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Unmissable spirits exhibitors at TFWA Asia Pacific

This year’s TFWA show in Singapore will be the first under the presidency of Alain Maingreaud and looks set to be the best yet. SB outlines what guests can expect and the spirits brands to look out for.

The organisers of travel retail show TFWA Asia Pacific Exhibition & Conference are gearing up to welcome thousands of visitors to the 2019 event, set to take place in Singapore from 12-16 May.

More than 70 wine and spirits brands have been confirmed for the 2019 event at the Sands Expo and Convention Center. Last year’s show saw a record 3,194 visitors from the duty free and travel retail industry in attendance, with a similar or even higher turnout expected for 2019, according to the event’s organisers. Following “high demand” for exhibitor space, this year’s exhibition floor area will increase to more than 11,000 square meters, up from 10,500 sq m.

Leading growth

Asia Pacific continues to lead the growth of the drinks industry, with preliminary figures from Generation Research showing that wine and spirits sales in the region increased by 12.3% to US$3.1bn for the first nine months of 2018 – the highest growth rate of all regions.

The upcoming show will be the first for Alain Maingreaud in his new role as TFWA president, taking over from Erik Juul-Mortensen, who had held the position for 19 years. Maingreaud stepped into the role with a one-year mandate in January 2019. No stranger to the TFWA, he joined the association in 1995 as commercial director. He was elected managing director in 2010 and took on a part-time position as TFWA associate director in October 2017 to work on the development of the TFWA World Exhibition & Conference and the TFWA Asia Pacific Exhibition & Conference.

“Our exhibitions are always a great opportunity for brands to unveil their latest innovations, whether this is new product lines or duty free-exclusive promotions,” says Maingreaud. “With so many leading brands taking the opportunity to exhibit in Singapore, we expect to see a number of exciting new developments revealed throughout the course of the week.”

Party time: there are many events for delegates to enjoy

For Italian drinks group Bottega, TFWA Asia Pacific is the “most important duty free and travel retail show for the Asia Pacific area”, according to owner and managing director Sandro Bottega.

He adds: “The region represents a crucial market for Bottega. I believe it will reach 50% of [our] sales in the long term, along with the improvement in the culture of emerging consumers. At the show, we aim to meet the most important operators, regional partners, and current and prospect customers; communicate the performance of the company and its products; and let visitors taste our new products.”

This year’s show will start with the annual golf tournament, hosted in partnership with Interparfums, at 7am on Sunday at Laguna National Golf and Country Club.

By the evening, the alcoholic beverages will begin to flow as visitors are invited to the traditional Welcome Cocktail at 7.30pm, which will take place at the historic Fort Canning.

State of the industry

The full-day conference session will open with a state-of-the-industry address from Maingreaud and Andrew Ford, Asia Pacific Travel Retail Association president. Robert Guest, foreign editor of The Economist, and Kate Ancketill, who heads retail innovation consultancy GDR Creative Intelligence, will join Maingreaud and Ford in the address.

This year’s conference features a new format with three consecutive plenary sessions. The afternoon session will feature speakers from 3Sixty Duty Free, Incheon International Airport, Lagardère and Nestlé. Delegates will also hear from Pernod Ricard on sustainability and learn more about the Duty Free World Council’s Academy. Audiences are encouraged to take part in the sessions though the TFWA App.

The TFWA Asia Pacific Bar, a short walk from the exhibition, opens on Monday afternoon. Tuesday evening will see the return of the Hawaiian-themed Chill-Out Party at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel’s rooftop pool, sponsored by Lacoste, Korea Ginseng Corporation and Patchi. The Singapore Swing Party on Wednesday evening will take place at Ola Beach on Sentosa Island, which will be transformed into a retro fairground, complete with games, prizes and live music.

Maingreaud says: “I’m looking forward to seeing how the show develops and expands. It will be a great opportunity to meet colleagues from the industry and learn more about the latest developments, industry issues and forecasts.”

Over to the following pages we offer a selection of unmissable brands exhibiting at TFWA Asia Pacific this year.

Borco

Stand: H33, Basement 2

This year will see family-owned German drinks firm Borco focus on its Sierra Tequila brand. As well as its Sierra Tequila Silver, Sierra Tequila Reposado, Sierra Antiguo Tequila and its ready-to-drink Sierra Tequila Margarita, Borco will also shine a light on its mezcal brands: Marca Negra and Meteoro.

The company all wants to strengthen its Finsbury Gin, Canarío Cachaça and Old Pascas Rum brands in the Asia Pacific market.

“The show supports our global approach to take steps on international grounds in the Asian region and to spread the vibrant Mexican lifestyle all around the world – particularly with our strong portfolio of agave-based spirits,” says Dr Tina Ingwersen-Matthiesen, member of the Borco board and part of the Borco owner family.

“We consider TFWA as a great option to enlarge our network and close distribution gaps in Asia Pacific as this region has been developing into a significant market for our business.

“In recent years we have expanded our distribution exceptionally in this area.”

Crucial Drinks

Stand: D32, Basement 2

Scottish spirits company Crucial Drinks will make its debut at this year’s event, where it will showcase its portfolio of Scotch whiskies and rum. The independent firm will highlight its The Lost Distillery Company, Rum & Cane Merchants, Six Saints Rum and Big Mouth Whisky Company brands.

Last year, Scotch whisky blender The Lost Distillery Company entered the global travel retail market after partnering with Lagardère to launch its portfolio in Hong Kong International Airport’s new East Hall South Discovery Zone.

The launch included four of the seven distillery brands in The Lost Distillery Company’s portfolio, including Stratheden, Towiemore, Gerston and Jericho.

“The event gives us a fantastic opportunity to showcase our award-winning range of craft Scotch whisky and rum brands,” says James Maxwell, travel retail director.

Danzka

Stand: B34, Basement 2

Danzka owner Waldemar Behn will be presenting the recently expanded Family Brands Alliance group, which includes super-premium gin producer G’Vine for the first time.

Last October, French gin G’Vine joined the Family Brands Alliance, which also includes Cognac producer Bache-Gabrielsen, Pallini Limoncello and Danzka vodka. Waldemar Behn and Italy’s Pallini Limoncello formed the travel retail joint venture in September 2017.

During the show, G’Vine will be displaying its redesigned G’Vine Floraison one-litre bottle, which features a “modern” look and maximises brand name visibility. The gin contains 10 botanicals, including vine flower.

Waldemar Behn will focus on its Danzka The Spirit Gift Box, which “enhances the brand’s premium positioning”. The vodka brand will also highlight a miniature pack, featuring four 50ml bottles designed to be suitable for hand luggage and including the brand’s Original, Citrus, Cranraz (cranberry and raspberry) and Apple flavours.

Bache-Gabrielsen American Oak Cognac has been “performing well” in Asia, with a listing in the King Power duty free store at Bangkok airport.

Distell

Stand: F27, Basement 2

Don’t miss the new Amarula cream liqueur variant, which will be revealed during the show at Distell’s stand. The expression “builds on the huge success” of Amarula Vanilla Spice, which was unveiled at last year’s TFWA Asia Pacific show.

The new liqueur was created to meet “growing demand for more complex and interesting flavour profiles”.

Two more new launches will be Bain’s 18-Year-Old PX Cask Finish and Scottish Leader Blended Malt. South Africa’s Distell will also highlight its travel retail-exclusive Deanston 10-Year-Old Bordeaux Cask and Bain’s 15-Year-Old.

“The Asia Pacific region is critically important for Distell and is a major growth market based on population alone, specifically in the PRC (People’s Republic of China), and the affluence in the region,” says Luke Maga, Distell travel retail managing director.

“Amarula has enjoyed double-digit growth for the past two years in Asia; Australia has long been a key market and will continue to be strategically important for the brand in the region.”

Fraternity Spirits

Stand: J31, Basement 2

Fraternity Spirits will return to the show to display the breadth of its portfolio, and will seek to consolidate relationships with global partners and grow further in non-US markets.

This year, the company will highlight its Tequila Corralejo range (Blanco, Reposado and Añejo) and El Ron Prohibido rum – in particular El Ron Prohibido Silver. The 100% agave Tequila Corralejo family of products is produced in the Jalisco hills in Guanajuato, Mexico. Meanwhile, the company’s El Ron Prohibido Silver is a premium Mexican rum produced using sugarcane selected from special vines and a slow fermentation process.

Its Los Arango Tequila range will also take to the stand. The line is made using only blue agave that is matured for a minimum of eight years. Its name comes from a leader in the Mexican Revolution era: Doroteo Arango, better known as Pancho Villa.

Joining the stand will be Mezcal Artesanal Perro de San Juan. Produced in San Dionisio Ocotepec, Oaxaca, the brand is made from agave espadín.

La Martiniquaise-Bardinet

Stand: L2, Basement 2

French drinks group Bardinet will be highlighting its new Beehive XO brandy at the show. The newly launched expression is made with a blend of long-aged eaux-de-vie with a “whisper of Armagnac XO”.

Alongside the new product launch, Beehive has updated the recipe for its VSOP bottling, which is said to “reveal a smooth flavour marriage of wood, vanilla and fresh fruity pear notes, making way to whispers of Armagnac and notes of prune”.

Bardinet will also shine a light on its blended Scotch Sir Edward’s 12 Year Old and the Glen Moray single malt Scotch range, including Glen Moray Cabernet Finish and Glen Moray Fired Oak.

The stand will also highlight the new Glen Moray travel retail range – including no-age-statement, 12- and 15-year-old bottlings.

On the La Martiniquaise side, a new design for Old Virginia Bourbon will be unveiled to highlight its six years of ageing. Meanwhile, Saint James Rum will debut its new Cuvée L’Essentiel, which is a blend of three Saint James rums, including a 1998 vintage, 2000 vintage and 2003 vintage.

Liviko

Stand: J34, Basement 2

Estonian spirits producer Liviko is exhibiting at the show for the first time and will unveil its first travel retail-exclusive: Vana Tallinn Coffee Fusion.

Inspired by the “growing global coffee culture and its influence on the cocktail scene”, the 35%-abv expression is a blend of Vana Tallinn, a rum-based liqueur, with warm spices including cinnamon and vanilla, citrus peel and coffee beans. The first batch will be available in 500ml bottles, initially with Baltona Duty Free and Viking Line.

Liviko is also focused on expanding distribution of Crafter’s London Dry Gin, following the brand’s debut in Asia Pacific at Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta and Sydney airports. Crafter’s is also available in major European airports with Gebr Heinemann, including Frankfurt, Berlin, Vienna and Copenhagen.

Jörgen Herman, Liviko’s export director, says: “We look forward to welcoming delegates to the House of Crafter’s stand and sharing the award-winning brand’s success as well as our ambitious plans to expand distribution in Asia Pacific travel retail.

“We are also excited to reveal Liviko’s first ever channel exclusive, Vana Tallinn Coffee Fusion, which gives consumers additional ways to indulge in their love of coffee.”

Nemiroff

Stand: N9, Basement 2

Ukrainian vodka Nemiroff will reveal a new flavoured vodka range at its stand this year. The brand will also focus on its Nemiroff De Luxe, Nemiroff De Luxe Barrel Rested Vodka and Nemiroff De Luxe Honey Pepper Vodka.

Nemiroff uses Nemyriv’s wheat fields, purified waters, local natural resources and a proprietary 11-stage natural filtration system to craft its vodka.

Nemiroff De Luxe is described as having a “full and smooth taste” followed by a “delicate and refreshing” finish. Nemiroff Honey Pepper has notes of “natural honey combined with herbs”.

Meanwhile, Nemiroff De Luxe Barrel Rested Vodka has a flavour profile of apple, lemon peel and mint.

“[TFWA Asia Pacific is] the perfect opportunity to showcase our latest innovations, brand plans and updated communication to our regional partners, build new partnerships and extend our Asia Pacific distribution,” says global chief marketing officer Irina Zhygunova.

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