CHINA. The Beauty Crown Grand Tree Hotel in Sanya, Hainan was the venue for a glittering celebratory dinner on 2 July to honour the global travel retail launch earlier that day of Glenfiddich Grande Couronne 26 Year Old with China Duty Free Group (CDFG).
The launch was marked by the opening of a pop-up store in CDF Mall at the Sanya International Duty Free Shopping Complex in Haitang Bay.
The Moodie Davitt Report was represented at both events by our colleagues at Hainan Hinews Media Co (Hinews) – Hainan’s largest digital media company. The two leaders in their respective sectors struck a long-term strategic agreement earlier this year to boost international and Chinese coverage and awareness of the offshore duty free business and to bring the latest developments to the widest possible consumer and business audience.
Following her earlier report from Haitang Bay for this website and a special Chinese language video feature on local media (see below), Lu Tian Qin, Chief TV host of Hinews.cn Media and Head of the Duty Free Channel attended the evening celebrations.
In line with a ‘Le bal masque’ (masked ball) format, guests arrived wearing the masks that accompanied their invitation cards. Tian Qin and fellow guests at the sumptous dinner tasted Grande Couronne 26 Year Old alongside earlier expressions from the Grand Series (21 Year Old and Grand Cru 23 Year Old).
Below we feature a range of images from the event.
[Click on the YouTube icon as Lu Tian Qin visits the new pop-up store; interviews William Grant & Sons Regional Manager Global Travel Retail China Duan Fei & Customer Planning & Activation Manager – Global Travel Retail North Asia Jean Chen; and delivers the seal of approval for Grande Couronne 26 after a nosing and tasting with Jean Chen at the pop-up.]
HIGHLIGHTS OF OUR EARLIER STORY ON THE POP-UP LAUNCH
William Grant & Sons Global Travel Retail plans to support the launch heavily via online partnerships with Ctrip, livestream KOL engagements and airport media buys to drive awareness, consideration and ultimately desirability for the brand in general and Grande Couronne specifically.
Lu Tian Qin writes: The global duty free premiere of one of the most important products of the world-renowned single malt whisky Glenfiddich – the Grand Couronne 26 Year Old, part of the Grand Series – highlight’s the brand’s confidence in China’s duty free market.
Glenfiddich Grande Couronne 26 Year Old made its worldwide debut on 2 July at a pop-up store inspired by French gardens inside Sanya International Duty Free Shopping Complex. It is priced at RMB3,120 (US$485).
At noon on 2 July, William Grant & Sons joined hands with China Duty Free Group to hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the launch of the pop-up store in Haitang Bay. The pop-up, open until 31 July is decorated with gold-embossed patterns, providing customers with a luxurious and upscale shopping experience.
Due to the huge impact of the 2020 epidemic, the global duty free industry is facing many challenges but also ushering in many opportunities. William Grant & Sons presented this year’s most important new product, Glenfiddich Grande Couronne 26 Year Old, in Hainan for its world duty free debut, aiming to build a long-term and close cooperative relationship with China Duty Free Group, hoping that both parties can grow together and create a better future.
In the night sky of the whisky world, Glenfiddich is undoubtedly a bright star.
William Grant & Sons Regional Manager Global Travel Retail China Duan Fei told Hinews and The Moodie Davitt Report: “The global duty free market is looking at China, and the Chinese duty free market is looking at Hainan. Therefore, as a foreign business, we must put our best resources into Hainan. And we are very confident in the future of Hainan’s offshore duty free market.
“Based on our research data, the duty free market has huge potential and space for growth during the next three to five years. Therefore we have made corresponding adjustments to our global strategies and shifted our focus to Hainan. This is why we have chosen Hainan, and particularly the Sanya International Duty Free Shopping Complex, to be the location of our most important product launches.
“I believe the Hainan market will only get hotter and hotter.”
Grande Couronne 26 Year Old has been aged in American and European oak for 26 years and finished in rare French Cognac barrels for nearly two years.
Note: Every fortnight The Moodie Davitt Report publishes Hainan Curated, in association with Foreo, a selection of all recent stories from the offshore duty free sector in Hainan province.
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