The Bluebell Group is bolstering its China operations with the full acquisition of Star Brands Travel Retail, a travel retail operator in the country’s Hainan duty free hub. 

A leading brand operator and distributor in Asia, The Bluebell Group is now the sole owner of Star Brands Travel Retail.

The new entity, part of Bluebell China, presents an attractive proposition for brands that are already present or looking to enter the Hainan travel retail market, with its wide range of brand operation and management services.

The move paves the way for the Bluebell China travel retail team to ‘leverage the Group’s leadership in travel retail and a long history of partnership with global brands, together with the existing brands portfolio initiated by Star Brands Asia, local China expertise and an on the ground team’.

Through this, the Bluebell China travel retail team will work to facilitate local operations and help brands to navigate the travel retail opportunity that Hainan represents for them in China’s local duty-free market.

“We are excited to now be fully operational in China and accelerate the potential of the China travel retail opportunity for our brand partners,” said Bluebell Greater China Managing Director Samy Redjeb.

“Thanks to the great groundwork by the Star Brands Travel Retail team over the past two years, we have a strong versatile local team, two offices and resources on the ground for store construction and VM project management in partnership with Sina Retail.

“Our aim now is to expand our promise of retail excellence in the local China travel retail market for the success of our brand partners.”

Bluebell China’s services in Hainan include ‘entry into the major duty free retailers on the island’, business planning, retail management and staff training, image and marketing management, digital amplification and retail store development.

“The Bluebell Group’s full acquisition of Star Brands Travel Retail is a natural evolution of our long term partnership in China,” said Rob Robertson, Founder and CEO of Star Brands Asia.

“Over the past two years, the Star Brands Asia team built the travel retail business, Star Brands Travel Retail, through our local expertise and understanding of the Chinese market.

“We have put in place an outstanding team, forged local relationships and developed a diverse portfolio of brands, and will remain involved to support a seamless transition and develop synergies with our Star Brands Asia domestic business.”