LATIN AMERICA. Belvédère Duty Free has opened a new office in Panama to support the growth of its key brands in Latin America and the Caribbean. The office is headed by Tito Gonzalez (tgonzalez@ibrandsinc.com).
The Panama operation is part of Imperial Brands Inc, the US subsidiary of Belvédère SA. The key function of the new office is to enhance the development of all the Belvédère brands in the region, including Sobieski and Danzka Vodkas, and provide support to Belvédère Duty Free.
“We are delighted about the opening of the Panama office” said Belvédère Duty Free Sales Director Torben Vedel Andersen. “Latin America is a key market for us and with Tito in a strategic position in Panama, from a duty free point of view, we can react faster and also provide better service to our customers.”
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Danzka Vodka is enjoying strong sales results in Latin America, as Belvédère Duty Free opens a regional office |
“Andersen said that the award-winning* Danzka Vodka is now performing strongly in the region.
“Danzka Vodka sales are growing double-digit both in domestic and duty free across the continent and we are widening our portfolio in the region with Sobieski Vodka and Marie Brizard cordials. We will also soon be adding our new Russian vodka, Youri Dolgoruki, a super premium vodka from the Kremlin in Moscow.
“Following on the success of Danzka Vodka’s +45% increase in duty free and remarkable +64% increase in duty paid sales last year, the travelling public continues to embrace its unique lighter-weight and shatter-resistant aluminium bottles,” said Andersen.
The company said it was particularly excited about the expansion of Sobieski into Latin America. Sobieski, Belvédère SA’s largest selling vodka brand is already the number one premium vodka in Poland and the world’s fastest growing vodka with 2007 sales in excess of 2 million cases. Imperial Brands is on track to sell 250,000 cases of Sobieski in the US, where it was introduced last year.
Tito Gonzalez will join Torben Vedel Andersen at the ASUTIL convention in September: “I really enjoy ASUTIL, which is a wonderful way to meet customers, fellow suppliers and friends in a professional and focused yet friendly atmosphere,” commented Andersen.
*DANZKA Vodka won gold medals for Best Premium Vodka and Best Scandinavian Vodka, and a silver medal for Design and Packaging for its uniquely Danish-designed aluminium bottle at Drinks International’s International Vodka Challenge. Sobieski and Sobieski Estate won two gold medals.
About Belvédère Duty Free
Belvédère Duty Free A/S, based in Copenhagen, Denmark, is responsible for the sales of the entire Belvédère spirits and liqueurs portfolio in global duty free. Leading this portfolio are Danzka Vodka, the fourth best selling premium vodka in global duty free, Sobieski Vodka, the world’s seventh best selling premium vodka with sales of more than 2.5 million cases, and French premium liqueur brand Marie Brizard.
Belvédère Duty Free is owned by European spirits producer Belvédère SA, which is based in France and is listed on the French Stock Exchange. Belvédère SA has major production facilities in Poland, France, Bulgaria and Lithuania.
About Belvédère SA
Belvédère SA is one of Europe’s largest producers and distributors of wine and white spirits, notably vodka. The company also owns Marie Brizard, the well regarded French brand of premium liqueurs. The company is France-based and lists its shares on the French Stock Exchange. With a workforce of more than 1,000, Belvédère SA operates production and distribution units in Poland, France, Bulgaria and Lithuania. The company markets one of the world’s fastest growing premium vodkas, Sobieski, with global sales of more than 2.5 million cases, and Danzka Vodka, the fourth best selling vodka in global duty free.
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