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INSIDER

Juan Gentile (far right) and part of the DISC team at their Miami office.

DISC solidifies regional growth with strategic brand additions and Miami
warehouse

In the three years since Juan Gentile that we also carry for Caribbean domestic.” by consolidating our FTZ warehouse
created Distribution Spirits Company Gentile emphasizes how important operations. With a focus on brand
(DISC), the company has stayed true to its it is for DISC to be constantly in the building, customer satisfaction, operational
founding vision, and has consolidated and market, as the Caribbean is made up of excellence, and strategic partnerships, I’m
strengthened its presence in the Caribbean many different islands with people who confident that we’ll achieve our objectives
market and duty free sector. speak different languages and might drink and further solidify DISC’s position as a
Gentile, who worked for Edrington different spirits. leader in the region,” he says.
for almost 20 years, most recently as “Drawing from over 20 years of “Our recent acquisition of our own
Senior Vice President, Managing Director experience connecting brands with FTZ zone underscores our commitment to
Americas Travel Retail at Edrington consumers across Europe, Latin America, providing innovative supply chain solutions
Americas, tells TMI that while DISC has and Global Travel Retail, the one and further enhancing our distribution
added strategic brands to its portfolio, its fundamental lesson reaffirmed is that capabilities.”
goal is to continue to reinforce its presence people always come first. This principle
in the regions it operates with its current applies not only to our team and company Cruise
portfolio of premium wines and spirits. but also to our customers and consumers. While Gentile founded DISC with
“We aim to solidify our position as a “Ultimately, the journey with DISC a focus on the Caribbean and duty free
trusted partner for both our customers and has reinforced the importance of putting markets, the cruise business was the
brand owners, ensuring that we continue people and relationships at the forefront of obvious next step, he tells TMI.
to deliver the right brands to the right everything we do,” he says. “Our cruise business is an exciting
territories and channels,” says Gentile. “In particular, serving the Caribbean new venture for us. We’re just beginning to
“I want to say I’m truly pleased with market has highlighted the region’s introduce our premium portfolio of brands
our progress since we began in 2021. remarkable ethnic and cultural diversity. to the cruise market, and it’s been a good
Throughout our growth, we’ve stayed true Each market has unique consumptions journey so far.
to our original strategy, which has led to preferences and purchasing behaviors. By “We’ve listed Tequila Kah and
a natural expansion to further reach our understanding the nuances of this diversity Rooster Rojo on Virgin Atlantic, offering
brands’ target consumers more effectively.” and their dynamics, we can tailor our travelers the opportunity to experience
DISC and its brands have primarily strategies and offerings to better resonate premium quality tequila brands, and
targeted North American nationals, with with our target audience in the markets we Ballotin on Norwegian Cruise Lines.
a lesser focus on Western Europeans and serve.” “In our efforts to expand our presence
Latinos, says Gentile. within the cruise industry, we’re actively
“Recognizing that these consumers Warehousing engaged in conversations with major
travel frequently by air or sea within the DISC has consolidated its FTZ cruise retail and Ship Chandlers. Our goal
region, we’ve capitalized on the concept of warehouse operations in Miami, a move is to establish our portfolio as a preferred
the consumer travel trail, ensuring that we Gentile says was key to his company taking choice among cruise passengers, offering
engage with them throughout their journey. its next steps in the region. our customers a selection of premium
This strategy has naturally extended into “One of our key priorities is to further spirits to enhance their passengers’ onboard
duty free markets, particularly those brands enhance our customer service standards experience.”

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