The Macallan, the world’s leading single malt whisky brand, has outlined an ambitious strategy to enhance and broaden its presence in Ghana and West Africa this year.
“The product is performing admirably in Ghana, particularly given our focus on a specific niche audience. Our market presence has been strong, especially in light of the previous year’s relative inactivity in marketing efforts due to the restructuring of our team for Ghana and several other markets. Nevertheless, sales have shown a consistent upward trend,” Nana Ama Akyeabea Sakyi-Obuobi, Regional Assistant Brand Manager, said.
Speaking in an interview with this paper in Accra yesterday, she elaborated that “Our performance in the market has been commendable, and we aim to enhance our results in the forthcoming years. Typically, we conduct tailored initiatives, such as exclusive dinners, where we invite key influencers we wish to connect with.”
These exclusive gatherings, she emphasised “provide us with the opportunity to network with the invited guests. They allow us to engage directly with our target consumers, persuading them to either join us or remain loyal to our brand. Additionally, we organise other activities such as retreats.”
Nana Sakyi-Obuobi said Ghana currently holds a prominent position in West Africa and is also ranked among the top ten countries in Africa which she described as very impressive.
In furtherance, she noted that over the past two years, Edrington, the parent company of McAllen realising how important the Ghanaian market is to the growth of the brand, put in place a dedicated team for Ghana.
“It has become clear that Ghana is often overshadowed when competing with larger markets like Nigeria. In light of this, Edrington has designated Nigeria as a separate market, supported by a dedicated team that concentrates exclusively on its requirements. Furthermore, a local team has been established for Ghana. This strategic initiative is designed to enhance the overall strength of the region as a unified entity,” she explained.
On sustainability, she said, “At Macallan, we are dedicated to making decisions that prioritise long-term benefits. This principle guides us in every choice we undertake, ensuring that we honour the legacy of our esteemed single malt while also considering our responsibilities towards both local and global social and environmental legacies.”
“We focus a lot on sustainability. We have a whole arm that covers from production to table. We ensure that all of our packs are from recycled material, either from oak chippings or any other thing. We collect our bottles that will go back around into the circular making of this, ensuring that we are not having our products just sitting in markets, sitting in landfills, empty bottles, among others,” she outlined.
The company, she stressed, faced several challenges in its operations in Ghana, with the volatility of the foreign exchange market identified as a significant obstacle.
“Over the past two to three years, the forex market has experienced significant instability, which has a direct impact on our pricing capabilities in the market. Ideally, we would like to maintain a specific price point; however, factors such as port duties and excise taxes considerably affect our prices. If government policies were to reinstate the previous 50 per cent discount on excise taxes that was removed in the last two years, it would greatly benefit our pricing strategy,” she indicated.
“The Macallan is exceptional brand. We are looking to provide more experiences. We are looking to partnering more with Ghanaian entities as well to build the brand and to ensure that everyone understands that the McAllen and Ghana are a great partnership and we are here to stay,” she stated.
STORIES: DAVID ADADEVOH
