Hudson Inks Expanded Agreement With Sunglass Hut To Operate New Standalone Travel Retail Stores in North America

Future Looks Bright As Hudson Broadens Its Strategic Partnership With The Premium Sunglass Brand Sunglass Hut And Further Enhances The Specialty Retail Experience

East Rutherford, N.J., November 9, 2022 – Hudson, a Dufry company and travel experience leader with more than 1,000 stores in airports, commuter hubs, landmarks and tourist destinations across North America, today announced an expansion of its partnership with Sunglass Hut which now enables Hudson to exclusively operate new standalone Sunglass Hut travel retail stores in the U.S. and Canada. Today, Hudson operates 6 of Sunglass Hut’s 32 standalone travel retail locations in North America, and more than 50 Sunglass Hut on-the-go corners in North America.  

In 2020, Hudson and Sunglass Hut formed a distinctive partnership that set out to create an integrated brand experience through branded on-the-go corners in Hudson’s travel convenience stores. Since their launch, the corners have provided travelers with an immediate and cross-category shopping experience. Now, the expanded agreement is a clear testament to the successful relationship between the two trusted retailers.

“We are excited to expand our partnership with Sunglass Hut to offer greater accessibility to this iconic brand in more locations,” said Brian Quinn, EVP and Deputy CEO of Hudson. “Becoming the exclusive third-party licensee for Sunglass Hut travel retail stores reaffirms our commitment to delivering the products and concepts travelers have come to expect and continues to make Hudson’s stores some of the most sought-after shopping destinations in the industry.”

The Hudson-operated stores will meticulously emulate the Sunglass Hut experience. Inside, each store will boast an extensive selection of styles and designs to allow travelers to explore new brands and find their go-to favorites. This includes some of Sunglass Hut’s most recognizable and powerful brands, such as Oakley and Ray-Ban, all designed to celebrate the freedom of expression and embrace individuality. Mobile POS and other frictionless checkout capabilities will also be available, making it even faster and more convenient for travelers to purchase their premium eyewear.

“As a global brand with millions of loyal customers, Sunglass Hut aims to have touchpoints in prime retail locations that feel authentic. Consumers know when they’re away from home and see that familiar Sunglass Hut moniker, they will find beautiful, branded sunglasses and unparalleled service,” said Giorgio Pradi, Sunglass Hut’s Senior Vice President and General Manager of North America. 

“Particularly in North America, where the brand got its start, our strategy is to be wherever our consumers want to find us and to deliver the same luxury experience they have come to love.”

Sunglass Hut operates 184 travel retail locations around the world, including standalone stores, within Hudson stores as Sunglass Hut branded corners, and kiosks worldwide, with an expansion strategy for the future. Prime airport locations where travelers can find the loved Sunglass Hut banner include Rome, Barcelona, Hong Kong and Istanbul.

Hudson continues to grow its portfolio of exclusive retail formats designed for today’s traveler, distinguished by industry-leading service, technology offerings, store design, and product assortment. These include Automated Specialty Retail, the Brookstone travel retail experience, Evolve by Hudson, Hudson Nonstop stores powered by Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology, and Ink by Hudson bookstores. With the expansion of its relationship with Sunglass Hut, Hudson only further solidifies its position in leading the industry in strategic brand partnerships and first-to-market concepts.