Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1787
10 / the tasting panel / august 2009 Industry Spotlight M alibu rum has partnered with Reef Check, an international non-profi t organization dedi- cated to monitoring, protecting and reha- bilitating reefs worldwide. To raise awareness of Reef Check and help advance its mission, Malibu is kicking off two dedicated ultimate beach programs. The brand is fi rst unveiling a limited-edition Reef Check–inspired bottle and will make a charitable contribution to the organization. Malibu is also offering consumers the opportunity to apply for one of ten internships estab- lished to help monitor coral reef health in Thailand, the Maldives and the Philippines. With an SRP of $12.99, the limited-edition bottle is available at retail locations nationwide. Applications for the internship will be accepted through August 31, 2009, and are available online at www.malibu-rum. com/reefcheck. The applicants who convey the most creativity, enthusiasm and character will be selected as fi nalists. Malibu Helps Protect Threatened Reefs Van Gogh Imports and Viridian Spirits Form Exclusive Partnership V an Gogh Imports/Luctor International will serve as the U.S. sales and mar- keting force for Viridian Spirits LLC's portfolio of absinthes, including category leader and fl agship product Lucid Absinthe Supérieure. Jared Gurfein, co-founding President and CEO of Viridian Spirits LLC, says, "By joining with Van Gogh we instantly triple the size of our sales force and are able to tap into the expertise of a management team with more than 35 years of experience in the industry." T. A. Breaux, world-renowned absinthe expert and creator and Master Distiller of Lucid, adds that "the partnership will allow the owners of Viridian and me to put greater emphasis on PR and marketing activities as well as international distribution." The agreement also unites Norman Bonch- ick, Chairman and CEO of Van Gogh Imports, with his sons, Jonathan Bonchick, co-founder of Viridian, and Lucas Bonchick, National Sales Manager and Northeast Region- al Sales Manager of Viridian. W. J. Deutsch Creates New Spirits Division W . J. Deutsch & Sons, Ltd., a lead- ing importer and marketer of wines from around the world, has cre- ated a spirits division to be overseen by Senior VP of Spirits Jean-Francois Bonneté, the former President/CEO of Mystique Brands, LLC and the prior Director of North America for Co- gnac Ferrand. Deutsch will launch the division by partnering with Cognac Ferrand to exclusively represent Landy Cognac (championed by hip hop artists Snoop Dogg and E40) throughout the U.S. market. "Entering into the spirits indus- try is a landmark moment for W. J. Deutsch & Sons," says Chairman Bill Deutsch. "We are industry leaders in consumer brand development and marketing, with an unprecedented record for gaining high-visibility distri- bution and building premium brands throughout both the on- and off-prem- ise—key factors in creating a successful spirits business. We chose to work with Cognac Ferrand, the father of the "craft spirits" movement, to market Landy Cognac, their award-winning Cognac brand, selling for $20–24 per bottle." Landy recently received a coveted Double Gold medal for its V.S.O.P. at THE TASTING PANEL's 2009 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. "Our initial focus will be to de- velop a strong portfolio of spirits brands, hand-selected from suppli- ers who are committed to delivering premium quality, innovative prod- ucts for today's consumer," explains CEO Peter Deutsch. "Over the next three to fi ve years we will concentrate on selling these products through a committed distributor network, and applying our extensive marketing ex- pertise to build these brands into stars of the spirits industry."