Kobrand brings wine range to Asia with DFS Group
SINGAPORE. Kobrand International is launching its collection of exclusive family estate wines into the Asian market.
The company has achieved a listing with DFS Group at Singapore Changi Airport with three offerings: Benziger Syrah from Somona County, Benziger Cabernet Sauvignon and Foley Pinot Noir from Napa Valley. In addition, DFS has agreed in principle to an exclusive listing of the Wild Oak range by St Francis.
"The wine market is very exclusive, and due to the nature of the product, stocks are variable. So we offer only top of the range products, priced at US$40–$50," said Kobrand International Director Lewis Johnstone.
Regional Director for Asia Pacific, Victor Lee, said he was excited about the introduction of wines at Changi: "On arrival in Singapore it is possible to purchase one bottle of spirits, one bottle of wine and three cans of beer. Wine sales have great potential, although it is still early days."
Both Johnstone and Lee bet on the awareness that wine buyers are knowledgeable consumers, and that Kobrand's portfolio already has penetration in Asian markets, mainly through the wine cellars of five-star hotels.
Already present in the global travel retail market with the Alizé range of fruit liqueurs and the popular Café Bohême, Kobrand introduced wines to DFS Group in North America in mid-2007.
Kobrand is now developing new flavours for the Alizé liqueur range. They will be exclusive to DFS and will hit the travel retail market progressively from May through July, starting at Changi Airport, then moving into Indonesia and the rest of the region.
The packaging of Café Bohême is also being replaced with a new bottle design.
Johnstone is positive about the market in the Asia Pacific region: "Our company's focus is on investing in big visible units and display space. Staff training and product tasting in the region, overseen by Mr Lee, have been highly successful.
"For the Alizé range the three top-sellers are Alizé Gold, Alizé Red and Alizé Bleu," Johnstone added.
In India, Alizé purchasers tend to be male and the top-seller is Alizé Bleu, but across Asia Pacific 80% of Alizé customers are women and their top choice is Alizé Gold. For their part, Australian customers, like North Americans, prefer the cranberry-flavoured Alizé Red, he said.