A Moment That Meant Something Bigger

Treat Yo Self featured in Global Travel Retail Magazine

Recently, Treat Yo Self was mentioned in an article in Global Travel Retail Magazine exploring how Gen Z is reshaping the confectionery category in duty-free retail.

For a small brand that started around our kitchen table during lockdown, seeing our name appear in a global industry publication like this is something we never take lightly. But what struck us most was not simply being mentioned. It was how we were mentioned.

The article explores how confectionery in travel retail is evolving as younger travellers look for discovery, experience and products that reflect their values.

For decades, confectionery in duty free played a predictable role. A last minute gift. A familiar purchase before boarding.

But according to the industry insights shared in the article, that logic is changing. Confectionery is becoming part of the travel experience itself. A moment of discovery, experimentation, and personal expression that mirrors how Gen Z engages with food and lifestyle.

And within that conversation, Treat Yo Self was referenced as a strong example of this shift.

As Deirdre O’Carroll, Global Buying Manager at Aer Rianta International, explained in the article:

“We see Gen Z passengers looking for more ‘sugary,’ non-chocolate types of confectionery. Think textured and sour sweets, alternative flavors and products that are perceived as better for you or with sustainable credentials.”

She then pointed to Treat Yo Self as a strong example of this evolution within the category.

“It’s been performing well since launch. The packaging is colorful and fun, the products are 100% plant-based and gluten-free, and the flavor mix is diverse; it ticks a lot of boxes for this demographic.” (gtrmag.com)

Reading those words meant more to us than we can easily put into a sentence.

Because in a space like travel retail, there are hundreds of global confectionery brands competing for attention. Some of the biggest food companies in the world are represented in airports across the globe.

And yet within that conversation, a small Irish brand was highlighted as a strong example of where the category is heading.

More Than Sweets

Quietly carving out a new space in confectionery

At Treat Yo Self, we have always believed that we are not simply selling sweets. We are selling a vision of what confectionery can become. Colourful. Inclusive. Plant-based. Gluten Free. Joyful. Modern.

We believe confectionery can reflect how people live today, not how the category has traditionally been defined. The shift described in the article is something we have been feeling for some time. A new space is beginning to emerge within global confectionery. One driven by experience, values, creativity and personal expression.

A category that resonates with a generation that wants products that feel fun, thoughtful and aligned with how they see the world.

We are incredibly proud that Treat Yo Self is quietly becoming part of that movement.

Why this moment matters

For us, this moment is about more than recognition. It represents something much bigger. People do not just buy products. They get behind visions.

They get behind ordinary people with ideas and dreams and the courage to try something new.

When we started Treat Yo Self, we could never have imagined that our journey would take us into airports, travel retail stores, and global conversations about the future of confectionery.

But here we are.

And the journey is only just beginning......

The power of Global Travel Retail Magazine

Being featured in Global Travel Retail Magazine carries real weight within our industry.

GTR Magazine is one of the most respected publications covering the global duty free and travel retail sector, read by:

• international airport buyers
• airline retail teams
• cruise operators
• travel retail distributors
• global brand owners
• concession operators and category managers

In other words, the people who decide what products appear in airports, airlines, and travel retail environments across the world.

When those decision makers read about emerging trends and see a brand mentioned as a strong example of where the category is heading, it opens doors.

It sparks conversations.

It creates curiosity.

And it helps brands like ours reach markets we are only beginning to enter.

A huge year ahead for Treat Yo Self

Travel retail is becoming one of the most exciting areas of growth for Treat Yo Self.

In 2026 we are expanding further into the global travel ecosystem, bringing our products and our story into spaces where discovery and experience matter most.

We are expanding across:

• international duty-free locations
• airlines and onboard retail
• trainlines and travel hubs
• cruise and ferry routes
• even emerging formats such as water taxis and experiential travel retail

Travel retail is where people are most open to discovery.

It is where journeys begin.

And we believe confectionery has a unique role to play in those moments.

The journey continues

When we started Treat Yo Self, the dream was simple.

Create something joyful.

Build a brand rooted in kindness, creativity, and doing the next right thing.

Today, that dream is taking us places we could only have imagined.

Seeing our brand mentioned in an article exploring the future of confectionery in travel retail is one of those moments that reminds us how far the journey has come.

But more importantly, it reminds us how much further it can go.

The waves we are creating are beginning to travel further.

And we are incredibly grateful to everyone who has joined us on the journey so far.

The sky really might be the limit, excuse the pun!! 

Read the full article here:
https://www.gtrmag.com/blog/ari-on-gen-z-changing-the-way-confectionery-performs-in-duty-free