Zeroing in on travel retail’s light luggage potential

Many businesses have stories behind them, but few more poignant than that of first time TFWA WE exhibitor CabinZero and its founder/CEO Neil Varden. Two victorious battles with cancer – the second despite the most ominous of diagnoses – saw Neil leave his IT profession vowing that he would only ever work for himself in future. After trying a number of businesses, with varying success, in 2012 he found himself in the bags business.

 “I’d travelled extensively around India and knew from personal experience the importance of lightweight bags that were also really tough and practical. It was also at the time when airlines were really heavy on the one-bag, correct size, specific weight rule – putting the two things together seemed like a good idea, and hence CabinZero was born,” says Varden,

The result was a range of stylish travel-inspired bags of various sizes and colours ranging from cabin-sized models weighing in at just 600 g. “Cabin-bag allowances can start at just 5kg with some airlines, so minimising weight and maximising storage capacity is key,” explains Varden. “The majority of short-trip/weekend break passengers on low-cost airlines are carrying everything in their hand-luggage, so again light, tough, practical bags of the right dimensions are critical. CabinZero bags are made for ‘zero hassle’ when travelling.”

Wind on a few years and Varden’s business has taken off with more than 1200 points of sale in more than 30 countries and an ever-growing fan base on social media. Importantly, Varden has realised the importance of travel retail, not just as a showcase for the CabinZero brand, but also as an important sales channel in its own right.

“It’s a channel that we’re really focusing on now, and while luggage tends to be associated more with land-side shops at airports, we think there’s a lot of untapped potential airside, as well as with other channels such as downtown/border stores and cruise ships/ferries. People shop at the airport, during the holiday; everyone invariably brings back more than they left with, so the opportunity to buy an additional bag that’s light and durable is relevant.”

CabinZero bags come in four different volume sizes to fit any airline’s luggage standard with choices of side or top handle, or rucksack style. Up to 23 colours are available, along with a Flags design, catering for all tastes from ultra-modern to conservative. The range also includes Cabin Cubes for compartmentalising products inside bags and a wide range of hip bags. All bags include lost and found tags and come with a 10-year guarantee (upgraded to 25 years with a Facebook like).

“Hip bags are also very much back in trend with young people and ours – in 12 colours - are selling like hot cakes at the moment; they’re definitely a perfect offer for travel retail both sides of passport control.”

CabinZero has exhibited at TFWA Asia Pacific for the past two years and has just learned it has been accepted to exhibit in Cannes this year. “We’re delighted to be present for the first time at TFWA World Exhibition. On balance there aren’t that many luggage companies exhibiting in Cannes, and it is a relevant category,” he says. “We received a lot of interest at the Singapore show, which we’re still following up on, so it’s definitely worth exhibiting.”

To date the brand has achieved distribution at a number of airports including Amsterdam Schiphol, Brunei International, Rome Fiumicino, Manila Ninoy Aquino, Singapore Changi,  and Shannon. Frankfurt joins the list from October. CabinZero has a particularly good partnership with Excess Baggage which has recently listed the brand at Toronto Pearson, where they sold out in the first two weeks. Along with Barcelona, Madrid, Copenhagen, Dublin and London Heathrow, CabinZero is described as “one of our highest performing brands” by Excess Baggage Retail Director Maire Elliott. CabinZero will also feature in Excess Baggage’s new popup store opening airside at Gatwick North later this year.

Varden says the company is so committed to travel retail development that it’s developing an FSDU specifically aimed at airside retail locations and is also looking at products more geared towards in-flight sale. “In the meantime, we’re advertising on easyJet boarding passes offering a discount code – it’s a great way to raise brand awareness and will be interesting to see the uptake,” he adds.

“We’ve got some very innovative ideas going forward and are definitely in this business for the long term,” he says. “We’re expanding fast and that means also growing our travel retail team, either with full time staff or possibly agents and distributors for certain regions. It’s a very exciting time.” CabinZero will be exhibiting in the Green Village H56.

https://www.cabinzero.com/pages/spring-summer-18