Confectionery and gum manufacturer Perfetti van Melle (PVM) has expanded its global travel retail team with two internal hires across the fields of commercial and product development.

Dennis Hermann has been named Area Manager Global Travel Retail, while Emma Helleman is now International Product Manager.

Hermann has been with PVM since 2016 in the Belgian domestic market. Previously, he held various sales and marketing roles at AB InBev and Danone.

Meanwhile, Helleman started in her new position in January 2022 after spending almost four years as a product manager for Scandinavia in PVM’s export department.

Hermann commented: “Since the beginning of the year I have discovered the wonderful world of global travel retail. I’m looking forward meeting you all and working together on the recovery of travel retail.

Helleman added: “With my past experience at Perfetti van Melle and in my previous product manager role at Elho, I am looking forward to using this knowledge and enthusiasm to enter this global tasty world with our lovely brands.”

RETURN TO ACTIVATIONS

In related news, PVM says two recent global travel retail brand promotions for Mentos at Dubai and Copenhagen Airports offered a ‘great boost’ as the industry negotiates the post-pandemic recovery.

Partnering with Dubai Duty Free and Gebr. Heinemann in Dubai and Copenhagen, respectively, the activations that ran through January and February benefitted from ‘high levels of passenger engagement’, according to PVM.

The Dubai promotion, which resulted in an uplift of double the usual sales volume, shared four different sleeve designs with customers purchasing a Mentos Jumboroll as a gift.

They were able to choose a personalised message in combination with their favourite Mentos flavour.

“The Mentos promotion attracted people to the confectionery store and with help of a brand ambassador on site, we significantly increased consumer engagement with the Mentos brand,” commented Sander Prins, Sales Manager for MENA area Global Travel Retail, PVM.

“We provided an extra personal touch for customers to personalise their Mentos Jumboroll with a special theme, to show love, gratefulness, or friendship to their loved ones. The promotion was a great sales boost in a period when the industry is craving additional turnover after the big pandemic period decline.”

In Copenhagen, Mentos Gum and Mentos Jumborolls were promoted for a sunglasses gift-with-purchase activation.

Travellers could take ‘selfies’ with the following Mentos branding messaging as a backdrop: ‘Be in the clouds with Mentos’ and ‘Be inside a Mentos Gum bottle’.

Dennis Hermann, Sales Manager for Asia area and Heinemann, PVM, confirmed that the sunglasses promotion ‘did very well’.