Innovating for 2021: Nestlé ITR looks beyond confectionery at Virtual Travel Retail Expo

Nestlé International Travel Retail (NITR) will outline its 2021 strategy and introduce brand innovations at the Moodie Davitt Virtual Travel Retail Expo, where it is a Gold Partner.

NITR General Manager Stewart Dryburgh: “Our mission is to anticipate new trends and develop our product range accordingly”

NITR believes identifying the needs of the post-COVID-19 travelling consumer, and applying the correct growth drivers, are “critical to moving forward” in travel retail.

These beliefs, according to NITR General Manager Stewart Dryburgh, are reflected in the company’s latest brand innovations.

As reported, NITR previewed a series of product launches earlier this month.       .

NITR’s recovery strategy reinforces its commitment to the category growth drivers it announced last year: deeper connections, better for you and elevated experiences. These drivers will boost consumer engagement through NITR’s SOUL framework: story, occasion, unique and local.

[The wider strategy for the business was covered in detail in a special Moodie Davitt Spotlight eZine in late 2019; for access, click here]

Dryburgh said NITR’s ‘hero’ brand, KitKat, is “perfectly placed” to support recovery in travel retail.

“We have innovations to announce that will directly target the consumer looking to indulge, but at a price that is easy on the pocket,” he added.

KitKat Senses account for 11% of the brand’s portfolio

KitKat — which has experienced accelerated growth in travel retail — is NITR’s core strategic brand for 2021.

Premium line KitKat Senses, which makes up 11% of the KitKat portfolio, is one of the most important product lines for next year. NITR has extended the line with a new lower-priced travel retail-exclusive range called KitKat Senses Tablets. The tablets are available in three flavours: Caramel Crisp, Cookie Crumble and Hazelnut Crunch.

Drybugh said NITR will support KitKat with targeted executions of the V.I.B Lounge activation concept, which was well received by the industry at last year’s TFWA World Exhibition in Cannes. Digital and non-digital versions of an updated KitKat Bus design will also be featured at the Expo.

Dryburgh is adamant that sustainability is a “key driver for consumers”, adding that NITR will continue to remove single use plastic from its Smarties brand.

Following the launch of the sustainable Smarties Music Generator, Smarties is transitioning its entire confectionery range to recyclable paper packaging for 2021.

This includes replacing the plastic lid of the Smarties Giant Tube and Topper with a cardboard closing and swapping the cylindrical tube shape with a hexatube and paper sticker. The Smarties plastic bag and pouch will also shift to paper alternatives.

“In addition we will also start the journey towards fully recyclable packaging for other brands from 2021. This is all part of Nestlé’s remit that 100% of its packaging will be recyclable or reusable by 2025,” Dryburgh said.

NITR’s travel exclusive Nestlé Swiss will also be highlighted at the Virtual Expo. Indulgent Tablets are resized to 170g and the brand is relaunching the Dark Blueberry tablet which is also 170g.

The “regionally loved” After Eight range is extended with four limited-edition flavours: Strawberry, Dark, Irish Coffee and Orange.

New flavours Irish Coffee and Orange join the After Eight range

Moving beyond confectionery and into Fine Foods, NITR announced the launch of Nescafé Gold and the Illuma premium infant nutrition brand into travel retail earlier this year.

“Nescafé’s quality is known the world over,” Dryburgh said, “and we are delighted to now offer our premium hero Nescafé Gold Blend, and single origin speciality, Nescafé Artesano Santuario.”

Illuma is a super-premium brand with a particular focus on Chinese travellers who are, according to Dryburgh, “uncompromising in their quest for the best nutrition infant formula can offer”. Four editions target particular stages in an infant’s development: birth to six months, six to 12 months, one to three years and three years and above.

“Based on Illuma’s Human Affinity Technology, each product supports age-appropriate absorption and the utilisation of nutrients, such as calcium and Vitamin D, for gastrointestinal health,” Dryburgh added.

Considering post-COVID-19 travel retail, Dryburgh said NITR would remain “alert in identifying early sign of recovery across the globe and agile in seeking to develop these opportunities”.

“At the moment it is too early to say where or when this will come but we will support all our retail partners to the fullest extent possible. Our priority will be to understand shifts and changes in consumer behaviour that may affect buying patterns,” he said.

“Our mission is to anticipate these new trends and develop our product range accordingly. Dramatic change naturally creates threats, but also new opportunities and our ever-popular travel retail range, led by KitKat, will be ready to reassure the shopper in-store.”

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