The Wales location will be a 12000-square-foot store, located at McArthur Glen’s Bridgend Designer Outlet. The 1615-square-foot Canberra store, located at Fyshwick, will also be serving hot drinks in addition to selling chocolates, according to the company.
Focus on gifting and power brands
Lindt said both stores are ideally located in order to satisfy the global trend that goes towards more premium and high quality chocolate consumption.
“The focus is on gifting and our number one brand, Lindor, within Pick & Mix and our signature Excellence dark chocolate range,” Lindt’s spokesperson, Nathalie Zagoda, told ConfectioneryNews.
“The Retail divisions in the UK and Australia are constantly expanding with new stores that have high visibility and add to a profitable business growth while at the same time driving brand equity.”
Growing chocolate markets in the UK and Australia
Lindt recently reported sales growth of over 6.6% in its first half of 2016, and the UK subsidiary, alone, achieved a double-digit growth year-over-year.
Lindt UK reported sales of £136m ($175m) in 2015 reflecting a very strong business performance, with double-digit growth of 12.4 %.
The Australian market is among Lindt’s “rest of the world” segment, which also includes South Africa, Brazil and Japan. Together, the segment reported a double-digit growth year-over-year, according to a recent financial report from the firm.
Lindt currently operates eight cafes and nine chocolate shops across Australia, according to Zagoda.
Expanding global retail
“The two openings are in line with our global expansion strategy on opening stores in located premium designer outlets and boutiques at high traffic downtown locations,” Zagoda said.
Lindt envisions becoming the “world’s leading retailer of premium chocolate".
“A total of 65 new store openings are planned for the 2016 financial year which will result in a network close to 400 stores,” the company said.