Molton Brown reports a strong 57% increase in its travel retail business in 2016 and overall global growth of +9%.
The London-based beauty company is known for its iconic collection of signature fragrances, bath and shower gels and home and hand care luxuries.
The travel retail results are driven by both strong organic growth (+23%LFL), and the addition of new business with partners Zainab and Ambassadors Choice.
The brand concentrated its investment in four key areas:
- Increasing staffing and level of services to build up its customer experience in travel retail locations
- Improving the look and feel of its counters through refits such as LHR T4 and increased visual merchandising props investment in key locations
- Increasing the frequency of promotional activities to support campaigns
- Driving footfall to its travel retail locations through a partnership with Condé Nast Traveller and collaboration with British Airways.
One of the key focuses last year for the Molton Brown team was the improvement of its in-store execution. Pluess says that the company has also been looking at ways to align the customer experience in travel retail with that ot ist stand-alond stores (SAA): “We are now able to offer our signature hand and arm massages in more locations in travel retail thanks to the sinks we have introduced as part of our refit program.
“We’ve been able to create exciting in-store theatre in key locations by investing in the same visual merchandising props and decoration as our SAS to bring to life our beautiful and compelling stories of exploration. This created a very positive environment for our products to perform with all our key categories and core blends being on a plus, and our new product development being very well received by our customers,” adds Pluess, citing the record-breaking launches for Molton Brown’s Dewy Lily of the Valley & Star Anise and Rosa Absolute collections last year.
Molton Brown will continue to pursue its strategy of international travel retail and duty free expansion, with a particular interest in looking at opportunities to strengthen its collaboration with key partners such as Dufry and Lagardère to meet its objective to be featured in the top 20 airports by 2020.
The company will also be looking to expand its business in North America, Pluess told TMI during a meeting in Cannes.
