IRELAND. Privately-owned drinks player Quintessential Brands has struck an exclusive three-month deal with Aer Rianta International (ARI) that will extend both the range and price positioning of Dublin Liberties whiskies that the travel retailer carries. The range will be exclusive to ARI in the channel for at least three months from 1 April.
Speaking to The Moodie Davitt Report earlier today, in advance of the evening launch celebrations for the new distillery, Quintessential Brands Global Travel Retail Manager Oliver Storrie said: “Aer Rianta will be taking the full Liberties range. Right now it has the existing products [the extra-aged Oak Devil blend, and the 10yo single malt Copper Alley] in several airports including Dublin.”
However a series of “edgy and exciting” single malt variants – with attention-grabbing names like King of Hell, Murder Lane and Keepers Coin – is set to transform the Dublin Liberties line up, bringing the range up to five. ARI will showcase these exclusively at Dublin Airport and other global locations of its choosing.
Storrie said: “We’ve rebranded the range: always premium, always aged, and it is now a focus for us in travel retail in the next 12 months. The industry has been pulling away from age statements but we feel it is really important for the consumer to have them so they understand and know what they are getting in terms of being able to differentiate quality.”
According to Quintessential Brands the new Liberties collection offers a price ladder from a 5yo blend to a 27yo luxury product taking the consumer from €40 (US$35) to €2,000 (US$1,737). “There really is something for every whiskey lover within that portfolio,” added Storrie. The previous price range topped out at €60.
Fast growth in travel retail
Quintessential Brands launched into global travel retail in 2013 with just three ferry listings. Since then the company has vastly expanded its footprint to cover airports, border stores, cruise and ferry lines, and airlines.
“We currently supply eight out of the top 10 travel retailers through global agreements and we are in 200+ airports and about 250 border stores. We also service about 50 million passenger through the cruise and ferry channel,” said Storrie.
“In travel retail we very much stuck to our strengths when we started out. So we focused first on the UK, and then developed out into Europe with our distribution partners. We very quickly established global partnerships.”
With Dufry, for example, Quintessential has moved from the UK into Europe, and is now looking at the Americas and Asia Pacific. In both North and Latin America the company has expanded – with its Irish whiskies in particular – with 3Sixty (previously DFASS) and International Shoppes. “We have worked with other travel retailers like Heinemann and Lagardère in expanding into the Asia Pacific region,” noted Storrie.
As a premium gin partner to Gategroup on board airlines, Quintessential also has access to more than 700 million passengers inflight through buy-onboard services.
Expansion on the back of a new distillery
“We’re known in the channel as a premium gin supplier [brands include Bloom, Greenalls, Opihr Oriental Spiced and Berkeley Square London Dry Gin]. We’ve always had an Irish whiskey range [Dead Rabbit, Dublin Liberties and The Dubliner] but the opening of the new distillery really cements our position,” Storrie said.
The new €10 million (US$8.7 million) plant – officially opened this morning by Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs & Trade, Simon Coveney – gives Quintessential greater credibility in Irish whiskey. This is something it can now leverage with existing travel retail partners who know the company best for its premium gins.
Production of the Dublin Liberties Distillery’s whiskey portfolio – which includes The Dubliner as well as The Dublin Liberties range – has started under the supervision of Master Distiller, Darryl McNally.
He commented: “I believe the future for Irish whiskey is in innovation and pushing the boundaries – and that’s what I’ll be working with the team here to deliver – the best Irish whiskey you could have the luck of getting on your lips. We’re inspired by the past, but not bound by it, and can’t wait to show the world just how diverse Irish whiskey can be.”
Tapping the own-label market
That diversification also applies to Quintessential Brands’ travel retail business. The company has expanded the own-label business for operators wanting to showcase exclusive lines that only they have. While Quintessential could not divulge which retailers it produces these items for, Storrie said: “We provide own-label to about 10 travel retail operators across the Irish cream, gin and whiskey segments. We are mirroring what Quintessential does well in the domestic market.”
He added: “Travel retail operators always have that challenge of the domestic market and trying to ensure they can beat price points in local stores. So they will always be looking for that travel retail exclusive product. Own-label can therefore also be premiumised – it’s not about the value ranges you saw perhaps five or six year ago.”
Over the past three years, Quintessential’s volume sales in travel retail overall increased by an impressive 1041% and “slightly higher by turnover” according to Storrie. “For the future we plan to double our growth year-on-year over the next five years.”
