FlyRight Jet Lag Formula targets travel retail - 26/03/08
Published: 26/03/08
Source: ©The Moodie Report
By Rebecca Mann
 |
Ted Ray, the creator of FlyRight Jet Lag Formula
|
US. The rise of natural and organic products within the beauty category is well documented, but the well-being trend is about to be taken one step further in travel retail, with the introduction of FlyRight Jet Lag Formula, created by licensed acupuncturist and herbalist Ted Ray.
The product has been on trial for six years via Ray’s private practice in California, and is now poised for a global roll-out, with travel retail earmarked as a key distribution channel.
Ray tells The Moodie Report why he thinks travellers are ready to embrace his herbal solution, and why the channel itself is a perfect fit for such a product.
The Moodie Report: What exactly is FlyRight Jet Lag Formula, and how did you come to develop it?
Ted Ray: FlyRight Jet Lag Formula is an all-natural herbal jet lag remedy in an easy-to-use liquid form. I developed it to help [my clients] adjust to new times zones, avoid jet lag, and protect themselves from airborne pathogens.
I have my own practice in Northern California where, for the past six years, I’ve been treating people from all walks of life for various ailments using Chinese medicine, including acupuncture and herbs.
Many of my clients are company directors and executives in Silicon Valley who travel extensively for business, placing tremendous demands on their bodies. My job is to keep them healthy and on top of their game…their hectic schedules allow no time for jet lag.
In addition, I’ve noticed a rapidly developing clientele of flight crew members who are desperate for relief from ongoing problems with travel fatigue.
 |
 |
The FlyRight product and packaging
|
I know through my experience of herbal medicine that the many symptoms of jet lag, which include fatigue, poor circulation, dehydration and swelling, can be improved with natural herbs. The formula I have been using with my clients for the past six years has been very successful. So now I feel it’s time to market this formula and take it from my own practice to the global travelling market.
Who is your key target consumer?
Anyone who travels! Of course the main target group is the passenger travelling by air, in particular those flying long haul. But even flying within Europe or Coast to Coast in the US, for example, can [adversely affect] the body, so FlyRight is perfect for anyone who is flying. One of our goals is to educate our customers about the fact that jet lag and travel fatigue are caused by much more than simple time zone changes.
Where is FlyRight available currently?
As of January 2008, FlyRight Jet Lag Formula became available through my web-site
www.jetlagformula.com , and in March 2008, through two other web-sites,
www.passengersonly.com and
www.wejetset.com.
We are planning to open in several international airports this year and we are also in talks with several airlines for inflight sales. So 2008 is the year that FlyRight Jet Lag Formula is being rolled out globally with a focus on the travel retail market.
What potential does the travel retail channel specifically offer FlyRight Jet Lag Formula?
In short, the potential is enormous. This formula has been developed for international travellers, and the travel retail market is focused on exactly the same customer. Every single adult passing through an airport or sitting onboard a plane will benefit from using FlyRight Jet Lag Formula.
My goal is to be listed with all major airports with a space where I can present my product and explain to customers the benefits of taking this 100% natural product. Travel retail is a fantastic window for FlyRight and the product is suited to each of the customers passing through these retail stores.
Where do you intend to launch FlyRight, both domestically and in travel retail?
I am in talks with several large retailers on the domestic market in the UK and US at present. Our second phase will be to expand the roll-out across Europe in 2008, with the third phase to include the Middle East, Asia and Australia. This product is ideal for global distribution, as it is for anyone who travels by air.
Travel retail can be a difficult channel to break into; how confident are you that you can crack it?
I have on board two great executives with solid experience of the travel retail market. In October 2007 I started working with David Tillman of Beauty2Market, who is handling FlyRight in the Americas duty free market, and helping to establish the distribution in other key markets.
Also, I am delighted to welcome onboard Liz Woodland who is known to many in the industry and who has vast experience on the retail side of the business, having working with a number of the industry’s key players, including DFS, Alpha and most recently Dufry, as Chief Procurement Officer.
How will the product be presented and merchandised in-store at airports and inflight?
Presentation is key for all product categories, but one additional hurdle we faced when considering our presentation for retail environments, including travel retail, was the need to educate the consumer about what FlyRight is, how it works and what the benefits are.
We have developed a very stylish unit, which will house 96 bottles and include in-unit storage of an additional 96 bottles for easy replenishment. We have incorporated into the design clear wording and pictures that will give the customer quick and easy-to-read information about the product, ingredients and benefits…We will also spend time training store staff on the product and how it works, and have produced detailed display cards that can be used in-store, or handed out to customers.
FlyRight isn’t an obvious fit within the existing core travel retail product categories: where and how do you see it being incorporated in-store?
Where we will be located is very much dependent on the store layout and the categories within. For sure, FlyRight would make an ideal first impression at the front of the store, as it is very eye-catching, very new, and will create lots of interest.
| |
Clear wording and pictures give travellers quick, easy-to-read information about the product, ingredients and benefits
|
It would also sit well at the point-of-sale area and we have had feedback to suggest that it could be located in the main fragrance and cosmetics area. But this all depends on store layout and surrounding categories.
What is key for the time being is having the right presentation and merchandising solution…our early retailer partners will have an added advantage of having input on the POP display. We have the ability to design these displays to complement their existing environments.
What sizes are available and what is the price point?
We are producing a 2oz bottle, which holds enough formula for one round-trip flight within the US, or a one-way international flight, for example, from Tokyo to San Francisco. For this reason we have also decided to offer exclusive duo packs for travel retail.
The prices will be set for each region, and will offer a price saving compared with the local market domestic price. In the US, the current domestic retail price for a 2oz bottle is US$24.95. The travel retail price will be around US$22.50 in the US, €15.95 in European markets, and £11.95 in the UK. We will be offering duo packs at US$37.95 in the US/€26.50 in Europe/£19.95 in the UK.
How is FlyRight packaged?
The bottle is very simple with an easy-to-use opening and a snap-top that seals tight to prevent leakage. We chose HDPE (high-density polyethylene) bottles because they are non-toxic, sturdy, won’t break if dropped and are recyclable.
There is an outer box to protect the bottle and provide additional brand information, plus visual instructions. We also include a full list of the product ingredients, indicating which herbs are certified organic.
How safe is this product and can it be taken by everyone?
Our production process is carefully controlled and monitored at all steps of the process. It begins with sourcing herbs from trusted growers in the US and Europe, always selecting organic or wild harvested herbs. Each and every lot of herbs is inspected and put through a number of tests to ensure purity, potency and efficacy.
The herbs are then extracted using nothing but the highest quality grain alcohol and deionised water. The herbs, in liquid form at this point, are then concentrated to our exact specifications and re-blended into a finished product.
Additionally, our formula is produced in an FDA-registered facility, a standard that far exceeds the requirements for herbal product production in the US. Finally, our product is bottled, shrink-wrapped to prevent tampering and boxed.
FlyRight is very safe because it is 100% natural and can be taken by nearly everyone. However, we do recommend that clients always consult their physician when taking any combination of medication and herbal supplements. FlyRight should not be used by people taking prescription blood-thinning medications, not including Baby Aspirin.
Also, it is perfectly safe for women who are breastfeeding to take FlyRight, but we advise that pregnant women should not take it.
Are there plans to launch any other complementary products once FlyRight is established?
FlyRight is the first of several formulas that will be launched. I am working on marketing another formula I have been using at my practice for some time, which will sit perfectly next to this. Is also aimed at the traveller. But for now, the focus is very much on launching FlyRight Jet Lag Formula worldwide.
How crowded in this sector, and who are your main competitors?
Walk the aisles of your local drugstore and you’ll see that there is no shortage of products available that claim to ease the symptoms of jet lag. After reviewing them, I concluded that all were good, but none was complete.
Because jet lag affects people in many different ways, no product has managed to support travellers against the full spectrum of jet lag symptoms. Perhaps more importantly, many products contain stimulants and other unnatural ingredients that energise the body temporarily, but take a huge productivity toll a few hours later.
I am confident that we have developed the most comprehensive, and therefore effective, product on the market. There is no one company in the world who is a serious competitor for FlyRight, simply because there is no other product that works in the same way by targeting each of the symptoms and dealing with them naturally.
Your post will appear – once approved – in
The Moodie Forum on our home page
MORE ON FLYRIGHT JET LAG FORMULA
Beauty2Market takes on new brands - 22/11/07
Print
Email
