FRANCE/ASIA. Leading independent retail marketing services company Altavia Group has acquired retail design and project management agency Sina Retail. The move strengthens Altavia’s presence in China and across the travel retail and luxury sectors.
Founded in 2009 by Xavier Van Gaver, Sina Retail has bases in Shanghai, Hong Kong, Guangzhou and Hainan.
Specialising in the cosmetics, beauty, fragrances, wine & spirits and accessories industries, the company acts as a one-stop agency for creative and innovative turnkey solutions. These include retail strategy, concept creation, store branding, digital solutions integration, interior architecture, category management, merchandising and activations.
Altavia noted that Sina Retail capitalises on a deep knowledge of the Chinese market and more broadly Asia, has strong experience in the travel retail channel, as well as an established network of Chinese and regional production partners and service providers.
From ideation, design development, project management to logistics and build, the agency delivers from temporary marketing concepts to detailed permanent brand implementations for luxury brands. Clients include Dior, Guerlain, Givenchy, Benefit, Shiseido, Clé de Peau, Nars, Jurlique, Augustinus Bader, Essilor Luxottica and Rémy Cointreau.
In joining Altavia, Sina Retail is leveraging the group’s existing presence in China, Korea and Japan and global network of agencies and various expertise. It will be part of the global Altavia Travel Retail platform that offers consultancy, design and implementation to airports authorities, duty free and F&B concessionaires as well as brands.
The acquisition expands Altavia’s portfolio in key retail categories across China and the wider Asia region, reinforcing its capabilities in what it describes as “the fast recovering and strategic travel retail channel”.
Van Gaver said: “We are really glad to join Altavia, a leading international group with whom we share a passion for retail. Our growing international presence will be made possible thanks to Altavia’s international network.”
He added: “Altavia’s leadership in retail consultancy and services will also enable us to offer a more complete answer to our customers’ needs in Greater China and Asia regions.”
Altavia Travel Retail Global Managing Director Hugo Vanderschaegh commented: “For years Sina Retail has built a solid experience in Asia to become a trusted partner of some of the most demanding and renown travel retail brands.
“Working with Xavier and his team, Altavia Travel Retail will further deploy its services in the region providing digital services to brands, strategic retail consulting to airport authorities and large-scale retail design to duty free and F&B operators.”
Altavia Founder & CEO Raphaël Palti said: “With Sina Retail we share the same desire to enrich the customer journey with engaging and compelling experiences for retailer and brand activations. This acquisition allows us to expand our capacities within the luxury segment and to reinforce our travel retail strategic global offering in China and in Asia more broadly.” 
