Game On: How Maestrani Is Winning in Travel Retail
6 minutes read
Introduction by: Peter Marshall
Since TRunblocked.com’s last conversation with Maestrani, the Swiss chocolatier has continued to build momentum in travel retail – not least through the success of its travel retail-exclusive Munz Sports Line.
Combining Swiss chocolate with sport-inspired activations, exclusive gifts and interactive experiences, the company is demonstrating how confectionery can create memorable moments beyond the product itself. With major new activations at Geneva, Zurich, Basel, Kuala Lumpur airports – and soon Almaty International – the continued evolution of the Avelines premium gifting range and more travel retail exclusives in the pipeline, Maestrani is placing consumer engagement at the heart of its strategy.
Senior Key Account Manager BD Travel Retail Faozia Math-Ly-Roun discusses the company’s latest initiatives with TRunblocked.com’s Colleen Morgan.
Colleen Morgan (CM): Maestrani continues to bring a strong sense of playfulness to travel retail. How important is this “fun factor” to the company’s strategy today?
Faozia Math-Ly-Roun (FM): The “fun factor” has always been central to Maestrani’s brands, products and in-store experiences. We believe chocolate is much more than a product – it’s an emotional experience that brings joy and creates lasting memories.
We aim to bring that same spirit to travel retail through exclusive products that combine Swiss quality with innovation and a playful touch. Every product is made in Switzerland using carefully selected ingredients and backed by more than 170 years of chocolate-making expertise.
Ultimately, we want travellers to take home more than chocolate – we want them to take home a memorable taste of Switzerland.
CM: The travel retail-exclusive Munz Sports Line has generated strong attention. How has the response been so far, particularly around the football-inspired positioning? Why do you think the concept resonates so strongly with travellers?
FM: The response has exceeded our expectations. Since its launch, the Munz Sports Line has rolled out successfully across key airports including Zurich, Geneva, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Istanbul, Kuala Lumpur, Delhi and the Maldives, with Almaty the latest to join the programme.
Sport is a universal language that brings people together, and that’s exactly what the Munz Sports Line celebrates. The Munz Challenge encourages travellers to stop, interact with the brand and enjoy a memorable moment during their journey.
Our Munz Football Tin is now one of our best-selling travel retail products, combining collectible appeal, premium Swiss chocolate and the global passion for football.
To build on that success during this year’s football season, we’re introducing a travel retail-exclusive foldable Munz Football Water Bottle as a gift-with-purchase. Designed to collapse into the shape of a football before transforming into a practical travel bottle, it reflects both our playful personality and Swiss outdoor heritage.
By combining sport, Swiss chocolate and engaging experiences, we’ve created a concept that travellers genuinely enjoy, and one that continues to evolve with every new activation.
CM: There seems to be a growing focus on combining chocolate with games and interaction in travel retail. Is this part of what could be described as a “domino effect”, creating engagement beyond the product itself?
FM: We’re seeing a clear shift in traveller behaviour. People are increasingly open to interaction, discovery and play while travelling, making airports an ideal environment for experiential retail.
Rather than describing it as a “domino effect”, we’d call it an evolution in how consumers engage with brands. Today’s travellers want more than a product – they’re looking for experiences that are memorable and enjoyable.
By combining premium Swiss chocolate with interactive concepts, we create stronger emotional connections with consumers while helping our brands stand out in a highly competitive retail environment.
CM: The Munz Sports Line has evolved from an innovative launch into a fully-fledged activation platform. Tell us about the next phase, beginning with Almaty International Airport.
FM: We’re excited to launch our first Munz Sports Line activation at Almaty International Airport, working closely with our local partner ATU DF to bring the concept to travellers in Kazakhstan.
With football enjoying growing popularity across the country, and excitement around the World Cup, Almaty is an ideal location for the next phase of the campaign. Travellers are invited to engage with the Munz Challenge through immersive branding, campaign videos and dedicated in-store promotion.
As part of the promotion, customers purchasing three Munz Sports Line tins will receive our exclusive foldable Munz Football Water Bottle, a practical travel accessory that perfectly complements the sporty spirit of the range.
The success of previous activations in airports including Zurich, Geneva, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Delhi and Kuala Lumpur has shown that the concept travels well. Our ambition is to continue expanding it into new markets while tailoring each activation to local audiences.
CM: A new addition to the popular Munz Baby Ladybird line is launching this month. What is the focus of the new range and why does the ladybird concept connect so strongly with consumers?
FM: The Munz Baby Ladybird is much more than a chocolate product – it celebrates a uniquely Swiss tradition. For generations, the ladybird has symbolised luck, happiness and good fortune in Switzerland, making it a meaningful gift for both children and adults.
By combining this much-loved cultural symbol with premium Swiss chocolate, we’ve created a product that is both emotionally engaging and ideally suited to travel retail. It’s a souvenir that tells a story as well as a delicious chocolate treat.
As an exclusive duty free product, the Baby Ladybird reflects our ambition to share authentic Swiss traditions with travellers in a fun, memorable way. At Basel Airport, we’re inviting passengers to take on a fun challenge – testing their skills at our claw machine with the chance of winning a Munz Ladybird chocolate. This turns a simple tasting into an engaging and memorable experience.
CM: Avelines is also evolving, with standout, refreshed packaging. What was the thinking behind the redesign?
FM: Four years after welcoming Avelines into the Maestrani family, we’ve seen consistently strong interest from travellers in this iconic Swiss praline brand, first created in 1922.
The refreshed packaging reflects our ambition to further elevate Avelines as a premium gifting brand. Inspired by the art of travel, the new gift boxes reinforce its heritage while giving the brand an even stronger luxury presence in travel retail.
Avelines has a wonderful story. It was born from the marriage of a watchmaker’s son and a chocolatier’s daughter, bringing together two symbols of Swiss craftsmanship. We wanted the new design to celebrate that heritage while appealing to today’s international traveller.
We’ll officially unveil the refreshed range at this year’s TFWA World Exhibition & Conference in Cannes.
CM: How important is visual identity when targeting premium travel retail shoppers, particularly in an increasingly competitive gifting environment?
FM: Visual identity is essential in travel retail, where brands have only a few seconds to capture attention in a busy shopping environment.
Packaging creates that crucial first impression, communicating quality, craftsmanship and gifting appeal at a glance. But while design attracts shoppers, it’s the chocolate inside that builds trust and encourages repeat purchase.
At Maestrani, we combine distinctive packaging with premium Swiss chocolate made from 100% natural ingredients, ensuring the experience lives up to the promise. When exceptional quality is matched by strong visual storytelling, it creates a gift travellers are proud to take home and share.
CM: You are adamant that Maestrani “doesn’t just sell Swiss chocolates, we sell Switzerland”. How is that philosophy translated into travel retail today?
FM: Maestrani embodies everything people associate with authentic Swiss chocolate. From our home in Flawil, we combine Swiss ingredients, craftsmanship and more than 170 years of chocolate-making expertise to create products that truly reflect our heritage.
In travel retail, we don’t simply offer chocolate – we offer travellers a genuine taste of Switzerland through products that reflect the country’s quality, tradition and craftsmanship.
We’re also proud that our Minor brand is now served on SWISS International Air Lines’ long-haul flights to Asia and India. It’s an important milestone for our family-owned company and a wonderful opportunity to introduce even more international travellers to authentic Swiss chocolate.
CM: Looking ahead, where do you see the biggest opportunities for Maestrani to further elevate the confectionery category in travel retail?
FM: Travel retail offers a unique opportunity to surprise and engage consumers in ways that go beyond traditional confectionery. Travellers are naturally open to discovery, making airports the ideal environment for exclusive products, immersive activations and memorable brand experiences.
Our focus is to continue developing travel retail-exclusive concepts that combine Swiss chocolate expertise with creativity and innovation, giving travellers something they can’t find anywhere else.
We’ll showcase the next generation of travel retail concepts at this year’s TFWA World Exhibition & Conference in Cannes.
