FRESCOBALDI WINES WILL SOON BE ON SALE AT HARRODS OF LONDON… BUT THE PROJECT “DEI FRESCOBALDI RETAIL & RESTAURANT” IS NOT ONLY ABOUT WINE

Frescobaldi wines will soon be on sale at Harrods of London. The Tuscan winemakers Marchesi de’ Frescobaldi recently made the announcement and explained that, “luxury wine bars in airports and quality commercial centers of the big capitals will be the new challenge for the group”. It already earns 6 million euros per year in this sector.
The managing director of the restaurant company Diana Frescobaldi has a very precise goal: to increase the 4 existing sales points to 14 by 2012, creating earnings of about 18 million euros. Today, there are negotiations already in act in South Korea, both at the Incheon Airport as well as in the Seoul city center. The goal of the project is that of offering high quality wine and food to those who travel or are shopping.
“We want to make known the values of ‘Made in Italy’ – noted Diana Frescobaldi – “starting with the presupposition that Frescobaldi is not only wine, but is a name that evokes the authenticity of Tuscan style. And Tuscany will also be the architectural style for the new wine bars around the world, which, with their colors and forms will evoke the linearity of the forms of the Florentine Renaissance”.

Thus, Frescobaldi has now launched a new international project from Rome with their brand “Dei Frescobaldi Retail & Restaurant” in order to, “reinforce the presence of the Italian brand in a sector (that of ‘travel-retail’) that is in great expansion, continuing to produce and sell wines of great quality”.

“Our name” – continued Diana Frescobaldi – “recalls the history, culture and style of Tuscany. So we are aiming towards this style, that which is Florentine, both in the architectural forms as well as in the recipes and menus, and, obviously, with the wines”.
Frescobaldi, with its wine bar at the Roma Fiumicino Airport, has already articulated this idea, with a high quality restaurant as well as the first sales point based on the new project that will soon be arriving at “molo c” with architectural inspiration and all. The project foresees great expansion in Europe, where the demand for high level “Made in Italy” products is decidedly strong.
Giovanni Geddes da Filicaja, general manager of Marchesi de’ Frescobaldi, explained that the “Retail & Restaurant” project is motivated by the fact that the “travel-retail” sector in restaurants earns 19.5 billion dollars per year, and also has double digit growth (+22% from 2006 o 2007). Geddes pointed out that in airports there is a strong demand for quality and luxury restaurants. Marchesi de’ Frescobaldi already began to meet this request when it opened its first airport wine bar in 1999.

The project’s numbers: It is predicted that overall sales will grow from the current 6 million euros for 2008 to 18 million euros by 2012. Sales points will grow from the 4 that are currently running to 14 by 2012. According to Andrea Belardini, director of business and strategies at the Rome airport, the evolution of luxury consumption in airports considers “airport retail” an industry of considerable dimensions, with important growth rates.