Havaianas, the world’s most famous flip flop brand, is eyeing a rapid expansion in travel retail after celebrating a hugely successful debut week at the TFWA World Exhibition in Cannes.
The vibrant Asia Pacific market is a key focus for this, led by a 10sqm pop-up which opened at Changi International Airport, Singapore, earlier this month.
Exhibiting at the TFWA World Exhibition in Cannes marked Havaianas’ first appearance at travel retail’s biggest event and the team welcomed a huge number of visitors to the stand to discover Havaianas’ iconic Brazil flag flip flops alongside new additions to the You St Tropez and Brazil Slide lines.
In May next year, the company will return to the TFWA Asia Pacific event in Singapore to exhibit for the second time and the region is a key focus, with Havaianas planning seven new travel retail outlets there before the end of the year.
Havaianas President EMEA Guillaume Prou says: “Our travel retail business is a huge part of Havaianas’ strategy going forward. This brand is perfect for travellers as our product is both a travel essential and a stylish gift and it fits into any case.
“Asia Pacific is a vital market for us and we aim to increase our existing 31 travel retail outlets there to reach 50 by the end of next year.”
Reaction to the brand’s debut appearance in Cannes last month was excellent, with buyers and visitors delighted with the Havaianas range.
The brand is now focusing on creating high-quality stores at key locations, following the success of standalone outlets at London Gatwick and Bali Ngurah Rai International airports.
Prou explains: “Travel retail is a key market for us and a great opportunity for growth for Havaianas. The TFWA World Exhibition was the perfect launchpad for the next phase of our growth within this sector.
“The reaction to both the brand and our products has surpassed all our expectations and we are now excited about our plans to develop within this sector in the coming year.”
