Rémy Cointreau Appoints New Travel Retail Boss – Drinks International
Heading into the second half of 2023, two major beverage purveyors have made some big changes in travel retail and launched a series of exciting travel exclusives. Paris-based Rémy Cointreau and Glasgow-based Whyte & Co. Mackay has both announced the appointment of a new head of travel retail.
Fida Bou Chabke has become the new CEO of Rémy Cointreau GTR, succeeding Adam Hamzah who left the group to pursue other personal interests. Bou Chabke is from Lebanon and has an interesting backstory. She initially studied electrical engineering and French literature in Beirut before moving to France to work at a bank. She then moved into the wine industry as CEO of Vivelys, a wine consultancy owned by the Oeneo Group, and joined Rémy Cointreau in 2017 as Managing Director for Hong Kong and Taiwan.
Chabke was most recently General Manager of LOUIS XIII Cognac Americas, leading the company’s travel retail business at an exciting time in the division’s renaissance. In Rémy Cointreau’s latest financial results for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2023, travel retail was named as a significant contributor to the company’s record performance, bolstered by the return of international tourism in Asia.
Meanwhile, at Whyte & Mackay, owners of Dalmore and Jura single malt whiskeys, the much-loved and respected Richard Trimby Resigned from his role after seven years as travel retail director. He had a huge impact on the company, tripling its travel retail business. enhance The Dalmore’s reputation as one of the few luxury single malts in travel retail that is popular with Chinese high net worth travelers; and establish Jura as a rising star malt in the Asian travel retail market.
Following Trimby’s departure, Whyte & Mackay restructured its travel retail division to continue the upward growth curve of its channel and create more synergies between the company’s domestic and travel retail teams. Mike Greggs, who previously ran the company’s UK and European operations, has been appointed managing director UK, Europe and GTR.
new role
Meanwhile, Clarisse Daniels, most recently responsible for strategy and marketing, has been promoted to Regional Director for the newly created Regional Director, Global Travel Retail EMEA. In Asia, Whyte & Mackay’s most important travel retail market, Micheline Wong has been promoted as Regional Director Travel Retail Asia; one of her team members, Richard Wan, has been promoted to Global Account Manager Travel Retail China and Taiwan.
Following the relocation of these top corporate executives, the peak European holiday travel season is in full swing; NPD levels in the inflow channel are increasing. Moët Hennessy, for example, has been stepping up promotions with Hennessy in travel retail over the past year, and now a new limited-edition bottle of Belvedere Ushuaïa is on sale at select Spanish airports.
Located in Playa d’en Bossa, Ibiza, Ushuaia is one of the most popular nightclubs in the world, known for its world-class DJs, exquisite stage shows and luxurious facilities. Ushuaia has won numerous awards, including Best Global Club at the International Dance Music Awards, and has hosted some of the biggest names in electronic music, including David Guetta, Calvin Harris Harris and Armin van Buuren.
Belvedere Ushuaïa’s exclusive limited edition bottle aims to capture the essence of the Ushuaia experience. Moët Hennessy Europe Travel Retail therefore created a dynamic and disruptive experience at Dufry Ibiza Duty Free at Ibiza Airport to support the launch. The space’s decor is inspired by the design of wine bottles, there are regular DJ sets, and any traveler who buys a bottle of wine can get a Belvedere Red cocktail in a special VIP area. Travelers can even keep the party going at home thanks to nightclub playlists that can be accessed via a QR code.
Bacardi Global Travel Retail continues to focus on baijiu and has just launched a new travel retail exclusive, Bombay Sapphire. Bombay Sapphire Premier Cru has been developed by Gin’s newly appointed Master Botanist, Alessandro Garneri, using Tuscan late-harvest juniper berries from a single sustainable supplier. Perfect for martini cocktails with a pine-fresh taste, this small batch gin is a permanent expression of small batch gin at 47% abv and is currently available at World Duty Free at UK airports sale at £34.09, an 82% premium over the standard Bombay sapphire, priced at £18.69.
Ignacio Vazquez, Bacardi Head of Global Travel Retail, commented: “Our goal with this latest innovation is to strengthen Bombay Sapphire’s position as the best-selling premium gin in the channel, providing a unique opportunity for this Categories generate excitement, satisfy travelers and lead to greater profits for retailers.” Marketing.
As the second half of 2023 looms, the travel retail spirits market is filled with new leadership, interesting product launches and renewed optimism.