This afternoon, Dufry CEO Julián Diaz hinted to a new partnership with Diageo which would involve one of the drinks giant’s best-known brands creating whiskies exclusively for Dufry.

Diageo has on numerous occasions developed products from various brands exclusively for the global travel retail channel, but Diaz insinuated that this new range would be exclusively for Dufry.

“We have created in my view a very good relationship with the suppliers and they have obviously the same intention; to develop exclusive products for travel retail in different areas,” he told analysts and journalists during a Q1 2018 results press conference this afternoon.

“So far probably what you have heard is that in confectionery we have launched two or three new products all with great success with Lindt. There is also an ongoing project with Diageo for launching in travel retail; new whiskies [from] international brands…always with well-known brands.

READING E-MOTIONS

“The intention is to really attack the core categories especially through spirits and confectionery, but there are also initiatives planned for personal care and perfume & cosmetics, involving the important brands.”

Together with the brands Diaz hopes to move towards more digital initiatives, connected with its E-motion project.

New look for Johnnie Walker at London Heathrow Airport’s T5 inside the Dufry duty free store.

“What is going to happen in the future? This is a combination of things that are also linked to digitalisation that I mentioned before that this is one of the main drivers that we are expecting for organic growth in the future.

“It will be a combination of services and products that will be special and located in travel retail environments.

“During 2018 what we are going to see is a significant development in new exclusive products for travel retail in Dufry.”

Diaz says Dufry expects to fully implement the E-motion project in 2018 and he hopes to see a positive impact on organic growth reflected in 2019.

“Digitalisation is not for free and what I can say is that what we are trying now is to enclose this in our 3.5% of CAPEX…whatever change is needed and so far we have been doing that. In fact if you look at this year, we have [made] a lot of investment over the previous year. We [may] need higher investments, but between 3-3.5% is a good projection.”