Ricola will present new a packaging design for its products at the TFWA World Exhibition in Cannes Oct. 2-6.
With the brand’s products already well-known in the travel retail channel for their shelf appeal and popularity as an impulse purchase, the updated look is designed to cement that reputation. The new brand design by London agency Lewis Moberly reflects a contemporary positioning, highlighting the claim "made with Swiss Alpine Herbs," alongside a modernized logo.
The new look has been rolled out in all domestic markets and will also be available in travel retail from the fourth quarter of 2022.
The new brand positioning builds on Ricola’s roots, expressing the brand as nature-loving and down-to-earth.
“We needed to showcase our natural attributes and delightful taste properties and at the same time ensure consumers can navigate an extensive range with ease," said Ricola CEO Thomas P. Meier. "Our strategy is seamless with the new design direction, which quite simply makes Ricola more of what it is, and always has been. Staying true to the essence of the brand was very important. Ricola prompts pleasure through its affinity and commitment to nature — a brand for everyone, everyday, everywhere."
The new look is aims to strengthen the brand’s recovery path in travel retail this year, which has seen a strong revival in business across all regions, with the exception of Asia.
The performance of the brand in European travel retail has been particularly strong, with sales coming in far above expectations. The good results have mainly driven by Ricola’s impulse assortments, including the 75-gram sugar-free tins, as well as its 90-gram tins with sugar.
The climb back to prosperity in travel retail has come against a tough backdrop of challenges for the Ricola brand.
“The sourcing of packaging material has become a challenge, and prices of both raw materials and packaging materials have skyrocketed," said Andreas Reckart, vice president sales Middle East and travel retail, Ricola AG. "Prices for the shipping of products remain high and the availability of shipping options is very volatile. Finally, the prices and uncertainties on the energy market also complicate our own manufacturing. These challenges will remain with us for some time, but the long-term outlook is now once again bright for Ricola in the travel retail channel, as traffic in airports across the world moves back towards pre-pandemic levels, especially in Europe. The return of meaningful levels of passengers in Asian airports is eagerly anticipated, as that part of the world is an important part of our planned expansion going forward."