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Travel Food Services operates a strong portfolio of F&B brands at Indian airports; now it hopes its alliance with LS travel retail will extend its influence in the market |
INDIA. LS travel retail, one of the major global players in travel retail, and leading Indian F&B services provider Travel Food Services (TFS), have announced a strategic partnership in India.
The companies said their ambition was two-fold: they will form a joint venture to bid for the major duty free tender opportunities at the Indian airports of Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai and Bangalore, as well as pursuing other new developments.
In addition, TFS will exclusively develop the Lagardère-owned Relay stores franchise in the country, in airports, metros or railway stations, with LS travel retail supporting it with operational management and category expertise.
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“We intend to be a leading player in three key continents, with a focus on the Asia Pacific region.“ |
Dag Rasmussen Chairman & CEO Lagardère Services |
As a first milestone for the new partnership, TFS has been awarded the concession for three Relay branded stores at Terminal 1D in Indira Gandhi International Airport. The stores, respectively covering 105sq m (airside), 32sq m (Arrival) and 20sq m (check-in) will retail books, press (magazines & newspapers), souvenirs, convenience and impulse products amongst a diverse merchandising mix.
Relay serves more than 1 million customers on a daily basis through its 1,300 locations in more than 20 countries (at 130 airports and in railways and metros).
Dag Rasmussen, Chairman and CEO of Lagardère Services, said: “We intend to be a leading player in three key continents, with a focus on the Asia Pacific region. India, one of the fast growing economies in Asia is a burgeoning market with limitless possibilities.
“Our partnership with TFS, a leader in travel-focused food and beverage operations in India, with strong expertise of the travel retail sector in India and knowledge of the customers in this country, coupled with LS Travel Retail’s global expertise in duty free, news and convenience, and local operational excellence; we believe it will be a powerhouse of success for the region. I’d like to express my thanks to Sunil Kapur and the TFS team for sharing our forward-thinking approach in our duty free and travel retail developments.”
LS travel retail ASPAC COO Emmanuel de Place added: “The tender win opens new opportunities for us in the subcontinent. We are excited with this new beginning of LS travel retail ASPAC in India – a country of great potential. We are also delighted to partner with TFS which has established a leadership position in the travel retail space and look forward to leveraging our respective strengths and our association as we progress.
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“This partnership in a new geographical landmark gives LS travel retail an opportunity to combine our best retail solutions and to offer unique services to create an environment to go beyond travellers’ expectations. Together with our consumer insights, retail skills and strength of our local partners, we are determined to achieve exceptional results and meet our global ambitions in duty free.”
“This partnership with LS travel retail ASPAC is an extension of our focus areas and is in line with our vision to consolidate our position as a leading player in the travel retail segment,” said TFS Chairman Sunil Kapur.
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“This partnership is in line with our vision to consolidate our position as a leading player in the travel retail segment.“ |
Sunil Kapur Chairman Travel Food Services |
“Books, magazines and newspapers have always been considered essential items for travellers and are amongst the best-selling products at ports of travel. Relay’s concept has been very well received in some of the most prominent travel-based locations across the world and we’re confident that the brand will meet with a good response at Terminal 1D of IGIA. We also look forward to rolling out a large number of Relay branded stores across the country and deepening our relationship with LS travel retail by bidding for duty free outlets at travel retail locations nationwide.”
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LS travel retail has built some strong momentum in duty free, having recently acquired AdR Retail, the current operator of duty free/duty paid concessions (eight stores) at Rome’s airports. It also acquired the duty free activities of Unimex in Prague with the opening of 15 stores, it has a new joint venture with Lyon St Exupery Airport to form Aelia Lyon Duty Free; it opened Aelia Duty Free in Noumea and had the recent opening of Hugo Boss’s mono-brand concession at Changi Airport.
Further upcoming developments in Asia Pacific include the launch of four major fashion concessions in China, a new luxury fashion development in Malaysia and an expansion of the award-winning concept store, So Chocolate, at Changi and Hong Kong International airports.
LS travel retail also recently acquired Duty Free Stores Wellington’s (DFSWL) and took over duty free operations at Gold Coast and Adelaide airports in Australia, and Queenstown, Dunedin, Hamilton and Rotorua airports in New Zealand, including the company’s online duty free business and downtown Hamilton store.
Travel Food Services (TFS) was founded in 2009 by Sunil Kapur, and is one of the largest F&B operators in the fast growing travel infrastructure sector in India, catering to over 50 million passengers a year.
TFS operates concessions across airports including Mumbai, Delhi, Cochin and Trivandrum. The company has created a large portfolio of brands to cater to consumers at travel locations including proprietary brands Dilli Streat, Terminal F, Cafeccino, Idli.com, Curry Kitchen, Noodle Wok, Swich as well as global names such as KFC, Domino’s Pizza, Haagen-Dazs, and Subway. TFS is now also a joint venture partner of Gate Gourmet in India for inflight catering opportunities onboard low cost carriers in the country, and caters to over 500 flights a day for the Jet Airways network.
