Leading family-owned, Barcelona-based spirits producer MG Destilerías is launching its premium, Le Tribute gin brand into travel retail worldwide, along with an innovative, high-end tonic line under the same name.
Founded in 1835, MG Destilerías is a global group with a presence in over 80 markets. One of the pioneers of the gin category in Spain, the company created MG Gin in 1940, it co-owns leading Dominican Republic brand Ron Barceló since 2000 and developed Gin Mare in 2010 before selling it to Brown-Forman in 2022. MG Destilerías created Le Tribute in 2016 with a target to become one of the top ten luxury spirits worldwide.
Le Tribute today encompasses two gin expressions, plus a mezcal and seven mixers under its brand umbrella – the mixers are the only square-shaped bottles in the market that can house carbonated drinks. The gin portfolio includes 700ml and 50ml miniature sizes, while a one-litre version plus a luxury gift pack will soon be available for travel retail. The mixers are available in 200ml sizes including a four-bottle pack.
Le Tribute gin sells around 20,000 cases a year, led by high-growth premium gin markets such as led by Germany and Switzerland, alongside its home market of Spain. Annual volume sales for the mixers are around 300,000 cases.
The gin houses ten citrus botanicals including lemongrass, grapefruit and kumquat, with all-natural ingredients. MG Destilerías controls the full production process of its spirits, from the selection of botanicals and juniper in its own fields, to distillation, bottling, handling and shipments.
Having established a presence in over 50 markets and in leading bars worldwide, including Sips and Bar Paradiso – named in the list of the World’s 50 Best Bars – the focus for expansion now turns to travel retail.
Speaking at TFWA World Exhibition this month, MG Destilerías Marketing & Export Manager Gonzalo Zalbidea and President USA José Chao – well known from a long travel retail career with Bacardi – addressed the opportunity for Le Tribute.
They said the brand objective was to offer “an elevated experience in an overcrowded category”.
Former Bacardi executive Zalbidea joined the company in 2015 to help realise the vision for MG to launch its own brands, as well as making or part-owning them as it has done for many years.
He said: “The challenge from the family was to create something very different using their background as gin producers. Our aim was to be different in terms of liquid and in our design using all our know-how. It had to be a brand that represented the family and in taste terms that fully brought out the juniper and other botanicals.
“But that wasn’t enough. We needed to be even more different. The pharmacy-style bottle was part of that development, and we decided we could create an umbrella brand with the tonic as a complementary product. We mirrored the pharmacy look of the gin bottle, in a square shape that never existed before in glass and is very difficult to produce due to the pressure of the carbon dioxide.
“We feel that we can offer a new level of luxury in the tonic world, one made with natural ingredients, that is also complemented by the excellence of the gin. And we are now just starting our journey in travel retail.”
José Chao is tasked with using his extensive experience in travel retail and in the North American spirits market to accelerate Le Tribute’s progress in the channel.
He said: “We aim to lead the charge for the expansion of MG Destilerías from Europe to other parts of the world via this great brand. It is the vision of the family to grow into the premium sector of the market via Le Tribute with its mixers.
“In North America we are talking to distributors and they all love the story, the elegance of the packaging and the single-serve tonic. It’s also priced well, at US$44 in the US. We will also offer a litre plus a gift pack in travel retail.”
Chao added: “Travel retail allows you to do three-dimensional marketing and it’s a great channel to talk about brands. We will invest in this space and know what that entails in marketing terms and margin terms. We will recruit Brand Ambassadors to help tell the story in travel retail and present our brands in a way that engages the traveller at point of sale.
“We aim to follow the consumer from home to destination. The premium hotels around the world are contacting our teams and love the umbrella concept.
“Alongside airports, cruiselines and border stores represent a great opportunity. We know that premium tonics are a big part of the market, and that is growing fast, as is zero-calorie tonic, which we offer too.”
In 2025 MG Destilerías aims to exhibit at the major shows as it backs its belief in the business with investment.
Chao said: “The company is starting to get very serious about travel retail and from my experience in this market with Bacardi, I see how big Le Tribute can become.” ✈
