An Angus spirit maker has doubled its staff as it starts to export to Europe for the first time.
Kirriemuir-based The Gin Bothy sent a “significant” order to Denmark this month and is also eyeing the German market.
Owner Kim Cameron said the firm had taken on four additional members of staff and increased its number of bottling days to complete their first international sale.
She said: “At a show in Glasgow we met agents from Denmark and Germany and sent samples expecting a small order.
“The Denmark order was a significant order, far more than expected and across the range.
“I’ve taken on four new part-time members of staff in the past week, bringing our staff number to eight, to have more hands on deck. It means I can concentrate on the production.”
At the end of last year, The Gin Bothy was awarded a £70,000 Scottish EDGE business growth award which will be used to increase production capacity.
“I hadn’t planned to export until 2020 but, prior to Brexit, I think we have to start establishing links ahead of the unknown,” Kim added.
“We are meeting with a distributor in Germany at the start of May. He has over 200 sites there.
“Although we are starting to export, we are still very focused on Scotland and still enjoy doing farmer’s markets and other events here.”
Meanwhile The Gin Bothy is one of several Tayside and Fife firms that have attended the Food and Drink Expo at the NEC in Birmingham.
More than 550 companies exhibited at the three day trade exhibition – the largest of its kind in the UK – which concluded yesterday.
Among the local firms at the show were Cairn o’Mohr, Lindores Abbey Distillery, St Andrews Farmhouse Cheese, Strathearn Distillery, McIntosh of Strathmore, Summer Harvest Oils, Tay Spirits, The Buffalo Farm.
Sandy Gray, who runs the family businesses Aberfeldy Oatmeal and Sarah Gray’s Preserves, said: “We’ve picked up some good contacts at the show.
“We would like to increase our sales south of the border so the show has been useful.
“We’ve also just started exporting to Germany. We are looking to invest in the business to have more production capabilities.”