A gin and vodka maker which last year launched a brand to honour Thomas Dakin, a key figure in the British distilling industry during the 18th century, has upped turnover to more than £70m following strong sales growth in the UK.
Quintessential Brands, based in Warrington, is behind Greenall's Gin, BLOOM London Dry Gin, Thomas Dakin Gin (pictured), Feeney's Irish Cream Liqueur and Selekt Vodka.
The company recorded turnover of £72m for the year to 31 March 2015, up by 17 per cent on 12 months earlier. Sales in the UK increased by 34 per cent to £22.8m, in the rest of Europe it rose by 67 per cent to £1.6m, in the US it decreased by 3 per cent to £5.4m, and in the rest of the world it climbed by 12 per cent to £42.1m.
Meanwhile, pre-tax profits climbed by 3 per cent to £632,000 in 2014/15.
Quintessential Brands is jointly owned by entrepreneurs Warren Scott and Vincenzo Visone.
Scott, chief executive and co-founder of Quintessential Brands, told Insider: "We continue to expand the Quintessential Brands Group in line with our strategy of creating a leading European-based international spirits group. Over the last two years we have built a clear route to market strategy for our premium international brands through Quintessential Brands Company, and for our private label and contract manufacturing services through Essential Drinks Company.
"These marketing and sales companies are supplied by our manufacturing businesses in the UK and Ireland, and starting this year from L&L in France. In February 2015 we acquired Légier et Lafragette; a specialist French spirits producer based in Agen, Southern France. This included the international brand Alizé – an exciting global spirits brand made with French vodka and cognac.
"The significant investment we have made in the UK in our people and our brands has resulted in another year of growth with revenues up 17 per cent to £71m and operating profits up 40 per cent to £12m. The improved operating performance was achieved through efficiencies and a significant increase in the sales of our higher margin international brands. We have reinvested this increase in profit back into the business with the recruitment of further people and greater marketing spend on our international brands, which is now in excess of £5m a year.
"During 2015, we continued to develop new brands including the launch of Thomas Dakin Gin, Manchester's first and original premium gin. Building on our 255-year gin distilling history we are planning to build the first craft gin distillery in Manchester in the near future.
"We continue to invest in and grow both the UK and the international operations of the Quintessential Brands Group. Over the last four years we have built on the original acquisition of G&J Distillers in Warrington with four further acquisitions, and we are now well on the way to establishing Quintessential Brands Group as one of Europe's leading independent international spirits companies."
Since the year-end, the business launched a gin to honour Thomas Dakin who in 1761 began distilling his own gin in Warrington. Greenall’s gin is still made to Dakin’s original recipe to this day.
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