Irish confectioner Butlers Chocolates has said it is looking at expansion opportunities in new markets and will boost innovation in a bid to drive this growth.
Marketing director Aisling Walsh told just-food the truffle and chocolate bar producer exports to around 35 countries and its products are available in 50 airports globally. The company’s main markets are the UK, the Middle East, Asia and the US. In 2012, the company also opened two overseas offices, one in Dubai and one in Singapore to service the Middle East and Asia-Pacific regions.
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With consumer sentiment relatively low in most global markets given the squeeze on many economies, particularly in Europe, Walsh said there is currently “no easy market” to operate in. However, she added: “We are a niche player and we are looking at opportunities in new markets and at further innovation to drive growth.”
She did not, however, expand on which markets the company was looking to enter.
Walsh was speaking to just-food at the ISM confectionery exhibition taking place in Cologne this week. She said that as part of Butlers’ growth strategy, the company is “continually improving” its packaging and “improving the quality” of its products. “That includes both taste and value. It’s not all about price but also packaging,” she said.
Walsh suggested it was important to continually innovate to stay ahead in a competitive premium confectionery market.
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By GlobalData“The industry is always challenging but if you offer a good product at a good price and good service levels then you will succeed. You cannot be complacent.”
