Taking Export from Hobby to Passion

When consumers think about Alcolado Glacial, they think about a bottle with a cute penguin on it, the one that contains that green splash lotion that can cool you off on a hot day and makes you feel like the air-conditioner is set on high.
TEXT BY FARAH DIBAH AYOUBI

Its image resonates with an entirely different segment of the brain compared to the image of Senior Genuine Blue Curaçao’s round bottle containing that blue exotic liqueur used in many delicious cocktails. But, to Sebastian Opschoor, both Alcolado Glacial and Curaçao Liqueur appear to be etched in the same parts of his brain. Opschoor is the Marketing Manager of both brands, and both are currently being exported. His office is in the historic Landhuis Chobolobo, headquarters to the both companies that produce these local brands, and home to a cozy cafe, and a well-stocked gift shop. The store is very popular with tourists, who love to take the exotic liqueur bottles and gift packages home with them as souvenirs. Adjacent to the Landhuis Chobolobo is the Curaçao liqueur distillery and Glacial production facility, which, through the years, has become a popular tourist attraction of its own.

Export Inklings
The Senior family first started producing Curaçao Liqueur in 1896. Just a little over 50 years later, in 1948, the family shareholders of the company established Curaçao Laboratories and added Alcolado Glacial to their product collection. In Curaçao, Alcolado Glacial, or simply Glacial, as it is commonly referred to, has long since become a household staple. Approximately 70% of the population uses the product. Most of the locals have memories of a mother or aunt regularly using Glacial to cool off in the tropical heat, to alleviate nasal congestion, headaches, and even belly aches, and the local market is still growing. In the 1960’s, Curaçao Laboratories identified and took advantage of various CARICOM, (Caribbean Community), opportunities and started the production of Glacial under a license in Barbados. Surinam followed, and more recently licensed production has begun in the Dominican Republic.

Six years ago, Managing Director, Loes van der Woude, embarked on a journey to grow the exporting activities of Glacial. Her travels and research led to a significant change in the companies’ approach towards export. As a result, staff was recruited, and a new marketing strategy is changing the way the company approaches its targets.

Challenges and Tenacity
Fast forward to 2017, and now both Glacial and Curaçao Liqueur are growing their exporting activities with fervor. No longer a matter of merely meeting the requests of a few loyal distributors, both the Glacial and the Curaçao Liqueur product lines are now imbued with streamlined efforts to build strong brand strategies, to find more prized distributors, and to effectively meet the market specifications in terms of packaging, economic drivers and cultural preferences.

In 2014, Opschoor joined Van der Woude’s team and set out to strengthen the brand strategy for Glacial. Although he is also responsible for Curaçao Liqueur, that is growing satisfactorily, it is Glacial that is currently the sizzling export product.

The main challenge when Opschoor first arrived was, how to stay at the forefront of the minds of those in our export markets? Glacial got a brand image makeover, which included a restyling of the penguin mascot, a fresh new look for its ads and a clear brand-positioning. Opschoor explains that the brand-position differs per country depending upon the taste, culture and even laws that affect decisions surrounding Glacial’s color, scent and package size. Each market requires its own approach. There are strategic partnerships with factories in Barbados, Surinam and the Dominican Republic. Curaçao is the brand owner and determines its marketing strategy. Opschoor works closely with the distributors in the corresponding markets and conducts extensive research to gather data on consumer behavior and preferences to maintain a good business relationship in each country.

Struggles Redefined
Opschoor has always been one to recognize an opportunity in almost every situation, although he does admit that the challenge of effectively gathering market data is currently taking up much of his precious time and effort. “Data collecting in the exporting countries is important for Curaçao Laboratories, (CL), to be able to make swift, informed decisions and forecasts. Not only do distributors expect CL to know what is happening in their specific market, but also any economic and demographic change that could potentially affect sales. CL is in the process of pinpointing what is available, and where and how to collect this market data periodically.” Opschoor is looking for ways to centralize target market data to be able to easily analyze and use it in the decision making process.

Opportunities
The export arena holds many interesting aspects. Opschoor points out, “People should know that there’s never a dull moment, especially not at the pace with which we want to grow. Every action we take elicits a reaction, from either suppliers, consumers or the market; which leads us to our next course of action. It is so stimulating to learn from each step of the way. We are now tapping into new markets in new countries, in pursuit of growing our exports, but at the same time we need to stay on top of the existing markets to secure, and possibly even expand them. For 2018, e-commerce will be high on the priority list of Glacial. In Curaçao we are very progressive in Internet technology, social media, and content marketing. We also have a social media specialist on our team. For instance, currently Curaçao Liqueur’s Instagram page has almost the same number of followers as the brand Cointreau in the USA, which – like most liqueur brands – has taken many years to develop and create brand recognition. That is just one quick example of the opportunities that are out there making these exciting times for local export.”

Advice for Newcomers
When asked what he can share with newcomers to the exporting arena, Opschoor replied, “Keep focusing on the long-term. When you invest, you need to be in it for the long haul. Through the years you will get your ROI, but not all that you invest will yield an immediate or substantial ROI. In our case we can combine efforts and resources spreading them over the two product lines. For a newcomer this may not be possible. Online marketing makes the world smaller and the pace faster. With many opportunities out there, I would say, Yes! Go for it, BUT do your homework well before starting. Look at the region; maybe focus on the Caribbean. Despite some challenges in logistics there are many opportunities in this region. I also believe that in some cases Caribbean consumers are more likely to endorse Caribbean products.” He sums it up eloquently by saying, “View each challenge as an opportunity waiting to be exploited by you – the savvy entrepreneur. And tackle it passionately”.