Dutch confectionary company Perfetti Van Melle (PVM Asia) will arrive in Singapore this year on the back of a strong year in travel retail, with double-digit growth in Asia Pacific last year driven by its core retail brands Mentos and Chupa Chups.

“Sales growth for the region was led by China and Australia,” says PVM Asia Pacific manager Estee Teo. “These two countries have helped salvage sales losses in Malaysian airports, which were hit strongly last year.”

Distribution has grown for PVM in Asia Pacific with new stores in Seoul, Okinawa, Haikou, Taipei and Danang (vietnam), and more openings are expected this year.

PVM global travel retail manager Susan De Vree says that with the company’s new ASPAC team in Asia, it was able to invest significant time on training staff in major airport outlets.

Despite a slow start to the first quarter, 2016 looks to be a year of opportunities, says De Vree. The group has just started to ship out new products, including the Mentos Book aimed at young adults, the refillable Mentos Mini-UFO Dispenser, Chupa Chups Sweet Magnet, Chupa Chups Pouch Bag Mini-Sour, Mentos Now Mints in three flavours, and the Chupa Chups Fun Pen which uses edible ink for decorating a special lollipops and wafers line.