FDBusiness.com

Reflecting the acquisition of the Tullamore Dew Irish whiskey brand and value growth across its core spirits brands, Scottish independent distiller William Grant & Sons has increased operating profit by 27.8% to £132.4 million for 2010 on a turnover up 14% to £951.5 million. The purchase of Tullamore Dew is the largest acquisition in William Grant & Sons’ history. Tullamore Dew has become the company’s sixth core global brand.

William Grant & Sons continued to invest significantly behind its core global brands during the year, including a multi-million pound global marketing push behind Glenfiddich, the world’s number one single malt Scotch whisky, and increased investment behind Grant’s, the world’s number three Scotch brand, The Balvenie, Hendrick’s Gin and Sailor Jerry.

In 2010, the company also established a Global Marketing office in Dublin to manage its non-Scotch portfolio (Sailor Jerry, Hendrick’s Gin and the newly acquired Tullamore Dew) and set up new offices in Australia and Colombia to more effectively manage its route to market in these areas. First Drinks Brands, the company’s UK subsidiary relocated to new offices in Hook, Hampshire.

“The acquisition of Tullamore Dew, the continued investment behind our brands and the group’s infrastructure along with improvements in our route to market helped deliver some good results for 2010, despite difficult trading conditions around the world,” comments Stella David, chief executive of William Grant & Sons. “We shall continue to focus on becoming the most coveted branded spirits company in the world, to remaining independent, in an increasingly consolidated industry, and to investing in our portfolio of award-winning brands to secure the long-term future of the business.”