The Migros subsidiary will produce a small 14g chocolate tablet that will be handed out to passengers boarding Swiss Airlines flights.
Chocolat Frey was chosen ahead of current supplier Konfiserie Karl Hug in a blind tasting test by Swiss Airlines employees. Karl Hug sourced its chocolate covertures from Barry Callebaut.
All the major Swiss chocolate producers including Lindt were also in the running, according to the airline.
Export boost
“It will help us to enlarge the brand awareness of the brand Frey in the export and will help us to underline our No. 1 position of Chocolat Frey in the Swiss market,” Daniel Bächler, head of marketing & sales brand export at Chocolat Frey told ConfectioneryNews.
The company will produce around 220 metric tons of chocolate per year for the airline. It said it would not need to increase its production capacity.
Chocolat Frey branding
Last year, 16.2m small chocolate tablets were handed out to Swiss Airline customers. The airline hosts around 60m per year.
Swiss Airlines was already selling Chocolat Frey’s five tablet gift pack “Chocolate Library” on board its flights before awarding the small tablet contract.
“It will be the same packaging but just a slight difference – we will show the producer is Chocolat Frey,” said Sonja Ptassek, media relations manager for Swiss Airlines.
Previous suppliers
Swiss Airlines invites a pitch from Swiss companies hoping to produce the small chocolate tablets every two to three years. Previous suppliers have included Chocolats Halba. Chocolat Frey’s contract starts in March 2015
The Swiss chocolate firm, owned by Swiss retail market leader Migros, posted sales of CHF 387m ($440m) in 2013 and held a 36.8% share of the Swiss chocolate market.