Jobs boost after a‘whirlwind year’ for booming distillery

A Callander-based gin distiller has announced yearon-year business growth of almost 300 per cent.

As a result it is to bring forward plans to expand their Trossachs Distillery in Molendhu Road creating at least six jobs.

McQueen Gin has experienced a surge in business turnover of 280 per cent following product listings with three major retailers this year: Sainsbury’s, Morrisons and Aldi.

It is also set to launch in Asda later this month.

McQueen Gin intend to increase capacity by 1000 per cent .

One of its brands has out- performed initial sales targets at Aldi by 480 per cent and has resulted in the demand for national supply of the product across the UK.

Managing director, Dale McQueen, said: “This year has been a bit of a whirlwind for us here at McQueen. We knew there was nothing quite like our product on the market but the demand for McQueen has far surpassed our expectations. It’s been exciting to see our products make it on to more supermarket shelves and behind more of the country’s best bars, but more than anything, to hear the fantastic feedback from our customers. That is what really gets us out of bed.”

In line with the increase in demand, the business has had to accelerate expansion plans for its new distillery, increasing capacity from 200,000 bottles per year to over 2 million, an increase of 100 per cent .

The new purpose-built 6,200 sq ft facility is already underway and due to open in March next year.

McQueen Gin say it is also doing well in export markets with products now available in Japan, Canada, Dubai, Denmark, Spain, Singapore and Germany. It also plans to launch in the USA at the beginning of next year.

McQueen Gin has been nominated for nine Scottish Gin Awards and a UK packaging award.