Henkell Freixenet is set to feature travel retail-exclusive expressions from across its sparkling wine portfolio at next week’s TFWA World Exhibition in Cannes (Blue Village F 11).
Henkell Freixenet Senior Vice President Sandra Janetzki said: “As we target further growth in the sparkling wine category, the Henkell Freixenet Group will increase its engagement in global travel retail channels and showcase brands such as Freixenet, Henkell and Mionetto.
“Global travel retail is a strategic focus and a further opportunity to grow brand presence in global markets,” she added.
At Cannes the company will spotlight new expressions from its Mionetto Valdobbiadene Prosecco DOCG Brut Luxury Collection.
As reported, Henkell Freixenet unveiled the channel exclusive collection earlier this year. The line, which represents the brand’s premium offering, combines Mionetto’s winemaking expertise with Venetian glass craftsmanship. The hero product is Valdobbiadene Prosecco DOCG Brut.
With its stand-out orange label, the expression features grapes from the slopes of the Valdobbiadene area to offer a Spumante with a fine and persistent perlage and notes of ripe fruit, honey and acacia blossoms.
Schloss Johannisberg wines, which boast a global fan base, will also be featured. The world’s oldest Riesling winery was the only German wine producer to be included in Drinks International Magazine’s ‘Most Admired Wine Brands 2022’ ratings. Its Schloss Johannisberg Goldlack (2019) received the highest score of 100 points.
Spearheading a luxury positioning for the brand, Freixenet Elyssia Cava is set to relaunch in 2023. Its redesigned bottle and more contemporary label is designed with younger customers in mind. The premium Freixenet Elyssia range includes Elyssia Gran Cuvée Brut and Elyssia Pinot Noir.
Also targeted at global travel is Henkell Freixenet’s rum-based Pott Eierlikör which was focused on the German domestic market but exceeded the company’s sales expectations in 2022.
At Cannes, Henkell Freixenet will also be championing Segura Viudas, a premium brand with a long tradition and a clear approach to sustainable wine making. Segura Viudas Organic was refreshed last year and sports a new look and feel.
Alcohol-free will also be part of the Henkell Freixenet line-up.
“We see it as a category with consumer interest growing in this type of product year-on-year,” Janetzki said. “Our brands Mionetto, Henkell and Freixenet include great tasting alcohol-free products that the company believes will see increased consumer demand in global travel retail.”
As the sparkling wine, wine and spirits division of Geschwister Oetker Beteiligungen, Henkell Freixenet revealed annual results for 2021, with sales rising +11% to €1,326 million, and a “strong bounce back” in travel retail.
The company said growth in the channel was due to the recovery of existing business and new listings with ferry and cruise companies. Airport sales remained lower than pre-pandemic levels but there were good increases in inflight sales, especially in Europe and the USA.
Henkell Freixenet noted strong sales in the smaller Piccolo bottle format and claims an overall 27.4% market share of the sparkling wine category in global travel retail.
This year the company returned to seasonal brand activations for its core Mionetto, Henkell and Freixenet brands, along with its Schloss Johannisberg. Highlights included a Mionetto Prosecco tasting promotion at the Air One launch event of Urban-Air Port in the UK in April, and a Henkell tasting bar promotion in Berlin Bandenburg Airport T2 in partnership with Gebr. Heinemann during June and July.
“We are eager to continue these successes with more core brand/core airport activations at holiday times to capitalise on increased passenger numbers. ‘Liquid to lips’ and the enhanced consumer knowledge of sparkling wine products is an important strategy for our brands’ growth in global travel retail,” Janetzki said.
For the rest of 2022 and into 2023, the company plans several in-store activations in Gebr. Heinemann stores across European airports for the Henkell, Freixenet, Schloss Johannisberg, Pott and Wodka Gorbatschow brands. Recent inflight listings include collaborations with Lufthansa and Eurowings.
Click here to read an in-depth The Moodie Davitt Report interview with Henkell Freixenet CEO Dr. Andreas Brokemper detailing the company’s global ambitions and extending sparkling wine’s reach in travel retail.
