Live and on location at TFWA World Exhibition

Thursday 28 October

Winding down on the water: Welcoming industry friends for a closing glass of wine in Cannes on Thursday evening were Distell Global Travel Retail, led by Managing Director Luke Maga, and Duty Free Global, led by Founder Barry Geoghegan. Distell hosted guests onboard one of the few yachts berthed in the harbour during TFWA World Exhibition week, with a showcase of its excellent wines & spirits.

TFWA said today that the Cannes show featured 272 exhibitors and 3,408 visitors, in each case around half of 2019 levels (final figures will be released shortly). TFWA President Jaya Singh took a measured view of the event, highlighting the positives while acknowledging the big challenges the industry still faces in its path to recovery.

“It was important to show up in a time of great need for our industry, and people have shown up. We continuously ask ourselves, ‘are we relevant?’ We have to be. We know that the darkness of 2020 continued into Q1 and Q2 this year but we had to take a bold step and decide to host this event even amid the uncertainty. The practicality is that it takes months to prepare as it involves so many people, regulatory authorities, the municipality of Cannes, our people. And in life’s journey you have moments where you have to take a step forward.

“Despite the uncertainty, the price of not being here would be far greater than the price of not taking a decision. That was the choice we felt and I believe we have made the right choice. There were so many positives, and this week has strengthened partnerships. I thank my colleagues on the Management Committee, the board and especially the permanent staff, who have shown practical and agile thinking throughout to make this show happen.

“What this also does is give us confidence to deal with the next crisis when that comes. For now, momentum has restarted. We are back. We said earlier this year that the show will go on, and it has. We don’t forget that people are in recovery; now we look at the rate of that recovery.”

TFWA President Jaya Singh (centre) at the closing press conference. Other board members included (from left) Vice President Conferences & Research Arnaud de Volontat, Vice President Marketing Aude Bourdier, Vice President Corporate Sam Gerber and Vice-President Finance Frédéric Garcia-Pelayo

TFWA Managing Director John Rimmer acknowledged that had been uncertainty over whether the event could proceed until soon before the show but hailed the commitment of those who chose to exhibit and attend. “Of course we are not happy to be at 50% of 2019 levels, or to have big gaps in the halls, or to have some people take space in hotels rather than the exhibition. But nobody has said to us that the investment was not worthwhile. The feedback we have had is that everyone is happy to be here, and nobody we have spoken to has regretted their investment in the show, or the quality of meetings they have had.

“We know there are huge challenges facing the industry and that next year will be a challenge to organise too. We will learn and do some things differently. This is a starting point.”

Looking to 2022, he added: “We will support those who have supported us. Those that came this year, if they want a presence in 2022, they will have it. We will look at how incentives look, and have not decided on those, but we will support those who came.”

Singh added: “Momentum has restarted and the industry is coming back. Many companies had good reasons not to come this year, and we fully understand and support them, and we will welcome them back next year. We will also support those exhibitors who came here to support us this year.”

Next year’s Cannes dates are provisionally set for 2-7 October, with confirmation to follow soon.

TFWA also touched on the Singapore show, due to be held from 8-12 May 2022. Singh said: “We met the Singapore Tourism Board, which is a government agency. We spoke with their senior teams and we got a lot of confidence from them. They said ‘the TFWA show is of strategic importance to Singapore’. They will do everything possible to facilitate our event. When they say that, they are consistent.

“I asked them a practical question: ‘if I come next year how can you reassure me that I won’t get held up at the airport trying to justify when I’m here’ and they said that everything will be done pre-worked. So everyone who is registered will be pre-approved, and there will be no controlled itinerary for any visitor. That way the show will go on.”

Stuart McGuire returns to travel retail with The Lovely Distribution Company

Travel retail veteran Stuart McGuire has returned to the channel with The Lovely Distribution Company where he has been Chief Executive Officer since September 2020. The Lovely Distribution Company specialises in niche, celebrity-led fragrances such as Sarah Jessica Parker’s ‘Lovely’ line, Flawless by Gabrielle Union, Lionel Richie fragrances, and the Ignacio Figueras masculine line.

“I have a long history in travel retail and had my own distribution company [Scorpio Worldwide] for 25 years, before eventually completing the sale of my company to Gebr. Heinemann in 2019. I took a break from travel retail and then COVID hit. I recently reconnected with a friend who acquired the distribution licence for Sarah Jessica Parker’s fragrance line when Coty divested the brand six to seven years ago. It did very well and so we acquired more licences, Lionel Richie, Kylie Minogue and Ignacio Figueras.

The Ignacio Figueras line was created by the globally renowned polo player. It reflects Figueras’ own emotions and boasts excellent sustainability credentials. The line comprises six men’s fragrances which were launched in Harrod’s and Neiman Marcus in 2020.

Stuart McGuire returns to travel retail with The Lovely Distribution Company

Commenting on Lovely Distribution Company’s travel retail ambitions, McGuire said: “We want to increase the awareness in the channel for the Ignacio Figueras brand which is a niche product that is perfect for travel retail. When it comes to Sarah Jessica Parker, we are concentrating on the classic Born Lovely fragrance and introducing new Lovely Lights.”

On his priorities for the year ahead, McGuire said: “We have two new licences that we are very close to signing an agreement with and one of them is one of the most iconic brands since the 1960s — so watch this space.”

Asked what elements he is looking for when acquiring a new fragrance licence, McGuire replied: “We’re looking for longevity and as much universal appeal as we can. We just want to build a business that will last forever. We have the same approach when dealing with our customers and brand partners. We want to build long-term relationships that will last for a very long time.”

Augustinus Bader ramps up travel retail roll-out

Prestige skincare brand Augustinus Bader is ramping up its travel retail expansion. The brand, which returned  to Cannes with the title ‘The greatest skincare brand of all time’ voted by 300 beauty editors, has also launched a new hair care range.

Commenting on the brand’s Cannes return, Head of Trade Marketing Louise Marchesin said: “It’s been really nice to see people face-to-face, reconnect and have the opportunity to tell our story. We’ve come very far in the last two years since the 2019 show. We are meeting with large operators and I think it will really speed up our roll-out.”

“Cannes is a nice place to start,” added General Manager UK, Travel Retail and Australia Bethan Williams. “It’s not as crazy as before, but we have had more strategic meetings. Our goal is to establish our core lineup and continue to push out our story. Our domestic business has boomed during lockdown and we shall be soon launching a new innovation, the Face Cream Mask, which offers super intense hydration. It is a category that has traditionally not been looked at, and we think it will perform very well.”

Crocodile does Collective: Lacoste reveals bold new vision

“Our goal is to become the most inspiring brand in fashion and sport” — Lacoste CEO of EMEA and Global Travel Retail Marco Dippe

Lacoste CEO of EMEA and Global Travel Retail Marco Dippe sat down with our Brands Editor Hannah Tan-Gillies to talk about the fresh, young and bold new vision that will drive its creative in the future.

“We’ve come off this crisis very strong and our brand has proven resilient,” Dippe said as he gave an overview of the impact of COVID-19. “The stronger the brand, the stronger the recovery and we have benefited greatly from high brand awareness. All the work we have done in the last five years to boost the brand put us in a good position to reinvest.

“While our travel retail business may be suffering, we’re keeping our dedicated travel retail organisation which is key for us. We believe travel retail is a key brand pillar and will become more so in the future.”

Commenting on the Hainan opportunity, Dippe said: “Hainan was already a priority before and it will grow commercially. Our Hainan strategy is aligned with our China focus as a brand. We will also continue to strengthen the brand in the US and France.”

“Our goal is to become the most inspiring brand in fashion and sport. This means that we will balance sports-centricity with a distinctly fashion point of view that features more creativity, innovation and more joy.

Starting with the ‘Crocodile does Collective’ line, Lacoste is rolling out younger, more dynamic communication that promotes diversity, inclusion and individuality. This new vision is reflected in Lacoste’s recent partnerships with Bruno Mars, and its latest fashion show in Shanghai.

Offering a final message to the travel retail community, Dippe said: “As long as we have a joined vision and the right level of agility between us and our partners then we will surely have a fast recovery.”

“We feel like there is such a positive vibe”, says Mandarina Duck Franchising and Travel Retail Manager Silvia Rossi (left)

Mandarina Duck ready to restart travel retail momentum

Mandarina Duck, which launched in travel retail in 2018, is gearing up for growth with a renewed focus on its best-selling lines. Franchising and Travel Retail Manager Silvia Rossi said: “We want to increase our share in the travel retail market, but COVID-19 stopped our momentum. The focus of our collections is travelling, which is our DNA.”

Mandarina Duck specialises in lightweight, transforming bags that have plenty of functionality including internal organisation, three-way handles, anti-theft zips and easy to pack formats. “We like to work in this way and have a big proposal in terms of colour palette and material and we really want to highlight that,” Rossi added.

Mandarina Duck is putting a special emphasis on its best-selling MD20, Logo Duck, Utility backpacks and Style lines.

“We are very happy to be back and to meet partners. We feel like there is such a positive vibe at the show and for the restart of our channel. We have also met new partners that have just walked in without fixed meetings, which is great for us.”   

La Prairie underscores commitment to the channel

(Left to right) La Prairie Travel Retail Marketing Intern Leonardo Zantedeschi, La Prairie Vice President Travel Retail Noelle Goris, Hannah Tan-Gillies and La Prairie Director Business Development Global Travel Retail Sabine Fagan share a toast on the La Prairie terrace

Swiss Prestige skincare house La Prairie has underlined its commitment to travel retail with its presence in Cannes.

“The fact that we are here is a decision and an investment because we believe in the long-term future of travel retail,” said Director Business Development Global Travel Retail Sabine Fagan.

Urging the industry for more transparency and collaboration as recovery accelerates, Fagan said: “Our focus is to put the client at the heart of everything we do so we can offer a memorable client experience. We need to work together to see how we can pamper the client together and recruit them to our brand and to the channel. This will require more open-mindedness than ever before.

Fagan added, “We see the right clients for La Prairie are in travel retail and the right environment too. We have doubled the number of counters with our new store design and have not stopped renovating. By 2025, all our stores will express our new brand identity to the highest level.”

French duty free association AFCOV President Filip Soete (Nice Airport, above left), Secretary General Lylian Vignau (Lagardère Travel Retail, above centre) and advisor Antoine Clément of Hume Brophy updated media on the association’s activities – including seeking French government support for arrivals duty free in the EU – and wider support for the industry on Thursday. More soon.

Celebrating an ace achievement: Pictured are (left to right) The Moodie Davitt Report President Dermot Davitt; Peuch & Besse Partner & Purchasing General Manager Isabelle Gec Peuch; Peuch & Besse CEO Sylvain Combe; Qatar Duty Free Vice President Operations Thabet Musleh; and Peuch & Besse Advisor Business Development Rajiv Bhatia

At the recent Virtual Travel Retail Expo, Wines of Golf Legends by Peuch & Besse was named as winner of The QDF Factor, an extraordinary industry competition led by Qatar Duty Free and The Moodie Davitt Report to encourage innovation and differentiation among brand owners. Wines of Golf Legends concept is a unique collaboration between some of the world’s most illustrious golfers and an array of outstanding winemakers, led by French wine specialist Peuch & Besse, as reported.

The company captured a six-month high-profile promotion at Qatar Duty Free’s award-winning retail offer in Hamad International Airport, Doha, plus a free six-month US$50,000 multi-media advertising campaign with The Moodie Davitt Report.

In Cannes this week, we celebrated the achievement with the brand owner and with Qatar Duty Free (see photo above). Along with Qatar Duty Free Vice President Operations Thabet Musleh, we also tried our luck at the Peuch & Besse putting competition (below) at its Bay Village booth. The less said about the Moodie Davitt golf performance, the better. At least we know who to turn to for a lesson: Peuch & Besse has a roster of nine golf legends, with which it is collaborating to create its superb wine series.

Breaking to the left… Qatar Duty Free VP Operations Thabet Musleh tries his luck at a long putt at the Peuch & Besse stand, with P&B CEO Sylvain Combe (right) offering the advice
It’s ‘Prosé all day’ at Henkell Freixnet’s booth

Prosé all day: Henkell Freixnet celebrates new Prosecco Rosé blend

Henkell Freixnet is showcasing its Mionetto Prosecco Rosé innovation, alongside mini bottles from Henkell and a new super-premium expression from Segura Viudas.

Mionetto Prosecco Rosé, which was launched in domestic markets in November 2020, is now being pushed in key Europe and US markets. The company is also promoting the Mionetto brand with an engaging digital campaign under the theme ‘Born in Italy, shared everywhere’ mantra.

Commenting on the company’s return to Cannes, Henkell Freixnet Head of Brand & Business Development Global Export Vanessa Lehmann said: “We are so excited to be back and support the industry, reconnect with partners and believe that the sector will grow again. Our priority is to push our main brands, Henkell, Mionetto and Freixnet, and establish new brands like Segura Viudas as well as trend products like 0.0% alcohol-free innovations and organic ranges.

Global Export and Travel Retail Sales Head Chris Witte added, “Having not been able to meet our partners for more than two years, it’s just so important to get away from the screen and meet again. Our whole industry changes so fast, and I think nobody really knows where it’s going yet, so it’s important to be on the ground and gain new insights on what we have to do to boost recovery.”

Paul & Shark kickstarts Middle East expansion

Italian yachting apparel and leisurewear house Paul & Shark is preparing for a big Middle East push. Commenting on its return to Cannes, Worldwide Travel Retail Director Silvia Santin said: “Everyone is happy to start again. There are less brands, less visitors, no Chinese nor Russian buyers, but the quality of our meetings are very high. Even if travel retail is not restarting yet, everyone is finding new ways to reinvent the industry, which is a positive sign.

“We are very close to 2019 levels thanks to the commitment of our partners and our business formula. Because our agents have also invested in the brand, they are committed to reinventing their way of working too.”

Our Responsible Journey: Samsonite underlines sustainable commitments

 

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Speaking about the brand’s main priority at the TFWA World Exhibition and Conference, Samsonite Vice President Development & Distributors Gert Weyers said: “We’re here and will be here for a very long time. During these times of uncertainty, we want to reassure our partners and customers that a trusted brand like Samsonite is here. We’re doing plenty of new launches and have massively progressed our sustainability mission.

“We have a big ESG and D&R plan, called ‘Our Responsible Journey’ which we launched in March 2020 and we all really stepped behind our CEO to bring this to life. We are also focusing on the quality of our products. We have over 1,000 directly-owned stores in 39 countries and have 221 owned and third-party service centres in 59 countries repairing and maintaining our products so our customers can use them forever.

Samsonite is showcasing its sustainable Recyclex material which is made with recycled PET bottles and is also recyclable. Since launching Recyclex, Samsonite has recycled over 68 million plastic bottles globally. It is also exhibiting new innovations from its portfolio of luggage and travel brands Samsonite, Tumi, Lipault, Gregory and American Tourister.

Non Gender Specific Founder Andrew Glass talks all things beauty with our Brands Editor Hannah Tan-Gillies

Harper Dennis Hobbs puts the spotlight on independent brands

Harper Dennis Hobbs is showcasing its strong portfolio of independent brands including de Mamiel, Loci, Diamanti Per Tutti, Heidi Klein, Beauty by Holition GFL Skincare, and Non Gender Specific.

Founded by American entrepreneur Andrew Glass, Non Gender Specific operates under a ‘brand for all humans’ mantra and offers vegan and sustainable beauty products for both men and women.

De Mamiel, a finalist at the recently concluded The QDF Factor, offers natural luxury beauty and skincare products, while GFL Skincare is one of the leading hotel amenities providers in the world. Loci is 100% vegan footwear made of recycled ocean plastics and cork insoles.

Interparfums celebrates newly-acquired Salvatore Ferragamo brand

Interparfums is underlining the power of its fragrance portfolio with a special focus on the newly-acquired Salvatore Ferragamo brand, which will have several major launches for 2022.

These include the Storie di Seta fragrance line, which was launched in domestic markets in 2021, and offers boosters to give customers more personalised fragrance choices.

MCM, Guess and Abercrombie & Fitch will also present new innovations in 2022.

Commenting on Interparfums return to Cannes, Global Operational Marketing Director Morgane Paumard said: “Being back is amazing. It is a real pleasure to be able to meet with clients and see our colleagues again. Our priority for next year is to be 100% back to business and have everything perfectly set up for an amazing new year.”

Mondelez puts the focus on One Tree Planted

Mondelez is underlining its sustainable commitments at the TFWA World Exhibition and Conference. The confectionery giant is putting a special focus on its Cocoa Life project and its partnership with One Tree Planted.

In addition, Mondelez is offering visitors their own personalised Toblerone sleeve, showcasing the power of Toblerone’s customer engagement initiative.

Mondelez Communications and Events Manager Tamara Abusara and The Moodie Davitt Report Brands Editor & Digital Marketing Manager Hannah Tan-Gillies

Commenting on Mondelez’ return to Cannes, Communications and Events Manager Tamara Abusara said: “It has been incredibly rewarding to reconnect with so many peers and partners – and, in some cases, meet them in person for the very first time. For me, it’s a great reminder of how special our channel is, we really are like a big family.

“I believe that the great bonds between us have formed the backbone of our resilience and will also continue to support our growth as an industry in the future. The event has set a really exciting and encouraging tone for the year ahead.”

Wednesday 27 October

Dubai Duty Free captures Airport Retailer of the year at the Frontier Awards. Below, a surprise accolade for The Moodie Davitt Report and partner FILTR.QINGWA as they win Collaboration of the Year Award for the Virtual Travel Retail Expo 2020. See full Frontier Awards results here.

Nice Côte d’Azur Airport held its now traditional lunch on the beach on Wednesday afternoon, hosted by Commercial Business Unit Director Filip Soete (below left), and this year, recently appointed CEO Franck Goldnadel.

Soete said that business had been bouncing back on strong traffic growth since July, with the past four months hitting 1 million passengers. In 2019 the airport served 14.5 million, but just 4.5 million last year. Spend per passenger levels are also highly encouraging. The airport will reopen T1 (closed through much of the pandemic) at the end of March 2022, said Goldnadel.

The airport company extended most commercial contracts by two years, said Soete, with tenders for many spaces (from duty free to F&B) now expected in late 2023 or into 2024. “We just had one exit, of Versace with their boutique, which we are now trying to fill. This week we have had great conversations at the show about this. There’s still a great opportunity for a brand in 120sq m of space in T1 once it opens. Come and see us if you are interested!”

“Our conference will help to reignite the industry in our region.” Middle East & Africa Duty Free Association President Sherif Toulan (above) encouraged attendance at the MEADFA Conference in Dubai on 21-23 November during a press event in Cannes today. Already numbers for the event are looking positive, he said, despite travel restrictions from certain parts of the world. He also called on the wider industry to “reimagine and reinvent how we do business”. More in a wider interview to follow soon.

Accelerating recovery: Mars Wrigley on its future in the confectionery channel

Mars Wrigley Corporate Affairs Director Roel Govers opened today’s presentation on the confectionery giant’s plans to continue to offer “better moments to make the world smile” and to assist in the confectionery channel’s post pandemic comeback.

“We have the opportunity to have a positive impact on some of the complex social and ecological challenges that the planet is facing,” he said.

Goers underlined Mars Wrigley’s determination to have all cocoa responsibly sourced and traceable by 2025 and noted that the group invests $100 million annually to ensure that its supply chain is more sustainable.

Mars Wrigley Sales Director International Travel Retail Raghav Rekhi said: “Mars is very much on track to a phased recovery to reach 2019 levels by the end of 2023.”

He underlined its “over-arching objective” to drive higher levels of conversion through a three-pillared strategy, focusing on the growth of sharing and gifting, creating fun and memorable experiences and accelerating impulse purchasing moments beyond checkout.

He also touched on Mars Wrigley’s bold decision to simplify and reduce its line-up of products from 300 SKUs in 2017 to 60 today and its aim to offer a “cleaner, simpler, more sustainable product display in stores. “We want less clutter to make it easier for travellers to shop,” Rekhi added.

He noted the need to focus on innovation, not just in products but also in experiences. He also underscored Mars Wrigley’s intention to offer more immersive and experiential displays, with a focus on digitalisation and gamification through an omnichannel and omniplatform approach.

Tuesday 26 October 2021

A round-up of news from exhibitors

Not just hanging around: Cuddly sloth and Ritter Sport mascot, Don Choco, is on-stand to help introduce the German chocolate brand’s new look for travel retail.

Refreshed packaging is highlighted, along with a focus on sustainability and Ritter Sport’s colour-based ethos.

Intent on increasing on-shelf visibility, Hershey’s has refreshed its Giant chocolate bars line-up, which features five flavours.

Nancy Giambanco pointed out that the brand has reset its focus on core products and offering travellers clear value.

KT International takes a bold stand with its new ‘Follow your Vibes’ campaign for it’s the King cigarettes. The Bulgarian company is highlighting its updated The King and Corset lines as it continues to focus on traditional tobacco products.

A timely change for American watch manufacturer and distributor E. Gluck as it reveals WITHit wearables and accessories for Apple, Samsung, Garmin and Fitbit watches and fitness monitors.

Wristbands are available in a range of styles and colours and there is a protective Bumper for Apple watches. A similar line for Anne Klein watches is also available. Watch this space for more details.

New brands and a bold new stand: Travel Blue Group’s Jonathan Smith and Daniel Levin are on-stand to share the travel accessories specialist’s latest products and strategy for 2022 and beyond.

‘Yamas’ from Plomari Distillery Isidoros Arvanitis! The brand is not only featuring its well known ouzo, it is also championing the restoration of Greece’s wooden ‘kaikia’ through a #savekaikia campaign.

Plomari ouzo bottles feature the boats and the brand is also highlighting a limited 1821 edition marking 200 years of Greek independence.

Introducing Tayu 1865 from the VSPT Wine Group. According to Loretta Guedelhoefer, the wine is the first Chilean Pinto crafted in collaboration with an indigenous community.

Swiss herbal confectionery specialist Ricola is underlining its commitment to travel retail with new channel-exclusive products.

The brand’s focus is on 90g tins of sugar-included Original Herb and Lemon Mint flavoured drops which launched last year. Ricola Vice President Sales Middle East & Travel Retail Andreas Reckart believes that the inclusion of a sugar-included range will widen the brand’s overall appeal to travellers.

Ricola is underlining its Swiss heritage and, with the help of the exhibition’s only herb garden, its natural ingredients.

Natural health company Puressentiel is launching its holistic ‘Your Natural Journey’ routine which targets travellers.

Based on five steps – purify, move, relax, boost and protect – the line has 5ml roll-on products presented in a travel retail exclusive purse. A new wall concept encouraging customer interaction will be available early next year.

First-time exhibitor Nuwave Channel Partners has sustainability and innovation to the fore as it highlights the Bitmore range of powerbanks, QI chargers, headphones, speakers, cables and wellness and travel accessories.

A key feature, according to Nuwave’s CEO Hoj Parmar, is the brand’s use of recycled plastic and reclaimed wheat straw as base materials. In addition, Bitmore products come with biodegradable packaging and use environmentally friendly water-based inks.

TripClip – the innovative clip which allows travelling users to attach mobile devices to the seat in front of them to offer eye-level viewing – is also featured by Nuwave, along with a range of LEGO accessories and Hortsman 99ML.

Belgian chocolatier Leonidas is highlighting seasonal ranges as Global Travel Retail Sales Manager William Legallais insists the brand’s “greatest asset” is its quality.

He has some very tempting on-stand treats available for sampling…

Celtic origins and a French touch” – Maison Villevert reveals a new malt whisky, with brand founder and oenologist Jean-Sebastien Robicquet, celebrating the launch with Master Distiller Aël Guégan and Trade Marketing Director  Guillaume Villerabel.

Maison Villevert is a member of the Family Brands Alliance and its great tasting whisky is exclusive to travel retail.

Choya is highlighting its 5 Year Old ume-based Utage. The liqueur is a limited edition, only 6,000 bottles per year, and wrapped in a kimono-styled box.

Choya CEO Shigenhiro Kondo says the Japanese brand is targeting expansion in European travel retail.

Le Croc is back as Lacoste presents its latest collections.

Desire Fragrances presents its licensed brand portfolio which includes Liu Jo, Sergio Tacchini, Tonino Lamborghini, Alfa Romeo and Head.

Sneak peeks of upcoming launches and new lines are available, with fragrances from Head set to launch in Spring 2022 and Sergio Tacchini ready to reveal a new look through its I Love Italy edts for men and women.

Butlers Chocolates has Tasty Pieces – a line which launched recently on the Irish domestic market and will be available in travel retail in the coming months – in the Cannes spotlight. The resealable pouches feature milk, dark and white chocolates in a range of flavours including Almond and Butterscotch Bark and Crispy Clusters.

The Irish chocolate specialist has also extended its Truffle Range with three new flavours: Milk Truffle, Honeycombe Crisp and Milk Salt Caramels.

 

Continuing our Three Wise Men series, this time ‘Mr Camel Milk Chocolate’, Al Nassma’s Patrick Dorais (right), meets two outstanding contributors to our industry, former TFWA President Erik Juul-Mortensen (left) and that great sector statesman Harry Diehl. Harry, well into his 80s, is going stronger than ever.
Resilient spirit: Ever Rich Duty Free has fought its way through the pandemic without asking a single person to leave the business, and is showing its faith in the future of travel retail by attending TFWA World Exhibition. President Kevin Chiang (right) meets Dermot Davitt to talk about the impact of the pandemic and the steps towards recovery.
The women of L’Oréal Travel Retail Christine Brasseur and Bige Mercan catch up with the women of The Moodie Davitt Report Hannah Tan-Gillies and Irene Revilla to talk about how L’Oréal is building back better through a series of exciting new product innovations

Our Brands Editor Hannah Tan-Gillies caught up with the two leaders of luxury house Bvlgari  — (left) Bvlgari CEO Jean-Christophe Babin and (right) Global General Manager Parfums Luis Miguel Gonzalez Sebastiani — who both underlined the maison’s commitment to travel retail. Stay tuned for some compelling interviews with both Babin and Gonzales Sebastiani soon.

(Left) Jean-Christophe Babin (right) Luis Miguel Gonzalez Sebastiani talk about Bvlgari’s win big approach in travel retail

Caudalie is flying high in travel retail

Caudalie has performed exceptionally in the last year thanks to a slew of new openings (six to be exact) new hires and travel retail-exclusive products. Head of Global Travel Retail Benoit Davaillon outlines the key factors of its growth.

“We opened so many counters in Asia Pacific this year. We used to only work with CDFG and DFS but now we opened with Lagardère in Hainan, Dufry at the GDF Plaza, which is one of our biggest counters in travel retail, DFS and Shenzhen Duty Free’s Haikou Mission Hills location, DFS Macau Venetian, Heinemann Macau and are launching with Heinemann in Sydney next year. We opened six points of sale which is huge for us.

“Our goal is to be the most effective, clean and sustainable skincare brand,” he added. “We are part of 1% which means we give back 1% of our profits to charities. We also have the 0% logo which means we have no parabens or nasties. We are launching new travel retail-exclusive products in two weeks and are outperforming the local market by 25% in Europe. We are also within the top five skincare brands in Lagardère Travel Retail in Europe.”

Marion Bruimaud celebrates the new Nuxe Super Serum

Nuxe Global Travel Retail Director Marion Bruimaud reveals Super Serum into travel retail

“We’re lucky to be a resilient brand and also that the skincare category is very resilient,” comments Nuxe Global Travel Retail Director Marion Bruimaud.

Nuxe, which has recently debuted its first-ever serum product, the Super Serum, into travel retail, is focusing on best-sellers as it gears up for a steady recovery.

“It was impossible to launch new innovations in 2021 so we postponed our novelties until 2022, but the Super Serum is one of our biggest launches for the year. It is made with 95% natural-origin active ingredients and vegan too. We have also had an excellent response to our bio line, which has at least 40% organic formulations (above the 20% required) and is a leader in Lagardère’s locations in France. We plan to roll this out globally in 2022.”

Commenting on the China opportunity, Bruimaud said: “We have a local distributor based in Hong Kong and are already present with China Duty Free Group. Our focus in 2022 is to roll out in Chinese airports starting with Beijing and Shanghai. Another focus is our travel retail-exclusive sets as we are launching five to six new sets this year.”

Frédéric Fekkai poses with our Brands Editor Hannah Tan Gillies. Click here for their latest interview where he discusses his ambitions for the channel.

Fekkai makes Cannes debut

Commenting on his first-ever showing at the TFWA World Exhibition & Conference in Cannes, Frédéric Fekkai said: “It’s so interesting to see the trust that people have for this type of product. Our products have a clean formula, high performance minus all the impact on the environment.

“We have a good story, and people are so happy to have a brand pamper them while pampering the environment too. Fekkai is a pioneer in the skinification of hair, because hair is not one size fits all.”

Fekkai is also a Partner of the Virtual Travel Retail Expo, where it promises exciting prizes for buyers and retailers who will visit its booth during the month-long brands and buyer’s bonanza.

Champagne Lanson showcases Le Black Reserve and Le Blanc de Blancs

In an intimate media event, Champagne Lanson underlined the key pillars to its success and showcased two exciting cuvées.

Champagne Lanson Global Marketing & Communications Director Guillaume Truchot said: “Our goal is to put forward the quality of our Champagne and demonstrate the value and versatility of our brand.

“We have high-quality supply; high-profile production facilities dedicated to the diversity of our crus and have made significant investment over the last ten years towards the elegance of our Champagnes.

“We have four key pillars, a large palette of crus, vinification according to the original principles of champagne for the most part without malolactic fermentation, a great diversity of reserve wines and a longer time in cellars. Our wines are distinguished by their elegance, freshness, fruitiness and vitality.

Champagne Lanson showcased Le Blanc de Blancs and Le Black Réserve at an intimate media briefing

Truchot also showcased two new cuvées, Le Black Reserve and Le Blanc de Blancs, the focal point of a successful experiential promotion at Nice Côte d’Azur Airport which concluded yesterday. The pop-up recorded 12x the sales versus 2019.

Commenting on Champagne Lanson’s return to Cannes, Head of Travel Retail Edouard de Boissieu said: “We are happy to be back and we have had some fruitful meetings. So even if we have less appointments, the appointments we do have are very productive. People are so happy to be able to see each other.”

Our Brands Editor Hannah Tan-Gillies shares a real-live toast with Champagne Lanson Global Marketing & Communications Director Guillaume Truchot

The Future is Limitless: Coccinelle celebrates empowering Mattel partnership

Coccinelle is back in full force at TFWA Cannes as the brand highlights its colourful spring 2022 range, alongside an empowering capsule collection with Barbie.

The Coccinelle x Barbie range is now available in selected travel retail locations worldwide. These include Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, Haikou Meilan International Airport, T Fondacio dei Tedeschi by DFS and Tallink’s cruise-ferry network.

The Coccinelle x Barbie line represents Barbie’s constant reinvention through the years to becoming a symbol of diversity, inclusion and empowerment.

Moët Hennessy Executive Vice President Global Distribution Jean-Marc Lacave welcomes guests to a special discussion on The Traveller of Tomorrow at the Moët Hennessy stand this afternoon. It featured a terrific line-up of speakers including Air France-KLM CEO Benjamin Smith, consumer & luxury analyst and author Erwan Rambourg, LVMH Hospitality Excellence CEO Andrea Guerra, Moët Hennessy Managing Director Travel Retail EMEA & Americas Donatienne de Fontaines-Guillaume and top chef Alain Ducasse. We will bring you full highlights in a story soon.

Can you identify this great stalwart of the industry (no, not the one on the left) who we were thrilled to meet in the Palais earlier today? Get in touch with us and be in with a chance to win a nice prize.
With an enhanced portfolio, a full team in attendance and guests aplenty, Duty Free Global (above) must be a candidate for busiest booth at the show this week.

At a quieter Cannes this year, there is more time to connect with partners from across the industry. It was a delight to talk plans and projects with the Setur Duty Free team, whose global ambitions we have been profiling over recent months. With Dermot Davitt, right, are Group Manager Category Omer Korkmaz, left, and Director Strategic Planning and Investment Yasemin Kaya Ileri.

The Central & Eastern European Travel Retail Association (CEETRA) held its latest meeting this morning at the Majestic Hotel, led by Chair Dr Patrick Bohl, Head of Retail and Property Management at Budapest Airport.

CEETRA represents airports, retailers, brands and other travel retail associated enterprises drawn from eastern and central Europe – with Bohl telling the meeting that there was further interest in joining the association from other companies, notably brands from Hungary and Belarus.

Those attending the meeting (see above) included Gebr Heinemann Director Corporate Affairs, Business Compliance & Corporate Responsibility Jennifer Cords, Director Retail Operations Christoph Stump and Head of Corporate Communications Nina Semprecht, Imperial Brands Head of Corporate & Legal Affairs – Global Duty Free & Export Tobias Baude, JTI WWDF Corporate Affairs & Communication Director Antonio Vencesla, ETRC Secretary General Julie Lassaigne, Airport Retail Consulting Owner Alan Bork, Pernod Ricard Travel Retail Regional Manager Central Europe Sylvie Ngoma and BAT External Affairs Manager Global Travel Retail Nebojsa Cirjakovic.

Monday 25 October 2021

I had better smile, he is the host… Qatar Duty Free Vice President Operations and Liverpool fan (5) Thabet Musleh makes his point while Manchester United (0) fan Dermot Davitt takes his punishment at the QDF-hosted TFWA Lounge on Monday
ALTAVIA Travel Retail Head Hugo Vanderschaegh talks about the company’s sustainability credentials in the world of design at the TFWA Lounge (below)

On the beach: Qatar Duty Free Vice President Operations Thabet Musleh welcomes guests to the TFWA Lounge at Carlton Beach and says the company will play its part in reigniting the duty free business.
COVID safety measures in place at the TFWA Lounge, which runs from Monday to Wednesday
It is a perennial pleasure to meet people with passion for their project, and today I was delighted to encounter husband and wife team Alberto Borin and Claudia Gamberucci, and their Upper Hand gin brand. Spy the company name behind and you see the name Lafferty, which represents Claudia’s Irish-Scottish family and their heritage in the drinks business from gin to Scotch. We will cover the story in more detail soon.
Three wise men: Meeting after a long absence on Monday were (from left) Travel Blue Group Executive Director Jonathan Smith, Aurora World Global Travel Retail Sales Manager Garry Stoner and Al Nassma Chocolate Director of Sales Patrick Dorais

A new look, a new recipe and a focus on sustainability: Loacker targets increased sales in travel retail as it reveals new packaging for its wafer treats. The brand is also introducing Biscuits Selection, combining hazelnut and almond cream filling and milk chocolate in mouth-watering meringues. The Italian brand’s Communication Manager Martina Oberkofler is on-stand to share details.
Aurora World’s Garry Stoner introduces the Eco Nation range as the plush toy specialist puts the Cannes spotlight on sustainability

Diptyque celebrates holiday collection  

Diptyque is showcasing its festive Holiday 2021 range, the fifth and final collection released to celebrate its 60th anniversary this year. The holiday collection was inspired by the ‘curiosity, time and inheritance’ of Diptyque’s founding trio. The Holiday 2021 collection is now available in global travel retail.

The festive line, conceived to be a cabinet of curiosities filled with surprising creations, comprises a fragrance diffuser, limited edition Do Son Eau de Parfum and solid perfume, and three limited edition scented candles.

The line also features new ‘The Nomad’ and ‘The Inseparable’ candle companions, featuring lantern and carousel accessories, alongside the limited edition Amber and Wood Set, Scented Taper Candles and Advent Calendar.

Bric’s launches Porsche Design Travel Gear

It’s been a pretty busy year for Italian luggage and travel gear company Bric’s. At the end of 2020, the company signed a longterm contract to produce and distribute Porsche Design’s luggage and travel accessories lines in both travel retail and domestic markets globally.

According to Bric’s Travel Retail Manager Michele Maccapani, Porsche Design allows Bric’s to provide a complete offer for the travel retail consumer.

He said: “Porsche Design closes the circle for us. We have a stylish and sophisticated offer for women with Bric’s, the quality aluminium products of Zero Halliburton and now a strong luxury male-oriented brand like Porsche Design. So far, Porsche Design has performed double of what we initially forecasted.”

(Left) to Bric’s Travel Retail Manager Michele Maccapani and (right) PR Communications Officer Luisa Puggioni strike a pose in front of the new Porsche Design Travel Gear range
“We have reshaped all our marketing and product design towards consumers,” says Lucas Gestin

Exciting things ahead for Rodenstock, says Lucas Gestin

Rodenstock Global Travel Retail Director Lucas Gestin, who was making the rounds, though not exhibiting, at the TFWA World Exhibition & Conference chatted briefly to us about his travel retail strategy. “Our focus now is to keep working with selected partners and offer those partners exclusivity in terms of territory, product and marketing.”

Gestin also previewed a major rebrand of the Rodenstock brand. “Next year we are relaunching Rodenstock eyewear with new brand DNA that’s built on innovation, technology and our lens concept.”

According to Gestin, Rodenstock travel retail’s performance in 2021 is ‘better than expected’ with Rodenstock’s global company already outperforming 2019 figures. “The company has already had the best year ever recorded,” he added.

“We have reshaped all our marketing and product design towards consumers. We put consumers at the heart of our strategy. Instead of doing what we think they want, we listen to what they want.”

Rituals brings The Art of Soulful Living to Cannes

Rituals is returning to Cannes with a renewed focus on its ‘clean and conscious’ product offer. The wellbeing brand is putting its ‘The Art of Soulful Living’ ethos on the spotlight alongside it Home and Classic Collections.

Rituals Cosmetics recently relaunched The Ritual of Ayurveda line, the first classic collection to be completely reformulated with a minimum of 90% natural origin ingredients. Rituals is planning to relaunch its entire offer in line with the company’s ‘Clean and Conscious’ strategy, which aims to transition all Rituals products to 90% natural origin ingredients by 2023.

The move underlines Rituals’ commitment to become a more sustainable brand through the use of more natural ingredients, sustainable packaging and zero waste production.

From Provence to Cannes: L’Occitane shines the light on sustainability and biodiversity initiatives

L’Occitane brings the sunshine to Cannes

L’Occitane is bringing a taste of Provence to Cannes with its sun-soaked terrace.

The brand is also highlighting its best-selling lines and putting its sustainability and diversity programme centre-stage.

L’Occitane Group has developed its updated biodiversity strategy, which calls for a move towards a ‘nature-positive’ world. It presented the strategy at the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Marseille, France. The roadmap foresees the development of an action programme that embraces the entire value chain.

Victorinox previews chocolate multi-tool innovation and underlines its value as a multi-category brand

Victorinox Sales Director Travel Retail & Cruise Ships Marcos Zobel underlined Victorinox’s value as a multi-category brand. He said: “In the past, Victorinox has been seen as a multitool brand with watches and travel gear, but never seen as a premium multi-category brand which is one of the main focus areas we are highlighting next year. We want to be a seen as a major player in the industry.

Victorinox is launching eight new collections in 2022, three in travel gear, including an exciting new global rollout for its chocolate ‘multi-tool’ category.

“With Victorinox being a Swiss company, Swissness is very important and chocolate is very Swiss,” Zobel added. “It’s a great souvenir, particularly capturing impulse purchases. In Switzerland, our chocolate sales are very strong so we want to roll that out globally too.

We want to reinforce our positioning as a multicategory, premium, Swiss brand. The big challenge for us next year is to open North America, which for us remains a white canvas.”

Victorinox Head of Global Channels Thomas Bodenmann and Sales Director Travel Retail & Cruise Ships Marcos Zobel strike a pose with the Victorinox chocolate ‘multi-tool’
The great Essence Corp team are back in Cannes

Who was that masked man? Absolutely no prizes for naming the one on the left (below) given the prominent Moodie Davitt badge (clue, it’s not Moodie, he’s in Hong Kong). But who is he with? Save your answer till later as we will be featuring several masked men and women throughout this unique week in the history of the Cannes show and checking your powers of deduction with a great prize on offer.

Pictures from an exhibition like no other. Masks are de rigueur and the aisles predictably much quieter due to the impact of the pandemic.

‘Seduce your senses’ and try Mazaya. That’s the message from the shisha brand’s Ghina Ammar and Rawan Elayyan. Mazaya is encouraging all visitors to join them onboard the Bang! motorboat. And what a backdrop to their promotions.

12:00 CET

TFWA officially cuts the ribbon on the TFWA World Exhibition and Conference

It may be a slightly different TFWA Exhibition and Conference this year but traditions remain as Jaya Singh and other Board members join representatives from the Cannes municipality in the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

11:30 CET
IATA Regional Vice President Europe Rafael Schwartzman presented an overview of the effects of the pandemic and beyond.
“We remain optimistic of a strong recovery in the airline industry,” he said, highlighting the key role that the leisure and short haul markets will play.
Schwartzman underlined the need to “restore freedom and to restore connectivity at the same time as accelerating digitisation across the travel and travel retail industries.
“Harmonisation in decision making and stronger collaborations between Trinity members would be required to secure sustainable growth,” he said.

1030 CET

Benjamin Vuchot: Aiming for rebound in 2023

DFS Group Chairman and CEO Benjamin Vuchot gave a candid overview of the impact of COVID-19 and expressed cautious optimism about the industry’s recovery. “2020 was one of the toughest years for us at DFS. We managed and absorbed the crisis early on and 2021 is more focused on rebuilding the future. We believe 2022 will be about rebooting the business, then 2023 will be the year of the rebound. The industry is ready to reinvent and challenge the existing.”

He cited the recent opening of Samaritaine Pont-Neuf by DFS in Paris as a “breath of fresh air” for the industry, one that added authenticity and excitement to the retail experience – with “very encouraging results so far”.

So, how is DFS Group going to build back better? Vuchot said: “One of the biggest changes is the acceleration of digital. Lockdown has enabled our customers to have deeper digital relationships with brands. The exciting thing is embracing a new kind of retail which starts at home on customers’ mobile phones and providing a memorable experience pre- and post-departure. Travel retail is the only white space left that hasn’t undergone a digital transformation. The opportunity this crisis provides is for us to leapfrog into defining a new world of travel retail that’s much more connected and built on partnerships.

On the potential impact of the energy crisis on the industry, Vuchot said: “The crisis will eventually have an impact on consumers’ wallets and now is the time to reset the Trinity and rebalance the value chain.

“Our role is to create memorable experience in destinations within destinations. Brands, retailers and airports need to meet customer values and build stores differently, transforming the duty free concept. We can weather the storm together, but we want to use this time to reinvent faster.”

Some of the themes mirrored those that Vuchot discussed during an insightful Knowledge Hub session at The Virtual Travel Retail Expo. See below for highlights.

0945 CET

Trip.com’s Jane Sun on the key trends influencing Chinese travellers

Trip.com CEO Jane Sun commented on the some of the key trends in China’s travel market. She said: “People are paying more attention to safety measures and so we advise our local operators from hotels to airlines to provide passengers with masks, hand sanitisers and other hygiene products so they can travel safely. Secondly, the big 50-person group tours have disappeared and Chinese travellers travel in smaller more intimate groups. Third is that customers are looking for more flexibility and operators who offer that will win.”

Sun also underscored the ethos that has led to Trip.com’s meteoric rise over the years. “Our philosophy is customers first, partners second and Trip.com third. We always make long-term investment in tech to offer the best products and services in the world.

“When the pandemic happened, we assured customers that we were taking care of their interests and within 20 seconds would connect to them to a human that, under 2 minutes would offer them a new deal. That kind of service wins customers hearts.”

Show of unity: In his opening Cannes address as TFWA President, Jaya Singh issued some strong notes of positivity about the industry gathering once more in Cannes, blended with realism about the challenges ahead.

He stressed the importance of partnerships – which he said in many cases had become stronger through the crisis – in ensuring a path forward.

“The last few months has convinced me that uniting as an industry is the surest way for us to emerge from crisis. No single company or person has all the answers we need, but with closer collaboration, talking to each other and enhancing our collective efforts, we can remake our business for the post-pandemic era.

“While we gear up for recovery let’s not fall back into the old ways of doing things. Let’s not assume that everything in 2022 will be the same as in 2019. We will have to be more agile and responsive to changing traveller expectations.

 

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“We must offer experiences that are accessible across multiple channels, tailored to individual tastes by effective marketing and shared traveller data. We must offer something exclusive that cannot be found outside travel retail, and do all this in a way that prioritises sustainability and social equity. If that sounds like a challenge, it is.”

He added later: “Previously duty free & travel retail could be guilty of appearing out of touch. Passenger numbers were rising but we were not very good at conversion, with spend per head stagnating or even declining. Today with fewer passengers overall but conversion is rising. If we can keep the discipline for the future once people travel again, we can all be winners.

“To succeed access to traveller data is crucial but our industry’s track record here has been less than impressive, but now is the time we stand to gain most from a clear understanding of travellers’ needs – and for brands, retailer and landlords to build on relationships forged in the darkest days of COVID-19.

“We hope that by meeting here this week and doing business together we can develop a new spirit of cooperation.”

Raising of the colours: There can have been few more symbolic moments in travel retail history than this raising of the TFWA signage in Cannes on the eve of the show’s return to Cannes after a gap of two years.

 

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Sunday 24 October 2021

2100 CET

Outdoor dining: The Moodie Davitt Report team members share a lovely meal and a glass or two of wine together at La Potinière on a warm Sunday evening. From left, Vice President Sales & Events Sarah Genest, President Dermot Davitt, Associate Editor Colleen Morgan and Publisher Irene Revilla.

1800 CET

“It feels like we are home.” The words of TFWA President Jaya Singh on the eve of Cannes 2021, as TFWA World Exhibition returns after a year’s absence.

Setting the scene for a very different Cannes week: The Palais des Festivals on Sunday evening as final preparations for the show are made

With travel restrictions still in place between France and many parts of the world, it will be a different kind of week, a ‘mini Cannes’ as TFWA board members dubbed it recently. Exhibitor levels are around 50% of previous years, says TFWA, and among visitors it seems likely to be a mainly European event, though guests are travelling also from the Middle East, the Americas and Asia Pacific.

Sign of the times: How COVID has changed our world and our industry, reflected in the messaging around the venue encouraging visitors to prepare for necessary health checks

The Moodie Davitt Report is here too, and pleased to support the industry’s major annual in-person gathering. Here we begin our day by day coverage, featuring our take on key events and our choice of highlights in words and images.

A stunning Riviera sunset on Sunday evening, as Cannes prepares to host TFWA World Exhibition

One thing we can almost certainly bank on is the weather – as our photos on arrival today (Sunday) show, the French Riviera is sparkling in the late afternoon sunshine. Let’s hope the week ahead helps to sprinkle some welcome rays of light on our industry too as travel – and business – returns.

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