Allied Domecq to launch Sauza tequila theme bars
Allied Domecq is preparing to roll out its Sauza tequila brand throughout the UK on the back of a retail concept called Bar Sauza.
One outlet of Bar Sauza has already opened in Glasgow as a trial and Allied Domecq Inns is now converting existing sites in Leeds, Nottingham, Leicester and Birmingham. If these prove successful, a national launch is probable.
Sauza tequila – one of Allied Domecq’s core brands and a huge seller in the US – was launched in Scotland last year with a 1.5m TV campaign. However, the brand’s distribution throughout the rest of the UK remains minimal.
Andy Walder, marketing director of Allied Domecq Inns, says Bar Sauza will be used to lay the foundations of the Sauza brand.
“This is a great piece of synergistic marketing, with the retail business working hand in hand with the spirits arm,” says a spokesman for Allied Domecq Spirits & Wine.
The Sauza bars are based on a general Latin theme. They serve South American food and feature Latin music.
If the tie-up between the bars and the brand is successful, Allied Domecq may consider similar arrangements for other products in its portfolio. Beefeater gin, Ballantine’s and Kahlua are all core brands without a distinct presence in the UK. There is already a tie-up between Baskin Robbins and Kahlua in the US.