Suntory Global Spirits.
The Ashish Gandham Interview
Suntory Global Spirits.
2 minutes read
This week’s blogs are exceptional. For the first time on TRunblocked.com, we present a three-part interview, and it’s with Ashish Gandham, Managing Director Global Travel Retail of the rebranded Suntory Global Spirits. It really is as definitive as it gets and is as much about thought leadership as it is about the company’s excellent brand portfolio.
Part 1 covers the key reasons for the rebrand on the 10 year anniversary of the two companies, with their disparate cultures, coming together. As Ashish says, it’s an apt name for a premium drinks company with global brands. And, given the broad portfolio and different styles of whisky brands they have, he says that Suntory Global Spirits ‘understands whisky like no other’ and that the business’s focus is now to be ‘the most admired’ company, not just the fastest growing.
For Travel Retail, Suntory Global Spirits have set their sights on creating deep experiences, by getting the quality and the assortment right, then bringing their stories to life. These are the top priorities.
I suggested that bringing stories to life was not always easy, given how brands are somewhat shackled by the retailers and by the current business model. But we agreed that change was necessary. Understanding broad trends is not enough, the industry simply needs to dive deeper. The travel retail landscape is changing – and fast. Consumers are changing their buying habits. So in order to maintain – even increase – current spend levels, we need to evolve and use the available data far better than we do. There are some bright spots and he cites Dubai Airports and Dubai Duty Free, Hamad International Airport and Qatar Duty Free, Changi Airport and Lotte as excellent examples of airports and retailers that act in close collaboration to operate – and deliver – great retail. Together.
So what about the consumer? Ashish thinks that they are still outside the Trinity triangle and not in the centre as they should be. It’s been said before, but it is true, the Travel Retail ecosystem needs to change. Where possible, perhaps JV’s like Aeroports de Paris and Lagardere Travel Retail, or Frankfurt and Heinemann are one way forward. There are changes ahead in India, too.
But it is also about the basics, like better digitalisation and queuing. Have we shifted the dial on convenience? Absolutely not, he says.
It’s a remarkable, self-reflective interview of Suntory as a business. Parts 2 and 3, coming to you on Wednesday and Friday this week, present the whole picture of a company that has clearly identified its path forward.
