Emperador expanding to new markets

Global liquor-maker Emperador Inc. is set to expand its footprint to more overseas markets in Africa and Latin America in the coming year, while strengthening its presence in existing markets.

“We also look forward to exporting more of our proudly Filipino-made products into more countries as we continue to raise our flags and facilities all over the world because I think, at this point, it’s important for the country to have a symbol that we can be proud of,” said Kevin Tan, chief executive officer of Emperador’s parent firm, Alliance Global Inc.

To date, Emperador’s brandy and whisky brands are available in more than 100 countries. The group also owns Scotch whisky-maker Whyte and Mackay Group, producer of the Dalmore and Jura global brands, as well as Bodegas Fundador in Spain. Its Casa Pedro Domecq business in Mexico controls 57 percent of the Mexican brandy market.

“We will continue to expand the liquor business, both whisky and brandy,” Tan said.

“We hope to be in new countries next year in, for example, Latin America and more countries in Africa, and we hope to expand presence where we are already in, like in Asia , Europe and the US.”

The group also sees brighter prospects for its brandy business across the United States in 2021. Aside from Don Pedro and Presidente, it is selling Fundador and Philippine-made Emperador across the United States.

In the domestic market, the group has added Korean soju brand So Nice to its portfolio.

Emperador is one of only a handful of companies in the 30-member Philippine Stock Exchange index basket that bucked the corporate earnings downtrend this year. Its attributable net profit for the nine months to September rose by 11 percent year-on-year to P5.9 billion.

On property development, Tan said the group was looking to build sustainable or carbon-neutral townships, which he called “Townships version 2.0.”

“It’s every human being’s right to be able to choose a community where he or she is assured that carbon emissions are brought to neutral status through creative and measured ways,” he said.