MALAYSIA. Malaysia Airports, DR Group and The Hershey Company have installed a Hershey’s flotilla buggy, a mobile retail concept, at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA). The partners said the concept was a “world first” and a move to “disrupt the conventional way of doing business in travel retail”.
The Hershey’s flotilla buggy was converted from a conventional buggy, and offers an attraction in the terminal as well as a last-minutes shopping opportunity. The flotilla buggy, which comes with headlights and engine sound, is adorned with messages and artistic images of landmarks of Malaysia to give it a sense of place that should translate into photo moments for travellers, noted the partners.
Malaysia Airports Senior General Manager for Commercial Services Nazli Aziz said that travellers are becoming more sophisticated and seek more interesting experiences when they travel.
“Malaysia Airports is constantly looking into new ways to curate a convenient, unique and memorable shopping experience for customers. The launch of the Hershey’s flotilla buggy is the culmination of a successful partnership between Malaysia Airports, a world-class confectionery brand and an enterprising retailer – the first of its kind in the history of travel retail in Malaysia,” he said.
He added that the organisation believes the flotilla buggy will strengthen the sense of place concept at the KLIA in line with initiatives to enhance the airport experience and provide a “joyful Malaysian experience” for travellers.
Sales (in the retail business at KLIA) are projected to grow by almost +8% this year, led by an increase in Chinese visitor arrivals and aided by greater choice in confectionery.
DR Group Managing Director Dato’ Dahlan Rashid said: “DR Group is a leading airport retail specialist for confectionery and perfumes & cosmetics in Malaysia. Since its inception in 1985, DR Group has been creating its own niche internationally by innovating the travel retail confectionery business landscape. We believe this synergistic collaboration provides the perfect beginning for endless possibilities in retail innovation.”
He hailed the flotilla concept as a potential “game changer” in travel retail.
The idea of the flotilla buggy was raised last October at TFWA World Exhibition when the three parties discussed ways to enhance their experiential customer engagement.
