Partnership drives success for LS Travel Retail and SERVAIR

As 2011, one of its most successful years of growth, came to an end, LS travel retail closed the year with another contract signed – the Duty Free concession at Roland Garros Airport, La Réunion, in the Indian Ocean.

The latest win for LS travel retail goes to its European division, Europe, Middle East & Africa (EMEA) after it closed its strategic JV partnership with Servair, the world’s thirdlargest operator in Inflight catering and Food&Beverage.

LS travel retail and Servair jointly answered the public tender for the Duty Free store at La Réunion and were awarded the concession contract starting from 1st December 2011. The duty free multi-store of 225 sqm will be selling Spirits, Tobacco, Perfumes & Cosmetics and Confectionery and will also feature a locally-focussed product zone with a selection of local rums and punches.

LS travel retail and Servair joined forces, Servair’s expertise and local operational support complementing LS travel retail’s exceptional global competencies in optimising this travel retail opportunity through its specialist duty free division, Aelia, This new multi-store will operate under Aelia Duty Free brand.

Vincent Romet, COO of LS travel retail EMEA, welcomes the new contract and the consolidation of the partnership with Servair: “We are proud and delighted to be selected by SA Aeroport de La Réunion Roland Garros to operate the Duty Free store. In addition, the partnership with Servair is ideally suited to optimizing this opportunity at Roland Garros and provides a powerful platform to launch our shared growth ambitions in the Indian Ocean and Africa.”

LS travel retail and Servair have a long-established relationship, notably through an existing JV in the inflight sector. Claude Thenevin, Servair’s Executive Vice President Sales, Marketing and Innovation, is confident that the shared win at La Réunion has given the partnership a new dimension: “We are delighted to work with LS travel retail and develop the skills and experience of each company to create a splendid travel retail experience at La Réunion. We are all focused on creating a tailored retail experience that will drive commercial performance. I am convinced that our partnership will help both companies to further develop their presence in the region.”

La Réunion, east of Madagascar, is expected to reach traffic in excess of 2 million for 2011 vs. 1.7 million in 2010. The airport has achieved impressive growth rates over the past few years, notably through new routes across Asia Pacific. In the near future, the airport management has also exciting plans to further develop the infrastructure at La Réunion in order to be able to welcome the A380.