The premium spirits maker Diageo is rolling out the expansion plan for its exclusive store ‘Select` to display the top brands out of its 118-strong portfolio. The first outlet of Select was opened in Wanowrie to showcase its well-known premium labels such as Johnnie Walker (Red, Black and Blue), Smirnoff, Vat69 and Black & White and some of its own wines under the Nilaya range. Divulging its expansion plan, Asif Adil, Managing Director of Diageo, said, “Besides our several locations in Mumbai, we are looking at targeting prime hill stations such as Mahabaleshwar, Matheran, Alibaug and Panchgani as well as tier 2 cities such as Nagpur. Eventually, we have planned to expand the Johnnie Walker Select stores to other Indian cities.” Besides several customer-friendly services, such as interactive kiosks; leaflets and brochures which introduce the consumer to the brands, tracing their history and origin, their distinct characteristics; exciting cocktail recipes and new ways to enjoy them; special gifting and gift-wrapping options, for enhancing its services, Diageo will employ on-floor host who will assist the customers in making a choice and also offer advice on nuances like cocktails and food pairing. These stores will be of the area 500- 1000 sq. ft. “While there is no set formula, most Johnnie Walker Select stores need to be spacious enough to allow the consumers to walk around, look and feel the brands,” added Adil. Regarding the franchise model, Adil informed, “This is a partnership between the store owner and Diageo. The store belongs to the owner, and Diageo takes care of the branding and the visibility, having plenty of years of international experience in understanding consumer needs and expectations.”
