NEWS France Is In The
NEWS France Is In The Air… At Vinexpo Hong Kong Air France – Vinexpo partnership reaches new heights While Air France already had a service counter at the 2014 edition of Vinexpo Hong Kong, 2016 was the first edition at which a full-service Air France lounge was to be found at this event. The partnership between Air France and Vinexpo has been developing and growing for some years now, and it continues to evolve. “Last year, we decided with Guillaume Deglise – CEO of Vinexpo – to enhance our cooperation in order to put forward our common values such as expertise, and the value we give to our customers,” says Bénédicte Pellerin – Regional Manager – South West France Regional Division. “We brainstormed together and the idea of the Vinexpo Air France Club came about. This fitted perfectly with the fact that Vinexpo has a ‘club’ of 5,000 VIP customers, and the idea was to create the privacy and exclusivity of an Air France lounge for these people. We started this last June at Vinexpo Bordeaux, and we decided to export this idea to the Hong Kong event, as well as doing something similar at Vinexpo Tokyo. It’s a chic and elegant space, giving a feeling of excellence, just like a bottle of fine wine!” This year again, Air France also had a service counter on the first floor where professional staff could assist customers who needed to change their flights, or who needed help with online check-in. A VERITABLE “BRIDGE ACROSS THE SKY” FROM HK & CHINA TO EUROPE Herman Wan, Sales Manager – Hong Kong & Macau explains that in the greater China region, including Hong Kong and Taiwan, Air France / KLM has nine destinations and 95 flights into the region per week: “This makes us the number one European carrier into this region. Our new Airbus A380 started flying into Shanghai in 2015, and since April the new aircraft has also been serving Hong Kong. We have a good partnership with Chinese carriers that are part of Skyteam, meaning if we combine code-share, we have 124 flights in a week.” ON OUR LONG HAUL FLIGHTS, THE FINE WINES THAT PASSENGERS CAN FIND ON BOARD ARE ONE OF THE MAIN ATTRACTIONS OF OUR AIRLINE FOR PEOPLE IN THIS PART OF THE WORLD Mr Wan says the exclusive “French touch” is a big plus when it comes to marketing to local passengers. “I believe the market in China can be developed thanks to the association of Air France with good food and great wines. On our long haul flights, the fine wines that passengers can find on board are one of the main attractions of our airline for people in this part of the world. Air France flies to Paris and Bordeaux, meaning if people are going on a wine tour, Air France is the logical choice.” PERSONALISED SERVICES FOR CHINESE PASSENGERS Air France offers customers on its Chinese routes the excellence of personalised service combined with many products developed exclusively for flights to and from China. At Paris-Charles de Gaulle airport, staff speaking Mandarin and Cantonese are on hand for customers to assist with formalities on departure, arrival and when they have connections. On board, the crews offer a custom-designed service adapted to Chinese passengers. This constant search for excellence, hospitality and service is reflected both in gestures and in the polite vocabulary used. In addition, there are Chinese interpreters on board all Air France flights to and from China. Onboard announcements are made in Mandarin or Cantonese depending on the flight’s origin and destination. Adapted versions of Air France in-flight magazines in Chinese are available to passengers, as well as a selection of Chinese newspapers and magazines. In the new cabins, wide highdefinition individual touch screens show up to 1,000 hours of programmes on demand in numerous languages, including some films in their original Chinese version or with subtitles. During the flight, all passengers are given menus translated into Chinese as well as oshiboris (hot or cold towels) just after boarding. As far as the meal service is concerned, Air France takes care to adapt to the culture and dietary requirements of its customers, while providing a French-style dining experience. For its Chinese passengers, the Chefs at Servair, an Air France subsidiary specialised in airline catering, design an offer of refined Chinese dishes • Herman Wan Sales Manager – Hong Kong & Macau, Air France Bénédicte Pellerin Regional Manager – South West France Regional Division, Air France (from left to right) 6 VINEXPO DAILY / REVIEW EDITION / MONDAY 6 TH JUNE 2016
NEWS Eugenio Litta Modignani CEO & Founder, Tovaritch Spirits International SA Never Drink Alone T! When Swiss commitment to excellence meets Russian tradition Tovaritch! is a brand that tells a story! It may look avant-garde but it goes back to the 18 th century. To get a little more detail, we asked Eugenio Litta Modignani, CEO and founder of Tovaritch Spirits International SA to tell us more… My ancestor, Count Jule Rene Litta, was ambassador of the Order of Malta to Catherine the Great’s court in Saint Petersburg. During his service, he discovered the know-how behind Russia’s beloved drink and elaborated the recipe fine-tuning it to perfection. The recipe was kept by my family until I discovered it in the family archives in 1998. I immediately saw its potential. It took years of hard work to turn the recipe into gold but it’s been a winning battle all along. What makes your vodka different? Tovaritch! is a happy marriage of Swiss commitment to excellence and Russian tradition. Being a Russian brand, Tovaritch! carries a strong tradition of true friendship and camaraderie. In Russian the word ‘tovaritch’ means a buddy or a friend. As our motto “Never Drink Alone T!” suggests, Tovaritch! is all about having a great time in the company of like-minded people. Today, Tovaritch! holds a unique market position with its combination of superior quality and attractive pricing. You have consistently been winning awards… What are the reasons for this consistency? Indeed, we stand out as the world’s most awarded vodka with 83 awards from prestigious international competitions. It all comes back to quality. We select all-natural, non-GMO ingredients for our vodka. Spring wheat and rye come from the fertile soil of the Volga region. Grains are grown free of chemical pesticides, herbicides and artificial fertilizers and enzymes. Water is drawn from pristine underground wells. In the distillery, we use only organic yeasts and natural nutrients and blend the filtered spirit with natural ingredients, thus ensuring that vodka has a smooth, clean taste. What were your main goals / reasons for coming to Vinexpo HK? We are looking to develop new business in Asia as well as to strengthen relations with our current distributors. We were not going to Vinexpo emptyhanded. This year, we have showcased our new ingenious 3D marketing visual. It was created by our partner, Proximity Madrid, a top Spain-based global marketing agency, and has recently been awarded first prize by Lürzer’s Archive. TOVARITCH! IS ALL ABOUT HAVING A GREAT TIME IN THE COMPANY OF LIKE-MINDED PEOPLE How important is Vinexpo HK in your global marketing plan? Consistency is a key element of our global marketing plan. That’s why we keep coming back to Vinexpo Hong Kong. It is our third time here over the past six years. Vinexpo HK is Asia and Pacific’s No. 1 venue for wine and spirits professionals. It offers excellent opportunities for introducing our novelties to the Asian operators • vinexpodaily.com VINEXPO DAILY / REVIEW EDITION / MONDAY 6 TH JUNE 2016 7
