Interview
Championing Belgian biscuit craft
In this exclusive interview*, Jules Destrooper Export Sales Manager Josfien Tierssoone highlights the brand’s enduring heritage, product innovations and focused expansion in travel retail.
Jules Destrooper has stood the test of time, crafting biscuits with care and a commitment to Belgian tradition since its founding.
As the company prepares to mark its 140th anniversary in 2026, it remains grounded in tradition while embracing the future, crafting biscuits with premium ingredients and no artificial flavours, colourings, or preservatives.
“We’re indeed lucky to be celebrating our 140th anniversary in 2026. For every single one of our biscuits,” says Jules Destrooper Export Sales Manager Josfien Tierssoone.
“The combination of our best-in-class recipes, focused product portfolio and our ability to adapt to changing consumer behaviour has been key to our growth and will definitely allow us to further grow in the future.”
This focus on tradition and craftsmanship is mirrored in the company’s manufacturing approach. All biscuits are still produced exclusively in Belgium using natural ingredients, including Belgian chocolate and pure butter.
The company’s commitment to quality was formally recognised in 1999 with its appointment as Purveyor to the Belgian Royal Household.
Tierssoone observes, “Our natural, carefully selected ingredients, such as Belgian chocolate and pure butter, are part of our identity. When consumers choose Jules Destrooper, we promise them quality.”
“Our ability to adapt to changing consumer behaviour has been key to our growth” – Jules Destrooper Export Sales Manager Josfien Tierssoone
The brand aims to offer meaningful and indulgent experiences throughout the day and year, tailored to a wide variety of consumers.
From signature staples such as Butter Crisps, Almond Thins and Butter Waffles, the brand is expanding its portfolio with innovations to meet the shifting expectations of both loyal and new audiences.
Tierssoone explains, “To remain relevant in the long term, however, innovation is key. While always staying true to our product philosophy, we introduce new variants of our core products (e.g. Butter crisp with Belgian dark chocolate) or snackable versions in new packaging formats (e.g. standing pouch), tailored to evolving consumption moments.”
‘The Brussels Airport edition, highlighting landmarks such as the Atomium, demonstrates how locally inspired packaging can attract the attention of new consumers’
Elevating the biscuit experience in travel retail
Having built its name in domestic retail as a go-to for premium biscuits, Jules Destrooper is now expanding its global travel retail presence. The shift towards premiumisation and demand for exclusive offerings make the channel an ideal fit to engage high-spending international travellers.
“While we aim for accessibility in traditional retail, our travel retail packaging highlights our premium positioning more clearly. That’s why we continuously introduce travel retail-exclusive assortments, such as our destination SKUs for Brussels, Amsterdam, Paris, Singapore and Dubai,” says Tierssoone.
In line with growing demand for premium travel retail-exclusive offerings, the brand launched its Butter Crisp with Belgian dark chocolate in 2022 and followed up with a salted caramel variant in 2023. Both flavours have continued to perform strongly in the channel since their release.
The historic bakery in Lo in West Flanders where Jules Destrooper began his unique journey nearly 140 years ago {Images: Jules Destrooper}
Discovery tool
Tierssoone says, “These products were a challenge to introduce – not only because of their unique flavour combinations (bitter-sweet and sweet-salty), but also due to their distinctive diagonal chocolate coating.
“We’ve seen incremental sales with both products and have since launched a travel retail assortment combining the two. It has proven to be a great success so far.”
Destination sleeves are also proving to be a strategic brand discovery tool for Jules Destrooper in new markets. The Brussels Airport edition, highlighting landmarks such as the Atomium, demonstrates how locally inspired packaging can attract the attention of new consumers.
This strategy shows strong potential in markets such as Singapore and Dubai, where eye-catching packaging can engage travellers before they’re even familiar with the brand.
*This excerpt is from an interview originally featured on moodiedavittreport.com. Read more here.
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The Moodie Davitt eZine
Issue 347 | 26 September 2025
The Moodie Davitt eZine is published 6 times per year by The Moodie Davitt Report (MA Travel Retail). © All material is copyright and cannot be reproduced without the permission of the Publisher. To find out more visit www.moodiedavittreport.com and to subscribe, please email kristyn@moodiedavittreport.com