We’ve been supplying products to the traveling public for over 130 years.
Racket Merchandise Company, incorporated April 22, 1891
Illustrated Map of the West Bottoms, 1895, Kansas City, Missouri
Our Mission
We listen carefully & actively, to gain a clear understanding of your airline’s needs. We design programs that effectively & efficiently meet your goals with ease. Our ultimate goal is to be a partner that you can rely upon. We are here to bring clarity, lightness, and efficiency to your workplace.
Racket Group Headquarters: 130 Years of Operation
Racket Headquarters 1947, Kansas City, Missouri
Racket today, Kansas City, Missouri
How We Help
Design Solutions
Designing in both physical and digital spaces, we create engaging and memorable experiences centered around your users needs.
User Insights
All of our solutions are designed around the end user. We guide you through user research to find the cruxs in your data. With those discoveries we define goals to meet your customers needs.
Build meaningful Campaigns
We guide you through designing new ways of providing value to your customers, and give you the tools to continue to grow that value.
Product Development & Services
Designing in both physical and digital spaces, we create engaging and memorable experiences centered around your users needs.
Manufacturing & Logistics
With daily review of all incoming and outgoing orders, we can ensure that our customers are never caught without the products they need. Our warehouses in North America, Europe, and Asia provide convenient locations for safety stock or to efficiently distribute in-stock products as needed.
Business & Design Strategies
Drawing on our unparalleled depth of experience, highly personalized service, and unbridled enthusiasm for all things travel… we will take you and your passengers to new heights.
“As a private company, now in the 6th Generation of ownership & operation all within the same family, we pride ourselves in giving each of our customers exceptional personal attention throughout every stage of product design, production, warehousing, and distribution.”
– Anne Bauer, President and CEO
Illustrated Map of the West Bottoms, 1895, Kansas City, Missouri
Our History
Racket was founded in Kansas City in 1891 as an outfitting post for travelers moving west on the Santa Fe and Oregon Trails. Over the years, we have evolved from a general store, to a restaurant supply company, and now to an international airline supply company.
Today we find Racket in the 6th Generation of ownership and operation, still held by the Hoagland Family. With a history like this, it's no wonder Racket is considered one of the most reliable and consistent suppliers in the airline industry.
To best serve our large international customer base, we have office locations in Kansas City, Brussels and Hong Kong. We can ensure that a member of Racket's staff will always be available to quickly and conveniently serve you – on your terms, in your time zone.
Founder: Sylvester Hoagland
Interior of Racket Merchandise Co. at 515 Main, circa 1910
Our Culture
We’ve learned a thing or two over the last century…
The importance of flexibility, creativity, and simplicity. Our company’s evolution from the days of covered wagons to the days of commercial aviation wouldn’t have been possible without a culture of creative problem solving and ingenuity.
The value of honest, straight forward, and open communication. With daily review of all incoming and outgoing orders, we can ensure that our customers are never caught without the products that they need.
Diversity & Sustainability
Racket is a certified diverse supplier
Travel can bring people together in a way that no other industry can. We draw from our extensive global experiences, combine them with our unique perspective as a WBE certified diverse supplier, and create a space for exceptional connection and service.
We honor the essential need for simplicity & sustainability. From the beginning of a new product design, all the way through to the final delivery of a shipment, we prioritize a sustainable, low impact, and streamlined operation every step of the way.
