Bacardi launches new Scotch-whisky brand
Bacardi (Thailand), importer and distributor of liquor products, including Dewar's Scotch whisky, yesterday introduced William Lawson's Scotch whisky to the Thai market.
The launch of William Lawson's, a five-year-old scotch, comes at a time when the government has said it intends to ban all alcohol advertising. This is expected to lead to increased price competition in the market for mid-range whiskies, where branding is not considered important.William Lawson's retails at Bt350 a bottle. Bacardi (Thailand) senior marketing manager Sompong Choakpibulkarn said the new brand would help the company offer consumers a wider range of whisky products. Dewar's, the company's deluxe brand of scotch, currently commands an 8-per-cent market share of Thailand's 300,000-case premium-scotch market. "Standard Scotch whisky is the largest market segment, with total sales of Bt2 billion. There are many players in this competitive market, in which consumers consider only three factors when making a purchase: price, taste and the level of hangover incurred," said Sompong. He said that in the mid-range market, consumers paid little heed to branding. Sompong also said there was room in the market for new players. Standard retail outlets like grocery stores and supermarkets are the major distribution channel for mid-range whiskies. "We expect our William Lawson's whisky to gain a market share of about 5 per cent in the standard Scotch-whisky segment in its first year," said Sompong. Kwanchai Rungfapaisarn The Nation
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