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The first ever airport Ferrero Boutique breaks new ground for the Italian confectioner |
ITALY. Italian confectioner Ferrero has broken new ground with the opening of the world’s first airport Ferrero Boutique at Rome Fiumicino. The unit opened on 15 December. It is situated on the airport’s busiest thoroughfare and showcases the famous Italian confectioner’s praline range.
The Ferrero Boutique represents not only the brand’s first standalone airport store, but also the first time that Ferrero’s range of pralines – including Raffaello, Mon Cheri, Kuesschen, Ferrero Garden, Rond Noir and Pocket Coffee as well as the eponymous Ferrero Rocher – have been presented under one brand identity.
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Ferrero Travel Markets General Manager Giannicola Losacco (left) and Aeroporti di Roma Vice President Sales Marco Treggiari celebrate the December opening at Rome Fiumicino Airport |
The concept is the result of a development project spanning the past two years to build a unique brand for Ferrero’s pralines range.
While Ferrero Rocher may be easily recognisable, few consumers are aware, for example, that Ferrero also produces Mon Cheri, the best-selling praline in Germany, as well as Kuesschen, previously only available in Germany, and Pocket Coffee in Italy. The company first launched a website in France, www.ferreroboutique.com, then last year it trialled its first retail concept, a pop-up boutique in Milan, which was well received.
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Last year Ferrero trialled its first retail concept, a pop-up boutique in Milan (pictured) |
A temporary downtown boutique in a home market is a very different proposition to a long-term retail presence in an airport location dominated by passengers from other European countries, but according to Ferrero Travel Markets General Manager Giannicola Losacco, the time is right to bring the Ferrero Boutique to the airport market.
Losacco said: “We wanted to bring our praline brands under one name to an international audience, and Rome is the perfect place to start. Italy is Ferrero’s home market and our location is right in the centre of the Schengen concourse, where we can encounter many of our core consumers from across Europe and beyond. And traffic here is growing, which is very important.
“The timing is right because Ferrero is increasingly focused on expansion beyond its core markets. Travel retail is a step towards that, and this is one new part of our travel strategy. If this initial test is successful, we hope it will give us a new way to connect with travelling consumers across many global locations.”
The Ferrero Boutique at Rome Fiumicino is the result of partnership between Ferrero, Aeroporti di Roma, design agency Costa and Ferrero’s Italian airport distributor Topline, which manages and operates the outlet on Ferrero’s behalf as an extension to its existing supply agreement with the airport.
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Above the tall gold letters of Ferrero a curved roof features handcrafted replicas of Ferrero’s pralines |
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Multimedia screens on the boutique’s side panels show stylised interpretations of the praline production process |
Negotiations between parties were complex, particularly as the outlet occupies hitherto unused space on the passenger concourse. And the numerous internal stakeholders from within Ferrero – the Travel Markets and Pralines divisions both played key roles, as did research and development arm SOREMARTEC – added another layer of complexity. But the result has been welcomed by all parties and more importantly, based on observations made during The Moodie Report’s day at the airport, by passengers.
Topline Travel Retail Manager Julio Brandi said: “We have had lots of compliments, but we will be able to tell for sure in a few months. Christmas is not the busiest time but it is a good time to see the potential, particularly with a gifting concept. So far the reception among passengers has been encouraging. I think it works as a concept; it is nice when the execution matches the idea.”
For the airport too, the new concept seems to be a good fit. Aeroporti di Roma is pursuing a strategy of getting closer to passengers at gates, as evidenced by its recent introduction of mobile best-sellers units across the airport. Aeroporti di Roma Vice President Sales Marco Treggiari paid tribute to Ferrero’s iconic status in Italy, and its ingenuity in adapting the concept to the airport market.
He said: “Having Ferrero, one of the most popular brands in Italy, at the airport is a matter of pride for us. This concept is small and flexible and fits very well with our strategy of reaching the passenger where they are most comfortable and ready for the pleasure of shopping. It’s a great location, a young location in terms of the passenger demographic, and it is booming too.”
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The unit will become a testing ground for the company’s latest praline creations |
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Glass jars of toasted hazelnuts, almonds and coffee beans emphasise the quality of the ingredients |
At around 100sq m the Milan downtown concept was significantly larger than the Rome store, allowing for added theatre including cookery demonstrations, but the airport boutique retains a similar focus on design, presentation and customer service.
Both boutiques were designed by Italian architect Paolo Maldotti, who is known for creating elegant solutions for restricted spaces. The airport boutique is certainly eye-catching, and elements of theatre are artfully incorporated into its design: above the tall gold letters of Ferrero a curved roof features handcrafted replicas of Ferrero’s pralines; multimedia screens on the boutique’s side panels show stylised interpretations of the praline production process; and glass jars full of toasted hazelnuts, almonds and coffee beans emphasise the quality of the pralines’ ingredients.
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“This represents the vision not just for the travel division but for all the different institutions within Ferrero, and is at the soul of the company,” says Giannicola Losacco |
Customer service is another key element. Eventually the location will become an important testing venue for Ferrero, one of only two or three sites where research division SOREMARTEC will trial some of its latest praline creations and offer something for the travelling consumer. The product offer is housed in refrigerated units to ensure maximum quality, and all purchases are presented in packaging that can be individually tailored to the consumer’s requirements – with a choice of many different styles and sizes of gift boxes, ribbons and message cards – before being vacuum-wrapped in cellophane. The result is an individual and personalised experience, the brand owner said.
The innovative concept has been planned and executed with a high level of care and attention to detail. It also leans on the Ferrero values of passion and craftsmanship. The company was born out of hardship in the 1940s when enterprising confectioners Piera and Pietro Ferrero, facing shortages of ingredients, created a paste from one ingredient not in short supply around the southern Italian town of Alba: hazelnuts.
That paste became the filling of the famous Ferrero Rocher, and since then the family-owned company has grown into a multinational business, all the while retaining a passion for its products, which now include Nutella, the Kinder family and Tic Tac brands alongside Ferrero’s pralines. Even today Ferrero Strategic Chairman Michele Ferrero is still actively involved in developing new products and issues constant challenges to his employees to improve ingredients and recipes.
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The strong branding of the boutique reflects the Italian company’s proud heritage |
Ferrero’s passion and enthusiasm for this particular concept is summed up by Losacco. He says: “I’m very proud of the project; it’s something very important for Ferrero and driven by a big plan. It represents the vision not just for the travel division but for all the different institutions within Ferrero, and is at the soul of the company. Rome is the first location. Will it be the only one? I don’t know, but I hope not. Let’s talk to the travellers and see how they react.”
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The Ferrero team marks this breakthrough moment for the brand owner in Rome |
