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“It’s a fantastic result for Shilla. I am very proud of this achievement“ |
Jeong-Ho (Jason) Cha |
SOUTH KOREA. The Shilla Duty Free’s stunning victory in the Singapore Changi Airport perfumes & cosmetics tender this week has been hailed as a turning point in the Korean travel retail industry’s expansion on the international stage by Senior Executive Vice President and Head of The Shilla Duty Free, Jeong-Ho (Jason) Cha.
Speaking to The Moodie Report just after we broke Tuesday’s big news that Shilla (bidding as Shilla Travel Retail) had beaten off challenges from long-time incumbent Nuance-Watson (Singapore), World Duty Free Group and Lotte Duty Free, Cha told us: “It has come as really surprising news for the whole Korean travel retail industry and it will [rank] as a good achievement in terms of the future for Asian operators.”
He added: “As you know, we always focus on the Asia market so with this Changi business we will do our best to achieve our global [growth] strategy.”
Cha was speaking during an interview that will form part of a special edition of The Moodie Report e-Zine dedicated to the Changi results, to be published later today.
As revealed, Shilla and DFS (liquor & tobacco) were this week’s winners of two contests that have gripped the attention of the industry for many months.
“It’s a fantastic result for Shilla,” Cha said, “I am very proud of this achievement.”
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Ready to bloom: Shilla Travel Retail will introduce more than 70 new brands to the beauty category at Singapore Changi Airport (artist’s impression courtesy of Changi Airport Group) |
Cha said he was particularly delighted in the way that Changi Airport Group had recognised the quality of Shilla’s bid in its award statement. In the beauty category, CAG said that passengers can look forward to a “strong and diverse” product line-up. Shilla Travel Retail will introduce more than 70 new brands at Changi Airport, including Jo Malone, Nars, Giorgio Armani Cosmetics, Clé de Peau, Darphin, Repetto and Karl Lagerfeld plus Korean names such as Missha, Etude House and The Face Shop.
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These two shots of Shilla’s flagship downtown store in central Seoul tell a dual story of the importance of Chinese customers and of high-end skincare brands, notably those from South Korea |
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“We know the Chinese customers and other Asia customers so well because we are doing so much business with them at Incheon International Airport [pictured above and below] and downtown,” says Jason Cha |
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CAG added: “There will also be innovative experiential offerings in-store, including beauty cafes, where passengers can enjoy a cup of tea while choosing the perfect shade of make-up, spa concepts providing beauty consultation and services, as well as a retail theatre for special promotions and product launches.
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A day of triumph and loss, delight and despair at Changi |
| While Champagne corks are popping in one company, elsewhere tears are shed and futures pondered. Don’t believe it was any different today. |
“These offer passengers an engaging retail experience that is at the same time, personalised and exclusive.”
In addition to its beauty concession, Shilla Travel Retail’s affiliate, Samsung Group, will introduce the world’s first standalone Samsung retail boutique in an airport, at T3.
CAG commented: “A leading global brand for mobile lifestyle electronics that is highly sought-after by consumers, the Samsung boutique will be an exciting addition to the range of lifestyle electronics brands offered at Changi Airport.”
Cha said that besides the heavy emphasis on innovation in its Changi bid, Shilla benefited from its tremendous knowledge of Chinese customers (as well as Japanese and Koreans) and the sustained boom in sales of Korean cosmetics.
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Jason Cha pictured recently with Martin Moodie in Seoul |
“We know the Chinese customers and other Asia customers so well because we are doing so much business with them at Incheon International Airport and downtown,” he said.
“Right now Korean cosmetics are booming and we feel we are the best operator in the travel retail industry to propose them.”
FOOTNOTE: Look out for much more from Jason Cha and the Changi award results in today’s e-Zine. Cha will be attending The Trinity Forum next month in Bangkok, as will Michael Schriver (a speaker), DFS Group’s Chief Operating Officer and a driving force behind what is understood to be among the retailer’s most ambitious qualitative offers in its history.
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Another shot of Shilla’s acclaimed perfumes & cosmetics offer at Incheon International Airport, a key driver of the Korean gateway’s remarkable duty free success story |
