The IAADFS Duty Free Show of the Americas and the Asutil Conference have morphed into the Summit of the Americas. The Spirits Business looks at what’s in store for visitors to this year’s new-look event in Orlando.

When the great and the good of the duty free and travel retail industry convene in Orlando, Florida, for the sector’s annual conference at the Marriott hotel, they will experience a markedly different trade fair.

This year will see the launch of the Summit of the Americas, a new show resulting from the merger of the flagship events hosted by the International Association of Airport Duty Free Stores (IAADFS) and the Asociación Sudamericana de Tiendas Libres (Asutil).

Taking place from 18-­21 March 2018 at the Orlando World Center Marriott, the show aims to combine the best of both the IAADFS Duty Free Show of the Americas and the Asutil Conference, with some notable changes to its format. Exhibitors will remain a key focus at the event, but this year will see an expanded educational programme – a particular strength of Asutil’s previous show.

On Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, expert speakers will host two-hour educational sessions. The decision was taken to increase this aspect of the show following “a good deal of interest from suppliers and buyers that we provide more executive learning”, says Michael Payne, executive director of IAADFS.

Another new element will be a ‘buyers’ lounge’, which on Wednesday will be opened up to networking opportunities for visitors who are not exhibiting to meet with member buyers. Of course, some prefer a more relaxed networking setting, so Summit of the Americas will host a glamorous opening reception and a new club night, for which it is flying in a DJ from Ibiza.

It’ll be all change once again next year when the Summit of the Americas will move to a different venue.

“We think we have probably done what we can do with the space we are used to at the Marriott, so we will be moving to a new location in Orlando in 2019, which should give us some additional flexibility,” says Payne. Details of the new location will be announced at the forthcoming event.

Over the following pages, we take a look at what leading spirits producers will be showcasing at Summit of the Americas 2018.

Bottega

Booth: 309

Italian drinks producer Bottega will showcase its Bacûr Gin and Bottega Limoncino brands, as well as its whole range of grappa and cream liqueurs, at the Summit of the Americas.

A one­-litre bottle format of Bacûr Gin, also featuring restyled packaging, will make its debut at the show. The product itself is a “natural and fragrant” Italian gin made with botanicals including juniper, sage and lemon zest.

Bottega’s new vermouths will also be a focus of its stand. Unveiled last year, the terroir-­inspired vermouths – a Bianco and a Rosso – are created using Pinot Grigio and Merlot grapes respectively.

Bottega, famous for its Prosecco, has witnessed 15% growth in travel retail and has “intensely invested in expanding its global presence” in the channel. Looking ahead, the group expects “positive outcomes” in travel retail and duty free in Europe, Asia, South America and North America.

“The Orlando show is a strategic event for Bottega to meet the regional partners, communicate the performances of the products in other duty­-free regions, and develop relationships with new customers,” says Sandro Bottega, owner and managing director of the company.

Diplomático

Booth: 110

Venezuelan rum brand Diplomático will exhibit its flagship Diplomático Reserva Exclusiva, as well as its prestige expression Diplomático Single Vintage.

Visitors will also have the chance to learn about the brand’s new Distillery Collection, which highlights Diplomático’s production processes and includes the Single Batch Kettle and Single Barbet Column rums.

Mario Navarro, travel retail business development manager for the brand, says: “Diplomático’s brand awareness and recognition is increasing, thanks to a larger and more premium distribution in traditional channels. It is therefore important for us to reinforce our presence in the duty­-free channel.”

Diplomático has boasted “excellent results” in duty free and travel retail following “special activations”. The brand will continue to grow its footprint with existing clients and further develop its distribution network.

“Based on our excellent results in 2017 with Lagardère, we are looking to develop our distribution this year within its network, which translates into a stronger brand support, higher levels of investment and a focus on key activations,” Navarro adds. “This year we would like to have more presence in the Caribbean and we look forward to introducing our rums to Canadian duty free shops.”

Fraternity Spirits

Booth: 707

At Summit of the Americas, Fraternity Spirits will exhibit a number of products from its portfolio, namely the Tequila Corralejo range, the El Ron Prohibido rum family (including its new Blanco expression), Conde de Cuba’s rums, and Rives Special Gin.

Visitors can also look forward to a preview of two completely new products: an extra añejo Tequila and a Japanese blended whisky.

The Summit of the Americas show “represents a great opportunity to increase our brand positioning, and also a great opportunity to get know new trends, category performances and new consumer habits”, says Raffaele Berardi, the company’s CEO.

Fraternity’s travel retail sales are “healthy”, despite the ongoing agave shortage, which has forced the company to bump up its Tequila prices.

Of the year ahead, Berardi said: “We will be focusing on increasing our perceived value through a new image and price change to justify and push our brand to a higher level. We really think that will be the biggest challenge.”

La Martiniquaise/Bardinet

Booth: 807/809

The Summit of the Americas show comes at an exciting time for La Martiniquaise/Bardinet.

The French drinks group has recently launched the first international marketing campaign for Glen Moray single malt Scotch whisky, simply titled #Share (see page 14 for more information). Glen Moray, which celebrated its 120th anniversary last year, will be a key focus at the firm’s booth.

Meanwhile, blended Scotch whisky Label 5 will also unveil its The Power of 5 marketing campaign with references to its Gold Heritage line extension for the first time.

The Power of 5 was launched last year. The campaign, which celebrates ‘group power’, has been designed for international markets outside of France. Sir Edward’s blended Scotch and Poliakov vodka will also be showcased to guests at the event, while La Martiniquaise/Bardinet’s other brands will sit on the back bar shelf to reflect the “one­-stop-­shop approach” of the group.

Marie Brizard Wine & Spirits

Booth: 1215

French drinks group Marie Brizard Wine & Spirits (MBWS) will head to Orlando with an air of positivity.

Now represented by Chase International in US and Caribbean duty free markets, the company is poised for “major expansion”, increasing the travel retail footprint of all its brands, including Marie Brizard liqueurs, Gautier Cognac, Sobieski Vodka, and William Peel blended Scotch whisky. Meanwhile the Moncigale range Fruits & Wine has made its debut in travel retail.

The Marie Brizard liqueurs range relaunched in the US last year with more contemporary packaging and six new flavours, which will be showcased in Orlando. Cognac Gautier will also be displayed ahead of its planned expansion to five new US states this year.

“As Marie Brizard Wine & Spirits brands continue to strengthen their market position in the Americas – both North and South – so the portfolio becomes strategically more and more interesting to the travel retail sector,” says Kevin Baker, global travel retail director at MBWS.

“Now that we are in the hands of the very experienced and knowledgeable team at Chase International, I am even more convinced that 2018 will see us making significant inroads into the region’s airport and border shop businesses.”

Waldemar Behn

Booth: 223

German spirits producer Waldemar Behn will use Summit of the Americas as a platform for its super-­premium Danzka line extension, Danzka The Spirit, in addition to the vodka brand’s wider portfolio.

Danzka The Spirit made its debut at the TFWA World Exhibition & Conference in Cannes in 2016. Since then, the expression has rolled out across Europe, Russia, the Middle East and Asia, and had a “great start” in Australia after launching with Heinemann in Sydney last November.

Following the success of the original Danzka expression in Latin America, Waldemar Behn is now planning to launch Danzka The Spirit in the Americas, starting with the US.

Waldemar Behn will also feature Pallini Limoncello on its stand. Last year, both companies formed a joint venture, called Family Brands Alliance.

“Since being established, this alliance has already strengthened both companies in the changing travel retail world, and helped them optimise logistics, marketing and service,” says Rüdiger Behn, owner and managing director of Waldemar Behn.

Brown-Forman

Booth: 1413

Brown-Forman will be focusing on its portfolio of whiskies at the Summit of the Americas show.

In the American whiskey contingent, the group will showcase its Jack Daniel’s family of brands and expressions in the Woodford Reserve line. Woodford Reserve Rye will launch in travel retail this year and will be featured at the event.

Eric Helms, marketing director for Brown-Forman global travel retail, said: “We are rounding out the Jack Daniel’s portfolio in travel retail with the addition of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Rye and Jack Daniel’s Bottled-in-Bond both of which will be making their presence felt in 2018 and in Orlando.”

Brown-Forman’s Scotch brands The BenRiach and The GlenDronach will roll out new malts in the coming months, which will be highlighted in Orlando.

The new additions include BenRiach ¼ Cask and the BenRiach ¼ Cask Peated as well as The GlenDronach Kingsman. The forthcoming travel retail exclusives include the BenRiach 10 Year Old Triple Distilled, The GlenDronach The Forgue 10 Year Old and The GlenDronach 16 Year Old.

“Our malts are being remarkably well received particularly in Asia and we are pleased to be adding several travel retail exclusives to the portfolio,” added Helms.