The Travel Retail Consortium is pleased to announce three new members that have joined for 2024, boosting its roster of brands as category specialists for the travel retail industry organisation. Plus, it has expanded the membership criteria to now include service agencies.
New members, Butlers Chocolates, Mondottica and Bluedog Group have joined this month representing the chocolate/confectionery, sunglasses and service agencies categories.
Butlers Chocolates
Founded in 1932, the Irish family-owned business celebrated 90 years of creating delicious luxury chocolates in 2023 and is Ireland’s leading luxury chocolate producer. Butlers produces a complete collection of luxury chocolate assortments, premium chocolate bars, chocolates with famous Irish liqueurs, sharing packs and seasonal ranges, alongside travel retail exclusives and souvenir lines. The company has been a Gold member of Origin Green for 4 consecutive years, reflecting its commitment to sustainability.
Niall Fanning, Regional Sales Manager for Europe, Butlers says: “The entire travel retail team is excited to be joining the TRC, we look forward to sharing industry best practice insights and representing the confectionery category for members.”
Mondottica
London-based Mondottica has been designing and manufacturing eyewear under license for more than 20 years, working with brand partners such as Ted Baker, Vivienne Westwood, Karen Millen and AllSaints. AllSaints, a contemporary British fashion brand, is new for Mondottica and set to launch in Spring/Summer 2024. Mondottica eyewear collections reflect the DNA of its licensed brand partners and delivers products through multiple channels – in both travel retail and domestic retail – on a global scale.
Louise Porte, National Accounts Manager Sunglasses & Travel Retail says: “We are delighted to be joining the TRC and representing the sunglasses category; it’s a growing fashion accessories category and an exciting time to be discussing brand partnerships in travel retail.”
Bluedog Group
Global event, travel retail, and digital creative specialist Bluedog Group counts four agencies under its group banner: Kounter, doplr, HEX and Essential Communicaitons to focus respectively on international retail campaigns and activations, live experiences and digital, design and content solutions plus PR and marketing. Since restructuring in 2021, the business has grown exponentially and counts clients that include Dufry, Bacardi, Pernod Ricard, Ritter Sport, Lindt & Wella as long-term partners.
Andy Machin Bluedog Group Operations Director, says: “It’s great timing to be joining the TRC community, we are delighted to be joining and feel the group has much expertise to share with our travel retail industry colleagues.”
Commenting on the trio of new members, that joined from 1 February, TRC Chair, Sharon Edwards says: “The TRC is extremely pleased to announce our three new member companies. Together, they will bring a fountain of knowledge across their respective categories and expertise from many combined years working in the travel retail business. We look forward to hearing from them at several in-person events planned for 2024.”
For media enquiries about the Travel Retail Consortium contact: Row@essencompr.com or Alison@essencompr.com
About the Travel Retail Consortium:
The Travel Retail Consortium exists to further the interests and development of the UK travel retail industry, through its members. It’s something we’ve been doing for over forty years. Our objectives comprise four key pillars: raise standards of business within the Travel Retail industry; promote members’ products and services; discuss industry issues and share knowledge; provide social and networking opportunities for key customers. Ours is a unique industry that relies on suppliers’ professionalism and effective trade relationships. With that in mind, activities encompass informative members’ meetings and the annual TRC customer event.