Premium confectionery Lindt & Sprüngli used the recent TFWA World Exhibition & Conference to highlight its gifting range as the holiday season draws closer.

The product launches were informed by Lindt’s own POLARIS research targeting opportunities identified in its Category Vision.

Key releases for the key fourth quarter gifting period include Lindor Tube Flavour Edition 400g. A permanent addition to the Lindor portfolio, it includes the new double chocolate milk and white variation in its four-variety range. 

Set to launch in 2024 is the Captain Cocoa & Captain Skyla 250g pack. With a playful spin on the brand’s Napolitains, it marks Lindt’s move into gifting for the whole family. 

According to the brand’s POLARIS data, the family segment accounts for 42% of all gifting recipients. 

The mono-flavoured milk Napolitains are wrapped in four different travel-themed wappers featuring pilot mascots Captain Cocoa & Captain Skyla.

The nut-free, single-wrapped mini-tablets are said to be ideal for “portion-controlled” indulgence. 

Napolitains Destination Sleeves will be available on-shelf at the end of 2023. According to the POLARIS study, 21% of shoppers are looking for souvenir gifts, and 17% remind them of home. 

As such, Lindt has applied a ‘sense of place touch’ to its Napolitains Carrier Box 500g with distinctive high quality cardboard sleeves.

Each one depicts a different location including the UK, France, Germany and Italy. Each has a transparent window on the side to show the product within. 

Looking ahead to 2024 Q2 and Lindt will launch its Destination Sleeves Swiss Masterpieces 143g.

The praline assortment will also be presented in the sense of place sleeves. Locations include Switzerland, Dubai and Hong Kong. 

A ‘refreshed’ Lindt category vision 

Lindt’s new product releases come alongside a refreshed category vision based on its POLARIS research. The insights now include consumer perspectives from Germany, Spain, Saudi Arabia and China. 

Research shows that travel retail shoppers behave differently compared to when in their local markets.

Based on the findings, Lindt has highlighted four growth pillars: Be Seen, Say it With Chocolate, Taste Discoveries, and Sharing the Adventure. 

The confectioner says it believes the pillars will help it drive growth and become the top brand by footfall driver, and establish confectionery as the top category for conversion. 

According to its research, Lindt says at least 40% of confectionery purchases take place outside the core category space. 

The biggest barrier to conversion is difficulty finding products and store navigation. Lindt believes more space should be dedicated to the confectionery category. 

In addition, the brand believes that more space should be given to formal gifting, including with personalisation.  

“With shopper behaviour in global travel retail constantly evolving, it is important that we regularly review our Category Vision to ensure our offer remains relevant,” said Peter Zehnder, Head of Lindt Global Travel Retail.

“Our research indicates that global travel retail shoppers have different reasons to buy, with 25% of consumers purchasing to delight others, so our goal is to capitalise on the year-round gifting opportunities that the channel presents.” 

Earlier this year, Lindt teamed up with Dufry to host a month-long Lindor Maître Chocolatier gifting activation at Heathrow Airport Terminal 4, its largest in travel retail to date.