Blue Chip Group targets travel retail expansion for its emerging Korean brands

Asian travel retail distribution company Blue Chip Group is aiming to expand its business with existing and new travel retailers following its debut at this year’s TFWA Asia Pacific Exhibition.

The company, which specialises in travel retail distribution of emerging Asian – in particular Korean – brands, also offers advertising and media, e-commerce and logistics services. Its headquarters are in Hong Kong and has offices in Shanghai, Seoul and Singapore.

At TFWA Asia Pacific, Blue Chip Group highlighted leading Korean beauty brands CLIO, SNP, Jayjun and Papa Recipe. Colour cosmetics brand CLIO ran an advertising campaign at Singapore Changi Airport to drive traffic to the distributor’s stand at the show. Blue Chip Group also represents Banila co, Missha, Dr Jart + and Atopalm among other brands.

Blue Chip Group Vice President Flora Lee said: “The show was very successful, we had a number of meetings with prospective business partners and operators and it proves that Korean beauty is in strong demand from the market.”

Blue Chip Group has been the main distributor of Korean beauty brands to DFS Group since 2014. It has launched more than 20 brands in 22 DFS stores around the world, including T Galleria Siem Reap, T Galleria Cairns, T Galleria Hawaii, Hong Kong International Airport, San Francisco International Airport and Ho Chi Minh Airport.

The company also partners with Shilla Duty Free, Dufry, Shenzhen Duty Free and China National Service Corporation for Chinese Personnel Working Abroad (CNSC).

Blue Chip Group has recently launched Jayjun, Papa Recipe and Guerisson at Duty Free Americas’ Venetian Macau Resort Hotel stores. In Q3 of 2017, it will launch Leaders and Mediheal with Dufry onboard the Norwegian Joy cruise ship and will make its move into the inflight channel with Banila co.

The company said it is targeting key Chinese customers on the Hong Kong/China border with a partnership with Free Duty at Lok Ma Chau railway station. Four beauty brands, including CLIO, are available there.

Lee added: “This year, we have set the company objective to expand the business with existing travel retail operators as well as new partners, and to enrich their brand profiles, not limited to Korean or Asian brands but also to develop worldwide quality brands. That is why we finally made our first appearance at TFWA Asia Pacific.”