How a Premium Tequila Brand Overcame Market Barriers to Establish a Successful Presence in the Middle East Market
VIVIR Tequila, a well-established, premium tequila brand, attempted to enter the Middle East Market for two years without success. Despite strong home market and export success, the complexities of distribution, regulatory compliance, and building local partnerships prevented its entry.
Through Craft & Culture’s Access Middle East service, VIVIR Tequila unlocked the market and began establishing itself in Abu Dhabi’s premium on-trade venues.
This case study highlights how a strategic, bottom-up approach led to sustainable growth in a region traditionally dominated by mainstream brands.
Challenges
Regulatory Complexity
Importing alcohol into the UAE involves strict regulations, requiring multiple licenses, import permits, and customs clearances. VIVIR faced repeated challenges with establishing a strong route to market.
Distributor Reluctance
Regional distributors were hesitant to take on VIVIR tequila, focusing instead on established brands with guaranteed volumes. VIVIR’s market share size and lack of local traction made it difficult to secure distribution and route to market. Despite participating in several tasting panels and receiving positive feedback, the brand was not able to establish a route to market. The product range had a clear product market fit, strong end customer demand and competitive price point which caused further frustration.
Limited Market Knowledge
Without a local partner, VIVIR struggled to navigate on-trade channels, identify the right venues, and connect with key decision-makers in hotels, bars, and restaurants.
High Entry Costs
Attempts to launch through large distributors were challenged by the high-margin, high-tax value chain, which significantly increased costs for smaller brands. With high listing fees, large minimum order quantities, and multiple layers of markups, emerging brands faced greater financial exposure, making it difficult to achieve competitive pricing and sustainable growth.
Approach
Unlocking Route To Market
Craft & Culture stepped in with a tailored, bottom-up strategy designed to address these challenges while minimising risks. The key steps included:
Strategic Stock Positioning Through Local Warehousing
Instead of relying on costly and time-consuming air freight, VIVIR’s inventory was positioned locally through Craft & Culture’s warehousing, making it more attractive to distributors. With stock readily available for local pick-up and no minimum order quantity, distributors could operate with greater agility—placing an order on day 1 for day 2 delivery. This flexibility reduced their need to hold large stock volumes, lowering working capital requirements and minimising the risk of slow-moving or obsolete inventory (SLOBs). As a result, the lean supply model enabled faster market responsiveness and lower financial risk for partners.
Regulatory Compliance and Importation Support
Craft & Culture managed all aspects of import licenses, customs clearance, and compliance on behalf of VIVIR, ensuring that the brand could legally operate without further delays.
IMPACT
Streamlined entry into the UAE market within a few months.
Minimised legal risks by ensuring all documentation and permits were properly handled.
Direct Collaboration with Key Venues
Rather than relying solely on distributors, VIVIR gained direct access to luxury hotels, premium bars, and high-end restaurants through Craft & Culture’s established network in Abu Dhabi. The focus was on venues that aligned with the brand’s premium and craft positioning.
Key Venues
5-star hotels and rooftop bars known for offering curated tequila selections
Fine dining establishments and cocktail lounges seeking unique spirits to enhance their offerings.
IMPACT
Secured listings at high-profile venues, including signature placements on cocktail menus.
Built strong relationships with F&B managers and sommeliers, who became advocates for the brand.
Brand Building Through Tastings & Activations
Craft & Culture helped organise targeted brand activations, tequila tastings, and training sessions for venue staff to build awareness and educate them about VIVIR’s quality and heritage.
Events Included:
Exclusive tequila tastings for hotel and bar staff to understand the brand’s premium positioning.
Cocktail-making sessions to highlight VIVIR’s versatility in signature drinks.
Collaborations with local influencers and mixologists to drive visibility.
IMPACT
Increased staff buy-in and familiarity with the brand, leading to stronger recommendations to customers.
Enhanced consumer engagement through experiential events, boosting word-of-mouth marketing.
Market Entry Timeline
Successfully launched in Abu Dhabi within 6 months of partnering with Craft & Culture.
Results & Key Milestones
On-Trade Placements
Secured listings in multiple luxury hotels, lighthouse accounts, bars, and fine-dining venues within the first 6 months.
Sales Growth
Achieved consistent month-over-month growth in on-trade sales, driven by tastings and activations.
Distributor Collaboration
Established a distributor partnership, supported by demonstrated demand and initial success.
Brand Awareness
Increased awareness among on-trade staff and consumers through experiential marketing efforts.
Brand Strategy For Sustainable Growth
Craft & Culture ensured that VIVIR’s growth was measured and sustainable by focusing on building bottom-up demand before expanding to larger volumes. By managing the brand as a “tail” within the distributor’s portfolio, they avoided over-committing to high minimum order quantities that could have resulted in slow-moving stock.
IMPACT
•Prevented early-stage overstocks and reduced financial risks.
•Positioned the brand for gradual expansion across multi-city markets like Dubai, Northern Emirates, Bahrain, India & Africa..
LESSONS LEARNED
Bottom-Up Brand Building Is Key
Rather than rushing into large-scale distribution, success came from building local demand through direct engagement with key venues.
Speed and Flexibility Matter
By positioning stock locally and managing compliance efficiently, VIVIR could respond quickly to market opportunities.
Craft Brands Can Thrive
With the right strategy, smaller craft brands can succeed in a market traditionally dominated by larger players.
Final Thoughts
VIVIR Tequila’s journey in the UAE shows that even in a highly regulated and competitive market, the right strategy, local partnerships, and infrastructure can unlock significant opportunities. By focusing on sustainable growth and bottom-up brand building, VIVIR is now positioned for expansion across the wider GCC region.
“Expanding into the Middle East was a key milestone for VIVIR Tequila, but navigating the complexities of distribution and logistics required the right partner. Access Middle East by Craft & Culture provided the expertise, infrastructure, and market connections we needed to establish a strong presence in the UAE. Their support has been instrumental in streamlining our operations and unlocking new opportunities in the region.”