Àerre to Open 10 New Fragrance Retail Stores by 2026
The fragrance company will expand its physical footprint to 26 locations, prioritizing high-traffic kiosks for brand discovery.
Updated on Oct. 15, 2026 in Retail
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Fragrance brand Àerre will expand its physical footprint to 26 locations by late 2026, driven by a goal to capture demand for luxury-style scents. The company plans to open 10 new retail stores over the next 10 weeks, adding to its current network of 16 existing sites across Australia and New Zealand.
Why it matters
The move underscores a strategy to prioritize physical retail as a customer acquisition channel, with storefronts now accounting for 45% of total company revenue. By placing kiosks in high-traffic areas, Àerre aims to bridge the gap for consumers who prefer to test fragrances in person before committing to a purchase.
Àerre plans to reach 26 total retail locations within 18 months, representing a significant scale-up for the firm founded in 2023. Retail operations already generate 45% of total company revenue, highlighting the importance of the physical storefront in their current business model.
The players
Àerre
A fragrance company founded in 2023 that manufactures French-made scents for the Australian and New Zealand markets.
Alec Ramsey
Co-founder of the fragrance company Àerre who helped establish the firm in 2023.
Stefan Muff
Co-founder of the fragrance company Àerre who helped establish the firm in 2023.
The details
The expansion strategy relies on a data-driven site selection process that integrates Google search trends and internal sales metrics. Àerre employs a qualified customer index, which measures brand awareness in specific regions, to determine where to place new kiosks. These physical outposts allow the brand to offer French-made fragrances at lower price points than traditional luxury competitors, leveraging the tactile nature of fragrance retail to convert new users.
Timeline
The company was founded in 2023.
The first retail kiosk opened at Westfield Parramatta in June 2025.
10 new locations will open over the next 10 weeks.
The full retail network expansion is scheduled for completion before Christmas 2026.
Market Landscape
Àerre’s aggressive build-out aligns with the retail-as-a-service model for D2C brands that leverage physical kiosks to lower customer acquisition costs. This pivot to brick-and-mortar storefronts marks a deliberate attempt to scale reach in Australia and New Zealand through localized, high-frequency touchpoints.
Operators in the fragrance or boutique goods sector should monitor Àerre's use of search data to inform real estate decisions as a benchmark for their own expansion modeling. With retail sales now representing nearly half of the brand's revenue, the firm’s reliance on physical tests to drive conversion provides a clear signal on shifting consumer preferences.
The takeaway
The company’s rapid store growth highlights the value of physical brand presence in driving conversion for price-sensitive luxury categories. Future growth strategies should track the effectiveness of this kiosk-led model as the firm explores further international territories.
Further reading
For broader trends in physical store growth, visit the Retail section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by SmartCompany.
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Do you prefer to smell a new fragrance in-store before you decide to buy it?
