CHINA. Rémy Cointreau Global Travel Retail has partnered with China Duty Free Group (CDFG) to open the first standalone airport pop-up store in Asia from the House of Rémy Martin, at Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport. The 36sq m pop-up is running for six months through to June, and lies adjacent to the CDFG main store, which opened in December 2018.
The pop-up showcases the Rémy Martin range of Fine Champagne Cognacs, with a focus on the super-premium Rémy Martin XO. The space features hardwood floors and oak panels with Champagne gold finishes. A golden Centaur statue [In China, Rémy Martin is known as ‘Rén Tóu Ma’ or the centaur -Ed] welcomes guests, who then move into “a multi-sensorial nosing and tasting experience”.
A tasting table is the centrepiece, featuring an offering of grapes, walnuts and white roses, fresh fruit and chalk stones, dried figs and apricot, cinnamon and cloves, as visitors are invited to sample the flavours and aromas of Rémy Martin XO. A dedicated team guides travellers through the world of Rémy Martin Cognacs and food pairings.
Guests can personalise the bottle-neck of Rémy Martin XO purchased, or use the pop-up’s giftwrapping service. The personalisation and gifting service sits in middle of a heritage area which communicates the story of Rémy Martin’s roots: its terroir at the heart of Cognac; the talent and work of Cellar Master Baptiste Loiseau; and the impact of time in producing fine Champagne Cognacs.
Rémy Cointreau Managing Director Global Travel Retail Asia Pacific Adam Hamzah commented: “This pop-up heralds a major milestone for the House of Rémy Martin, unveiling a new expression of our deep commitment to bring story-telling, experience and our roots to the travel retail channel in China and the wider Asia Pacific region.
“Rémy Martin’s Centaur emblem represents the philosophy to keep our head in the stars while our feet remain firmly on the ground. This is symbolic of our partnership with CDFG too, as we work together on a shared vision to bring exceptional moments to our clients and proactively grow the community of fine Cognac connoisseurs in China and beyond.”
China Duty Free Group President Charles Chen said: “CDFG is delighted to collaborate on this Asia-first with Rémy Cointreau and the House of Rémy Martin. Rén Tóu Ma” (人头马) is a brand synonymous with excellence in travel retail. Offering new and unique experiences and services to our shoppers is a key focus for CDFG, and we are extremely pleased to have partnered with Rémy Martin in creating this experience.”
House of Rémy Martin Executive Brand Director Augustin Depardon added: “The pop-up store at Hangzhou reflects the true culture of excellence that Rémy Martin is renowned for worldwide. In a fresh, dynamic and highly engaging format, it represents an excellent opportunity to reach and engage with millions of clients over an extended period, generating significant buzz and excitement in one of the largest and dynamic cognac markets in the world.”
Hangzhou Xiaoshan is among the fastest growing airports in Asia, with a 12.8% increase in passenger numbers year-on-year in 2018.
