Introduction: Scent of Africa Founder Tanal Ghandour believes modern niche fragrance is defined not by scale or distribution, but by originality of vision, craftsmanship and the ability to offer consumers a genuine sense of discovery.
For the Ghanaian fragrance house, that distinction lies in translating Africa’s cultural heritage, landscapes and legends into a luxury fragrance proposition that remains underrepresented on the global stage.
In this interview, Ghandour explores the role fragrance brands such as Scent of Africa can play in engaging Gen Z travellers. He explains why immersive merchandising, digital content and product discovery are critical to bringing their stories to life in travel environments. He also addresses how the challenge of scaling in travel retail is determined by balancing accessibility with exclusivity and a distinct point of view.
As the niche fragrance segment becomes increasingly crowded, the boundaries between independent, artisanal and prestige beauty have become less distinct.
Scent of Africa Founder Tanal Ghandour explains how the Ghanaian fragrance house approaches the category as it strives to be more than a product on a shelf.
“Niche beauty brands are not defined by size or distribution anymore,” Ghandour says. “What sets the real ones apart today is originality of vision, depth of storytelling and a genuine commitment to craftsmanship over mass appeal.
“For us at Scent of Africa, provenance is everything,” he adds. “Our fragrances are rooted in Africa’s cultural heritage, landscapes and legends – a luxury fragrance perspective that is still underrepresented in global beauty.
“The more competitive this space gets, the more authenticity matters. Consumers today are looking for brands with a real identity and a story worth telling, alongside products that offer a genuine sense of discovery, not just another product on a shelf.”
With younger travellers increasingly shaping beauty trends and purchasing behaviour, Ghandour considers how niche brands can turn travel retail’s discovery-led environment into a platform for meaningful engagement.
He explains: “Younger travellers want products that reflect who they are, not just what everyone else is buying. They are drawn to brands that feel authentic, culturally rich and emotionally engaging. That’s exactly where niche brands such as Scent of Africa have the advantage.
“At Scent of Africa, storytelling isn’t a marketing add-on, it’s the foundation of every fragrance we create,” he adds.
“Travel retail is the perfect environment to tell these stories, because shoppers are already in discovery mode. To really capture their attention though, brands need to go beyond the shelf and leverage strong visual merchandising, captivating brand imagery, digital content and real opportunities to sample and learn.
“Above all, Gen Z wants cultural relevance,” he adds. “They want to know where the product comes from, who made it, and why it matters. That depth of narrative builds a stronger connection than luxury alone ever could.”
Leading this narrative-driven approach is the Akua’ba collection, a line which strengthens the brand’s focus on bringing African stories, materials and cultural perspectives to contemporary fine fragrance.
The collection pays homage to Thiouraye, the West African tradition of warming fragrant woods, resins and spices to perfume the body, clothing and home. Scent of Africa reinterprets this ritual through fine fragrance, linking the transformation of aromatic materials with different stages of love.
The line’s sculptural flacon is inspired by the Akua’ba, the fertility figure of Ghana’s Akan culture associated with fertility, hope and beauty. The brand is previewing the range at the upcoming TFWA World Exhibition in Cannes.
Reflecting on what emerging fragrance houses must get right to achieve sustainable growth in travel retail, Ghandour says: “Balancing exclusivity with accessibility is probably the biggest one.
“Niche brands earn their reputation through differentiation and carefully curated distribution, but travel retail demands real visibility, investment and operational capability across multiple locations at once.
“For emerging luxury brands like ours, awareness matters just as much,” he adds. “Established heritage brands already have recognition on their side, while newer niche brands have to work harder to help retailers and consumers understand the story, the ingredients, and what actually sets us apart.
“Supply chain resilience is another challenge that’s easy to underestimate. As you expand internationally, keeping quality, consistency and service levels high really matters, without losing the qualities that made the brand successful in the first place.” ✈
