Chocolate-based beverages developed by Valrhona’s chefs using Valrhona chocolate alongside ingredients from complementary brands such as Norohy and Adamance.

Valrhona and Villars are highlighting core developments across the chocolate market at TFWA investigating how brands can meet traveller expectations.

Premiumisation; experiential retail; and the convergence of retail and F&B are cited as three important trends in the chocolate market by Zeyneb Larabi, Global Travel Retail Advisor at Valrhona.

These elements will help to respond to changing travellers’ needs as airports transform into destinations rather than transit environments.

“As retail, restaurants, lounges, hospitality and entertainment are increasingly interconnected, travellers are looking for something memorable during their dwell time, not simply a duty-free price advantage,” stated Larabi.

In a volatile market and with consumer behaviour shifting, opportunities cannot be measured by passenger numbers, diversification is essential.

“We shouldn’t look at travel retail purely as duty-free distribution,” noted Larabi. “Airlines, lounges, airport F&B, chef partnerships, gifting and retail can form one ecosystem,” stated Larabi.

Diversification to meet new challenges

Differentiation for Valrhona comes from its culinary heritage and expertise, while with Villars Swiss pedigree, heritage, authenticity and gifting are to the fore, highlighted Larabi. For both brands, creating a strong emotional connection with the traveller will be increasingly important as the role of the airport evolves.

“The future of travel retail is not only about what travellers buy, but what they discover, taste and remember,” said Larabi “Our opportunity is to connect those moments through gastronomy, retail and gifting.”

As the consumer is increasingly willing to spend on experiences they perceive as valuable, premium is the combination of craftsmanship, sourcing and experience.

 Zeyneb Larabi, Global Travel Retail Advisor at Valrhona explains experience and gifting can reinforce each other.

“For Valrhona, premium starts with the chocolate itself, but it extends to the chef who transforms it, the story behind the cacao, the presentation and the moment in which it is consumed,”stated Larabi. “For Villars, premium can come from authentic Swiss provenance, recipes, quality, beautiful contemporary packaging and strong gifting credentials.”

Experience and gifting can reinforce each other. “Imagine tasting a Valrhona signature dessert at an airport restaurant, discovering the chef and chocolate behind it, and then being able to purchase an exclusive chocolate collection nearby. That is much more powerful than treating F&B and retail as two separate businesses.”

In terms of location development for the business, the Middle East, where there is a combination of major international hubs, premium passengers, strong gifting culture and high appetite for confectionery, remains strategically important to Valrhona.

India, with a growing appetite for international premium brands and its stronger premium and lounge propositions, and China, where the market is becoming more focused on are also particularly relevant to the business.

Europe remains pertinent, but often for different reasons, including provenance, gifting, tourism and destination products. For Villars, for example, Switzerland and key European gateways provide a natural platform to tell a compelling story around Swiss chocolate heritage.

Valrhona and Villars are located at RH16 in the Riviera Village.

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