UK luggage, bag and accessories brand CabinZero is gearing up its travel retail presence.
The brand is a first-time exhibitor at the upcoming TFWA World Exhibition & Conference in Cannes (Green Village H56). CabinZero offers four volume sizes to fit any airline’s luggage standard, and side, top-handle or rucksack styles.
CabinZero products come in 23 colours and include a Flags design, Cabin Cubes for compartmentalising products inside bags, and hip bags. All bags include lost and found tags and come with a ten-year guarantee which can be upgraded to 25 years through a Facebook ‘like’.
CabinZero was founded by former IT professional Neil Varden in 2012. Varden based his brand’s development on his own travel experiences.
“I’d travelled extensively around India and knew from personal experience the importance of lightweight bags that were also really tough and practical. It was also at the time when airlines were really heavy on the one-bag, correct size, specific weight rule; putting the two things together seemed like a good idea, and hence CabinZero was born,” he said.
He focused on offering light, ‘zero hassle’ bags, with some cabin-sized models weighing only 600g.
“Cabin-bag allowances can start at just 5kg with some airlines, so minimising weight and maximising storage capacity is key. The majority of short-trip/weekend break passengers on low-cost airlines are carrying everything in their hand-luggage, so again light, tough, practical bags of the right dimensions are critical”
CabinZero products are available in over 1,200 points of sale in more than 30 countries and the brand boasts a growing fan base on social media.
Varden said that travel retail is important both as a brand showcase and as a key sales channel.
“It’s a channel that we’re really focusing on now, and while luggage tends to be associated more with landside shops at airports, we think there’s a lot of untapped potential airside, as well as with other channels such as downtown/border stores and cruise ships/ferries.
“People shop at the airport during the holiday; everyone invariably brings back more than they left with, so the opportunity to buy an additional bag that’s light and durable is relevant.”
CabinZero has exhibited at TFWA Asia Pacific for the past two years. “We’re delighted to be present for the first time at TFWA World Exhibition. On balance there aren’t that many luggage companies exhibiting in Cannes, and it is a relevant category,” Varden said.
The brand has secured distribution at several airports including Amsterdam Schiphol, Brunei International, Rome Fiumicino, Manila Ninoy Aquino, Singapore Changi and Shannon. Frankfurt Airport is expected to join the list from October.
CabinZero is described by Excess Baggage Retail Director Marie Elliott as one of the company’s “highest-performing brands”. It is listed with Excess Baggage at Toronto Pearson, Barcelona, Madrid, Copenhagen, Dublin and London Heathrow airports and will feature in Excess Baggage’s new pop-up store at Gatwick North airside later this year.
Varden said CabinZero is developing a Free Standing Display Unit for airside retail locations and is considering products geared for inflight sales.
“In the meantime, we’re advertising on easyJet boarding passes offering a discount code. It’s a great way to raise brand awareness and it will be interesting to see the uptake.
“We’ve got some very innovative ideas going forward and are definitely in this business for the long term. We’re expanding fast and that means also growing our travel retail team, either with full-time staff or possibly agents and distributors for certain regions. It’s a very exciting time,” Varden concluded.
