FROM BRETON BOUTIQUES TO GLOBAL TRAVEL RETAIL: CAN BISCUITERIE DE LA POINTE DU RAZ MAKE THE LEAP?
6 minutes read
Introduction by: Peter Marshall
Biscuiterie de la Pointe du Raz has been making traditional Breton biscuits since 1936, but taking a regional favourite onto the international stage presents a different challenge altogether. With more than 50 boutiques across France, the family-owned business has established a strong domestic presence, yet its name remains relatively unfamiliar to many international consumers.
Now, with travel retail listings spanning Seoul, Abu Dhabi, Bangkok, Jakarta, Taipei and Paris, the brand is looking to build on its French roots and reach new audiences. For Francess Dharmamulya, Co-Founder of Stevia Distribution, the opportunity lies in offering travellers an authentic taste of Brittany – and giving retailers something distinctive to put on their shelves.
But how do you turn a well-established local brand into an international travel retail success? Colleen Morgan finds out.
I have to say that they really do taste good! Pleased to feature on Trunblocked.com.
And have you ever tried dipping butter biscuits in red wine?
Colleen Morgan (CM): With more than 50 boutiques across France, Biscuiterie de la Pointe du Raz has a strong domestic presence. What attracted Stevia Distribution to the brand, and where do you see its international potential?
Francess Dharmamulya (FD): Biscuiterie de la Pointe du Raz has built a strong local identity in France, with each boutique taking the name of its respective town, from Cannes and Antibes to La Baule. As it expands into B2B, bringing these different identities together under one name is an important step towards building international recognition.
As a F&B distributor serving international travel retail and luxury hospitality, Stevia Distribution specialises in introducing distinctive, niche brands to these sectors. We were looking for a product to complement our portfolio, and biscuits felt like a natural fit: they travel well across cultures, are familiar to consumers and pair perfectly with coffee or tea.
But it’s about more than the product. We also look for the right people and shared values. In Biscuiterie de la Pointe du Raz, we found a brand with a strong identity, backed by a dynamic, agile company with the ambition and capability to grow internationally.
We see an opportunity to bring this established yet relatively under-the-radar French premium brand to a wider audience through global travel retail.
CM: Having entered travel retail in Seoul, Abu Dhabi, Bangkok, Jakarta and Taipei with Stevia Distribution last year, what’s the next step in taking Biscuiterie de la Pointe du Raz international?
FD: At Stevia Distribution, we’re focused on building on the brand’s success in France and taking it beyond its traditional markets. Earlier this year, Biscuiterie de la Pointe du Raz arrived at what feels like its natural home: Paris airports. With their international passenger traffic, attractive retail environments and strong focus on gastronomy, Paris airports offer an ideal opportunity for the brand to reach travellers from around the world. The reception has been great.
Hopefully, this is only the beginning. We want to build on that momentum by exploring opportunities beyond airports, including downtown duty free, ferries and cruise retail. No destination is too far – the brand’s biscuits reached Fiji this year!
CM: You’ve deliberately avoided supermarkets in favour of selective distribution. What makes travel retail the right fit, and what do you look for in a retail partner?
FD: Travel retail offers an ideal platform to introduce the biscuits to a wider international audience. Travellers are naturally drawn to discovery, so we want to offer something special, whether it’s a treat for the journey or a gift to take home.
As the channel moves beyond traditional duty-free shopping, storytelling and a sense of place are becoming increasingly important. A selective approach helps protect the brand’s positioning and focus on the right retail environments.
For us, the right partner is one who shares that vision and is interested in building a long-term collaboration, rather than simply adding another product to the shelf.
CM: Premium biscuits are hardly new to travel retail. What makes Biscuiterie de la Pointe du Raz different, and how do you persuade shoppers to try its products?
FD: What sets the biscuits apart is the quality of the ingredients, their taste and their roots in Brittany. Fresh-churned butter accounts for 25-35% of the biscuits, depending on the variety, while the flour, butter and eggs are sourced from the region. That connection to place is an important part of the brand’s identity.
But ultimately, taste is what it comes down to, isn’t it? The brand is generous with sampling for a reason: once people try the biscuits, the feedback is consistently positive.
CM: With smaller packs for snacking and tins for gifting, where is the biggest opportunity, and how can the brand stand out on shelf?
FD: We see opportunities across premium snacking, impulse and gifting, particularly in airports and other high-traffic travel environments. Smaller cardboard 80g and 40g packs offer an indulgent treat on the go, while tins are ideal for taking home or sharing. And we are there for both.
The packaging and range also offer the potential to create a distinctive block on shelf, giving retailers an opportunity to build visibility across both occasions.
CM: How far can you tailor the offer to individual markets and retail partners?
FD: We can explore travel retail exclusives, destination-specific packaging and tailored product assortments, with the possibility of developing exclusive recipes over time.
We’re also open to working with retail partners on in-store activations and sampling to bring the biscuits to life. Our approach is collaborative: finding the right format and experience for each market and retailer, while staying true to the quality and taste that define Biscuiterie de la Pointe du Raz.
CM: Building awareness internationally is a different challenge from succeeding at home. What will it take to win over retailers and travellers in new markets?
FD: Let’s start with the name – even that has personality! Biscuiterie de la Pointe du Raz isn’t the shortest name on the shelf. But for those who know Brittany, the Pointe du Raz evokes wild landscapes, the ocean, freedom and escape. The challenge is to make that story resonate with people who have never been there.
Commercially, securing the first listings is only the beginning. A listing gives you presence, but it doesn’t automatically create awareness or sales. We need to give travellers a reason to notice the brand, try the biscuits and remember them. That means working closely with our retail partners, making the most of sampling and telling the story in a way that brings the brand to life.
I also believe we need to think beyond the biscuit aisle. F&B outlets, coffee shops and hospitality venues can introduce the product in a more experiential way. And why stop at coffee or tea? Have you ever tried dipping our butter biscuits in red wine? It might sound unconventional, but that’s exactly the kind of discovery that makes people curious and gets them talking.
Ultimately, we need to combine the right distribution with visibility, trial and a little creativity.
CM: Looking three to five years ahead, what would tell you that Biscuiterie de la Pointe du Raz had truly established itself in global travel retail?
FD: Our focus is on building the right partnerships across global travel retail and strengthening the brand’s presence through distinctive products, thoughtful packaging and experiences that celebrate its Breton heritage.
By 2030, I would love to see Biscuiterie de la Pointe du Raz become one of those little discoveries that travellers remember. I want people in London, Dubai, Singapore or Tokyo to discover a taste of Brittany through these biscuits. A brand they first encounter at an airport, take home as a gift and come back looking for on their next trip.
If we can take a biscuit brand rooted in a very particular corner of France and make it feel at home in the world’s great travel hubs, while preserving everything that makes it special, then we will have done something I can be genuinely proud of.
I have always been drawn to brands with character, a real story and good people behind them. I don’t believe every brand needs to be big to travel the world; it needs to be distinctive, authentic and in the right hands. Our job at Stevia Distribution is to open the right doors and give brands like this the stage they deserve.
