EDINBURGH Gin, Valt Vodka and Scotch whisky distiller Tullibardine are toasting supply deals with supermarket group Asda worth at least £300,000-a-year in total.
A spokesman for Asda said the Tullibardine supply deal was worth about £200,000 annually. He added that the Valt Vodka supply deal was worth about £40,000-a-year, and the Edinburgh Gin contract had a value of about £60,000 per annum.
The supply deals mark a further move by Asda to build its alcoholic drinks offering in Scotland. They come hard on the heels of Asda’s recent announcement of a batch of supply contracts with 13 Scottish craft beer producers worth in excess of £850,000 annually.
Unveiling the spirits supply deals, Asda highlighted a “gin renaissance”. It also flagged the strength of the Scotch whisky and vodka categories.
Tullibardine has agreed an exclusive deal with Asda to launch the distillery’s new Highland single malt sherry finish whisky. This Scotch, which is matured for up to 12 months in sherry casks, will be available in 50 Asda stores across Scotland.
Valt single malt Scottish vodka, produced by Strathleven Distillers, will be stocked in 40 Scottish stores.
Asda said customers would now be able to purchase the original Edinburgh Gin at 55 Scottish stores. The supermarket group noted that Edinburgh Gin’s rhubarb and ginger liqueur, a product which it said would be exclusive to Asda, would also be part of the supply deal.
Heather Turnbull, buyer for Asda in Scotland, said: “With [annual UK] sales of gin predicted to reach over £1 billion by the end of 2016 and the whisky and vodka sectors continuing to perform well, it’s clear that consumers’ taste palates are becoming increasingly sophisticated.
“By launching equally sophisticated spirits such as Tullibardine, Valt and Edinburgh Gin in Asda stores across Scotland, it will now mean that more consumers than ever before can enjoy a truly Scottish drinking experience.”
Alex Nicol, co-founder of Edinburgh Gin, said: “The gin and spirits industry has seen significant growth, which we have experienced for ourselves at Edinburgh Gin.”
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