UK independent distilleries break £2bn barrier

By Mathew Lyons

Published: 13 May, 2019

Sales for the UK’s independent spirits distilleries exceeded £2 billion for the first time last year, according to research from private equity house Growthdeck.

Turnover rose from £1.98 billion in 2016/17 to £2.14 billion in 2017/18, the research reveals. The headline figure excludes whisky-only independent distilleries, which accounted for an additional £160 million in revenue.

The success of artisanal distilleries has been fuelled by the greater willingness of consumers to pay premium prices for boutique brands, as opposed to those owned by multinationals producers, Growthdeck noted.

Gary Robins, Growthdeck’s head of business development, said: “Successful spirits businesses have proved to be innovative in bringing new products to market quickly. This is often done through capitalising on the relatively quick production process of spirits, such as gin and rum.

“The increased spending power amongst ‘millennials’, which is a key market for boutique drinks brands, means the sector’s growth has legs.”

Growth has been driven by the continued rise in gin sales in particular, with 73 million bottles being bought across the UK on- and off-trade in 2018, according to figures from Nielsen/CGA.

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