Premiumization Iberia Market
The Challenge
Spain and Portugal were relatively important markets for the whisky company José worked for, but the business was heavily skewed toward blended Scotch, resulting in low profitability.
The company’s key brands were managed by the two largest wine and sparkling wine producers in Spain, but with only a marginal share of voice.
The goal was to reverse this situation by developing the single malt portfolio in the On-Trade channel.
The Execution
José’s first decision was to change the route to market—shifting from two large distributors to a small, highly focused partner where the brands could gain a significantly stronger share of voice.
This strategic move, combined with a well-executed PR program, targeted development of the single malts in the On-Trade, and the launch of the Ultra Prestige whisky collection, helped put the company’s brands firmly on the map.
The Result
As a result, one of the single malt brands entered the Top 10 in Spain, significantly boosting brand awareness.
Additionally, the launch of the Ultra Prestige collection reinforced the brand’s ultra-premium positioning.
Within three years, profitability in Iberia doubled through portfolio premiumization.