German Travel Retail Association attends Reemtsma Liberty Award presentation 2012

Dr. Christian Breitzke (German Travel Retail Association, Dr. Jennifer Thanscheidt (Imperial Tobacco) and Torsten Ehlers (Gebr. Heinemann) – pictured from left to right - attended the Reemtsma Liberty Award which was presented recently at a ceremony in Berlin.

The Liberty Award recognises committed journalists working in the media to maintain the freedom of the press.

The recipient - journalist Konrad Schuller - was honored with the Reemtsma Liberty Award for his reports from Ukraine. The decision to recognise Mr Schuller was made by a jury of prominent German journalists and media experts.

Schuller, who works for the German paper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung said: "My award is an encouragement for all correspondents to continue reporting in challenging environments despite all the efforts to stop them doing so.”

“The spirit of the Liberty Award matches very well with the values often experienced in Duty Free,” said Torsten Ehlers, Legal Affairs Gebr. Heinemann. “International trade brings people together. The free movement of goods is essential for economic growth,” he stated.

“The Duty Free business depends on neutral media reporting from the different markets,” added Jennifer Thanscheidt. “Duty Free is a market directly affected by the political environment and with its own political challenges. The Arab spring, for example, affected the whole market. To ensure safety for all staff working at the airports and to be able to realistically plan when to re-start a business which has been suspended because of such external factors, it is imperative that we maintain freedom of the press enabling journalists to report facts not rumors.”

Press enquiries Rowena Holland, Essential Communications.  Email: row@essentialcommunications.org.

March 2012

Scorpio creates a sparkle with Hot Diamonds

Scorpio is delighted to announce a new travel retail distribution agreement with Hot Diamonds, effective immediately. The agreement covers both inflight and retail shops worldwide with the exception of Asia, where long-standing agreements exist.

‘We are absolutely delighted to be taking on the Hot Diamonds collection which perfectly complements our existing jewellery offer, headed by the ever popular Pierre Cardin brand,’ says Scorpio Group Sales and Marketing Director Richard Kennedy. ‘The Hot Diamonds brand is already well established in travel retail and has an excellent track record. We believe, however, that there is far more potential for the brand and certainly initial reaction to the line at the Duty Free Show of the Americas proved that to be the case.’

Hot Diamonds offers a specific Duty Free Range with two new collections for 2012: ‘Love Bites’, is a range of simply delicious pendants, and ‘Shades of Spring’ is designed to welcome the first spring-time blossom. Both collections include highlights of 18ct Rose Gold vermeil. These new collections complement a timeless Sterling Silver and Rhodium plated core jewellery range, with each and every piece adorned with a signature brilliant-cut diamond.

Retailing between $50 and $114 – with best-sellers in the $80/$85 range – the Hot Diamonds collection meets the demand for distinctive, contemporary jewellery designs and mid-way price points. ‘The Pierre Cardin range offers fashion jewellery at fantastic value for money prices, for which there is an ongoing and consistent demand,’ continues Kennedy. ‘However, there is also a growing demand for inspirational qualitative pieces in Sterling Silver and 18ct Gold featuring real diamonds, still at prices which are very affordable.’

“We believe that Scorpio is the ideal Duty Free partner for us, as their outstanding coverage of the Travel Retail and In-Flight sales channels is second to none. Also, their keen eye for excellent branding has been instrumental in our decision to form a partnership with them. We are looking forward to working closely with Scorpio to replicate the Hot Diamonds UK successes into the global market,” says Paul Collard, International Accounts Manager for Hot Diamonds.

The collection will be on display at the TFWA Asia Pacific & Gate ONE2ONE exhibition for buyers visiting from outside the region (stand K28)

Rowena Holland, Essential Communications. Email: row@essentialcommunications.org

JCI JEWELLERY PUTS NEW EMPHASIS ON FASHION ITEMS FOR 2012 TRAVEL RETAIL COLLECTION

The latest jewellery collection from Aeon (manufactured and distributed by JCI Jewellery) continues to offer a fabulous range of Sterling Silver pieces, but there is a new emphasis on "fashion” items at competitive prices to meet the needs of the current value conscious market.

Sterling Silver jewellery sets continue to have their place and the latest collection sees a new set of ball pendant and matching earrings; sets of four pairs of earrings; and a beautifully classic heart on a fine chain. Prices are held at a popular level to provide a collection that is equally suitable for scheduled and charter/low cost airlines.

Alongside the Sterling Silver collection, Aeon is also adding a wider offer in the fashion category, in recognition of consumer’s value needs. The range includes a variety of stylish pieces which capitalise on current fashion trends such as charms, friendship bracelets and beads and stones.

Included in the offer is a black bead bracelet with three charms: a silver heart, red apple and black cubic zirconia; and a long chain with the same removable charms. The three charms can be worn separately on the chain or together – simply clip on or off.

Also offered are sets of four friendship bracelets in a myriad of colours from grey and black to pink, yellow, green, purple etc. The collection includes four designs: cord with "silver dipped" catch, plated half bangle, plated bead bangle and traditional "friendship" bracelet. They are offered to airlines as a set of four at the incredible recommended retail price in the region of £15

Other options within the selection include a stylish large stretch bangle with cubic zirconia, ball and ring decoration; a modern large circle pendant with crystal inner detail; and three-pair earring sets at affordable price points.

For men, Aeon has experienced great success with cufflink sets. For 2012 there are new design sets available, each containing five pairs of modern and classic designs.

‘Sterling Silver jewellery has always been our core offer to airlines but we recognise that in today’s environment, travellers remain very price conscious – particularly in Europe – and to meet this need we’ve developed a wider range of fashion lines. Jewellery is very much an impulse purchase, particularly inflight, and we’re confident that this latest offer will hit the spot in terms of style, design and price,’ says Jeannie Archer

Notes to editors: Based in Co Tyrone, N Ireland, JCI Jewellery has established a sound business for the Aeon brand of sterling silver, silver-dipped and gold-dipped jewellery with listings on airlines including British Airways, Aer Lingus, Thomas Cook, Monarch, Easy Jet UK, Jet 2, Flybe, Aeroflot, and Tourvest for Virgin Atlantic, South African Airways and Kenya Airways, Condor, Air Berlin, Tui Germany,

Enquiries:

Jeannie Archer, JA Associates, Tel: +44 (0)1 252 783007. begin_of_the_skype_highlighting end_of_the_skype_highlightingFax: +44 (0)1252 781007. Email: jaassociatesinc@aol.com

Press enquiries: Rowena Holland, Essential Communications. Email: row@essentialcommunications.org

MARCH 2012

Nestlé introduces NPD for 2012 following strong performance throughout Americas

Nestlé International Travel Retail is exhibiting at the Duty Free Show of the Americas this year (booth 1123) following a strong year in the Americas, despite the turbulent global and regional economical environment. The company achieved both high value and volume year on year growth.

North America

In North America, Canada showed positive performance, taking into account the strength of the Canadian dollar with growth in both volume and value. High visibility promotions with Nestlé SWISS bars through border shops were particularly successful. Within the USA, both core and regional brands performed strongly, specifically Nestlé SWISS which recorded high double digit growth, continuing the strong sales momentum of this brand in the region.

Central America.

The region showed excellent performance overall during 2011, benefitting from increased distribution and has set a platform for further growth in 2012.

South America.

Nestlé’s business in this region performed very well on the back of a strong Brazilian economy and favourable exchange rates. Other countries in the region, notably Argentina and Uruguay also performed strongly across all channels. Nestlé SWISS and KIT KAT were the main drivers of this growth.

Says NITR Customer Marketing Manager Alan Brennan: ‘We have been extremely encouraged by Nestlé’s performance within the region over the past 12 months and we continue to work closely with retailers across the Continent to develop our business and introduce the Perfect Store™ initiative to increase penetration, conversion and basket size. For example, aligned with these Perfect Store™ building blocks, Nestlé has been working closely with our partner London Supply in Argentina, in developing a CTP (Counter Till Point) strategy at its Foz Iguazu border store to increase the basket size through increased conversion. The project is scheduled to come in to operation in Qtr 1 2012.’

At the Orlando show this year, NITR will be introducing its latest new products focussing on global brands NESTLE SWISS, KITKAT and SMARTIES, all of which present solutions for different shopper needs

NESTLE SWISS –NITR has introduced an entire new range of six new exciting travel-exclusive items under the NESTLÉ SWISS Premium Collection taking this highly successful brand into a new high-value premium level.

NESTLE SWISS Alps – Shaped like Swiss peaks and mountains, these exclusive pralines in eight different recipes (five milk and three dark) come in two box formats – 122g and 240g.

NESTLE SWISS Carres – Unique pieces of chocolate which are the perfect translation of ‘Chocolat Brut’ – delicious, chunky and generous ingredients such as pineapple and pepper, almonds and orange, cashew nuts and cranberries, topping a solid piece of Swiss chocolate. Two varients are available – milk and dark – in 160g boxes.

NESTLE SWISS Tender Rocks – Here two exclusive recipes, inspired by chocolate truffles, are shaped and presented like an avalanche of Swiss mountain rocks. In dark and milk varieties, both come in 180g boxes.

SMARTIES With the huge attraction of the DISNEY partnership, NITR is expanding the age appeal of SMARTIES into teens with a new Shrek franchise for its best selling Toppers single and multipack collection. This blockbuster movie character, along with his friend Donkey is available as a ‘bobble head’ figurine gift boxed with five SMARTIES tubes, easy to portion and share.

New gift packs have also been introduced for 2012 to refresh and renovate the existing range including a new travel retail exclusive high value gifting dome tube with a premium look and feel. Three options are available, all with an exclusive game in the ‘dome’ of each tube: a Cars Hit & Loop, Winnie the Pooh Fishing Adventure & Memory Game and Enchanted Princess Set. Each also includes three giant tubes of SMARTIES. The refresh of the Trio-pack is accompanied by a brand new SMARTIES Toppers range, with a new game for the Winnie the Pooh Toppers, a pen for the Princess Toppers, and brand new Cars characters from the Cars 2 movie for the Cars Toppers range

To celebrate the confectionery brand’s 75^th anniversary, NITR has introduced a range of Retro Toppers designed to bring back memories of childhood and the heritage of the brand. The limited edition SMARTIES Retro Toppers use original Mickey and Minnie character images plus a unique retro-style design linked to the SMARTIES iconic tube shape and brand values.

KIT KAT – This well known global brand is ideal for informal gifting – as well as snacking and sharing. With the former in mind, NITR is introducing a new travel retail exclusive 405g mixed pack containing white, milk and dark varieties of the world famous KITKAT 4 Finger. It’s ideal for discovering and sharing different tastes.

YEAR OF THE DRAGON – The Chinese Year of the Dragon has now started and to celebrate this most auspicious year, Nestlé has introduced two travel retail exclusive tins. ‘Chinese New Year in particular is an important gifting period and Asian travellers will be looking for customised gifting solutions to celebrate this unique event,’ says Alan Brennan. ‘These two exclusive tins, which capitalise on our best-selling brands NESTLE SWISS and KITKAT, are designed not just for CNY but as a whole year gift sales opportunity.’ The tins – in red, silver and gold for NESTLE SWISS and red and gold for KITKAT – are embossed with Dragon graphics and have a premium look and feel. They contain 350g (66) SWISS Napolitains and 450g (10) KITKAT 4 Finger bars respectively.

Press enquiries and images: Rowena Holland, Essential Communications. Email: row@essentialcommunications.org

March 2012