Data released by Pernod Ricard Travel Retail Europe suggests that the growing trend for gin within the domestic market is now translating into travel retail, following a highly successful start to the UK activation programme for its Plymouth gin brand where sales exceeded forecasts by more than 300%.

 

The inaugural promotion with World Duty Free Group in Heathrow Terminal 5 this March 2014, saw the construction of a nautical style, wooden and copper effect bar with nods to the original Victorian copper stills used to this day at the Plymouth gin distillery. Specially trained servers offered passengers a choice of traditional cocktail – the lime flavoured Gimlet or the precursor to the dry Martini, the Marguerite – and it is these samples Pernod Ricard have subsequently identified to be the main purchase driver at Heathrow.

 

Reflecting on the March activation Jenny Shipton, Marketing Director at Pernod Ricard Travel Retail Europe, comments: “We were blown away by the response from consumers, not only in terms of sales but because almost 3,500 travellers were sampled over a four-week period. The opportunity for further growth in the category is huge, especially as the super-premium gin segment is showing strong performance in the channel.”

 

The brand points to statistics from the IWSR, July 2013 report which highlighted strong growth of the super-premium gin category at 40% CAGR 08-12.

 

With ambitions to capitalize on this new-found thirst, Plymouth gin is reproducing its bar activation with WDF stores throughout the summer, at London Gatwick South from 1 – 22 July and at London Heathrow Terminal 3 from 23 July – 26 August.

 

Nigel Sandals, Category Manager for Liquor at World Duty Free Group, says: “We were delighted with the response from our customers during the Plymouth Gin activation in our World Duty Free store at London Heathrow Terminal 5. They loved the opportunity to get to know the brand’s background, whilst enjoying a luxury experience at the in-store gin bar. As a result, we’ve worked very closely with the Pernod Ricard Travel Retail Europe team to expand the Plymouth gin activation to two new locations: Gatwick South and Heathrow Terminal 3. We look forward to welcoming gin enthusiasts from around the world and sharing a cocktail with many more customers within our stores”.