Halewood Wines & Spirits buys greater stake in Irish whiskey brand

By Jo Gilbert

Published: 26 July, 2016

Halewood Wines & Spirits has purchased a significant stake in West Cork Distillers to develop the Irish whiskey portfolio and expand its global reach.

Halewood already distributes West Cork's products in eight markets and plans to jointly expand its presence internationally.

The West Cork range has attracted attention with its West Cork Blended Whiskey and its 10 Year Old Single Malt Irish Whiskey.

The deal looks to capitalise on increased consumer interest in imported Irish whiskies, which are in growth both in terms of value and volume (Nielsen ScanTrack w/e 25.04.15), notably in the North West of England and Scotland - close to the Halewood depot in Liverpool.

Stewart Hainsworth, chief executive of Halewood Wines & Spirits, said: "Halewood continues to grow its spirits portfolio with craft products that offer the trade and consumers a point-of-difference from the mainstream brands. West Cork Distillers reflects our entrepreneurial attitude to develop new products and increase distribution both in the UK and internationally.

"This purchase reflects our commitment to working with West Cork Distillers to develop a long-term partnership, for the distillery, Skibbereen and the beautiful County of Cork. West Cork Distillers has a great brand story to tell, and their innovation and passion for whiskey will help to deliver further success."

Halewood has worked closely with West Cork Distillers, the producer and global distributor of The Pogues Whiskey, since acquiring a 50% stake in the brand earlier in the year.

Irish provenance is a key aspect of the West Cork brand, with much of its whiskey being used as a base for popular Irish whiskey cocktails.

According to CGA Managed Volume Pool to August 2015, around two thirds of whiskey consumers drink cocktails on a regular basis.

John O'Connell, MD and co-founder of West Cork Distillers, added: "This partnership offers a great opportunity to take the business forward. It strengthens our offering in new markets whilst supporting our existing, and greatly valued, distribution partners to greater degree through the development of a cohesive marketing strategy."

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