Introduction: As KOSÉ Holdings Corporation marks its 80th anniversary, KOSÉ Travel Retail President and CEO Hiroto Kitaki reflects on the division’s evolving role within the global beauty landscape.
In this opinion piece, he outlines how a sharpened focus on alignment, experiential retail and sustainability is shaping the next phase of growth.
With fiscal 2026 framed around “newness” and the principles of 3E, Kitaki sets out a long-term vision that positions travel retail not simply as a channel, but as a catalyst for lifelong brand connection.
On the occasion of the 80th anniversary of our parent company, KOSÉ Holdings Corporation, I would like to express my sincere and heartfelt gratitude for your generous and continued support.
This milestone marks more than just a celebration of our rich heritage; it serves as a moment for KOSÉ Travel Retail (KTR) to reaffirm our commitment to evolving into an organisation that will lead the industry into the next 100 years.
In fiscal year 2025, we achieved three major milestones symbolising our growth strategy:
Evolution of global campaigns: Centred on DECORTÉ brand’s hero product Liposome, we launched multi-faceted campaigns across duty-free shops, in-flight sales and hotel amenities, linking our infrastructure with local operations worldwide.
This allowed us to deliver the brand’s core philosophy across languages and cultures, giving us strong confidence in our ability to cultivate future loyal customers.
Advancement of SEKKISEI SAVE the BLUE project: We elevated this iconic environmental conservation activity into a unique travel retail initiative in Hainan, China and Okinawa, Japan.
The cross-divisional project in Okinawa, spanning travel retail, amenities and local sales offices, led us to a firm conviction that this represents a signature KTR marketing method.
Simultaneous launch at three North American airports: In September, we hosted large-scale DECORTÉ pop-ups at Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York John F. Kennedy international airports.
The high level of support received – not only from Japanese travellers but also from customers across the west, Middle East and Asia – serves as a vital ‘prologue’ to our full-scale expansion in the North American duty-free market.
Beauty without borders
Our vision is to make every encounter during travel the starting point of lifelong beauty – delivering the finest experiences to the world as a globally radiant ‘Lifelong Beauty Partner’.
In the uplifting and special moments of travel, we connect with our customers through their skin and touch their hearts.
In an increasingly digital world, we believe the emotional resonance born from face-to-face “direct human connection” provides essential value that AI can never replace.
For fiscal year 2026, our keywords are ‘newness’ and ‘3E’.
We are currently in phase two of our 2024-2027 roadmap. Against the backdrop of a thriving global tourism industry, we are further strengthening DECORTÉ, centred in the Asian market, while simultaneously pursuing a full-scale entry into western duty-free markets and establishing a strong presence for our amenity business within Japan.
This year, we are specifically focused on the newness perspective. We will continue to challenge ourselves to surpass past successes by embodying the 3E principles:
Exclusive: Providing unique value found only in travel retail and amenities
Experience: Creating unforgettable customer experiences through bespoke services and events
Environment: Advancing sustainable business activities and addressing Sustainable Development Goals
To achieve our ambitious goals for 2030, meaningful co-creative dialogue with industry leaders is essential.
“One travel retail, one amenity and one KTR – united as one KOSÉ.”
By working towards a shared goal with our diverse stakeholders and transforming differences in perspective into the ‘spice’ that refines our value, I look forward to forging new paths together.
To remain the one-and-only partner for travellers worldwide for the next 100 years, we hope to reach even greater heights alongside you all. ✈
