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William Grant toasts successful 2013 as sales and profits rise

Published:  08 September, 2014

William Grant & Sons boosted operating profits by 10% to £138 million in 2013 while turnover rose by 5.2% to £1.12 billion.

The family distiller, which owns a number of key whisky brands including The Balvenie and Glenfiddich, also owns Hendrick's Gin, Tullamore Dew Irish whiskey, and Sailor Jerry rum. It saw turnover on its core brands increase by 12.5% year on year.

William Grant & SonsWilliam Grant saw operating profits up 10%Chief executive Stella David said that the group’s success had been achieved thanks to its ‘focus on brand building and investing for the long-term’.

The company said that investing in its brands and global infrastructure for the long term has helped strengthen its business despite the challenging global economic conditions.

The firm singled out Hendrick's gin as having "phenomenal success" throughout the year, with Glefiddich and The Balvenie also performing strongly.

Stella David, William Grant & Sons' chief executive said: "Whilst 2013 saw some challenging global economic conditions, the company continued to perform well thanks to our consistent focus on brand building and investing for the long-term. In short we want to inspire our consumers with our great liquids and the great stories our brands have to tell."

The group released two "landmark" whiskies in 2013: The Girvan Patent Still single grain Scotch and The Kininvie single malt Scotch. The Kininvie distillery was opened in 1990 but the brand was only launched 23 years later, "demonstrating the long term perspective that a family owned company can take".

December 2013 marked the death of Charles Grant Gordon, the group's life president and former chairman, credited with much of the firm's success and advancement during his 60-years of employment. The group said: "There are very few individuals who will have contributed as much as he has to any one company and to the Scotch whisky industry as a whole over such a long time span."

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