Suntory Global Spirits Part I: Intelligence First, Execution Second

Suntory Global Spirits, a global leader in premium beverages, partnered with This is Unicorn ahead of launching its own Amazon UK operation. Rather than rushing to get the account live, Suntory wanted a clear, data-led understanding of how their brands had already been traded on Amazon – and what that meant for a successful long-term entry strategy.

This is Unicorn’s role was to provide strategic intelligence first: analysing the competitive landscape, uncovering pricing risks, and identifying real growth opportunities, meaning every decision that followed was grounded in evidence, not assumptions.

Deliverables:

  • Marketplace Reality Check
  • Competitive Benchmarking
  • Value Pool Mapping & Forecasting

“Unicorn delivered a true 360° framework for our launch, setting the essential cornerstones for Amazon success and paving the way for sustainable long‑term growth. “

– Daniel Grossmann, eCommerce Manager, Suntory UK

What We Did

Marketplace Reality Check

Competitive Benchmarking

Demand & Growth Forecasting

Marketplace Reality Check

A comprehensive diagnostic of Suntory’s existing Amazon footprint was required to establish a baseline. Analysing distributor pricing and margin structures uncovered hidden channel conflicts and undercutting risks that threatened the official launch. This “reality check” converted invisible vulnerabilities into actionable fixes, securing price integrity from the outset.

Competitive Benchmarking

Auditing Suntory’s brands against the wider landscape identified where the portfolio positioned relative to established competitors. This process highlighted high-growth opportunities in gifting-led propositions – a segment where competitors were already seeing strong results. Identifying this gap allowed Suntory to lean into gifting later in the year, successfully capturing a share of this high-value market during peak trading periods.

Demand & Growth Forecasting

Mapping category demand identified where revenue was most concentrated and which subcategories offered the strongest ROI. By providing an end-to-end integration from forecasting into advertising and sales through, This is Unicorn was pivotal in reinforcing Amazon’s role with the commercial team. This provided the evidence needed to confirm the scale and structure of the market opportunity.

The Results? A Strategy Built on Evidence, Not Assumptions

These findings reshaped Suntory’s Amazon entry plan before a single operational decision was made. By starting with intelligence rather than execution, Suntory was ready to enter Vendor Central with confidence.

❇️ Distributor pricing resolved before launch

❇️ Competitive positioning gaps identified

❇️ Gifting NPD identified

With a strategic roadmap in place, we moved into execution — onboarding Suntory into Vendor Central, fixing catalogue issues, building scalable content, and training the internal team.

→ Read Part 2: Launching Suntory’s Amazon Business with Confidence

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