Craft Spirits
Crafting a vibrant spirits offer in travel retail
In this special set of features we hear from retailers and brands about the power and potential of ‘craft’ products in the drinks sector, as shoppers seek something distinctive that reflects the city or region which they are visiting. By Colleen Morgan, Kevin Rozario and Dermot Davitt.
There remains a strong opportunity in the travel retail channel for ‘craft’ in the drinks sector, a theming that reinforces localisation and premiumisation in the category.
As we have noted many times, the definition of craft applies just as much to the international brand powerhouses as it does to smaller players. In Scotch in particular, the single malt whiskies owned by Diageo, Pernod Ricard, Edrington, Whyte & Mackay, William Grant & Sons and Bacardi speak of provenance, authenticity or artisanal quality.
Many players large and small are straddling multiple drinks categories, from whisky to vodka to gin, mixing the trendy and the traditional.
Whatever the definition – and it varies by company – provenance and great story-telling are key elements.
Blended approach: Craft straddles multiple drinks sub-sectors
Aer Rianta International (ARI) Global Head of Liquor, Tobacco & Confectionery Paul Hunnisett says: “At ARI we refer to ‘craft’ as being locally made, and growing our range of locally-sourced products has always been fundamental to creating a bespoke sense of place at each of our locations. Craft, or locally-made, products perform very well for us in their (relevant) markets. For example, Cypriot spirits in Cyprus and Canadian whisky across our stores in Canada. By their nature, craft products are specific to the region they’re produced in, so they often don’t carry across to other locations. We take a very bespoke approach to our ranging.”
Gebr. Heinemann Head of Purchasing Liquor, Tobacco & Confectionery Bastian-Philipp Müller says: “Craft spirits are, in fact, a very promising category. Consumers are curious about regional and individual products (so) there is a lot of potential.”
For Heinemann, regardless of category, the message is a consistent one – that “exclusive, rare, trendy and sustainable products” are central to the future.
Many travel retailers cite American and Japanese whiskies, emerging organic spirits and flavoured products such as rums, gins and vodkas as potentially exciting.
A myriad range of Scotches at World Duty Free, each with craft credentials
Retailers broadly agree that the channel must be a place of discovery, test and trial, and a home for special editions such as channel or location-specific exclusives. That, and a curious consumer, builds on the existing opportunity for ‘craft’ products to thrive.
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The Moodie Davitt eZine
Issue 322 | 14 April 2023
The Moodie Davitt eZine is published 14 times per year by The Moodie Davitt Report (Moodie International Ltd). © All material is copyright and cannot be reproduced without the permission of the Publisher. To find out more visit www.moodiedavittreport.com and to subscribe, please e-mail kristyn@moodiedavittreport.com