Gin calls the shots as number of new distilleries shows spirit of independence
Last year saw a record total of new trade mark registrations as the craft industry enjoys a boom
The number of distillery businesses in the UK increased by a fifth last year amid continued expansion of the craft spirits industry, according to a new report.
Research by law firm RPC suggests there were a record number of new trade mark registrations for spirits in the last year – up 12 per cent – with 2,482 filed in 2018, up from 2,210 in the previous 12 months. The number of distillery businesses in the UK increased to 205 in 2018, up from 170 in 2017.
The news follows the announcement earlier this year that gin sales in the UK soared past the £2 billion mark for the first time in the 12 months prior to March 2019.
According to the figures from the Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA), 76 million bottles of gin were sold in the same period, with the RPC research showing that flavoured gins enjoyed a record year in 2018, with a 751 per cent increase in sales in the UK.
Ciara Cullen of RPC said: “Consumer demand for new flavours and experiences has contributed to increased innovation and diversification of product lines – we are seeing all kinds of exciting new infusions.
“A lot of multinational distillers are now bringing out extra lines and limited runs of niche drinks, to compete with independents that have started to bite into their market share.”
Miles Beale, chief executive of the WSTA, said: “It’s been another phenomenal 12 months for gin and, despite recent reports suggesting the gin bubble may have burst, our numbers suggest the exact opposite.
“Looking at the popularity of British gin overseas is also cause for celebration, with £350 million, or around 46 per cent of all British gin exports, heading to the European Union.”
Alison Higgins of the Scottish Gin Society, said that nowhere is the rise in businesses more apparent than in Scotland, where the demand for gin shows no sign of slowing.
She added: “2019 has been another great year for Scottish gin. So far we have added 18 new distilleries to our online map, taking the number of gin distilleries to more than 90.
“This is quite remarkable and shows the continuing growth of this exciting category.”