A distillery set up on a Scottish island seven years ago by a team “with negligible experience of distilling or international business” is now launching a major global push underpinned by £10 million backing.
The “still youthful” Isle of Harris Distillery is to launch a malt whisky and bid to significantly increase its business across multiple markets with bank support from HSBC UK that also helped cover a new £3m maturation warehouse complex.
The funding will be used to expand its distribution of Isle of Harris Gin and its Hearach malt whisky to over 20 international markets including in the US, Canada, Europe and Asia, it said.
The business, known as the social distillery, was set up to support the community in Harris, and now employs 45.
The company said in a statement to The Herald: “IHD, when it launches the Hearach malt whisky, will seek to more than double its export sales with particular focus on North America and Europe in the short term.
“In the medium term, further growth will be targeted from Asia, including China, and other major developing market opportunities such as India.”
It continued: “The drivers of this growth are: products of the highest quality; communication which is market relevant, while remaining true to IHD and Harris values; ongoing people development in support of an international business; market and infrastructure investment, of which the new warehouse complex is an example; funding, provided by HSBC, adapted to the development stage of a still youthful Scotch whisky and gin distiller.”
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Closer to home, markets including France and Germany are among those in Europe also being targeted in the push.
The distillery said: “The success to date of IHD’s people development is evidenced by the creation of an international supply and distribution chain by an island-based team with negligible experience of distilling and international business in 2015, IHD’s launch year.
“The new maturation warehouse complex, in the final stages of completion, overlooks the Atlantic, nestled under the shadow of the Harris mountains."
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The firm said: “It will allow IHD to increase its distillation of New Make Spirit – the spirit which will become its Hearach malt whisky in the years to come."
"The circa £3m investment represents a clear commitment on the part of IHD to achieving future, export-led sales growth and extending employment opportunities.
“The above investment-enabled growth is intended to achieve IHD’s long term objective – creating a sustainable, commercially successful business which provides enduring employment, supports the Harris economy and rewards IHD’s team and supportive, patient investors – in a manner consistent with the values and way of life of this beautiful island’s distinctive Gaelic culture.”
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Ron MacEachran, executive chairman of Isle of Harris Distillery, said: “As a business focused on the future, we’re excited to venture into new markets and expand our international footprint – and to introduce more of the world to the bottled spirit from our special island.”
Neal Tully, relationship director at HSBC UK, said: “Scotland’s food and drink industry is thriving on the Isle of Harris."
He also said: "The distillery is a great example of a dedicated and robust Scottish business which has put itself on the map, not only in Scotland, but on a global scale too.”
The distillery has twice been named Distillery of the Year in the Scottish Gin Awards.
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