Bushmills Distillery receives £10m top-up

Invest Northern Ireland has today announced support of £2 million towards a total investment of £10 million in the “Old Bushmills” Distillery Company Ltd.

This investment will enhance the Distillery’s ability to further develop its product portfolio which includes Bushmills Irish Cream Liqueur.

Production capacity will be increased by around a third through investment in modernised equipment and new technology. Creating a further 26 jobs in the local area as a direct result of the project, the investment will also secure the position of the firm's 125 existing employees.

Gill Jefferson, Managing Director, “Old Bushmills” Distillery said: “This investment will continue the development of Bushmills into higher added value product markets, and facilitate further new product development, such as the recently launched Bushmills Irish Cream Liqueur.”

The project represents a net benefit to the local economy in increased sales outside Northern Ireland. Building on the growth of Bushmills sales in international markets, this project will bring significant benefits to the local economy.

The investment supports the approaches proposed in the “Fit for Market” report of the Food Strategy Group launched in November 2004 in that: “the priority for direct funding to individual companies should be focused on marketing, innovation and people development.”

Welcoming the announcement Leslie Morrison, chief executive of Invest NI said: “Bushmills is one of the very few internationally recognised global brands originating in Northern Ireland and this investment is therefore a very significant development for the industry. It will have a direct impact on improving the company’s production capability and will strengthen the brand on a global basis.”

Invest Northern Ireland is contributing support of £2 million towards the £10 million investment.

Invest Northern Ireland said that the project met strategic aims “to achieve higher levels of growth by indigenous and externally owned businesses” and by “promoting innovation in all its aspects, stimulate R&D and design and improve knowledge transfer.”

Since 1977, the “Old Bushmills” Distillery Company Limited is a wholly owned subsidiary of Irish Distillers Ltd which is part of the Pernod Ricard (PR) Group based in France.

The third largest wine and spirits company in the world, Pernod Ricard acquired IDL in 1988. “Old Bushmills” Distillery accrues profits of £4.3 million annually on a turnover of circa £23 million.

In addition to the Bushmills range the company currently bottles other IDL products such as Jameson and Powers whiskeys.

(SP)