What do travellers want? This is the million-dollar question that all buyers ask themselves when considering how to improve on and maximise their brand and product mix. And yet, the answer is not as complicated as it would first seem, according to travel retail consultancy The Blueprint Partnership.
With the world developing at increasingly high speed, it isn’t always easy to keep up with trends. Indeed, many of them never see the light of day in travel retail. But travellers are no strangers to newness. In fact, they crave new products and extraordinary experiences, from the latest designs and gadgets to eco-friendly skincare, limited-edition jewellery and fashion, and food-on-the-go that doesn’t compromise on health and nutrition.
However, the high barriers to entry in the channel, compounded with the tendency to be risk-averse and to maximise revenue per square metre, mean novelty is not often the order of the day. Yet there are hundreds of brands who are raring to enter travel retail and offer their wares, thereby increasing the product mix and offering more choice to travellers.
Research agency m1nd-set has completed 100,000 interviews with travellers and Research Director Clara Susset concludes that “travellers are increasingly asking for and expecting extraordinary shopping experiences across categories”.
Susset adds: “The decline of the spend per passenger is one of the great challenges that our industry is facing. One of the key reasons why travellers, especially from mature markets such as Europe and North America, don’t visit and buy in travel retail is the feeling that products offered in the channel are ‘the same everywhere’ and ‘nothing new or special’. Therefore, the arrival of newcomers with a different proposition can only be favourable to the way the channel is perceived, ultimately benefitting all industry players.”
“We see an influx of brands keen on travel retail,” confirms Thomas Kaneko, Managing Partner of travel retail consultancy Blueprint. “Most of these brands have little or no travel retail experience, yet their appetite is at the highest level.
“These brands are keen on taking a massive leap of faith in terms of adapting product offering, packaging, pricing and organisation. Brand leadership often consider travel retail a strategic priority, an attractive retail channel which cannot be overlooked.”
Kaneko has selected the following five breakthrough brands that are engaging with travel retail with enthusiasm.
CR7
Footballer Cristiano Ronaldo has launched his first bodywear collection as a homage to his fans.
“With 217 million followers on social media, the renowned athlete is committed to driving a best-in-class bodywear collection where quality and price walk hand-in-hand,” says Morten Jensen, Brand Manager with JBS, licensee for CR7.
“The instant brand recognition combined with uncompromising fit and the strong link to world-class football makes CR7 a serious alternative to existing bodywear brands.”
Rawbite
Danish-produced Rawbite has been growing steadily in travel retail.
“Our product is simple: organic fruits and nuts – that’s it,” says Co-Founder Rolf Bau. Rawbite is vegan-friendly with no added sugars, no preservatives and no colouring, and is lactose, gluten and dairy free.
“It is a simple, honest and authentic product packed with nutrition, a great food-on-the-go option for travellers who seek a healthy alternative to food in airports and onboard airlines and cruise ships,” explains Bau, who is excited about how Rawbite is successfully retailing in major airports throughout Europe and onboard Viking Line.
Ecooking
Travel retail consultant Karina Lassen of Brand-Mover selects Ecooking as a new kid on the block, a skincare system which is as natural, eco-friendly and organic as it gets.
Ecooking’s Founder Tina Søgaard comments: “We’ve teamed up with Gebr Heinemann in five key airports in Denmark and Germany and are thrilled to see how travellers are welcome Ecooking.”
“Tina started Ecooking in her own kitchen and a few years later she is retailing in 20 countries,” adds Lassen. As the exclusive agent for travel retail, Lassen is thrilled about how Ecooking is going from strength to strength even as a new brand in a highly competitive category.
“We receive full support from the Gebr Heinemann team – their understanding and commitment to new brands is inspiring,” says Lassen, who encourages other retailers to hear out new brands.
BORN Nordic
BORN Nordic Founders Mads Rosager and Jacob Oppenheim have designed and produced a new line of power banks targeting tech users on the go.
“Our power bank designs are inspired by the Scandinavian look and feel,” says Rosager.
Oppenheim adds: “By default, power banks are not exactly sexy and that’s exactly why the category needed a breath of fresh air!”
Together with German car manufacturer Mercedes-Benz, BORN Nordic has designed a branded power bank as a small gift for new car owners. Oppenheim now invites travel retail to challenge the way travellers perceive tech and gadgets.
Q2Power
Q2Power Head of Sales Sandra Defant echoes Oppenheim and Rosager. “We design patented and Red Dot award-winning adapters to be used worldwide,” she says.
“We stand out in the market because of our passion and commitment to product safety. It is our responsibility to give travellers the safest adapters possible and that’s why we take on travel retail with such passion.”
Kaneko concludes: “Thanks to airport retailers, cruise ship operators, inflight retailers, agents and distributors, these brands have been given a fair chance at making it in travel retail. A new generation of brand owners are willing to bring newness and excitement to a marketplace recognised for attracting only the very best the world has to offer.”
