CANADA. Inniskillin Ice Wine is aiming to reinforce its XO Cognac-level positioning at next month’s TFWA Asia Pacific Exhibition. The brand sold out at Sky Connection in Hong Kong recently and has been successful in raising its profile dramatically at most major Asian airports, judging by recent visits to the region by The Moodie Report.
In Asia, Inniskillin is already prominent throughout DFS (in Hong Kong, Singapore, Okinawa, Guam, Saipan, Palau, Australia, New Zealand and Hawaii) and in recent times has expanded into King Power Thailand, Sky Connection, Tasa Meng, Everrich Duty Free and Dubai Duty Free.
With inflight partners such as Korean Air, China Airlines, Philippine Airlines, Air Micronesia and Bond & Co in Japan, the Inniskillin Icewine 375 ml – priced at US$65 – has become one of the top selling SKUs onboard these carriers. Its sister brand Jackson-Triggs, with the Jackson-Triggs Vidal 375 ml at US$49, has also been a success story with Asiana in South Korea. Next month Inniskillin will announce a new listing onboard another major Asian carrier.
Imagination Unlimited International (IUI) owner Lars Johansson commented:” We are looking forward to the TFWA Asia Pacific Show in Singapore as Asia represents a critical region for the continued growth and success of the brand.”
Last year Inniskillin was ranked number 47 among all wine and spirit brands in global travel retail, according to Generation DataBank. With this year’s new listings, especially in Asia, IUI and the brand owner Vincor are confident that Inniskillin may feature among the top 25 liquor brands, while remaining firmly entrenched as the number one wine in travel retail.
As recently as 1997, no Inniskillin was exported from Canada. International operations began with a test shipment to DFS Singapore.
Johansson said: “Roger Provost [executive vice-president, International for Vincor International] gave us the opportunity. After he had fine-tuned the look, he had a very clear strategy and a five-year plan, known now as Ice Storm. We stuck to the plan and the results are known.”
Inniskillin Icewine has been one of the rare products in duty free to outperform the total market, the category and gain significant market share. Its global strategy was built around the duty free sector. As a high-quality, high-ticket item (average retail price of US$65-130 per 375ml bottle), Inniskillin Icewine claims to offer retailers similar profit potential as the top XO Cognac and super-premium Scotch brands.
Inniskillin has also developed a special following with female consumers in the Asian market, as Lars Johansson told The Moodie Report: “When we first tried Inniskillin, I had a small table in a duty free shop which will be nameless and I offered a leading XO Cognac, a 17yo blended Scotch and Inniskillin. The test was directed to Japanese females – who were looking for Scotch and Cognac as gifts to bring back.
“They commented that the Cognac and the Scotch were hot, burning and not very easy to swallow. Then they tried Inniskillin Gold Vidal Oak Aged Icewine. Following the sip, they smiled and asked for seconds. They bought a Cognac for their father or boss, but we also offered six-packs of Inniskillin and the result was amazing. Finally there was a product the female liked, and later this has translated also to younger male and all clients.”
Another positive note from the company’s research came out of a tasting with the diplomatic corps in Washington last Autumn.
Johansson said: “A very senior lady at the Korean Embassy told me, ‘Whenever an entertainment event was planned in the past, the main concern was what Cognac and what Scotch to serve. There was never any consideration to what the woman would like. Today, we would not plan a VIP event without the Cognac and Scotch whisky for the men, but now, no one would give a party without also having Inniskillin Icewine to offer.’ ”
MORE STORIES ON INNISKILLIN
Inniskillin goes for Gold in Latin America – 24/02/04
Abu Dhabi retailer wins Inniskillin wine competition – 21/11/03
Inniskillin Zooms up the inflight league again – 12/11/03
Encore performance for Inniskillin in IWSC wine awards – 25/07/03
