Heinemann ‘looking at’ baijiu, mezcal

Gebr. Heinemann is “looking at” spirits categories such as mezcal and baijiu as it seeks to build a “striking” travel retail product offer, purchasing and logistics director Kay Spanger has said.

Heinemann’s Kay Spanger is ‘looking at’ emerging spirits categories in travel retail

Speaking at a recent press conference in Hamburg, Germany, Spanger confirmed that emerging categories including mezcal, baijiu and grappa were on his radar.

“As a product maniac I love them – but we need to be efficient,” he added, on the subject of ’emerging’ categories securing TR sales. “But mezcal is too early.”

While he confirmed that “we first need to have two more niche gins than our competitors”, Spanger said he was interested in grappa and eaux de vie – “but they are limited”.

He also advised caution: “We should not need to delist any product if we do the right selection.”

Last week, Heinemann announced its 2016 group turnover climbed 5.6% to US$4 billion, a “satisfying” result in a year of “unexpected events”, the owners said.

The travel retailer also revealed its own-brand Scotch whisky Royal Park sold more than 600,000 bottles in 13 months.