Travel Retail Consortium announces three new members
The Travel Retail Consortium (TRC) has added three new members, boosting its roster of brands as category specialists for the travel retail industry organization.
The organization has also expanded the membership criteria to include service agencies.
The new members – Butlers Chocolates, Mondottica and Bluedog Group – have joined this month, representing the chocolate/confectionery, sunglasses and service agencies categories.
TRC welcomes new members Butlers Chocolates (with Niall Fanning on the left), Mondottica with Louise Porte, and the Bluedog Group and Essential Communications team members
Butlers Chocolates was founded in 1932. The family-owned business is Ireland’s leading luxury chocolate producer. The Butlers portfolio includes 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 four consecutive years, reflecting its commitment to sustainability.
Niall Fanning, Regional Sales Manager for Europe, Butlers, said, “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.”
London-based Mondottica has been designing and manufacturing eyewear under license for over 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 are said to 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, commented, “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.”
Global event, travel retail, and digital creative specialist Bluedog Group has four agencies under its group banner: Kounter, doplr, HEX and Essential Communications 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 with clients including and counts clients that include Dufry, Bacardi, Pernod Ricard, Ritter Sport, Lindt & Sprüngli and Wella as long-term partners.
Andy Machin Bluedog Group Operations Director, said, “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, which joined from February 1, TRC Chair, Sharon Edwards, said, “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.”
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