Tan brothers want a slice of PH gin market

Brothers Lucio Tan III, president and chief operating officer and Kyle Tan, executive vice president of Tanduay are eyeing a share in the country’s lucrative gin market through Ginto. Gin aged in oak barrels, this new product will be the first of its kind in the Philippines.

“Gin continues to be a popular choice among Filipinos. What we are offering the market is a fresh twist on a classic drink, a cross-category oak barrel-aged gin, blended in the same gold standard of craftsmanship. But most importantly, we’re making it available to consumers at value price point,” said Lucio. 

The Philippines, according to alcoholic beverage market intelligence group the Interna-tional Wine and Spirits Research, is the largest gin market in the world, consuming 22 million cases a year.

“We are expanding our spirits portfolio with a mix of traditional favorites and more new product concoctions like Ginto. We are also making our products accessible to consumers by strengthening marketing efforts in existing distribution channels and expanding our reach to new territories,” said Tan.

Ginto is now already available in Luzon, where there is a high concentration of the gin market. The Greater Manila Area alone accounts for 94.9 percent of its market value in 2017. Distribution is expected to increase as Tanduay opens more channels outside of Luzon, which is a stronghold of the company’s rum distributorship.

Rum still dominates the spirits category in Visayas and Mindanao. Year-on-year, Tanduay has been lording over other brands, capturing over 90 percent of the country’s rum market.

Tanduay’s barrel ageing facilities house 200,000 oak barrels with a capacity of 40 million gauge liters, a key competitive advantage that will take 25 years for other companies to replicate.

Barrel-aging gin gives it a classic aged spirit flavor like caramel, oak, vanilla and smoke. If the barrels were previously used for other spirits, the gin also takes the flavor of that spirit.

“Our research and development team has been our innovation engine. In the process of developing this product, they’ve led us to a realization that gin can produce a variety of flavors when aged in oak barrels. This is what makes us excited about the potential of this new product,” Tan said.

Ginto’s barrel-aging process translates to its distinct taste with hints of citrus, juniper and berry and wood notes. This also contributes to its golden amber color, which is reminiscent of the Philippines’ golden sunsets.

Like Tanduay, Ginto is made from quality ingredients sourced locally and underwent strict control checks to ensure that wherever their customers are around the world, they would enjoy the same proudly Philippine-made product.

“We want to give the gold standard experience to Filipino gin drinkers. It takes courage to offer something new, especially in the local market where brand love is strong. But somehow you have to try and offer a new taste for them to realize that gold is better than silver,” Kyle said.