Mazaya offers insight into travel retail strategy and shisha market

Jordanian shisha brand Mazaya has outlined its travel retail strategy ahead of its appearance at the upcoming TFWA World Exhibition & Conference (Yellow Village, H53).

Mazaya, which will be entertaining TFWA delegates aboard its Princess Illuka luxury yacht in Cannes, said that while the Middle East/Gulf remains its core market and it is looking to further build its distribution there, it sees “massive” potential in other regions.

Mazaya hookah (shisha) tobacco blueberry
Mazaya is looking to bring its shisha tobacco to a wider audience, expanding its presence in territories including Europe, Asia and the Americas.

“Building travel retail distribution for our shisha tobacco outside the Middle East is a long-term strategy but we are most definitely finding the retailers in Europe, Asia and the US are becoming more and more interested and receptive to the concept,” said Mazaya Brand Manager Rawan Elayyan.

Elayyan added that Mazaya is committed to supporting listings through promotions in travel retail such as GWPs and price-offs, which it sees as “critical to growth”.

In 2018, Mazaya has run promotions for customers in Amman, Dubai and Sharjah airports, and claimed that it had achieved high growth rates as a result. A new promotion is also planned for Abu Dhabi International Airport this month, following a new listing in August.

Mazaya hookah (shisha) tobacco lemon mint
Lemon Mint is among Mazaya’s best-selling flavours and will be showcased at the exhibition in Cannes.

According to a recent study by Wise Guy, the hookah (shisha) tobacco market is expected to see a CAGR of +17.99% from US$734 million in 2017 to US$2.757 billion by 2025.

The report shows that Europe is expected to dominate growth followed by North America, with Latin American demand also growing. Demand is expected to stay strong in traditional markets such as the Middle East and parts of Asia Pacific.

Elayyan said that this growth is being driven by theme-based café culture and the fact that shisha comes in different flavours, attracting younger adult consumers.

Flavours on showcase at Cannes are bestsellers and include Two Apples, Lemon Mint, Blueberry, Mint, Gum Mint, Grape Mint and Watermelon Mint.

Watermelon Mint is another of Mazaya’s most popular flavours.
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