Pernod Ricard toasts first portfolio store with Shenzhen Duty Free
A ribbon-cutting ceremony inaugurates Pernod Ricard GTR’s first portfolio store in travel retail with Shenzhen Duty Free at Mission Hills, Hainan
Pernod Ricard Global Travel Retail (GTR) has opened its first portfolio boutique in duty free with Shenzhen Duty Free at Mission Hills in Haikou, Hainan.
The opening marks another milestone in Pernod Ricard’s presence in Hainan following the opening of the first Martell boutique in duty free at China Duty Free Group Haitang Bay in early 2021.
Pernod Ricard’s first portfolio boutique in travel retail offers the Martell Cognac and Scotch whisky ranges, addressing consumer trends of cross-category purchasing and maximizing basket size.
Alongside the full Martell range, the number one Cognac in the prestige category in both volume and value (source: IWSR 2020), the offering includes Ballantine’s, Chivas Regal and Royal Salute Scotch whiskies, as well as malts from The Glenlivet and Secret Speyside ranges.
Travelers can also purchase rare whiskies such as Royal Salute 52yo and The Glenlivet 50yo, and choose from the full Caperdonich range, introduced to China’s duty free market for the first time.
The store features eye-catching integrated merchandising screens, creating an interactive and engaging shopping environment, along with an AI ambassador immersing shoppers into the world of Martell, and a tasting bar to sample products.
In line with the group’s Good Times From a Good Place commitments, the store combines innovation and sustainability. Digital merchandising units reduce carbon emissions thanks to modularization, preventing the need to remove and replace merchandising units or POS materials and allowing for real time in-store digital updates.
Commenting on the opening, Liya Zhang, VP Marketing, Pernod Ricard GTR, said: “This boutique represents a milestone for Pernod Ricard and our growth in global travel retail. It is not only our first portfolio boutique in duty free, but also another opportunity for us to bring our vision of the future of retail to shoppers – retail theater powered by digital, immersing travelers in every aspect of the shopping experience.”
Noting the importance of Hainan for the company, Simon Van Moppes, North Asia General Manager, Pernod Ricard GTR, added: “If we go back a year and a half, wines and spirits were not being sold duty free in Hainan. We've had a unique opportunity to start from scratch in a new location with a fantastic set of mature shoppers and consumers. Our surveys show that 70% of Chinese travelers expect more exciting features and digital services from their retail experiences, so this environment has provided the opportunity for us to accelerate our market introduction and retail innovation plans, including the unveiling of our first duty free portfolio boutique with Shenzhen Duty Free at Mission Hills.”
Jiangwei You, Chairman of Shenzhen Duty Free Group, said: “As part of our long-standing partnership and first-time collaboration with Pernod Ricard GTR we are excited to bring a digital shopping experience to consumers. We are incredibly proud to house the first portfolio boutique in our Mission Hills Resort and are very confident in the success of the store.”
To celebrate the opening on October 29, representatives from Pernod Ricard GTR and Shenzhen Duty Free attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
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