Nestlé Travel Retail International (NITR) is set to make an appearance at the upcoming IAADFS Summit of the Americas, Palm Beach County Convention Center, West Palm Beach, Florida, April 14–17 (Booth 101/102).

The Summit reportedly offers the ideal venue for the travel retail and duty free industry to gather together and discuss challenges facing the industry, and opportunities for growth in the Americas.

The market is a key one for NITR, as it looks towards substantial growth in the region by increasing its network and tapping into consumer needs and demands with a strong product line-up based on the company’s mission to make food the #1 most purchased category in travel retail.

At the same time as introducing new products, many of which are exclusive to travel retail and—in the case of its just-launched Nestlé Sustainably Sourced Cocoa line—leading lights on the road towards sustainability, NITR will also introduce its "Together We Grow" platform.

According to Nestlé International Travel Retail General Manager Stewart Dryburgh, the company views the North and South America market as a growth platform. The area not only accounts for 18% of global passengers, it is also the leading market with best recovery (+106%) on 2019 figures and offers strong opportunities in travel retail, through duty free operations in airports, border stores, in the cruise sector and more.  

NITR notes that Confectionery and Food is the most cross-selling category in North and South America, with a massive +230% increase in incremental sales versus Q1 2022.

In the LATAM market, NITR is intent on developing strategic partnerships with local brands and landlords and exploring untapped markets and emerging destinations. The company notes the increase in international tourism and air travel in the region and the increasing importance of arrival stores. While a highly volatile region, LATAM has a very resilient duty-free industry and an extensive multi-channel offer.

Dryburgh is confident that NITR will see double-digit growth in the Americas this year. “The current forecast is for around 12.2% growth, but we are setting our sights higher than that, despite any price increases which are always a challenge,” he says.

“We are coming to the IAADFS Summit armed with new products—one in particular, our new Nestlé Sustainably Sourced—and a strategy which can only produce positive results in the confectionery and food categories. Not only do we have the products to take these categories forward, we also have the marketing tools and platforms to support our industry partners.”

“In 2024, we aim to improve our presence and positioning in the Americas (North and South America market) as the main food supplier partner by increasing our distribution in top airports and other duty-free business models," says Global Head of Sales Jorge Hadweh. "We are looking to extend our footprint through new spaces and increased permanent visibility in key US airports. That will come through an improved product assortment and targeted campaigns to support our products.”

Hadweh says NITR’s network of brand ambassadors in Mexico and South America will be increased as will collaborations relating to sustainability with major travel retailers.

“NITR must be proactive to ensure we stay ahead of market trends and demands and target growth through exciting and engaging activations and geographical expansion, not just through airport stores but also through partnerships in the cruise sector and border stores.

“There is a strong opportunity to increase our share of the market in North America and we intend to make the most of it.”

At the IAADFS Summit of the Americas, NITR will highlight products within its VERSE (Value, Engagement, Regeneration, Sense of Place, and Execution) model, including travel retail-exclusive products.

Nestlé’s latest channel-exclusive Nestlé Sustainably Sourced chocolate range launches this month. The launch is a major one for NITR, underlining the company’s commitment to innovation and to leading the regeneration of the confectionery category. The Sustainably Sourced Cocoa combines Nestlé’s Swiss chocolate expertise with sustainability and its "Does Good, Tastes Great" tagline.

The Nestlé Sustainably Sourced Cocoa product line-up includes four 170 g tablets, with flavors Dark Chocolate, Blueberries, Almonds & Hazelnuts; Milk Chocolate, Raisins, Almonds & Hazelnuts; Milk Chocolate Cranberries; Almonds & Hazelnuts; and Milk Chocolate & Hazelnuts. 

There are four 270 gr tablets in Dark Chocolate, Dark Chocolate with Almonds, Milk Chocolate, and Milk Chocolate with Almonds, and a 426 g Sharing Pouch is also available, containing approximately 45 individually wrapped pieces in Milk Chocolate, Dark Chocolate, and Milk Chocolate with Hazelnuts.

The global roll-out of Nestlé Sustainably Sourced Cocoa starts in May (in partnership with OTIS McAllister in North America and other retailers for the rest of the Americas region) and will continue throughout the summer, supported by major activations in partnership with key travel retailers. Its launch is supported by a new gondola, featuring the products along with other key NITR brands and highlighting the company’s long-standing and ongoing sustainability efforts. Retailers attending the Summit of the Americas can see the NSS range at both the Nestlé booth and at its exclusive North America distributor OTIS McAllister booth (201)

Dryburgh believes that Nestlé Sustainably Sourced Cocoa will drive incremental sales by attracting the fastest growing consumer segments—including Gen Z—into confectionery. “My team looks forward to sharing this initiative, along with our new KitKat products, sustainability award winner Smarties and key gifting brand After Eight, and our growing coffee offer, at the IAADFS Summit of the Americas,” he adds.

KitKat, a key brand in the NITR line-up, is the first global chocolate brand to use 100% sustainably sourced cocoa through the Nestlé Cocoa Plan and Rainforest Alliance certified.

Featured products at the Florida event will include the travel retail-exclusive KitKat with Lotus Biscoff. The 122.5 g pack features a crunchy, caramelized cinnamon spread made from Lotus Biscoff biscuit sandwiched between classic KitKat wafers covered in creamy milk chocolate.

The KitKat Cookie Dough line includes a 52 g KitKat Cookie Dough Wafer Bar and 42 g KitKat Chunky Cookie Dough with a layer of fudge cookie dough.

Smarties rolled out recyclable paper packaging for all its confectionery products globally in 2021. The Smarties Cool Creatures is designed to inspire imagination and sea exploration through learning and augmented reality. The kit includes four sea-creature construction sheets, a play mat, eight pencils, and sticker sheets. It also includes four mini tubes of Smarties in recyclable paper packaging. NITR will also spotlight a recent addition to its After Eight brand. 

Nestlé SA is on the current Candy Industry “Global Top 100 Candy Companies” list. Click here to view the current “Global Top 100” rankings.