Marie Brizard takes off in the Americas

Marie Brizard returns to Orlando for this year’s Duty Free Show of the Americas with refreshed packaging and award-winning products to win over potential new buyers for the region.

The new revived look for the Marie Brizard liqueurs range will be on display. Marie Brizard L’Originale Anisette was created in 1763, and since then has travelled through the centuries, never going out of fashion. Today, this iconic mix is back with a new look that is synonymous with freedom of mind, non-conformism and refinement. This new look asserts Marie Brizard’s strong personality through a new visual identity that cleverly brings some set traditions into play while breaking others. Marie Brizard liqueurs are riding high on the wave of the cocktail trend and the MBWS team is looking forward to sharing their Travel Retail activation plans with customers.

Also newly revived is the multiple award-winning Gautier range, which was recently recognised as the best cognac in the world for the second year in a row. Gautier has undergone a major strategic makeover, with a new brand personality and package design based on craftsmanship, heritage, unique know-how, and generosity. ‘An accessible craft cognac’ is Gautier’s new brand territory, reflecting a unique and authentic relationship to the natural elements (wood, water, cognac eaux-de-vie) in the cognac making process while the new packaging boasts vivid imagery such as vineyards and rivers, giving a strong and contemporary visual identity.

The controversial and daring SHOTKA, a premium high strength flavoured vodka targeted at rebellious night-clubbing fans, will also be on display. SHOTKA stands out with its unique and unexpected cannabis taste. First launched in Spain during Summer 2015 in a strategic partnership with Matinee Group, one of the most prestigious nightlife companies in the world, SHOTKA is the focus of a targeted activation program that will run throughout this year. SHOTKA will launch in the US domestic market this Spring, with interest and demand expected to grow rapidly. While the ABV of SHOTKA has been lowered in domestic markets to qualify it as a Hemp Spirit drink, the travel retail version retains its high strength of 50% ABV, making it a duty free exclusive.

Also on display will be another medal winner, Sobieski, 100% pure rye Polish vodka with an authentic, rich taste and a silky finish thanks to the high quality of the rye grain used in its production.  Sobieski vodka has seen continuous growth since its international launch in 2001 and has received many prestigious awards including:

• DOUBLE GOLD MEDAL at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2016
• Teraz Polska (Now Poland) – the most prestigious Polish award,
• Gold Medal Best Standard Vodka from Drinks International, 
• Gold Medal from Beverage Testing Institute, 
• Award from French prestigious magazine “La revue du vin de France”.

Says Kevin Baker, MBWS Global Travel Retail Director: “The Americas have been a very strong region for us. In the USA Sobieski saw huge growth in the important States of California, Florida, Pennsylvania, and Ohio, while in Canada we saw significant success in Ontario and Alberta.
Gautier is currently the number one Cognac in Quebec, and number four nationally, and Gautier VSOP has recently been listed in LCBO. We are also seeing excellent results in New York.
Currently, the Marie Brizard range of liqueurs has 12 SKU’s listed in Canada and we are still seeing growth vs 2015, while Marie Brizard Blue Curaçao is currently number one in Quebec.

“We look forward to a fun week in Orlando, catching up with existing friends and clients and making new ones! Here’s to another successful year.”