Single malt producer Glenmorangie has unveiled its global growth strategy, with India emerging as a key target market, alongside the launch of a new campaign featuring Hollywood legend Harrison Ford.
Speaking via video call, Caspar MacRae, President & CEO at The Glenmorangie Company, outlined the brand’s expansion plans. “The growth of the Scotch whisky market has largely come from expanding into new, untapped markets,” MacRae said. “Over the past decade as single malt has achieved more global recognition and appreciation, it’s found new audiences in regions such as Asia and Africa.”
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Global Strategy Meets Hollywood Star Power
The announcement comes alongside the launch of “Once Upon a Time in Scotland,” a 12-episode series starring Ford that marks one of the most significant marketing investments in the brand’s history.
MacRae emphasized Ford’s strategic importance to their global ambitions. “We chose to collaborate with Harrison Ford for several reasons – importantly, he’s a genuine single malt whisky fan and appreciates every ounce of craft that goes into making it. He’s also someone with far reaching appeal.”
The 82-year-old actor’s unique position as a star of franchises from Star Wars to Indiana Jones provides Glenmorangie with unprecedented cross-generational reach in their target markets. The campaign aims to leverage Ford’s authentic approach to storytelling, which MacRae believes will resonate with premium spirits drinkers globally.
India’s Whisky Challenge: Scale vs Strategy
India represents a complex opportunity for Glenmorangie, with MacRae identifying it as “a huge growth market.” However, the reality of penetrating the world’s largest whisky market presents both opportunities and significant challenges.
According to recent data from the Scotch Whisky Association, India is already Scotch whisky’s second-largest export market by volume, with the equivalent of 219 million bottles exported in 2022. Yet Scotch holds just 2% of India’s massive whisky market, where domestic brands dominate.
The scale of India’s whisky consumption is staggering. Market leader McDowell’s No.1 alone sold 31.4 million cases in 2023, while Pernod Ricard’s Royal Stag reached 27.9 million cases. These volumes dwarf typical single malt sales.
“When people discover the flavour and quality of single malt and learn about how it’s made, they appreciate its heritage,” MacRae said, highlighting Glenmorangie’s strategy. Rather than competing directly with mass-market brands, the company aims to position itself in the premium segment.
This focus on quality over quantity aligns with broader industry trends. Even capturing a small segment of India’s growing middle and upper-class consumers could represent significant growth, particularly if ongoing trade negotiations succeed in reducing India’s 150% tariff on Scotch whisky imports.
Redefining Growth: Quality Over Quantity
While many drinks brands focus on increasing consumption among existing customers, Glenmorangie is taking a different approach, positioning itself as the “special bottle” for more consumers.
“Unlike other drinks categories, where the audience might be easier to define, the appeal of Scotch whisky isn’t about a specific group — it’s all about the occasion and moment,” MacRae explained during our video call. This approach acknowledges that most whisky enthusiasts maintain only a few bottles at home, making brand selection crucial.
The strategy aligns perfectly with the Harrison Ford campaign, which emphasizes authentic moments and personal connection. “Here at Glenmorangie we believe whisky has a way of marking a moment, offering a pause to be present, whether that’s coming together with others, relaxing and appreciating, or celebrating,” MacRae said.
Future Focus
For Glenmorangie, future growth lies not in convincing existing customers to drink more, but in expanding their global footprint through strategic market entry and premium positioning.
“Our priority is now to get Glenmorangie onto the radar of more existing whisky lovers,” MacRae explained. “They already appreciate single malt whisky, and so it’s about encouraging them to choose Glenmorangie in that moment.”
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This approach, combined with high-profile marketing initiatives and strategic market expansion, positions Glenmorangie to capitalize on the growing global appreciation for premium single malt whisky.
Against a backdrop of changing consumer habits, including the rise of low and no-alcohol alternatives and softening traditional markets, Glenmorangie’s approach appears carefully calculated. The combination of strategic market expansion, premium positioning, and Harrison Ford’s global appeal suggests a balanced strategy for growth. While challenges remain, including high tariffs in key markets and shifting drinking cultures, the focus on becoming the special bottle for more consumers rather than driving volume through existing customers could help the brand navigate an increasingly complex spirits landscape.
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