TOP 10 OPERATORS 2018 9: DUTY FREE AMERICAS (DFA)


9 L


America’s DF&TR giant brings in $1.53bn in 2017


DFA reports a healthy business in the US, a boom in Brazil, as well as the opening of a new 10,000sq m ‘game changing’ store in Rio Branco, which prompts the company’s President to bet confidently on a 2018 sales target of $1.65bn in 2018. Charlotte Turner reports.


ast year, Duty Free Americas (DFA) grew its duty free and travel retail sales by roughly 8%


to $1.53bn, up from just over $1.4bn in 2016, as it picked up important contracts in Panama (Tocumen Airport), El Salvador & Haifa. This followed a dynamite 2016


when DFA won contracts at three Brazilian airports (building on its very first win at Afonso Pena International Airport in Curitiba in 2014), which are currently handled by the DFA office in Rio where its regional buyers have taken up residence. The company now operates stores


in Manaus, Porto Alegre, Curitiba and Maceió. Since winning these contracts in


2016 the Brazilian business has really taken off, according to company President and co-owner, Leon Falic. “Brazil for us is a very important


investment. It’s growing like crazy; we made a partnership with WHSmith and SSP and we won a few concessions in food and we won a few concessions in news & gifts in Brazil.” WHSmith International made its


debut in South American travel retail after striking an agreement with DFA back in April, to open seven stores at RIOgaleão International Airport in August 2018.


Gains for all partners The stores, which will be situated across international and domestic departures and the main entrance areas of the airport, will stock books, magazines, travel accessories, souvenirs, confectionery and beverages. “The


airport operators


Leon, Jerome and Simon Falic still retain ownership of DFA.


OCTOBER 2018


recommended both WHSmith and SSP to come to us which shows that we have a lot of credibility within


that business,” says Falic. “So, we are going to continue


growing in Brazil and we feel very strongly about that. We will also continue to expand in travel retail whether it be in food and beverage or duty free or news & gifts. “We’re very happy with these


partners that have chosen us. We think they’re the best in their field and we think we can leverage off their experience and they can leverage off our experience in this region.” Falic promises ‘new, bigger and better concepts’ from the company’,


“Brazil for us is a very important investment. It’s growing like crazy; we made a partnership with WHSmith and SSP and we won a few concessions in food and we won a few concessions in news & gifts in Brazil.”


Leon Falic, President, DFA


TOP 10 OPERATORS 69


Above: DFA opened this large store at São Paulo Congonhas Airport last year.


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