“Airports are becoming the biggest discovery zones for consumers,” says ARMAF Director – Strategy & Business Development Evarist Rego, as he outlines growing opportunities for the fragrance brand in travel retail.
Speaking to The Moodie Davitt Report Managing Editor Ameesha Raizada at the recent TFWA World Exhibition in Cannes, Rego discusses ARMAF’s travel retail ambitions, its success in the Gulf and plans to strengthen the brand’s presence in Europe and beyond.
ARMAF has built an increasingly global following led by its bestselling Club de Nuit fragrance franchise. Having established a strong presence across the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council), particularly in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, the company is now placing greater emphasis on travel retail as a strategic growth channel.
Rego points to changing consumer behaviour as an important factor in the brand’s success, with travellers increasingly willing to experiment with unfamiliar fragrances.
“When they get into the perfumery zone, they look for products which are more exclusive or limited, something they can take back as a gift or souvenir,” he explains.
He also credits the growing influence of social media and a shift towards value-conscious purchasing for introducing ARMAF to a wider audience.
“People were saying, ‘Why should I spend US$300 when I can get quality scents at US$50 or US$60?’ So that value-for-money realisation came in and, thanks to influencers who became our advocates, they are the ones who brought the end users closer to our brand and that’s where the success came in.”
The film also explores ARMAF’s latest fragrance launches, including Club de Nuit Intense Overdose developed with hugely popular Indian actor John Abraham, alongside new gifting formats and travel retail-focused product development.
Looking ahead, Rego believes the growing appeal of Gulf fragrance brands is beginning to change the conversation with retailers.
“They’ve also realised that, yes, we might need to keep the designer brands, but the numbers and volumes are going to come from brands like us.”
It’s a confident outlook from a company that, despite nearly three decades in the fragrance business, Rego believes is only at the beginning of its international journey. ✈
