Page 54 - TFWA World Exhibition and Conference 2025

INSIDER

Fireball stands out with these activations with
Avolta at Rio De Janeiro (left) and with DFS at
JFK Terminal 4.

UK (where they are the leading Port), year despite the category’s overall decline. Duty Free Global has been activating
the Nordics and South Korea. What is The innovation and quality of the liquids the key brands Buffalo Trace, Fireball
particularly exciting is to see younger have ensured that the gins from The Shed and Southern Comfort in some of the key
consumers falling in love with the Distillery go on from strength to strength airports in the U.S. and globally.
wonderful, aged Tawney Ports which are with multiple key operators including “We have been heavily focused on
selling extremely well from 10/20/30 and Heinemann, Lagardère, Avolta, Dubai Duty raising the profile of the great brands
even 50-year-old at very premium prices.” Free, and more. from Sazerac in global travel retail. We
DFG also represents important brands “I would also like to highlight how the have recently had some strong visibility
in the booming tequila and the struggling world’s most awarded distillery, Buffalo activations in many of the key accounts
gin categories. Trace in Kentucky, is enjoying great growth in North America. We were delighted to
“We are delighted to see how the in many countries as consumers embrace profile Buffalo Trace and Fireball in Rio de
Cincoro range of exceptional Tequilas the exceptional whiskeys which are now Janeiro and Mexico City with our partners
has moved out from its traditional base of accepted among the world’s finest. We have in Avolta.”
the U.S. and Mexico into new markets in had success throughout all major markets In terms of challenges from tariffs and
Europe and Asia,” he says. for the core offer of Buffalo Trace and its other market conditions, Geoghegan admits
“We have continued to grow the stable mates Sazerac Rye, Eagle Rare and its that the global alcohol beverage market has
global footprint of Gunpowder gin year on sister distillery with 1792 Bourbon.” certainly faced some difficult headwinds
over the last year.
“Consumers have become more
cautious with spend levels, and the
industry’s big players have engaged in cost
cutting. But we have managed to continue
growing the business model thanks to our
diverse geographical reach in the industry.
“The effect on tariffs has yet to fully
impact the business at airports but we have
certainly seen some decline in the border
business into Canada but not so much
into Mexico on the Southern border of the
USA,” he concludes.

Duty Free Global continues to activate
its brands throughout the Americas. Left:
Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin in Houston
with International Shoppes. Right: Cincoro
tequila at Chicago O’Hare with Avolta.

October 2025 54