Introduction: As it approaches its 140th anniversary, Jules Destrooper stands as a testament to how enduring craftsmanship and strategic innovation can thrive side by side.
The Belgian biscuit house continues to resonate with today’s consumers by preserving its time-honoured recipes while reimagining them for today’s tastes.
Building on its strong presence at Belgian airports and increasing visibility in Asia, Jules Destrooper is now targeting further growth in global travel retail. With exclusivity, destination-themed packaging and curated assortments at the heart of its strategy, the brand is expanding into key markets including The Netherlands, France, Mexico and Brazil.
In this exclusive interview with The Moodie Davitt Report, Jules Destrooper Export Sales Manager Josfien Tierssoone highlights the brand’s enduring heritage, product innovations and focused expansion in travel retail.
Jules Destrooper has stood the test of time, crafting biscuits with care and a commitment to Belgian tradition since its founding.
As the company prepares to mark 140th anniversary in 2026, it remains grounded in tradition while embracing the future, crafting biscuits with premium ingredients and no artificial flavours, colourings, or preservatives.
“We’re indeed lucky to be celebrating our 140th anniversary in 2026. For every single one of our biscuits,” says Jules Destrooper Export Sales Manager Josfien Tierssoone.
“The combination of our best-in-class recipes, focused product portfolio and our ability to adapt to changing consumer behaviour has been key to our growth and will definitely allow us to further grow in the future.”
This focus on tradition and craftsmanship is mirrored in the company’s manufacturing approach. All biscuits are still produced exclusively in Belgium using natural ingredients, including Belgian chocolate and pure butter.
The company’s commitment to quality was formally recognised in 1999 with its appointment as Purveyor to the Belgian Royal Household.
Tierssoone observes, “Our natural, carefully selected ingredients, such as Belgian chocolate and pure butter, are part of our identity. When consumers choose Jules Destrooper, we promise them quality.”
The brand aims to offer meaningful and indulgent experiences throughout the day and year, tailored to a wide variety of consumers.
From signature staples such as Butter Crisps, Almond Thins and Butter Waffles, the brand is expanding its portfolio with innovations to meet the shifting expectations of both loyal and new audiences.
Tierssoone explains, “To remain relevant in the long term, however, innovation is key. While always staying true to our product philosophy, we introduce new variants of our core products (e.g. Butter crisp with Belgian dark chocolate) or snackable versions in new packaging formats (e.g. standing pouch), tailored to evolving consumption moments.”
Elevating the biscuit experience in travel retail
Having built its name in domestic retail as a go-to for premium biscuits, Jules Destrooper is now expanding its global travel retail presence. The shift towards premiumisation and demand for exclusive offerings make the channel an ideal fit to engage high-spending international travellers.
“While we aim for accessibility in traditional retail, our travel retail packaging highlights our premium positioning more clearly. That’s why we continuously introduce travel retail-exclusive assortments, such as our destination SKUs for Brussels, Amsterdam, Paris, Singapore and Dubai,” says Tierssoone.
In line with growing demand for premium travel retail-exclusive offerings, the brand launched its Butter Crisp with Belgian dark chocolate in 2022 and followed up with a salted caramel variant in 2023. Both flavours have continued to perform strongly in the channel since their release.
Tierssoone says, “These products were a challenge to introduce – not only because of their unique flavour combinations (bitter-sweet and sweet-salty), but also due to their distinctive diagonal chocolate coating.
“We’ve seen incremental sales with both products and have since launched a travel retail assortment combining the two. It has proven to be a great success so far.”
Destination sleeves are also proving to be a strategic brand discovery tool for Jules Destrooper in new markets. The Brussels Airport edition, highlighting landmarks such as the Atomium, demonstrates how locally inspired packaging can attract the attention of new consumers.
This strategy shows strong potential in markets such as Singapore and Dubai, where eye-catching packaging can engage travellers before they’re even familiar with the brand.
Belgian treats made for gifting on the go
With a refreshed design for its travel retail-exclusive range, Jules Destrooper set out to create packaging that reflects the essence of the brand.
The redesign centres the biscuits visually, uses distinct colour coding across SKUs, and places emphasis on the brand’s strongest selling points to ensure consistency with the Jules Destrooper identity.
Tierssoone commented, “When people think of Jules Destrooper, they think of blue and white. That’s why we reintroduced our iconic blue brand colour to enhance shelf standout.”
Recognising the importance of storytelling to engage impulse and first-time buyers, the brand focused on creating packaging that commands attention in the travel retail environment.
With this in mind, the brand developed a design that is eye-catching, visually appealing and true to its identity, further enhancing its appeal as a premium gifting option.
Tierssoone says, “In travel retail, we cater to a different need than in traditional retail. While in regular stores we encourage everyday self-consumption, travel retail is much more about gifting. That’s why the premium and gift-worthy nature of our travel retail packaging is essential.”
Positioned for take-off in travel retail
Well-established in its home market, with well-designed branded spaces at Brussels and Charleroi airports, Jules Destrooper is setting its sights on global travel retail.
Looking ahead, the brand plans to expand its footprint in key international markets, beginning with the Netherlands and France. This expansion will be supported by a pipeline of new SKUs, including destination-inspired sleeves and premium gifting formats designed to resonate with travelling consumers.
Beyond Europe, the brand has gained listings in Asia at Singapore Changi, Cebu, Manila and Kuala Lumpur, and is now looking towards the Americas, focusing on high-potential markets such as Mexico and Brazil, where appetite for premium Belgian heritage brands continues to grow. ✈
