A Dundee distillery is toasting success after securing the contract to supply a special edition gin to the House of Commons.
Verdant Spirits hopes the prestigious contract will allow the firm to increase its market share in the rest of the UK, as well as boosting interest in the company’s latest fundraising round.
The firm is currently courting outside investment of around six figures, ideally from investors with marketing experience – with the firm promising a good return.
The award follows a tendering process from the House of Commons, which involved an initial written submission for the first round, leaving a shortlist of just five.
A presentation and blind taste test followed, with Verdant coming out on top, leaving the firm to become the sole supplier of a House of Commons Gin for the next year, with a possible extension of a further two years.
Bespoke boxed packaging was created, replacing Verdant’s original graphics with a specially designed House of Commons treatment.
Andrew Mackenzie, founder and managing director at Verdant, said: “This is terrific exposure which will see our product co-branded with House of Commons branding.
“This is a very collaborative project, and we will be making regular trips to Westminster to deliver expert training, tastings and pairings for the House of Commons team and members.”
Mr Mackenzie believes the contract highlights the quality of his product and will make it easier to approach distributors, especially in the important London market.
He said: “I have little doubt that distributors get calls every day from distilleries saying they have a fantastic gin on offer, but having our product on sale in the House of Commons really sets us apart.”
The product sold in Westminster is the same recipe as the Verdant Dry Gin which took two years to research and finesse.
The unique packaging was designed by Broughty Ferry based design and brand consultancy, Avian.
Scott McCallum, Avian managing director, said: “By creating an entirely new label and specialised packaging solely for the House of Commons, we retained the integrity of both the Verdant Spirits brand and the historic House of Commons identity, whilst also creating shelf appeal.”
Verdant is currently exploring opportunities for other high quality Scottish spirits, with a pre-Christmas launch of a new product in the pipeline.
jimillar@thecourier.co.uk