Introduction: Social media is driving demand for new flavours and formats, but ARI Global Buying Manager, Food, Confectionery & Souvenirs Deirdre O’Carroll says success still depends on value, relevance and strong retail fundamentals.
In this exclusive conversation with The Moodie Davitt Report Managing Editor Ameesha Raizada, she discusses how ARI is responding to changing shopper expectations across its international network and where she sees the greatest opportunities for category growth.
“What has really changed is how quickly trends can take off.”
For ARI Global Buying Manager, Food, Confectionery & Souvenirs Deirdre O’Carroll, that acceleration is one of the defining characteristics of confectionery today.
“It varies from market to market, but overall we are seeing some really positive performance. The opening of The Irish Market at Dublin Airport has also given the category a real boost. In Portugal, Sabores de Portugal – our dedicated destination for Portuguese food & confectionery – continues to do very well, with Pastéis de Nata one of the standout products.”
At the same time, social media is increasingly shaping what travellers arrive at the airport looking for.
“Social media has a huge influence, particularly with younger travellers. People see something online and then want to find it when they travel. It might be a new flavour, a different format or simply something they haven’t seen before.”
Dubai chocolate is perhaps the clearest recent example.
“We are now also seeing more interest in Japanese and Korean flavours and products. KitKat, for example, is bringing some of its Japanese flavours into markets where regulations allow.
“There are some restrictions around ingredients in parts of Europe, so we can’t always bring everything to every market. But the demand for newness is definitely there.
“The challenge for us is working out which trends are worth following and getting them into our stores quickly enough.”
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Building category engagement
That appetite for newness is also influencing how confectionery is presented and discovered.
“Confectionery is an impulse purchase, so where you put it really matters. In our walkthrough stores, we tend to position it towards the end of the customer journey, close to the tills. It gives us another chance to catch the customer before they leave.”
But placement alone is not enough.
“It is also about making people stop and look. Brands are doing much more around new flavours, limited editions and collaborations, which gives us something to talk about in store.”
O’Carroll points to Mondelez World Travel Retail’s channel-exclusive Toblerone Crispy Caramel, which entered ARI stores in April and has already made “a strong contribution to the brand”.
Nestlé International Travel Retail’s KitKat Formula 1 similarly created a point of difference, with its travel retail-exclusive (TREX) collectable tin performing strongly since launching earlier this year.
“You don’t always need to reinvent the category. Sometimes a new flavour, a good exclusive or a strong piece of theatre is enough to give customers a reason to engage with a brand they already know.”
Sharpening the proposition
Alongside innovation, value has become a growing priority.
“This is something we are paying a lot more attention to,” O’Carroll says.
“Chocolate has become much more expensive, partly because of the volatility in cocoa prices. At the same time, there can already be a perception that things are more expensive in travel retail, so we need to be very clear about the value we are offering.”
ARI has begun testing different approaches in Ireland before considering a wider roll-out.
“It is not just about cutting prices. We are looking at the price points themselves, how we structure promotions and how clearly we communicate those offers in store.
“We know that simple promotions can work well, but the price still needs to feel accessible. For example, with a multi-buy, if the customer has to spend too much upfront, they may not see it as good value, even if they are getting a saving.”
That means examining both the right price points and the right promotional mechanics for each individual market.
“We are working closely with our brand partners on this because we both want the same thing: for the customer to feel that they are getting good value.”
Creating a point of difference
Local products are another central part of ARI’s confectionery strategy.
“It is one of our key KPIs,” O’Carroll says. “An airport is often the first or last impression someone has of a destination, so we want our stores to feel connected to that place.”
The Irish Market in Dublin Airport Terminal 2 brings together established Irish brands with smaller and emerging producers.
“Passengers can discover products they may not have seen before. It also gives those smaller Irish brands a platform they might not otherwise have in travel retail.”
ARI has followed a similar model in Cyprus with Kypriaka, its dedicated destination for Cypriot food and local products.
“It feels very different from a standard confectionery or food fixture because it has a real sense of place.”
That approach is now being extended further.
“In Montréal, as part of the redevelopment, we are creating The Maple Market, where we can tell passengers more about maple, where it comes from and the different grades, rather than simply putting maple products on a shelf.”
And in New York John F. Kennedy International Airport Terminal 4, Love From New York will bring together local brands and artists across food & confectionery through ARI’s partnership with International Shoppes and its local enterprise partners.
“It is about giving the passenger something they can only really experience in that destination.
“For me, that is the value of local. It makes each store feel different. And when you add travel retail exclusives into that mix, you give people another reason to buy because they know they cannot necessarily find the same product elsewhere.”
The small moments that matter
Confectionery also lends itself naturally to ARI’s ‘Joy On Your Way’ expression, O’Carroll says.
“Confectionery is naturally good at creating moments of joy. People buy it as a treat, they buy it as a gift, and they buy it to share.”
Much of that experience comes down to human interaction in store.
“Someone trying a product for the first time, having a conversation with a colleague or being offered a sample can make the experience much more memorable.”
ARI has been doing more tastings and food experiences across its locations, including International Chocolate Day activities and chef-led tastings in Sabores de Portugal.
“It doesn’t always have to be a big activation. Sometimes it is just about having someone there who can make a recommendation or tell you something about a product you have never tried.
“That is what ‘Joy On Your Way’ is about for me. It is those small moments that can make the journey more meaningful.”
Where agility meets judgement
Looking ahead, O’Carroll sees one of the biggest opportunities in identifying emerging trends early – and knowing which ones deserve backing.
“I think one of the biggest opportunities is spotting what is coming next and, when we believe in something, having the confidence to move quickly and really get behind it.”
Growing interest in East Asian flavours is one example, while established brands are also finding ways to refresh familiar products.
“Brands are making familiar products exciting again through new flavours, limited editions and collaborations.
“Social media has accelerated that enormously, so we need to keep looking beyond travel retail at what consumers are discovering and talking about.”
But speed does not mean following every passing trend.
“Being nimble doesn’t mean chasing every trend. It is about knowing our customers, identifying the opportunities we believe can work and being bold enough to back them.
“At the same time, we have to get the fundamentals right: the right ranges, promotions and HPPs, and great value.
“Combining those fundamentals with the agility to react quickly is where I see the real opportunity for growth.” ✈
This article was first published in The Moodie Davitt Report Category Insight Confectionery & Food, September/October 2026. Click here for access.
