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We collaborate with Travel Retail’s leading trade press and media.
How catering to foodies is reinvigorating travel retail
Thomas Kaneko Henningsen, Partner at Blueprint, describes how the rise of compelling food & beverage concepts is reshaping the airport experience as we know it.
How are digitalisation and artificial intelligence impacting the travel retail customer journey?
In this new series of features in collaboration with Blueprint, company partner, Thomas Kaneko Henningsen details how the use of AI is rapidly increasing in domestic markets, but travel retail is still catching up
Blueprint on digital natives driving a new travel retail
Positioned as a “business development consultancy,” Blueprint combines expertise in strategy, knowledge transfer and collaborative innovation to help airports, operators, and brands respond to evolving consumer demands. Blueprint’s approach in the travel retail industry goes beyond the traditional consultancy model.
AI transforms retail loss prevention at Amsterdam Schiphol
An AI-powered theft detection system at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport has recovered over €163,000 (US$172,000) in retail sales between April and September 2024, based on more than 50 in-store theft detections. The groundbreaking system, developed by Veesion and implemented by TRSS, sets a new standard for retail security in the travel sector.
Video Interview: “Digitalisation and AI will fundamentally reshape travel retail” says Blueprint
During the TFWA World Exhibition in Cannes (30 September to 3 October), Blueprint Partners’ Karl Walter, Thomas Kaneko Henningsen and Sonja Soskic joined The Moodie Davitt Report Senior Reporter Ameesha Raizada for an exclusive interview.
The trio highlighted Blueprint’s collaborative approach to helping airports, operators and brands navigate market shifts, as well as the importance of understanding new consumer groups such as Gen Z and Alpha.
Why experiential retail matters more than ever
The travelling consumer has changed significantly since the pandemic and duty free operators need to adapt to significantly different buying habits and demands. Among the latter is a growing thirst for immersive experiences, especially among Gen Z.
Sign-ups gather pace for experiential retail workshop in Cannes
Blueprint and m1nd-set have reported that seats are selling fast for the EX.CEL Experiential Retail Workshop in Cannes, reinforcing the ‘significance of experiential retail and the drive to better understand its impact on shopper behaviour is strongly resonating with the global travel retail industry’.
Blueprint says TR industry finding innovative strategies to engage Gen Z
The travel retail industry is actively experimenting with approaches to effectively engage Gen Z travelers, with several industry stakeholders at the forefront of adopting innovative strategies to cater to Gen Z’s evolving demands and preferences, according to Blueprint Partners Thomas Kaneko Henningsen and Karl Walter.
How are digitalisation and artificial intelligence impacting the travel retail customer journey?
In this new series of features in collaboration with Blueprint, company partner, Thomas Kaneko Henningsen details how the use of AI is rapidly increasing in domestic markets, but travel retail is still catching up
Food For Thought: What’s next for customer loyalty in travel retail?
Norwegian technology company Fast Travel has teamed up with travel retail business development agency Blueprint to introduce a taxi booking platform designed to simplify the traveller experience.
Fast Travel to expand taxi booking platform to more locations after successful launch at Oslo Airport
Norwegian technology company Fast Travel has teamed up with travel retail business development agency Blueprint to introduce a taxi booking platform designed to simplify the traveller experience.
Spend a workday with… Blueprint’s Thomas Kaneko Henningsen
Thomas Kaneko Henningsen joined the travel retail industry in 2000 and today is Partner at business development consultancy Blueprint. Here, he gives us a glimpse of a typical workday, from client deliverables to lunchtime runs on the beach…
TRBusiness: “Blueprint & Hanse help Messyweekend secure trio of inflight retail listings”
Accessible eyewear brand Messyweekend has secured inflight retail listings with Eurowings, Discover Airlines and Marabu Airlines, aided by its travel retail partners Blueprint and Hanse Distribution.
The Danish handcrafted eyewear house, established in Copenhagen, has major plans for travel retail in 2024 as it seeks to establish itself as the go-to brand for accessibly priced lifestyle eyewear.
“We are thrilled that Messyweekend has been listed onboard Eurowings, Discover Airlines and Marabu Airlines,” said Hanse Distribution’s Sales Director Inflight Jakob Barthe.
This was followed by QAEZ International and on-board Lufthansa last year, with the help of German partner Hanse Distribution.
The brand now has further inflight listings in the pipeline and is also targeting airports and cruise ships, with Southeast Asia, Canada, Mexico and Brazil on the hit list.
TRBusiness: “How Messy Weekend is to clean up in TR”
known for its affordable Scandinavian designed eyewear, Copenhagen born MessyWeekend has earned a dedicated following for its designs, and the company's work in caring for the community and the planet. The brand launched in global travel retail in October 2022 in Gebr. Heinemann's main duty-free store at Copenhagen Airport (CPH), and has since gone on to achieve listings with Hanse Distribution and Amsterdam-based Qaez International. This is in addition to an exclusive collaboration with Norwegian, exhibiting at the 2023 TR Consumer Forum in Vienna (via the Blueprint stand), and its ocean cleaning efforts so far contributing towards removing 250 tonnes of plastic from the deep blue. Looking ahead, MessyWeekend, and its business development agency partner Blueprint, sees great potential for the brand in the channel.
TR Business: “Travel retail accelerator Blueprint launches Seed Capital investment arm”
Copenhagen born business development agency Blueprint is launching a new investment entity titled Seed Capital, to fund businesses that are passionate about travel retail and to encourage innovation and boost newness in the channel.
TR Business: “Gen Z travel retail workshop to take place ahead of TFWA Cannes”
Gen Z travel retail workshop to take place ahead of TFWA Cannes
The GenZ RedY workshop will take place on Sunday 1 October.
Blueprint and m1nd-set have teamed up to deliver a workshop for travel retail stakeholders on Generation Z consumers on Sunday 1 October in Cannes, ahead of the TFWA World Exhibition and Conference.
The GenZ RedY workshop will see the Copenhagen-based business development agency and Swiss industry research group share insights and exclusive data to help participants gain a better understanding of the Gen Z consumer segment.
“The workshop will provide exceptional insights and facilitate debates on how Gen Z consumers will shape travel retail shopping in the coming years,” said m1nd-set owner and CEO, Peter Mohn.
“Each participant will receive exclusive Gen Z data as part of the package.”
TRBUSINESS: “Blueprint reveals strategy for helping clients get a big break in the TR industry”
A one-stop shop for consulting, distribution, advisory board and business angel investments, Blueprint, which was founded in 2016, is achieving its core vision to assist companies with accelerating their travel retail businesses.
“Clients may need go-to-market strategies, commercial sparring, advisory board support and investments whereas others seek insights on how travel retail customers will shop in airports and onboard cruises the coming years,” said Henningsen.
“This broad spectrum of capabilities allow us take on a smaller projects like vetting pricing strategies and product development while also being able to develop and execute travel retail go-to-market strategies.”
Its experienced team has supported a wide range of clients from start-ups to market leaders across all categories, including Wolford, Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein, MessyWeekend, Summerbird, Rawbite, Simply Chocolate, BitMore, GreyLime, among others.
TRBUSINESS: Bitmore builds GTR presence through Blueprint and BORN Nordic tie-ups
Consumer technology and accessories brand Bitmore has partnered with consulting firm Blueprint and tech distributor BORN Nordic to expand its footprint in Global Travel Retail across the Nordic region.
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