A Scottish gin exporter is celebrating its success after sending its produce to the Far East.
In 2019, Aberdeenshire gin producer Raven Spirits signed an export agreement to send consignments of its two award-winning gins to Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macau.
And it was able to achieve this, thanks to support and strategic advice from Business Gateway, as well as funding from Scottish Enterprise.
Peter Sim, director of Raven Spirits, said: ‘Typical gin producers in Scotland tend to target the local market which, especially in the case of Aberdeenshire, is very saturated. Therefore, we made a concerted effort to target export markets in order to grow the business.
‘The business grant received from Scottish Enterprise, with the help of Business Gateway, allowed us to thoroughly research our chosen markets, visit them and finally seal our first export agreement.’
Export figures released by HMRC in August 2019 showed that gin exports from the UK were worth £730 million, while domestic sales soared at £2.3 billion, putting the total value of the industry at just over £3bn.
Business Gateway’s bespoke action plan had a substantial impact on Raven Spirits’ ambitions to export.
Bill Hogarty, business advisor from Business Gateway Aberdeen City and Shire, said: ‘Through regular one-to-one advice sessions, I was able to help Peter complete applications, resolve any issues and arrange meetings with key advisers from Scottish Enterprise and Scottish Development International.’
After engaging with the team at Business Gateway for two years, Raven Spirits achieved their goal of exporting their gin years earlier than if they had tried alone.
Director Peter Sim endorsed the teamwork: ‘The power of confidence for a new business cannot be underestimated, so Business Gateway was a real catalyst in moving our dream forward at a faster pace.’
To find out how Business Gateway can help, visit www.bgateway.com.
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