LATAM: SIÑERIZ FREE SHOP


out of the ordinary. Siñeriz has been intuitive in its


approach to fluctuations in the business over the years and has led by example as a company that will not rest on its laurels in challenging climes. While times were tougher for


the country back in 2015, Siñeriz did not force suppliers into price reductions. Instead – and as previously noted by TRBusiness – it focused on reorganising the business in preparation for market recovery and embarked on a plan to increase its future takings. Now, the uplift in spending patterns has begun and Siñeriz has an advantage. The revenue association has


already moved to increase Uruguay’s tax free allowance for citizens from US$500 to US$650, making it possible for more people to buy duty free goods inside the country. However, for Siñeriz this “didn´t


affect the borders, only the airports”, clarifies Abdullah. One unique footfall driver that occurred during the beginning of 2017 was Siñeriz’s opening of the first integrated border immigration centre. “In all the Uruguayan borders


we are the only one to have a place where you can do the immigration for two different countries,” Abdullah proudly states. He explains how this presents


Siñeriz with the unique opportunity of attracting intra-transiting traffic – a captive audience of consumers who are committed to journeying from one country to another and passing through the stores as they go. As such, domestic Latin American travel continues to soar. “Now the Brazilians, Uruguayans


and Argentinians who want to go from Brazil to Uruguay or from Uruguay to Brazil must go to Siñeriz to do immigration,” says Abdullah, admitting that this has been a key contributor towards the operator’s uplift in sales. However, there have also been


other category-led initiatives that have taken place at the border stores.


Craft beer demand Siñeriz has taken note of the growing global demand for craft beers and has tapped into this – and other product


MARCH 2018


categories of marked consumer appeal – accordingly. It has created a beer nirvana of differing varieties from all over the world to drive traffic and make its locations a destination for avid beer fans, collectors, as well as gift-buyers. “We have a special place dedicated


exclusively to beers around the world,” explains Abdullah, revealing that Siñeriz has more than 200 labels available. As such, the dedicated beer space has had a ‘huge impact’ since it opened last year. By effectively responding to trends


and creating environments where these can become experiential instore is a tactic that has really worked for Siñeriz. For instance, when looking specifically at items that the retailer knows sell well, Abdullah describes how space within stores has been converted into specific zones. One appeals to tourists looking for souvenir items to take home and another has been specifically dedicated to commodities like hot drinks and sundries. “There are two more new spaces,


a Uruguayan corner, where we have all the products made in Uruguay together and a coffee and tea corner, where we have coffee, tea, biscuits and all the products related to it,” explains Abdullah. He suggests that consumers


looking for specific items now know exactly where to search and this encourages them to trade up to more


“Siñeriz has been intuitive in its approach to fluctuations in the business over the years and has led by example as a company that will not rest on its laurels in challenging climes.”


Gandhi Abdullah, Siñeriz Free Shop


Customers searching for specific items know exactly where to look for them, leading to other product searches within the same category and associated up-trading.


eye-catching varieties. Despite the challenging


headwinds of previous years, Siñeriz is at the forefront of gains the region continues to make from border tourism. Looking to the future, Abdullah concludes that “even with a very new flagship store, we are renewing a very big part of it. The main objective is to be always one step ahead to [meet] the needs of the travel retail consumer”. «


Rising global demand for craft beer has resulted in specially curated spaces orientated towards the trend. TRBUSINESS 65


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