Global Investment in Scottish Operation
Date Posted: 29 Oct 08
Posted By: Paul Caffell
Keywords: None
International Beverage Holdings, parent company of Inver House Distillers, has announced a major new £15 million investment plan to centralise its global marketing operations in Scotland.
The newly enlarged International Beverage commercial team will take responsibility for the development of the group’s portfolio of brands from premium single malt whiskies including Old Pulteney and Balblair through to Chang Beer, Thailand’s number one beer brand.
The three year investment will take immediate effect, with the Scottish-based team being developed to become the hub of an integrated, world-wide division driving marketing excellence for the company's offices in North America, Europe, South-East Asia and North Asia:
Ø The new marketing headquarters will oversee the strategic direction of all brands and work with the regional offices to implement them in-market
Ø All new product development will be run from the new hub and will include the launch of several new-to-world brands currently under development
The announcement is a major accolade for the company's 150 strong Scottish team. It recognises the outstanding results they have generated internationally to build award-winning, high-growth whisky brands such as Old Pulteney, Balblair and Hankey Bannister. An estimated 20 new jobs will now be created to augment the Airdrie-based team as they take their brand building expertise into a number of different global markets and drinks categories, spanning whisky, beer and other spirits.
As part of the development, the International Beverage brand name will be operational across sales, marketing and customer services, with the Inver House Distillers name covering production, distillation and maturation of Scotch whisky.
International Beverage President Barrie Jackson commented: ‘This announcement is a great boost for our Scottish team, bringing the opportunity for them to diversify and build their skills in international markets. It is extremely important to the business that we invest in the highly skilled team that we have in Scotland, and based upon the tremendous job they have done for our whisky brands, we now want to bring that skill base to the international business. With their support we look forward to delivering the ambitious goals we have set for the business and its brands in 2009 and beyond’.
International Beverage has also taken the opportunity to headquarter its sales and customer services functions for the EU, Eastern Europe, South America, India and the Middle East as well as new venture markets and global travel retail, at the Airdrie base.
The new team will support the company’s ambitious plans for the business from 2009 onwards, which include developing the Company’s whisky portfolio in Asia; building the profile of key brands in the key North American market; and, the launch of several new-to-world-brands currently under development. For example:
Ø Chang Beer in Australasia: Launched in November 2007, Chang Beer has already become one of the fastest growing imported Asian beers in Australia and to continue the brand’s development, International Beverage will implement a tasting and promotional programme countrywide, including 250 on-premise accounts and more than 600 off-premise outlets.
Ø Balblair in Japan: Balblair was launched to great acclaim at Whisky Live Tokyo in 2007. Already becoming a firm favourite of single malt enthusiasts in this important international market, its unique partnership with progressive Scottish companies such as Macintosh Rainwear and Timorous Beasties will be used to full effect when both are exhibiting during Tokyo Fashion Week later this month, further enhancing the visibility of the brand.
International Beverage has successfully built its brands by combining the finest traditions and heritage from local territories with pioneering global brand building and strategy across sales, distribution and marketing – backed by excellent service and attention to detail across all aspects of the business. The company operates from a global network of 7 offices located in North America, Europe and Asia, employing over 200 people and selling to over 80 countries and territories around the world, with annual sales in excess of 3.2 million cases of premium spirits and 1.5 million cases of beer.
The Scottish investment will bring additional benefit to the local economy through the engagement of a range of marketing services companies to provide PR, sponsorship, advertising and design for the delivery of a number of brand campaigns.
Malcolm Leask, recently appointed Vice President of Sales & Marketing commented: ‘This is a fantastic opportunity for the team in Scotland which recognises their outstanding contribution to date. With all the troubling news worldwide it is great to be able to announce this positive development here in Scotland. Indeed, we are already working with a number of Scottish companies to develop our brands in markets as diverse as the USA, Scandinavia and Australia.’
Says Graeme Atha, Director of The Marketing Society Scotland: ‘This is great news for marketing strategy and communications being developed in Scotland and also supports the vision of The Marketing Society in helping to create a world class marketing community in this country.’
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