Nestlé International Travel Retail (Nestlé ITR) is utilising its presence at the TFWA Asia Pacific Exhibition & Conference in Singapore next month (7-11 May 2023) to continue driving its vision to transform food into the number one most purchased category in travel retail.

Alongside this, the company will also be presenting various aspects of Nestlé’s commitment to an environmentally and socially responsible agenda, and how this translates to the travel retail channel.

Nestlé ITR returns to the show with a Hospitality Suite (Basement 2 L32), at which it will showcase a selection of its latest product launches from key brands KitKat, Smarties, Nestlé Swiss and Nescafé.

“We are delighted that the exhibition is now back post the Covid pandemic; reflecting the ongoing recovery within the region,” said Nestlé ITR Global Head of Marketing Aura Sanchez.

“This will be my first time at the show, and I am very excited to be meeting with our regional customers and partners, reinforcing our relationships and continuing to drive our ambition of food becoming the number one most purchased category, delivered through our VERSE model (Value, Engagement, Regeneration, Sense of Place and Execution.)

Continued Sanchez: “The show comes not long after another highly successful appearance for Nestlé ITR at the China International Consumer Product Expo in Hainan, where we had a tremendous response from Chinese consumers for our travel retail portfolio.

“Now that the Chinese can travel again internationally, we see many opportunities for our brands as chocolate consumption per head continues to grow.”

Consumers in Hainan showed a ‘notable’ interest in Nestlé’s sustainable agenda, according to Sanchez, which is indicative of ‘the global shift towards the expectation of CSR from all brands’.

In Singapore, delegates can find out more about how Nestlé ITR’s green journey, including how plastic-free packaging has been introduced for all Smarties products.

Furthermore, every jar or can within the Nescafé Roastery and Azera Collections meets Nestlé’s ‘Cup of Respect’ whereby coffee is grown, manufactured, packaged and enjoyed respectfully.

Add to this the Nestlé Income Accelerator Program, which helps farmers to reach a living income – this was awarded Sustainability Hero status in the TRBusiness Sustainability week.

“We believe that, as part of the Nestlé family, we are in a very strong position to offer retailers and airports guidance on consumer’s sustainable expectations and work with them to not only reach but surpass their CSR ambitions,” said Sanchez.

New novelties to discover include the new KitKat Roasted Almond Senses Tablet, KitKat Peanut Butter Gift pack, and KitKat two flavour Mix Sharing bag (including new white variety).

From Smarties comes the new Cool Creatures set, designed to inspire young minds with its sea-creature themed activities complete with augmented reality, as well as four mini tubes of Smarties in recyclable paper packaging.

A milk chocolate and hazelnut addition joins the travel retail exclusive Nestlé Swiss 170g tablet range.

Retailers seeking to widen their food and beverage offer can take a look at the Nescafé Roastery Collection and new Nescafé Azera Americano – a barista-style coffee collection in original, decaf and intense options, which is designed to appeal to younger consumers.

Delegates can also taste the Nescafé Roastery Coffee and KitKat Senses Mini-Desserts and Mini Moments at the the Opening Conference welcoming coffee (on Monday 8 May), which Nestlé ITR is sponsoring.