News

Perfetti Van Melle sharpens its communications focus on travel retail

Perfetti Van Melle has announced the appointment of Essential Communications PR & Media Consultants. The specialist public relations consultancy, whose portfolio also includes Imperial Tobacco, Nestlé ITR, William Grant & Sons, and TFWA, will liaise with the travel retail trade magazines, online news media and relevant sector press on behalf of Perfetti Van Melle and its two leading global travel retail brands Mentos and Chupa Chups.

Perfetti Van Melle is ranked as the third largest sugar confectionery/chewing gum processing company in the world and is striving to become a key player in the travel retail confectionery sector. ‘At PVM GTR our focus is on two of the few truly global brands in sugar confectionery and chewing gum: Mentos and Chupa Chups,’ says PVM global travel retail director Mark Laros. ‘All of our products are exclusive for the travel retail market: the Mentos Jumboroll and Chupa Chups Mega Chups being our icons. We have worked very pro-actively to build our business in travel retail over the past few years and believe that Essential Communications will help us to further enhance PVM’s position in the marketplace through focussed communications. EC will also play a key role in creating a tactical advertising and sponsorship program within the travel retail media which will most effectively support our marketing strategy.’
Innovative and attractive packaging, effective promotions, and a wide variety of flavours will continue to dominate product development and innovative products. ‘The global consumption per capita of chocolate and sugar confectionery is almost equal, but this is not equally represented in duty free shops throughout the world,’ continues Laros. ‘We’re setting out to change that, believing that a portfolio which more adequately represents the worldwide customer consumption of confectionery, will greatly fuel further category growth. We have some very interesting plans ahead, so watch this space!’
For further information contact: Rowena Holland, Essential Communications. Tel: +44 (0) 208 405 8109; Fax: +44 (0) 208 405 0330; Email: row@essentialcommunications.org
Mark Laros, Perfetti Van Melle. Tel: +31 76 527 58 74; Fax +31 76 527 54 40; Email: Mark.Laros@nl.pvmgrp.com