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London Distillery Company continues Asia expansion

Drinks99 has been appointed as The London Distillery Company’s exclusive distributor in Hong Kong and Macau. Brand Connect has taken up similar rights for South East Asia that will see The London Distillery Company craft spirits available in six further markets including Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia and Singapore.

It also said it was experiencing “significant growth” for its craft spirit brands in China, particularly in markets such as Shanghai and Beijing, where it said “younger consumers have a strong pull towards premium imported spirits”.

The company has also made its first move into duty free with the launch of Kew Hong Kong Edition Gin, in partnership with Lagadere, at Hong Kong International Airport. It said “Chinese consumers, particularly millennials, are travelling more than any other demographic and accelerating”.

The expansion has necessitated a move to a larger London site to meet demand for an increase in capacity of up to 100,000 nine litre cases of white spirits, while providing more space to recommence laying down whisky. The new site will also include an enhanced visitor experience, facilities to allow whisky maturation and finishing, as well as research and development space.

The business also plans to make ten new hires, based in the UK and in overseas markets, including China. A number of non-executive directors have also been appointed to assist with the expansion, which will also target India and the US. It predicts sales will exceed £6m by 2022 as a result of the expansion plans.

In the UK the London Distillery Company has also renewed its partnership with West London’s Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew. It uses seasonal botanicals from Kew Gardens to produce Kew branded organic spirits, including gin, triple sec and vodka.

• Spirits
• London Distillery Company