Scotch Whisky Association and Scottish Craft Distillers Association Launch Partnership
The Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) and the Scottish Craft Distillers Association (SCDA) have made a commitment to work in partnership to support the continued success of the entire Scotch whisky industry and its supply chain. The agreement recognises the record expansion of the Scotch whisky industry with 14 distilleries starting production since 2013 and a further 8 set to open this year. There are currently up to 40 new distilleries at various stages of planning and development across Scotland.
Industry trade body, the SWA, and the SCDA, an association representing only newer, smaller producers, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
Scotch whisky is vital to the Scottish and UK economies, adding £5 billion in value each year, supporting more than 40,000 jobs and exporting £4 billion of Scotch annually to almost 200 markets.
The SWA and SCDA will support each other, while remaining distinct organisations with their own memberships, to build on Scotch whisky’s long-term, global reputation for provenance and high quality products. The agreement, signed at the new Glasgow Distillery in Hillington, recognises that Scotch Whisky is: “a significant Scottish and British cultural asset based on authentic and unvarying local methods of production, with distilleries and brands supporting the communities with which they work; creating jobs and boosting growth.”
The MoU makes it easier for well-established Scotch whisky companies to share their experience of building brands and opening up overseas markets with newer entrants to the industry. Newer companies can, in turn, offer fresh approaches and ideas to drive continued vitality across the industry.
The main commitments of the MoU are to:
* work together to grow understanding of the rules surrounding Scotch Whisky, its production, handling and marketing within the industry and through the supply chain, recognising shared interest in the public good of the Scotch Whisky industry;
* encourage shared approaches to stakeholder engagement, including around raising awareness of best practice on responsible marketing and promotion of Scotch Whisky;
* work together to ensure the Scotch Whisky workforce is appropriately skilled;
* improve industry information;
* collaborate amongst existing memberships.
There are currently 119 distilleries producing Scotch whisky. The Scotch whisky distilleries opened since 2013 are: Annandale, Arbikie, Ardnamurchan, Ballindalloch, Dalmunach, Eden Mill, Glasgow, Isle of Harris, Kingsbarns, Inchdairnie, Strathearn, Torabhaig (Skye), and Wolfburn.
Distilleries understood to be set to open in 2017 – Bladnoch (re-opening), Borders (Hawick), Clydeside, Dornoch, Drimnin, Isle of Raasay, Lindores Abbey, Toulvaddie and Lone Wolf (Ellon).
CAPTION:
Picture shows (left to right): Cabinet Secretary for the Rural Economy and Connectivity, Fergus Ewing; SWA head of communications, Rosemary Gallagher; Alan Wolstenholme, Scottish Craft Distillers Association chairman.
