New agency for Mexican travel retail market

A new Mexican company, Prime Brands Duty Free, has been created with the aim of becoming the largest brand distributor and agency in the US$160m Mexican travel retail market.

Based in Mexico City, Prime Brands plans to represent leading spirits and gourmet food brands. It will focus on portfolio synergies, brand building, and adapting global strategies to local Mexican conditions. Long term, the company plans to extend the business  into other categories such as fashion, luxury goods and perfumes.

The agency has already signed contracts with Tequila Milagro, Tequila Sierra, Miguel Torres Wines, Brandy Torres 10, Flor de Caña Rum, Matarromera Winery and Tequipal Distillery. The company is expecting to sign contracts with a further five leading brands this year.

The man behind Prime Brands is Prisciliano Tavera, commercial director of Tequila Milagro until December 2009, where he directed the sales and marketing strategy for the brand’s Mexican and travel retail channels.

“The idea behind Prime Brands was to fill an existing market gap for brands that consider Mexico a key market, but locally don´t have the structure or distribution to meet the needs of the region,’ says Tavera.

"Another important reason was to integrate leading brands in all spirits categories creating a premium portfolio with significant leverage,  whilst establishing alliances and synergies between the brands, presented as one face to Mexican operators.”

As well as covering the Mexican domestic and travel retail market, Prime Brands also expects to extend its service to include the US southern border, the Caribbean and Central America.

1 February 2010 - Felicity Murray