Moorland Spirit Co eyes international growth
Supported by International Trade Advisors (ITAs) as part of the Government’s Food is GREAT campaign, the producer sells its flagship drink, Hepple Gin, to five markets abroad, including Germany and the US, which account for 31% of its annual turnover.
The business has also worked with its north east-based ITAs at the Department for International Trade (DIT) and their colleagues at the British High Commission in New Delhi to develop its presence in the Indian market.
Part of the strategy
Moorland head distiller Chris Garden said: “Exporting was always part of our business strategy. With such a high volume of quality British gin distillers, the UK is probably one of the toughest gin markets in the world for a new distillery to get traction. Exporting means we can access new avenues for growth.
ITAs assisted Moorland’s entrance into the US market by introducing the company to a partner which helped them navigate legal requirements. The distiller’s products are now stocked in 200 retailers and licensed venues across New York, Connecticut, New Jersey and Massachusetts.
“The US has a few barriers that we had to consider,” Garden continued. “It has its own requirements for product labelling and rules about the bottle size – the standard bottle size for spirits in the US is 750ml, whereas in the UK it’s 700ml.
If we can, you can too
“Details like these have meant we’ve had to redesign our packaging to make sure everything complies, but if we can export, others can too.”
DIT head of the north-east region David Coppock said global demand for British gin was on the up.
“This demand is creating opportunities for distillers across the north east and we’re offering our support to help more businesses in the region to start or grow their export activity,” he added.
“Many firms across the regions, like Moorland Spirit Co, are already exporting and we know that many more can benefit. I’m encouraging anyone interested to get in touch today – the support is on hand.”
