MONARQ Group grew in every aspect of its business in 2025 and continues to invest behind its brands and team, to accelerate growth and provide top level service to the channel.
“2025 has been another exceptional year for us. We have seen growth in all areas of our business, both domestic as well as Duty Free. The Cruise channel showed a particularly strong performance in 2025, as well as the start of 2026,” Robert de Monchy, MONARQ founder tells TMI.
“Recently, we have further strengthened both our marketing and travel retail team, to accelerate growth and provide top level service to the channel.”
Cruise is a key and growing segment for MONARQ, and the company is participating for the second year at F&B@Sea, which it says has become a cornerstone show for the cruise industry.
Cruise represents a high value, high engagement channel, with millions of passengers sailing globally per year, says Nicole Williams, MONARQ International Marketing Director.
“With voyages averaging seven days, guests are immersed in an environment designed for discovery, offering repeated opportunities to engage with brands through bars, specialty dining, curated tastings, and destination driven programming. In this experience led setting, travelers are open to trying something new, making cruise an ideal platform for MONARQ to showcase its portfolio through immersive onboard activations that drive connection and trial.”
Brand building is a priority for MONARQ, says Danielle Glazier, MONARQ Regional Director US Travel Retail and Cruise, and it is of key importance that its brands are available both in retail and pouring on cruise ships.
“A critical driver of successful onboard listings is ensuring our brands are meaningfully integrated across multiple touchpoints throughout the guest journey. Brands such as Gosling’s, Uncle Nearest, J.F. Haden’s, and Yellow Rose exemplify this strategy in action, being activated across both on-premise and off-premise channels onboard, reinforcing presence from bar and dining venues to Duty Free retail environments,” says Glazier.
MONARQ strategically tailors its portfolio and programming to align with the unique positioning and guest profile of each cruise line.
“Different operators naturally map to distinct consumer occasions, allowing us to optimize both volume and brand equity. For high volume environments, we prioritize crowd pleasing serves and menu driven cocktails that encourage repeat purchases, such as the Licor 43 Carajillo or the Goslings Dark & Stormy. In more premium settings, we focus on heritage led storytelling, educational tastings, and curated brand moments, as seen with Nikka Whisky and Bollinger Champagne. For experience forward cruise lines, we design immersive, interactive activations that feel like entertainment, such as the Porcelain Gin tea set, creating memorable touchpoints that drive engagement and differentiation,” says Williams.
MONARQ has recently executed multiple standout activations on cruise ships for its brands.
“The year 2026 marks the first ever Foursquare Rum Exceptional Cask Release for cruise, curating a special blend exclusively for Holland America. Exceptional cask release is a blend of high‑end, hand‑selected barrel expressions that are combined together to showcase Foursquare’s exception blending techniques and quality liquid. These are highly sought after and rare rums,” says Glazier. “We also launched Porcelain Gin on Oceana, curating a specialty cocktail highlighting the unique characteristics of the gin while utilizing our artisan tea set collection. We also launched personalized 3 liter Delamain Cognac bottles paired with our special tulip cognac glasses onboard Disney cruise lines. Guests can enjoy a by the glass option of Delamain Pale and Dry from our exclusive 3 liter bottle.”
Glazier tells TMI that MONARQ has also added several exciting listings across cruise.
“With the expansion of Nikka Whisky to our cruise portfolio, we have listed on Disney Cruise Lines, Celebrity, Virgin Voyages and Four Seasons. Additionally, we have launched Bollinger on the newest Four Seasons Yacht, where it will be the exclusive champagne served in the suites. Recently, Carnival Cruise Line listed Licor 43, showcasing the Carajillo as a featured onboard serve,” she says.
Beyond cruise, MONARQ has been activating its brands across the Americas.
“2025 marked the launch of Matsui Japanese Whisky in Avolta Airport stores across the US, LATAM, Mexico and Caribbean. Travelers through the Avolta stores in Aruba could also enjoy in-store Bourbon / America Whiskey tastings with Uncle Nearest and Yellow Rose. We recently launched Brown-Forman Travel Retail exclusive portfolio, such as Brown-Forman Triple Mash, Single Malt, Single Barrel, Bonded and Bonded Rye in Duty Free stores across the Caribbean,” says Glazier.
“Cream Heroes, the world’s leading tequila cream, has been recently listed with International Shoppes, London Supply and Core Plus Duty Free. With London Supply we are also activating the brand with special fixtures and in-store-tastings. We are currently highlighting the UEFA Champion’s League through Heineken activations with, amongst others, London Supply and JPT. Lastly, IMAS Costa Rica we have recently listed Tomatin Single Malt, Zubrowka, Passoa, Condesa Gin and Greenall’s London Dry Gin, including a jigger gift with purchase.”
As it participates at F&B@Sea for the second, MONARQ has key objectives at the show.
“F&B@Sea is an important touchpoint for collaboration and aligning on execution with our cruise partners. It provides dedicated time to connect with key stakeholders, review performance, and discuss how beverage programs can continue to evolve to meet guest expectations. For MONARQ, the focus is on ensuring that our ideas translate into practical, scalable programs that work operationally onboard while supporting each cruise line’s commercial goals,” says Williams. “The show gives us the opportunity to listen, refine, and align on priorities for the year ahead. Ultimately, F&B@Sea reinforces strong partnership, speedy execution, and a shared commitment to shaping what beverage at sea looks like.”
