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Following its success at the TFWA World Exhibition & Conference 2024 in Cannes, Sterling Perfumes, one of the largest and leading perfume companies in the Middle East, has detailed its blueprint for the future. With a variety of new products and expansion in the duty free and travel retail sector slated, the pioneer in the art of fragrance has plans to capitalise on the momentum gained at the show.

Mr. Gautam Siyal, Executive Director, said that the company’s experience at Cannes was incredibly positive and that the team took away a number of learnings from their time on the French Riviera. “We very much appreciate the potential of the travel retail sector, and we are now investing heavily in supporting our growth in this important market, starting this month with our attendance at MEADFA in Abu Dhabi. Then our first focus in 2025 will be the TFWA Asia Pacific Exhibition & Conference in Singapore in May.”

Travel retail exclusives will be a key pillar in Sterling Perfumes’ product portfolio. The company recognises that while travelling, customers are looking to gift or find for themselves something different that is not seen anywhere else, while products associated with a particular destination can be important for customers looking for a special gift for those at home or a souvenir of their trip. Solid perfume products are also well suited to the travel retail market.

The desire for more sustainable products is also an essential consideration in the company’s development, and Vineet Garmella, Marketing Communications Manager, believes travel packs will lose market share to larger packaging sizes. And while customers are happy to spend in travel retail, they also want to see value. With a vast spectrum of over a quarter of a million products manufactured daily, Sterling Perfumes is well placed to bring value to the travel retail operator. “Cannes is very representative of the global nature of our business, and it’s important to understand that each region has its own needs and preferences. For example, more commercial ranges will be appropriate for certain countries, while fragrance profiles that we see are popular in the Middle East may be different to those that are well received in Europe, so tailoring a brand mix to those requirements is essential. We have the significant product range to be able to do this.”

Sterling Perfume’s aspirations don’t stop at fragrance, and the company is also looking at haircare and skincare launches. “We have considerable expertise in this area, and this is definitely an area for potential expansion in the future.”

Plans for that future will be carefully considered. “We don’t want to make a splash and then disappear,” concludes Gautam Siyal. “We’re here for the long-term.”