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Novelties include Jack Junior chocolate dots (pictured top) and this Jack Junior dots display |
BELGIUM. Starbrook Airlines, the chocolate brand whose marketing tagline is ‘Probably Belgium’s Most Original Chocolate’, has unveiled details of new products, further expansion and success in travel stores.
At the TFWA World Exhibition later this month, the company is giving away a personal art gift by the brand’s in-house artist Jaak de Koninck to all visitors who make an appointment (Stand number: Mediterranean Village N19). Champagne hour is at 5pm each day on the stand.
New products
Starbrook Airlines is displaying various novelties: tins, Jack Junior chocolate dots, chocolate coffee beans in Crew packaging, luxury seashells with 50% roasted hazelnut filling, and mini chocolate airplanes of 3.5g for airline incentives and catering.
In 2005-2006, Starbrook Airlines launched mixed truffles, Crew mini tablets packaging, new chocolate airplane packaging and the children’s range of Jack Junior chocolates.
Travel retail expansion
Starbrook Airlines President Patrick Gilis has reported the continued success of the 1950s-themed brand in travel stores. “At Belgian Sky Shops in Brussels Airport, we almost tripled sales in 2004. In 2005, again sales rose by +30% in this key airport for the chocolate category.” He added: “We are giving the retailer maximum support because they give us maximum exposure and that is what Starbrook needs to perform as total concept.”
2006 marks a year of worldwide expansion for the brand, enthused Gilis. “In Europe, leading operators such as Aldeasa, Gebr Heinemann and Aer Rianta International came aboard.
“Chase Duty Free, our US importer, has achieved product listings in all important airports with all important operators,” he said. These include Starboard Cruises, which is carrying a selection of bespoke Belgian chocolates onboard its cruise ships, thanks to the brand’s product development department.”
Speaking of the brand’s Asian success, Gilis continued: “Asia is becoming more and more a key market for Starbrook Airlines because of its presence on a lot of Asian airlines and because we have found a fabulous partner in King Power. For example, our beautiful gondolas in Singapore Changi Airport are one of the important accomplished merchandising projects with them. People’s reactions are great.”
Business opened in Australia in September with Rosco Fine Foods as importer. In the established Middle East market, Abu Dhabi and Dubai are the brand’s main bastions, said Gilis.
In Belgium, Starbrook Airlines is available in many high-end chocolate stores and gourmet shops, such as the flagship Brussels Airport with Belgian Sky Shops.
Today, the company is moving to a new distribution centre of 3,000sq m, equipped with the latest technology.
Partnerships sought
Gilis also announced that he is seeking to establish long-lasting business partnerships with dedicated organisations/importers in countries where the brand has yet to be established.
The chocolate brand offers novel and flexible ways of POS merchandising, according to Gilis.
Speaking about the importance of communicating the brand concept via flexible POS merchandising, he said: “Synergies have to be found [with partners] as well as a good way of merchandising to support the product as a total concept. This can be different for each POS.”
For details, contact Starbrook Airlines President Patrick Gilis, Klaus Michael Kuehnelaan 3, 2440 Geel, Belgium, tel: +32 14 23 03 33, fax: +32 14 23 00 45, e-mail info@starbrook-airlines.com Visit www.starbrook-airlines.com
MORE STORIES ON STARBROOK AIRLINES
Starbrook Airlines feasts on the feelgood factor – 24/04/06
Starbrook Airlines takes off in travel retail – 27/01/06
Starbrook flies into Cannes with artful lines – 22/09/05
Chocolate brand Starbrook Airlines gets set to fly in Asia travel retail – 23/05/05
