Metaxa targets a new generation

In an exciting development, Rémy Cointreau-owned Greek amber spirit brand Metaxa has entered the fast-growing ready-to-drink (RTD) category.

Two new canned cocktails are inspired by Greece: Peach Spritz and Ginger & Lime Long Drink.

This significant milestone seeks to reimagine the Metaxa experience for a new generation of consumers.

Metaxa's new RTD cocktail duo

The global RTD market is projected to surpass $50 billion by 2030, with the 23-25-year-old age group driving much of this growth. Metaxa’s RTD offer targets urban, socially active consumers in pursuit of authentic taste.

Each 250ml can combines Metaxa’s signature blend of aromatic Muscat wines, aged wine distillates and Mediterranean botanicals with natural fruit flavours, offering a fresh, lower-alcohol alternative for on-the-go enjoyment.

The 250ml cans echo the brand's popular classic cocktails, and are crafted for easy accessibility, with a playful, modern aesthetic that captures the vibrant spirit of Greece. Both cocktails contain 5%abv, catering to the growing demand for lower alcohol options.

Metaxa RTD is available in Greek duty free shops at airports in Athens, Rhodes, Chania and Heraklion.

“This RTD launch marks a pivotal moment for Metaxa, as we further evolve the brand to connect with a new, younger generation of consumers who value convenience, authenticity and bold flavour experiences,” enthused Rémy Cointreau Marketing Director Global Travel Retail Alice Hoffmann.

New limited-edition products

Metaxa 12 Stars Zeus Limited Edition is a new product targeted at younger legal-drinking age travellers. It features the same distinctive taste as the classic Metaxa 12 Stars, presented in a striking new contemporary bottle design. The concept references the Greek god of sky and thunder, and is positioned as the ideal choice to “light up the night partying”, the company said.

Metaxa 7 Stars Greek Riviera Limited Edition

Metaxa 7 Stars Greek Riviera Limited Edition is a new travel retail exclusive created for travellers who are seeking gifts and souvenirs that incorporate a taste of their summer holiday. This limited edition is available in selected airport doors including Greece, Germany, Romania, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Bulgaria, Finland, Latvia, Australia and the UAE.

In-store tastings led by brand ambassadors, price promotions and gwps are planned for airports in Athens, Thessaloniki, Heraklion and Rhodes from August through October. 

In August, to enhance visibility and encourage conversion, the new products are being supported by an integrated campaign in partnership with Avolta. Targeted promotions include free entrance for Club Avolta members to Liknon, the home of Metaxa, located on the island of Samos, and a lucky draw to win a Dinner in the Sky dining experience in Athens.

In addition, travellers who spend over €30 on Metaxa in selected airport stores are eligible to receive a free cocktail at participating bars in the Greek domestic market.

“These new editions enhance our portfolio by catering to a broader range of travelling consumer preferences,” said Hoffmann. “This summer plan is designed to immerse travellers in the world of Metaxa at every step of their journey, and strengthen brand loyalty by influencing purchasing behaviour, both in travel retail and beyond."

TFWA welcomes top brands to Cannes fair

Tax Free World Association (TFWA) is welcoming leading brands such as Hermès, Giorgio Armani, Coach, Zegna, Bally and Ralph Lauren to the 2025 TFWA World Exhibition & Conference.

This year’s fair takes place from 28 September to 2 October 2025 at the Palais des Festivals in Cannes.

Familiar names in luggage and leather goods such as Bally, Bric’s, Tumi, Samsonite and Delsey have also confirmed their participation in this year’s edition.

Powerhouses including Lacoste, Longchamp, Paul & Shark and Victorinox will have a bigger presence this year, while making a welcome return will be Furla, Napapijri and Coach, joining regular exhibitors Lancel, Coccinelle and Le Tanneur. A strong presence is also expected from leading eyewear groups including EssilorLuxottica, Safilo, Thélios, Marcolin and De Rigo.

The 2025 edition will also see a significant upswing in the number of brands showing at the Harbour Village with 30 official boats confirmed, up from 19 last year. For the first time, the Harbour Village will be fully integrated within the exhibition.

Top travel retailers including Avolta, Lagardère, Gebr Heinemann, 3Sixty, Dubai Duty Free and Qatar Duty Free have confirmed large delegations, while major international airports, airlines and cruise operators will also be attending.

Delegates will hear from high-calibre speakers during the TFWA Conference on Monday, 29 September. Two workshops, World in Flux: Travel Retail Amid Today’s Geopolitical Realities and Next Horizon: Charting the Future of Travel Retail, will take place on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Innovation on show

The new Innovation Square will host the two workshops in addition to private evening events. TFWA’s ONE2ONE meeting service will provide opportunities for exhibiting brands, key buyers, airports and trade agents to focus on business. The exhibition halls will be open from Monday afternoon through to Thursday.

Registration remains open until the first week of September.

TFWA President Philippe Margueritte said: “It’s gratifying to see that so many of global travel retail’s most prestigious brands are planning to join us once again in Cannes for what is undoubtedly one of the most important events in our calendar. We look forward to welcoming these high-profile established names plus new game-changing tastemaker brands to TFWA World Exhibition & Conference in September."

MCM plays with the nostalgia trend

As fashion embraces the nostalgia trend, MCM has released two new collaborations exclusively available in Asia.

The first collab is with the popular Thai character Butter Bear. The sweet link-up made its debut in the German luxury brand’s Bangkok pop-up store, bringing playful styles to the heart of the city.

MCM x Butter Bear in Bangkok - Instagram (@mcmworldwide)

Visitors got the chance to shop the exclusive pieces – and meet the icon herself.

The collection is only available in Thailand.

MCM x Crayon Shinchan - Instagram (@mcmworldwide)

MCM x Crayon Shinchan

Meanwhile, over in Japan, a new collaboration with Crayon Shinchan, a Japanese manga and anime series by Yoshito Usui, reimagines MCM’s Visetos monogram with a playful anime twist.

Six exclusive pieces are available, released only in Japan.

MCM continues its style odyssey for Fall

MCM has launched the next chapter of its "From Münich to Mars" journey with a collection for Fall/Winter 2025 crafted for “cyber-galactic nomads on the move”.

Blending retro-futurism with utility, it fuses bold silhouettes, fresh materials and forward-thinking colour with MCM’s signature design language.

“Rooted in craftsmanship and driven by a vision of freedom and motion, it reimagines identity – on Earth or beyond,” the German luxury brand said.

MCM Fall/Winter 2025 collection

The first drop in the collection transforms MCM’s classic Visetos through a futuristic lens, introducing vibrant Blue Visetos and tactile Blue Denim Visetos – colours inspired by the energy of the deep sea and outer space.

Featured across weekenders, multi-backpacks and more, Blue Denim adds rich texture while Blue Visetos brings a bold, electric edge. Together, they seek to strike a balance between utility and statement, creating a modern monochrome look rooted in the MCM aesthetic.

The Cyber-Galactic Nomads campaign, directed by Katharina Korbjuhn and shot by Yis Kid, presents a futuristic vision where style intersects with technology, architecture and AI.

“Blurring the line between real and rendered, it explores how identity, motion and self-expression evolve in an increasingly technological world where individuality is the ultimate statement,” MCM said.

Rémy Cointreau pours fun into cocktail culture

Rémy Cointreau has unveiled its new Cointreau Cocktail Cities Limited Edition Collection – a travel retail-exclusive series that celebrates six iconic cocktails and destinations: Singapore, Melbourne, Sydney, Dubai, Paris and London.

Since its creation in 1885, Cointreau L’Unique Liqueur has been a staple in cocktail culture worldwide, renowned for its vibrant orange flavour. The Cointreau Cocktail Cities Limited Edition Collection offers travellers a chance to discover the art of mixology. 

The collection is available only in selected airports, across the six featured destinations, in partnership with key retailers. These are Sydney (Gebr Heinemann); Melbourne and Singapore (Lotte Duty Free); Paris (Lagardère); Gatwick North and London Heathrow (Avolta); and Dubai (Dubai Duty Free).

Each bottle in the collection is etched with a fun, emblematic feature of the city it represents, intertwined with the signature Cointreau orange. The city-specific designs also showcase a classic paired cocktail: the Sidecar for London; Margarita for Sydney and Melbourne; Singapore Sling for Singapore; Mimosa for Paris; and Cosmopolitan for Dubai.

The Cointreau Cocktail Cities Limited Edition Collection at Sydney Airport

The first high-profile activation took place at Sydney Airport from 8 May to 30 June. The pop-up site featured colourful, eye-catching visuals designed to drive footfall.

Orange merchandising highlighted signature Australian design cues and landmarks, such as surfboards, cute koalas and the Sydney Harbour Bridge, to enhance a sense of place. This space was complemented by attention-grabbing placements around the airport, including retailer screens.

A central tasting bar invited consumers to enjoy a mixed Cointreau cocktail. Gamification, in the form of a digital Marble Run game, introduced a playful element while offering up cocktail suggestions, alongside fun facts about the Cointreau brand and the stories behind each featured cocktail. A travel tote bag gwp could be customised on-site with localised iron-on graphic stickers.

A collectible opportunity

Finally, in partnership with the Mexican chain Hecho en Mexico, which has 20 venues across Sydney and Melbourne, Cointreau offered a bounce-back promotion, highlighted via floor decals and bottle neck hangers. Travellers who purchased a Cointreau Cocktail Cities Sydney Edition were eligible to receive a complimentary Margarita at Hecho en Mexico’s downtown Sydney bar.

“As cocktail culture continues to diversify and thrive worldwide, we are excited to offer travelling consumers another exceptional collectible opportunity, and unlock new opportunities within the liqueur category,” said Rémy Cointreau Marketing Director Global Travel Retail Alice Hoffmann. “By creating fun, engaging experiences that centre a sense of place, we are once again enriching the travel journey and connecting consumers more deeply with the world of premium spirits."

MCM offers a fresh take on heritage

German luxury brand MCM has introduced the MCM x KASINA collaboration online and in-store following its debut in Seoul earlier this year.

MCM x KASINA collaboration

Featuring shirts, shorts, hats and more, MCM x KASINA blends a workwear staple – Paisley bandana patterns on cotton Oxford fabric – with MCM's Visetos monogram and classic Cognac colourway.

To match the collection, the brand has introduced the MCM x Bandana Collection – a line of bandana motif bags, upcycled from existing materials for a distinctive style.

MCM x Bandana Collection upcycled backpack

In separate MCM brand news, a new backpack has hit the shelves. The small Aren Drawstring Backpack is now available in a wider range of Visetos colourways. Featuring a secure drawstring closure and multiple front pockets, the decorative chain allows this bag to also be worn on the shoulder.

Lanson serves up a sparkling celebration

As the official Champagne supplier of the Wimbledon tennis championship, Lanson partnered with Avolta this Summer to launch exclusive airport activations.

Travellers at key UK airports discovered the limited-edition Wimbledon Pouch Editions of Lanson’s signature cuvées – Le Black Création and Le Rosé Création – blending French elegance with British sporting tradition. The Wimbledon-branded pouches ensured the Champagne stayed cool.

Lanson's Wimbledon-branded Champagne pouch

The campaign, which began on 30 May and ran through June, made a splash at major UK airports, including London airports Heathrow (T2 and T5), Gatwick, Stansted and City, as well as at the Shuttle train terminal in Folkestone.

Exclusive sales and HPPs were rolled out in collaboration with Avolta, with sleek digital bars installed at Heathrow T2 and T5 offering an immersive brand experience.

Avolta sold out of the Wimbledon pouches after just one week. This marks the first time Champagne Lanson has made these limited-edition pouches available to Avolta, a move that underscores the growing demand for premium Champagne experiences beyond traditional retail channels.

The Wimbledon Pouch Editions featured Lanson Le Black Création Champagne 75cl and Lanson Le Rosé Création Champagne 75cl.

"We are thrilled with the response to our Wimbledon activations and the success of our partnership with Avolta,” said Marian Geoffroy, Champagne Lanson’s Head of Travel Retail. “Bringing the spirit of Wimbledon to travellers through these stylish limited editions and high-profile airport activations is a perfect celebration of Summer, Champagne and sport."