It all started with a unique rum with a point of difference for Garry Maxwell and Tim Young’s eventual partnership at GMAX Travel Retail.
Maxwell had founded GMAX Travel Retail in 2020 in the midst of the pandemic, after 18 years at Premier Portfolio. Young created his Young Spirit Consultancy in 2021 to assist premium beverage companies after 20 years with Brown-Forman, most recently as Vice President, General Manager Africa. They were separately looking for brands to work with for their respective companies.
“We were both in discussion with Equiano rum. That was our founding brand. They were the brand that asked if we would both be interested in working for them,” Young tells TMI. “This is a big industry that is all over the world in lots of different channels. You can do it yourself, but it is great when you’ve got a good partner to deal with.”
So Maxwell and Young started collaborating, and the two seasoned spirits professionals found that they were a great fit with each other, says Young.
“Garry would say we complement one another really well. He has been in the industry for much longer than I have. He’s got a great background with all customers, but he is very strong in the airline channel. I’ve obviously got the background working for Brown-Forman and Seagram’s before that. I think we bring good complementary skill sets,” says Young.
“We represent the brands as an agent. We do all of the sales, commercial, and the marketing work. We work in all channels and all regions, but only in travel retail.”
Young tells TMI that GMAX’s vision is to bring brands to travel retail that have something that is unique about them, something a little bit different.
“We want brands that have really good stories to tell with really strong points of difference. Equiano Rum really ticked that box for us as the world’s first blend of African and Caribbean rum. So that is where it started and we have gradually found other brands that also tick that box and have strong points of difference. And our portfolio has grown,” says Young.
“We are lucky that we have Au vodka in our portfolio, which is the number one selling premium vodka in the UK.”
GMAX Travel Retail represents brands in multiple categories in travel retail with unique brands in spirits, perfume and cosmetics, electronics, watches and jewelry, gifts and accessories, and logo and destination products.
And the GMAX portfolio continues to grow and add brands.
“I think we have doubled in size. Our booth in Cannes doubled in size, which is a good reflection of our increase. We’ve got a really interesting mix of brands that have really good points of difference that are doing well in domestic markets and that we believe travelers are really going to be interested in seeing them in travel retail,” says Young.
The GMAX spirits portfolio now includes Au Vodka, Equiano Rum, Waterford Whisky, Tarquin’s Gin, Tidal Rum, Moutai Bulao Baijiu, RY3 Whiskey, Ron Izalco, La Fee Absinthe and Puertos de Indias Gin.
GMAX is exhibiting at the Summit of the Americas at Stand #606.
