Page 46 - The Summit of the Americas 2021

INSIDER

MONARQ Group reaches customers with digital innovations

As international tourism dried up Argentina excluded. It looks like we will
MONARQ Group shifted its focus to be in the pandemic for a little longer, all
digital marketing, social media and depending on the vaccination programs
e-commerce, Managing Director Robert de in the different countries. For Duty Free
Monchy tells TMI. airport retail sales, you need borders to re-
To promote its brands on social media, open and travel between countries, so we
the independent premium wine and spirits also depend on the vaccination programs
distributor launched MONARQ’s Social outside the USA. For cruise ships it’s a
Club early on during the pandemic with bit different because of its relatively large
overwhelmingly positive feedback from dependency on U.S. tourists. We have
participants. The company specializes in Robert de Monchy, recently heard about cruise ships planning
the duty free and domestic markets in Latin MONARQ Group Managing Director to embark their passengers in Caribbean
America and the Caribbean as well as USA islands like Bahamas and St Maarten,
Duty Free. pandemic has shown the vulnerability of instead of mainland USA. We have strong
“MONARQ’s Social Club is an online the sector,” he says. distribution in these islands, so this could
platform, promoted mainly on Instagram, “We have temporarily adapted our play out well.”
where we promote digital initiatives of travel retail business but have not changed De Monchy saw the pandemic as the
our brand portfolio and provide access to our strategy. Our strategy is long term and ideal time to streamline MONARQ’s wine
exclusive masterclasses, Q&A sessions, we are committed to the channel. Going and spirits portfolio, deciding to let go of
live tastings, live distillery tours and more,” forward, we believe that the pandemic some brands, while identifying others that
says de Monchy. has propelled change in the travel retail are on trend.
De Monchy believes digital elements industry, which has fundamentally “As a result of this, we recently
need to play ever more important roles for remained unchanged for many years.” added a number of fantastic brands, such
duty free to remain relevant to consumers. MONARQ has seen some positive as Bollinger Champagne, Conosur wines
“I am always optimistic and, at the duty free business, mainly in Latin from Chile and Codigo Tequila 1530. We
same time, believe that the duty free/ America. also expanded our partnership with Asahi
travel retail industry needs fundamental “On the duty free side, 2020 has Premium Brands to include USA Duty Free
change, like the integration of e-commerce. indeed been a challenging year, while on for Asahi Beer.”
The duty free industry is basically built the domestic side we have seen healthy These adjustments to its portfolio
on legislation. If you think about it, why growth of our overall business. The along with the company’s increased
would you be able to purchase tax free individual performances by category and reliance on internet tools set MONARQ up
in one location and not in another? The brand have been different, depending on for a post-COVID world, says de Monchy.
the markets, e-commerce availability and “MONARQ is committed to the
split between on- and off trade channels,” growth of our brands and our company.
he says. The only constant thing is change; this is
“On the duty free side of the the reality for the coming years, and the
business, the brighter spots have been ones that do not have this sense of urgency
in the Latin American duty free border will unfortunately be facing increasingly
stores, especially on the Brazilian border, difficult times.”

MONARQ Group created MONARQ’s Social
Club, an online platform promoted mostly on
Instagram, as a way to stay connected with its
customers.

The Virtual Summit of the Americas Issue April 2021 46