells TRBusiness. “In response to changing priorities in transitioning to a ‘new normal’, a global campaign will welcome back travellers with a reminder to add tenderness to their journeys over the holiday period.” Houseago also says the pandemic will


not prevent its hero brand, Toblerone, from conducting its Happy Holidays offer for its fourth consecutive year. «


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