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LS Travel Retail unveils its new ‘So Chocolate’ concept covering over 300sq m at Changi T1 |
SINGAPORE. LS Travel Retail ASPAC has unveiled its new 307sq m “˜So Chocolate’ confectionery store at Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 1.
The new concept features bright, vivid colours and clear separation of the key categories, strong brand personalisation plus an innovative premium chocolate boutique within the store.
The merchandise assortment was developed to cater to the specific needs of the travellers at Changi, said LS Travel Retail ASPAC, which worked closely with its brand partners and the Changi Airport Group (CAG) in developing the store.
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Colourful character: (L-r) LS Travel Retail Singapore General Manager Jong Lee Tan, Category Manager Confectionery Tan Hui Yang, LS Travel Retail Asia Operations and Marketing Director Grant Fleming and Aelia Head Buyer for Confectionery and Fine Food Sandrine Verrecchia-Godin at a media event to mark the opening on Sunday |
The retailer said: “The So Chocolate store strongly supports CAG’s emphasis on innovative and positively surprising experiences for the shopper as part of the renowned “˜Changi Experience’. With its portfolio of stores at Changi now reaching a total of 19 stores, LS Travel Retail ASPAC has developed a powerful understanding of the airport, its travellers and their needs.”
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The premium boutique inside the store adds an upscale feel to the unit |
The So Chocolate store is laid out by category: the gifting brands with a strong promotional focus are at the entrance to the store; these lead into the destination category with specialities from Singapore and the So Chocolate premium boutique, with its own dedicated staff; and then towards the back of the store is a kids and sharing zone.
The retailer said that informal gifting would provide around 40% of sales, with the sharing segment at around 20%, premium items at 15-20%, and kids and destination goods around 10% each.
The importance of gifting at Changi is addressed in particular through the premium boutique, noted the retailer. The dedicated zone incorporates a central tasting and display bar and uses premium shelving, while white custom colour flooring contrasts with the black used elsewhere in the store.
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The store is well personalised with support from the leading brands |
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The 2.7m tall M&M’s character is already proving a big attraction for adults and children |
It also has specially trained sales staff on hand, it will include a gift wrapping service and includes leading brands such as Valrhona, Godiva, Neuhaus and Fauchon, with a selection of destination gift packs exclusive to the store. The dedicated gifting area includes a bank of LCD screens to inform and entertain the shopper. Similar technology provides a range of messaging at the main store entrance and in the centre of the store.
The store also features a range of themed activations designed to engage, entertain and convert the browser.
LS Travel Retail ASPAC said: “In everything from the use of shopper insight to the range of in-store theatre, the engaging new store incorporates a series of innovative aspects in both its creation and operation – including a number of exciting “˜firsts’ in travel retail.”
These include:
*The Toblerone cable car: Created by Kraft and LS Travel Retail ASPAC, this activation provides shoppers with an Alpine skiing-themed experience. A colourful large-scale cable car is sited within the store on a white “˜snow-covered mountain top’ setting, providing shoppers with a “˜high altitude’ photo opportunity. Store visitors are able to sit in the cable car and take photographs as a memento of their visit to So Chocolate.
The static Toblerone-branded cable car is supported by an Alpine soundtrack, operated by push-button selection by the visitor, and is instantly visible (and audible) from the concourse.
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The Toblerone ‘cable car’ is another first for travel retail |
*The M&M’s character: Mars and LS Travel Retail ASPAC have developed a 2.7m tall M&M’s character, the first on this scale to appear at an airport. The new character is proving an attraction to children and adults alike, the retailer said, and particularly draws footfall to the store’s range of M&M’s gifting, snacking and sharing options.
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Ferrero is a key brand and features prominently at the front of the store |
Emmanuel de Place, Chief Operating Officer of Lagardère Services, responsible for the Asia Pacific division, said: “So Chocolate is our first confectionery multi-brand store in the region and we are delighted that Changi, one of the world’s leading airports, is the location.
“We aim to deliver a confectionery experience that is exciting, satisfying and memorable for the shopper and commercially effective for all our partners and ourselves. I would like to express my thanks to all our brand partners for sharing our forward-thinking approach in developing the So Chocolate concept.
“I firmly believe that So Chocolate is an innovative store concept that fully reflects the shopper insight and effective category management that we will use to drive optimal sales right across the category. The store’s design and the promotional programme we have developed with our brand partners ensure that the traveller will enjoy an engaging and exciting shopping experience that extends from value ranges to a truly premium offering. In particular, we are confident that our premium gifting range, including an extensive selection from Valrhona, Godiva, Neuhaus and Fauchon will meet the traveller’s demand – and the industry’s need – for a stronger approach in providing credible, high-quality gifting options in confectionery.
“Across the category, our insight suggests that confectionery has a particularly challenging need to convert a higher proportion of store browsers. As such, it is exciting and strategically important for us to fully engage in the confectionery category on this scale and we are determined to replicate the same success that we have achieved in other categories at So Chocolate. We have set a new benchmark in fashion retailing in the region with the opening of The Fashion Gallery and we seek to do the same in confectionery. The momentum for growth that we have established over the past year will be consolidated and we aim to make the most of the remarkable opportunities available in this amazingly dynamic region.”
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The So Chocolate store is trading well in its first few days, the retailer says |
Complementing LS Travel Retail ASPAC, Aelia has provided specialist support in the development of the concept, particularly in developing brand relations and in the merchandising and marketing programmes for So Chocolate.
Also, as part of its preparation for further growth in the region, LS Travel Retail ASPAC has formed a new buying team for the confectionery category to develop relationships with brands and to manage the product merchandising and promotion for the region.
LS Travel Retail has said it aims to roll out the So Chocolate concept to other locations and regions within its network.
