Brand Profile
Old Pulteney and Caorunn spirits drive International Beverage’s travel retail growth
International Beverage heads to the TFWA World Exhibition in Cannes next week with two strong Scotch brands spearheading its channel offer – Old Pulteney Single Malt Whisky and Caorunn Gin (Marine Village, S2).
Our Senior Business Editor Mark Lane speaks to the company’s Global Key Account Manager Lesley Eadie about both brands and discovers why she believes they have the potential to win more shelf space across airport duty free stores, where they already have an impressive presence.
Old Pulteney
International Beverage is the owner of five Scottish single malt distilleries but its jewel in the crown is Old Pulteney, known as ‘The Maritime Malt’.
The Pulteney Distillery by Wick’s historic harbour is the one of the most northerly on mainland Scotland. Since 1826 the company has crafted a single malt Scotch whisky “bursting with the power and subtlety of the sea”, in the words of its owner.
Three expressions from the distillery are sold exclusively in travel retail, a 10 Year Old, a 16 Year Old, and the successful channel-exclusive 13 Year Old, which was launched in the summer.
The 13 Year Old (RRP £65/43%ABV) – already listed with seven travel retailers – is matured in American oak casks and finished in Spanish oak casks.
International Beverage Global Key Account Manager Lesley Eadie describes Old Pulteney as “the pinnacle” of her company’s portfolio.
“It’s a fantastic brand,” says Eadie. “It has strong provenance related to the sea and a strong brand story. If you have a unique brand story like Old Pulteney, passengers are more likely to engage with your brand at a deeper level.
“We introduced an age statement range in 2019 with a hierarchy of pricing, which has been very successful and now has new momentum from the relatively recently released TR-exclusive 13 Year Old. The expression has been so far selling well since its introduction in July and is a great addition to our armoury for the channel.”
Early Old Pulteney 13 Year Old sale levels have been high, driven by investment in visibility and training. Eadie reveals: “We did a number of airport activations during the summer to push this expression. We also conducted online training sessions with sales staff and brand ambassadors in airport shops and sent out testing kits so they could try the whisky.
“I think it’s important if you’ve got people representing your brand to give them the tools and the confidence to speak with conviction about what they are selling.”
Eadie describes Old Pulteney as a brand “with global appeal”, underlined by multiple listings across the UK, Continental Europe and Asia.
In Europe, the brand is listed in multiple airports with retailers including Gebr. Heinemann and Lagardère Travel Retail.
“The brand is also getting traction in Asia,” says Eadie. “That is certainly a key focus for the next two years, to get the growth there and also maintain strong growth levels in Europe.”
An Old Pulteney display with Lagardère Travel Retail at Warsaw Chopin Airport, where a brand ambassador is trained to guide shoppers through the whisky range
The hero product in the International Beverage travel retail line-up: Old Pulteney 13 Year Old, a channel exclusive
Caorunn Gin
International Beverage has gained a strong foothold for Caorunn Gin in Europe, with the UK and Nordics the top-performing travel retail markets to date. The three expressions currently listed are Caorunn Classic (RRP £29) and the flavoured varieties Raspberry and Blood Orange (both RRP £32).
Again, interest in the brand is underpinned by a strong back story, which Eadie says has been crucial to its success in airport retail. The small batch gin is crafted at the Balmenach Distillery in the Scottish Highlands using a Copper Berry Chamber, which extracts its flavour from 11 botanicals. “The production method is quite unique,” says Eadie.
Caorunn Gin Master’s Cut comes as a travel retail exclusive, with a higher strength (48%ABV). Eadie comments: “It’s more premium. If you have a higher alcohol content in your gin it enhances the botanicals in a different way, so you get a different flavour profile.”
That exclusive product is complemented well by the Raspberry expression (which uses Perthshire raspberries) launched last year, and Blood Orange, released in summer 2023.
Eadie says: “We made good choices on the two flavoured varieties we introduced to the portfolio. Consumers are looking for more varied flavoured profiles.”
Caorunn Gin Raspberry and Blood Orange have been supported by strong airport activations in the UK. A recent campaign used digital screens close to check-in at Edinburgh Airport and brand ambassador tasting sessions in World Duty Free shops.
“Getting liquid to lips is important for a brand like Caorunn,” notes Eadie. “It always results in strong conversion rates.”
International Beverage Global Key Account Manager Lesley Eadie (left) and Global Brand Manager Sarah McDonald pictured at last year’s TFWA World Exhibition, where they discussed Caorunn Gin with The Moodie Davitt Report
International Beverage at TFWA Cannes
Discussing International Beverage’s fast-approaching appearance at the TFWA World Exhibition, where Old Pulteney and Caorunn will take centre stage, Eadie says: “Cannes is an important event for us. We have a small global travel retail team, so the event is a good opportunity to meet with key stakeholders and showcase our premium brand portfolio.
“It’s great to meet with all the retailers there and engage with the travel retail and spirits media and give them the chance to see our full portfolio, which now also includes Cognacs from Larsen and Cardrona spirits. Cannes is a great opportunity to conduct tastings and really gives our audience a tactile experience with the brands.”
Eadie concludes by detailing the importance of travel retail to International Beverage’s ambitions. She says: “Travel retail is a unique channel. The environment is set up to encourage brand discovery and attract consumers to try new brands. That’s the key distinction with domestic markets.
“The channel brings a great opportunity for brand building. Brands are exposed to a large international audience who are willing to try new brands.
“We have a fantastic portfolio with interesting brand stories. That’s important for travel retail but ultimately it comes down to the taste and the quality of the product itself. Old Pulteney and Caorunn certainly deliver for us on that.”
High visibility: A strong display of Old Pulteney single malt Scotch whisky with World Duty Free at London Heathrow Airport
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The Moodie Davitt eZine
Issue 327 | 29 September 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