Page 74 - IAADFS Summit of the Americas 2024 Special Edition

INSIDER

With brilliant bright colors, and striking “Day of the Dead-type” visuals, WEBB Banks and Southern Glazer’s featured a month-long activation
for Recuerdo Mezcal at New York’s JFK Airport enticing many a traveler to stop in and try the award-winning mezcal at the DFS duty free store
in Terminal 4. Running from mid-October to mid-November, the colorful counter offered sampling, and live Mariachi music on the weekends –
and was perfectly timed to coincide with Halloween and Mexico’s Day of the Dead celebrations.

Combined WEBB Banks – Southern Glazer’s powerhouse delivers

synergies, market expansion, deeper focus on growth categories

A little over a year after Southern with that very much,” says Castellvi. Each division maintains a separate
Glazer’s Wine & Spirits acquired Miami- The combination of Southern Glazer’s sales and marketing support team. The
based WEBB-Banks, the new combined and WEBB Banks has created synergies finance and logistics departments provide
organization has delivered on its promise, between WEBB Banks’ market expertise support to both divisions.
creating a new wine and spirits powerhouse and Southern Glazer’s strong industry “With SGWS now supporting both
in the Caribbean, Central America, South relationships, superior capabilities, and divisions, they have been able to provide
America, as well as the travel retail deep consumer and trade insights. additional back-office support to the overall
and cruise sector, WEBB Banks Chief “I am sure there is going to be an business.”
Operating Officer Jose Castellvi tells TMI. evolution. But they’ve been nothing but
The acquisition expanded Southern supportive. What is coming next is more Combined portfolio of brands
Glazer’s reach in the Atlantic and travel system upgrades.” WEBB Banks has a well balanced
retail, and strengthened its logistical “And we’ve also been able to take portfolio split between wines and spirits,
capabilities to deliver products more advantage of Southern Glazer’s huge and has been adding new brands and
efficiently to complex markets in the warehousing in Miami,” says Phillip locations.
region. Jarrell, WEBB Banks Vice President While the company had already been
“It has been a fantastic year. Innovation, Cruise & Key Accounts. representing Freixenet Mionetto, starting
Southern Glazer’s basically transferred on February 1 it has taken over cruise lines
all of the international business to WEBB Two divisions and travel retail.
Banks. That’s why we’ve kept the name. Southern Glazer’s and WEBB Banks “It’s our intent, because they’re the
WEBB Banks has the brand equity in the have two formed divisions to separate its largest sparkling producer on the planet,
Caribbean, Central America and also in business in the regions it covers. to really focus on this portfolio and give it
travel retail and cruise,” says Castellvi. “Webb Banks is the traditional a lot more attention moving forward. It is
“We have been trusted to continue to branded brand division that you know. This the number one prosecco in the world with
run the business. All of the management division has not changed. We continue to Mionetto, the number one cava in the world
team have signed agreements to stay on for maintain a strong in-market presence,” says with Freixenet, and there are so many other
a specified period of time, which has added Castellvi. brands in their portfolio that have been
a lot of stability into the company. “Then there is the Blue Water under focused. We want to see this grow a
“Southern Glazer’s is letting WEBB Division. This was the traditional Southern lot,” says Jarrell.
Banks run this business. That’s why they Wine division that we have kept separate. “We expect to see sparkling wines
purchased us. They liked our relationships, By doing so this it has allowed us to stay continue to grow and we hope that we see
our portfolio, our market knowledge, and focused with our entire wine and spirits people continue to move back towards
our team. And so they haven’t tinkered portfolio.” premium still wines.”

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