Here’s to summer!
With almost 60% of alcohol sold in Ireland last year being purchased through the off-licence trade, according to the latest Drink Industry Group of Ireland (DIGI) ‘Drinks Market Performance Report'; it is essential that retailers stock up on the best-selling seasonal tipples as our temperatures begin to tentatively climb.
Print14 May 2013
A portfolio to be proud of
Barry & Fitzwilliam offers an excellent portfolio of wines from France, Australia, California, Chile, New Zealand, Spain and Argentina. The company also distributes three champagnes: Pol Roger, Charles Heidsieck and Piper Heidsieck.
The distributor likewise has a very strong line up in the fortified wine sector; representing Harvey’s Bristol Cream Sherry, Croft Original Sherry, Tio Pepe Sherry, Cockburns and Taylor’s Port.
The Barry & Fitzwilliam vehicle distributes a wide range of premium spirits. They include Teachers Scotch, Courvoisier Cognac, Rémy Martin Cognac, The Famous Grouse Finest Scotch Whisky, Jim Beam Bourbon, Vladivar Vodka, Boru Vodka and Whyte and Mackay Scotch.
Beam, which recently acquired the Cooley brands, has appointed Barry & Fitzwilliam as the exclusive distributor of the Cooley range of whiskey which includes: Kilbeggan, Connemara and Tyrconnell. Kilbeggan will be getting a makeover this summer with a totally redesigned package.
The summer will see a major emphasis on the new additions to the Jim Beam range, namely, Red Stag, Honey & Devils Cut, as well as major promotions on Jim Beam itself.
Tia Maria is a hugely popular coffee liqueur worldwide, particularly in its mixability in cocktails, with coffee or in desserts, or mixed with milk and ice as a luxurious long drink. It will be heavily backed by a new TV and press campaign focusing on its mixability. A new pack design has recently been launched.
The company’s beer portfolio includes Ginger Joe and a range of world beers.
Barry & Fitzwilliam also offers Corona Extra, which has grown dramatically in both the on-trade and off-trade over the last few years and the trend already this year is for more of the same. Corona is currently backed by an intensive radio and poster campaign. Corona will sponsor the Fastnet Short Film Festival again this year.
The Corona brands will also be offering a major promotion to consumers this summer with over 20 beach holidays to be won to Mexico.
Corona Light has been an instant hit with the calorie conscious consumer since its launch last year. In Weight Watchers’ parlance it only has three pro points by comparison to four pro points for most other light beers and ciders. In layman’s language it has only 99 calories per 35.5cl bottle.
The W.K.D. range from Barry & Fitzwilliam will be supported again this summer with a combination of promotions, a social media campaign as well as traditional media.
Spoilt for choice
WKD stockists in Ireland are now able to offer their customers a new WKD eight pack featuring all four variants of the ever popular RTD brand.
The WKD eight pack contains two x 275ml bottles each of WKD Blue, WKD Iron Brew, WKD Red and WKD Purple – the latest addition to the range which has taken the market by storm since its launch in 2011.
The new pack format is now available from both SHS Sales & Marketing Ireland – which supplies WKD to retail groups such as Dunnes, Tesco, Musgrave Retail Partners, Musgrave Wholesale Partners, Superquinn, BWG and O’Briens – and Barry & Fitzwilliam, which serves wholesalers and smaller, independent convenience stores.
Stockists can also obtain free POS via the WKD POS hotline on +44 (0) 800 917 3450.
Debs Carter, marketing director for WKD said: "We have often been asked by consumers and our customers whether the WKD range can be supplied in a mixed pack, so we know there is latent demand for the new pack format."
For sales enquiries contact SHS Sales & Marketing on 01 401 6200 or email info@shs-sales.ie
or Barry & Fitzwilliam on 021 432 0900 or email info@bandf.ie.
Great value from Comans this summer
Santa Cruz is an extremely light golden innovative beer from Mexico that leaves a hint of lemon on the finish. There is a sassy, mischievous, fun charisma surrounding the brand. The unique flavour of the beer makes it a popular choice for both males and females. Santa Cruz is available in 20 x 330ml bottles and a four pack; it is very competitively priced within the market.
First founded in 1844 in the USA, Pabst Blue Ribbon is one of the biggest and most well-known beers there.
Pabst Blue Ribbon is credited with being ‘the beer that made America’. It has won more awards at the Great American Beer Festival compared to any other brewery. Pabst Blue Ribbon has high product awareness due to placement in films and TV shows such as Gran Torino, The Cleveland Show, Conan O’Brien and The Hills. It also has a celebrity following that includes Megan Fox and Barrack Obama.
Pabst Blue Ribbon can be likened to a fine Pilsner and has an ABV of 4.7%. Comans is importing Pabst Blue Ribbon directly from America and it is the first company to bring Pabst Blue Ribbon into Europe with new European labelling. The beer is available in 473ml cans and 12 x 355ml bottles retailing at €15.00. There are various items of point of sale supporting Pabst; contact your Comans sales representative for point of sale or any other queries.
Lomza is a super premium craft beer from Poland
Lomza is fast becoming Ireland’s fastest growing craft beer brand. Imported directly from Poland, Lomza is one of the most recognisable super premium craft beers in Poland.
It is available in the following flavours, Export, Non Filtered and Non Pasteurised and the case size is 20 x 500ml bottles. A premium product at a very competitive price, Lomza has been in high demand since its launch at the start of 2013 and this demand is anticipated to increase over the coming months.
There is also point of sale material available to support the product in store.
Due to demand from consumers and to give consumers more choice within the value sector Comans has also launched the following packs: Karpackie six pack retailing at €7.99, Druids six pack retailing at €7.99 and Prazsky eight pack retailing at €8.99. The popular Dutch Gold four pack is introduced at €4.50 this summer. The company advises retailers to order early as these packs are only available for a limited time.
Most internationally successful German wine
With an instantly-recognisable bottle and a name which is famous worldwide, Black Tower has been the most internationally successful German wine label for more than 40 years.
Today people in over 50 countries across the globe enjoy Black Tower, and from the very outset Black Tower has always had a character of its own and gone its own way. The Black Tower Pink Bubbly is one such example, where the playful name and eye-catching labelling underscores the fun philosophy behind the wine.
Incredible alchemy of flavours
Not many people know that the famous Stolichnaya Vodka, or ‘Stoli’ as it’s affectionately known, was the first to the market with flavoured vodkas way back in the sixties.
Stoli Choc Razberi is one such innovation, which as its name suggests, is an alchemy of chocolate and raspberry flavours layered over premium Russian vodka. The product works well in cocktails.
‘Open and pour’ cocktail for ultimate simplicity
Bacardi, the world’s best-selling premium rum has introduced a new addition to the Irish market for its ready-to-serve portfolio, the Bacardi Classic Cocktails Strawberry Daiquiri. This pre-mixed cocktail minimizes preparation without sacrificing taste; simply "open and pour over ice" to enjoy the ultimate strawberry daiquiri.
Bacardi Classic Cocktails Strawberry Daiquiri is a contemporary rendition of Bacardi’s original Hand Shaken Daiquiri. To create the perfect balance of flavours, this signature drink is prepared with Bacardi Superior Rum.
The new variant will join the already popular Bacardi Classic Cocktails Pina Colada and Bacardi Classic Cocktails Mojito allowing Bacardi to continue to increase the popularity of the easy pour-and-serve design in Ireland. Similar to its predecessors, the Bacardi Classic Cocktails Hand Shaken Daiquiri is packaged in a translucent bottle that showcases the simplicity of its design and mixture.
Colour in your life
Yellow Tail, the family-owned Australian wine brand which is a well-loved household name in Ireland, last year celebrated its tenth year in business. In just a decade, the brand has experienced astonishing growth and over two million glasses of Yellow Tail wine are now enjoyed around the world every day.
100% owned by the Casella family, Yellow Tail was launched in 2001 and is today exported to over 40 countries. Featuring a distinctive yellow footed rock wallaby on the label the brand has grown from 500,000 cases in 2001 to today being close to 12 million cases.
As Ireland’s fastest growing Australian wine brand, Yellow Tail’s philosophy has always been about the enjoyment and fun side of drinking wine. Ranked as the most powerful Australian wine brand in the world and number 37 in the top 100 wine and spirits brands globally*, Yellow Tail is currently investing €150,000 in an integrated marketing campaign within the Irish market.
This new brand campaign called ‘Colour in your life’ has been developed to encourage consumers to add a splash of colour to their day with Yellow Tail‘s range of award winning vibrant wines.
As part of the new campaign, Yellow Tail has launched a Facebook competition app called ‘Barrels of Prizes’. The app offers fans the chance to win barrels of prizes such as festival tickets, ipads, Yellow Tail hampers and much more. Consumers can log onto Yellow Tail’s Facebook page www.facebook.com/yellowtail to enter.
For more information, visit www.yellowtailwine.com.
*(Source: The Power 100 report by British Consultancy Intangible Business)
Sales are blossoming
Blossom Hill is Ireland’s favourite wine brand and the leading wine from the USA. With nine out of 10 consumers familiar with the brand, it’s the number one seller across all categories.
Blossom Hill evokes the taste of sunny California and is well known for its light and fruity style. The brand’s attractive packaging makes it a standout product on shelves.
The brand is popular with young female customers looking for a ‘no fuss’ wine to enjoy with friends. It’s attractive, affordable and perfect for sharing as part of any occasion.
All bursting with fruit flavours, Blossom Hill offers a wide range of varieties, meaning there is an ideal wine suited to every customer’s taste. It includes an elite range of classics such as Blossom Hill’s Crisp and Fruity white and Soft and Fruity red. The Winemaker’s Reserve single varietal collection includes Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and the much loved White Zinfandel.
To cater for all tastes, Blossom Hill has launched new Blossom Hill Flavour World on its website at www.blossomhill.com. The website gives consumers the opportunity to explore the individual wines based on preferred flavours.
The latest addition to the Blossom Hill range is Vie Elegant and Fruity white, and Vie Delicate and Fruity rosé – which are both wine-based drinks with 5.5% ABV. The new Vie range is a reduced alcohol drink that is delicate and full of flavour. It’s the perfect choice for those customers that would like to enjoy a glass of wine without the high alcohol content as Vie contains 30% less calories than the normal Blossom Hill wine range.
Blossom Hill is now in its fifth year of sponsorship of the coveted Ladies’ Day at the Discover Ireland Dublin Horse Show at the RDS, which takes place on 8 August; a highly successful sponsorship for the brand.
For more information, visit www.blossomhill.com and www.facebook.com/blossomhillireland.
The alchemy of nature revealed in a cognac
The newest addition to the Hennessy family, Fine de Cognac, is a balanced blend of elegant eaux-de-vie selected for their originality of expression; floral finesse (hints of citrus blossom) and delicate fruit accents (fresh mango, white fruits and grapes). The subtle aging, with the use of barrels that have already held eaux-de-vie four to five times, preserves their original expression by avoiding the release of too much oakiness or spiciness.
This timeless cognac can be enjoyed on warm summer evenings paired with fresh, seasonal flavours like Irish crab, spring pea and garden mint to enhance the citrus, floral, sweet and spicy notes that pervades this elegant beverage and is sure to tantalise consumers’ taste buds and impress company.
Hennessy Fine de Cognac has a RRP of €41.99.
Enticing summer flavours from Crabbie’s
Crabbie’s, producers of the ever popular Crabbie’s Alcholic Ginger Beer, which is distributed in Northern Ireland by United Wine Merchants, is launching two enticing new favours for summer. Scottish Raspberry and Strawberry & Lime will be available in the off and on-trade from May and are produced especially with those who enjoy a fruitier beverage in mind.
As ever, the latest offering from Crabbie’s, will enjoy significant support with a new campaign due to break in June.
"Crabbie’s campaigns have always been fun and very well received, playing as they do on the ‘spiffing’ personality developed for the brand. So we are looking forward to the same calibre of campaign that has helped make Crabbie’s the number one ale brand in the UK*," said Clare McMahon from United Wine Merchants.
It is such campaigns and the outstanding quality of the brand that led it to be valued at over £100m in the UK in 2012."
(Source: AC Neilsen CGA 52 weeks Feb 2013).
Keep cool with Coors Light
Born high in the Rocky Mountains, Coors Light has been keeping things cool since 1873. This summer, Coors Light delivers a Rocky Mountain cold guarantee as every bottle and can contains thermochromic icon technology – a specially developed icon that turns blue to indicate it’s Rocky Mountain cold and ready to drink.
Experiencing consistent growth, Coors Light is now the fifth lager brand in the off-trade and it’s extending even further into the virtual world this summer with the launch of a Coors Light Ireland Twitter account which will be keeping fans up to date daily with news.
Keep up to date with all things Coors Light at www.facebook.com/coorslightireland and @CoorsLightIRL.
Follow your instinct this summer with Tiger
Brewed in Singapore since 1932, Tiger Beer is the world’s most successful pan-Asian beer. Tiger is enjoyed for its citrus, crisp, refreshing qualities.
A strict brewing process that takes over 500 hours ensures Tiger delivers perfect quality, every time. The finest malt, hops and yeast; taste-testing over 10 samples of water every day and over 200 quality checks all contribute to the creation of this fine tasting premium beer. With an ABV of 4.8%, Tiger is a full bodied beer, malty in character with a soft bready aroma. This, combined with the beer’s clean crisp finish, is what makes Tiger Ireland’s most popular Asian beer choice.
Tiger is available in 500ml and 330ml bottles and on draught in the on-trade, with 200 accounts opening by the year end.
For more Tiger news, visit https://www.facebook.com/tigerbeer.
Bringing the edge to sunny days and party nights
The world’s first and most successful tequila flavoured beer, Desperados starts out as a refreshing, cold beer and finishes with a lively kick of tequila to get any party started.
Sold in over 20 countries worldwide, Desperados has an ABV of 5.9% and is best served chilled, straight from the bottle.
The brand boasted annual sales of over 20.7 million cases worldwide in 2012, with Ireland being its fastest growing market globally and it now has an online fan base of almost 50,000.
For more information, visit www.facebook.com/DesperadosIreland.
Perfect accompaniment to every summer occassion
Enjoyed around the world since 1873, Heineken, Ireland’s number one premium lager choice in the off-trade is the perfect accompaniment to every summer occasion. Heineken continues to grow as the beer of choice at home with 15% of off-trade lager sales (Source: AC Nielsen March 2013). This summer Heineken will once again be synonymous with music, sport and summer celebration via key sponsorship platform activations.
Summer 2013 brings a bumper calendar of sporting occasions, with the Heineken brand right at the centre of the action as proud sponsor of two of the biggest sporting events this summer. As Ireland plays host to the Heineken Cup final at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium, the brand has supported its flagship sponsorship with a major TTL campaign, including a brand new TV ad and a range of off-trade activations.
Rugby fans had the opportunity to Get in the Game in stores around the country by playing an interactive game, Conversion Challenge on iPads. By stepping up to the challenge, shoppers could play to win a limited edition Heineken Cup final glass as well as the opportunity to receive a once in a lifetime VIP and back stadium experience at the Heineken Cup final.
Fans could also enjoy the UEFA Champions League Final with Heineken at home and this year’s Road to the Final campaign featured a brand new TV ad and an on-pack promotion to celebrate one of the key at-home occasions, the lads’ get-together to enjoy the game. The Heineken on-pack promotion saw personalised Heineken UCL jerseys for groups of four available to win every 90 minutes as well as the opportunity for one lucky entrant to win the ultimate UEFA Champions League prize – a trip to the final for him/her and three friends this May.
Throughout the summer, Heineken (www.heineken.ie) makes it easy to cater for every occasion with offerings including a 12 pack bottle; 20 pack bottle; eight pack can, 12 pack can and a 5L keg .
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