Stirlingshire-based true craft spirit brand, McQueen Gin, has announced year-on-year revenue growth figures of over 300%.
The news comes after a period of success that has seen new deals secured with several major retailers, including Aldi, Morrisons, Asda and Sainsbury’s. In the businesses latest financial reports, revenue growth from first half FY18 to first half FY19 was 342%, whilst revenue growth over the same period FY17 to FY18 was 282%.
In recent months, the family-run brand, established by Dale and Vicky McQueen in July 2015, announced the opening of a brand-new, state of the art 6,200 sq ft distillery facility on its premises this April 2019. McQueen Gin has invested in the region of £750,000 in this development which will see its overall manufacture, bottling, pack, and ship capacity increase by greater than 1,000%, as the brand looks to build on recent successes and further expand its operation.
Co-founder and Managing Director, Dale McQueen, along with wife Vicky, has been the spearhead responsible for the brand’s recent successes and emergence as a major player in the gin market across Scotland and the UK.
‘’Our growth has been unprecedented in the last few years and we want to take advantage of that by not taking our foot off the gas. We are investing in the build of the infrastructure required to equip us to keep innovating, growing and developing exciting and desirable products for the fast-evolving and demanding gin market.
‘’With increased demand and capacity comes increased opportunity. When open and in full operation, we expect the new distillery to create as many as 12 new jobs in our local area, if not more. We have already filled three new positions since the build began and we will be looking to bring in more staff imminently as we make the official move to the new facility and our demand continues to increase. Our location is an area which we hold dear to us and which has played a central part in the building of our brand, so it’s great to be able to give something back as we expand our business.’’
With a seven-figure agreement in place for exclusive products in Aldi UK and fast-increasing listing numbers in other major retailers and supermarkets, McQueen Gin is gearing up for another strong year. The new facility, built alongside the current distillery, is planned to be opened in April by Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.
FMCG’S VERDICT
The UK gin industry explosion shows no sign of abating, with new distilleries being created and even greater varieties of gin hitting the nation’s supermarket shelves. Despite this increasingly competitive marketplace, it’s easy to see why McQueen Gin has been able to carve out such a successful niche for itself. The flavours within its range are well balanced and avoid being overbearing, which is a trap many distilleries have fallen into. We were particularly impressed by its Mocha and Chocolate Mint offerings, both of which are delightfully subtle.