Irish drinks companies offered premium blend at Vinexpo
Bord Bia, the Irish Food Board, alongside some of Ireland’s innovative drinks companies, promoted Ireland and its premium drinks offerings at the world’s largest wine and spirits fair, Vinexpo, from the 16th to the 20th June in Bordeaux this year.
Print25 June 2013
Five Irish drinks companies exhibited including Hot Irishman, Robert A Merry, Terra Spirits & Liqueurs Ltd, Teeling Whiskey Company and First Ireland Spirits Company.
Wine and spirits professionals from around the world met in Bordeaux for the largest event in the trade calendar. Importers, wholesalers, retail and duty-free buyers, restaurant owners, sommeliers and journalists met thus outlining future markets, consumer and distribution trends.
The event has proven to be an excellent showcase for Irish companies, enabling them to seek out business opportunities in both European and International markets. Speaking about the Ireland’s participation, Cathryn Hargan, Alcohol Sector Manager at Bord Bia, said, “Bord Bia recognises that trade events such as this actively contribute to the growth in exports and business opportunities, while increasing awareness and knowledge of Ireland’s alcohol beverage sector among trade buyers in our target markets.”
Irish Alcoholic Beverages Sector
The global market for beverages showed further growth in 2012 with a renewed focus on premiumisation and growth in the travel retail sector helping market growth. However, the sector continues to face challenges, none more so than the challenging economic climate in many developed markets.
The Irish beverage sector put in another strong performance in 2012 as ongoing growth in whiskey, combined with a stable performance by cream liqueurs and beer, increased exports by 3% in 2012 to reach €1.26 billion. Growth in exports was led by trade to international markets which showed a double-digit increase to reach €550 million. A good increase to the US – led by whiskey – and strong sales to emerging markets such as Russia, Canada, Australia and Asia also boosted trade.
The prospects for Irish beverage exports in 2013 continue to be positive with ongoing growth expected in whiskey exports while prospects for cider, beers and cream liqueurs look reasonably good, believes Bord Bia. The key to trade will be the ability of the sector to continue to develop new markets and innovative products for developed markets.
New Product Launches
The Irish exhibitors at Vinexpo used the event to promote and launch a number of new products. First Ireland Spirits, the largest Irish-owned producer of Irish liqueurs, recently re-launched O’Mara’s Irish Cream Liqueur; a liqueur blended with Irish cream and Irish whiskey. Plans are underway to launch O ‘Mara’s onto the European domestic and travel retail market this year.
The Teeling Whiskey Company, a new entrant to the Irish whiskey category, showcased its range of Small Batch Premium blended and Vintage Reserve Irish whiskeys at Vinexpo for the very first time. Setup by the family behind Cooley Distillery in 2012, the Teeling Whiskey Company is an independent Irish whiskey company.
Hot Irishman launched an updated brand identity and pack design for its range of Irishman Irish Whiskeys. Following extensive work with London- and New York-based The Futures Company and with the support of Bord Bia, the brand carried out in-depth reviews and focus groups in New York, Hamburg and Seoul. The objective was to elevate the Irishman brand identity to compete in design and image with the world’s greatest whiskeys while conveying the ethos of using craft distillation and quality ingredients to produce the smoothest of award-winning whiskeys.
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