Page 78 - IAADFS Summit 2023 Special Edition

INSIDER

Tito’s rides opening of Caribbean to market dominance

Tito’s Handmade Vodka celebrated
its 25th anniversary in style in 2022 with
the opening of the Caribbean a welcome
sign for the top-selling vodka in the United
States.
“Last year we crushed it as Americans
started to travel throughout the region
again,” John McDonnell, Tito’s Managing
Director, International, tells TMI.
“In 2021 Americans could pretty much
only travel to Puerto Rico. So Puerto Rico
had a great year in 2021. Last year it was
all the other Caribbean islands and it was
full on with the cruise ships. So Americans
went everywhere because it all opened Martha Stewart partnered with Tito’s on a Dry January campaign that was well-received around the
back up.” world.
McDonnell says the brand is growing
in the Caribbean and Central America as We are looking to open up Nigeria, Angola, Dry January with Martha Stewart
the locals are now drinking the Texas-made Ghana.” In January, Martha Stewart partnered
vodka. McDonnell says the special 25th with Tito’s Handmade Vodka on a new
“The Dominican Republic is growing anniversary commemorative bottle in 2022 campaign focused on how to put the
nicely, as is Costa Rica and Jamaica. The was a big hit with consumers. vodka to good use during Dry January.
Bahamas is exploding. The locals are The newly designed commemorative To complement the monthlong campaign,
drinking Tito’s now in Jamaica and the bottle featured the brand’s signature Tito’s released a DIY January Kit that
Bahamas. In Puerto Rico, in the vodka copper cap, along with a new spin on includes a line of bottle toppers that turn
category, Tito’s has a 34.5% market share.” the iconic label, which features a special Tito’s bottles into household products.
This year Tito’s is targeting new 25th anniversary emblem. On the back of The clever marketing campaign was
markets in Latin America, as well as the bottle, consumers could find a short received well, and follows last year’s Tito’s
Europe and Africa. paragraph detailing the brand’s story. in a Can. The limited-edition, 16-ounce,
“We want to open up Argentina This year the bottle returned to its double-steelwalled, insulated, refillable
this year. We are also looking to change classic form, but will have a new label later can came filled with nothing. The can was
distributors in some Latin American this year. $20, but all proceeds went to one of Tito’s
markets.” “The 25th anniversary label was very partner nonprofits.
Last month Tito’s announced new well received. It was the first special label “I think the Martha Stewart Dry
distributors in Germany, Greece, and for Tito’s. However, we are upgrading January video went over extremely well.
Hungary. the Tito’s label this May. We will be And it wasn’t just U.S.-focused, it went
“As the brand becomes more showing the new label at the Summit of the globally. The marketing team did a great
developed in Europe and Asia some of Americas.” job,” says McDonnell. “We have more
the larger distributors are starting to pay Tito’s will be exhibiting at the Summit surprises this year that we can’t talk about
attention. One, two, five, eight years ago of the Americas and will feature a full bar yet.”
they wouldn’t even talk to us,” he says. set up at the show with a Happy Hour each
“We are also trying to expand our day.
presence in the domestic markets in Africa.

Pernod Ricard buys Skrewball Whiskey

Pernod Ricard USA announced the The purchase follows the successful are delighted to have this brand as part
signing of an agreement for the acquisition launch of Jameson Orange into the flavored of our portfolio,” says Ann Mukherjee,
of a majority stake in Skrewball, the whiskey category last year. Chairman and CEO of Pernod Ricard North
world’s first super-premium peanut butter Flavored whiskeys is one of the America. “With a product that brings an
flavored American whiskey. fastest growing spirits categories in the iconic American flavor to the spirits world,
Founded in 2018, by Steven and U.S., representing a quarter of the overall Steven and Brittany have found a true
Brittany Yeng, Skrewball was the first whiskey sales in the world-leading market. point of difference in the category. We are
peanut butter flavored whiskey and passed “Skrewball has proven its uniqueness looking forward to unlocking the magic of
half-a-million nine-liter cases sold in 2022. and success with a large audience, so we this brand and a successful journey ahead.”

Summit of the Americas April 2023 78