Avolta, the Swiss-based global leader in airport duty free shops (Fortune 500 Europe No. 274) best known in the U.S. for its Hudson stores, on Wednesday announced it was awarded the first duty-free contract for an international operator in mainland China in 26 years, giving it the right to open stores in Shanghai’s Pudong International Airport, the 8th largest in the world.
Under the terms of the deal, Avolta, which operates over 5,000 stores in over 1,000 locations worldwide, will set up 43 stores and restaurants across its duty free, duty paid, and food and beverage categories in the Shanghai airport, covering over 85,000 sq ft (8,000 m2). The company did not disclose the size of the deal in financial terms.
