BenRiach Increases Presence In US and Far East Markets

[John]

The BenRiach Distillery Company is beefing up its presence in America and expanding into emerging markets such as China and Vietnam as part of a planned growth strategy for its malt whiskies.

The Larbert based company started selling its BenRiach whisky in the US four years ago and now plans to relaunch GlenDronach, made at Forgue, near Huntly, there after acquiring both the brand and its distillery from Chivas Brothers last year.

Regional sales director Alistair Walker said BenRiach, produced near Elgin, was gradually making a name for itself across the Atlantic through tutored tastings and whisky festivals across the country, adding: "Our US importer, Preiss Imports, will be introducing the new GlenDronach range - 12, 15 and 18-year-old malts - towards the end of this year.

"We have been inundated with inquiries from US consumers via our website, so there clearly remains an awareness for the brand in the States."?

Regional sales director James Cowan is responsible for marketing the firm's products in China and Vietnam. He said: "In the past, these countries were perceived as being off the radar as target malt whisky markets, however, in recent years the booming economies and a rise in the number of wealthy individuals have helped to make malt whisky a more attainable product.

"Additionally, these markets are already hugely popular holiday destinations due to improved air links and the spin-off from the Beijing Olympics.

"Due to the sheer size of China, with more than 3.5million square miles and over 1.3billion of a population, we intend on focus on a small number of regions rather than try to target the country as a whole.

"This can act as a springboard to build the brand further in due course.

"Vietnam has also entered a significant period of growth within the tourism sector and this lends itself well to the introduction of premium malt whisky throughout the relevant outlets that this industry attracts."?

BenRiach plans to hold tastings and corporate events in the coming months to introduce its whiskies to the new Asian markets.

John