Hi-Spirits has become the exclusive UK and Ireland distributor for Dutch spirits producer Toorank, including premium brands like Sloane's Gin.
The deal, effective immediately, also includes private label spirits made primarily as 'challenger' brands for major retailers and the independent off-trade. The move is expected to not only strengthen Hi-Spirits' off-trade business, but also allow it to 'explore private label opportunities with on-trade groups and wholesalers', Hi-Spirits MD Dan Bolton explained.
He added: 'The addition of Toorank adds significant volume to our already sizeable off-trade business, and we are confident we can grow it further. It also gives us the opportunity to work even more closely with multiple retailers, cash & carries and discounters on private label and NPD projects, where we see significant opportunities.'
Toorank is a family owned business based in Zevenaar in the Netherlands, with further distilleries in Poland. Combined, they have a bottling capacity of 80m bottles per annum.
Toon Blij, Toorank CEO and owner, said: 'We are delighted to be working with Hi-Spirits in the UK and Ireland, our most important markets. When we decided to switch our distributor, we challenged ourselves to create a genuine partnership, and Hi-Spirits matched our stringent criteria. Together, we can get closer to our customers and grow the business for mutual benefit.'
