WL Distillery Founder Scott Wilson-Laing is in good spirits after securing a coveted place on a recent Trade Mission to India with Santander Navigator. The pioneering visit showcased the opportunities for UK distilleries with a focus on premium spirits looking to build relations and export to the Indian Drinks sector.
Scott joined distilleries from across the UK visiting Mumbai and New Delhi, with several buyer and networking meetings arranged. WL Distillery had the opportunity to showcase their award-winning gin range at The Vault Festival as part of the UK Craft Pavilion, alongside an array of producers from across the UK.
The Vault Festival, held in Mumbai is Asia’s premier drinks festival which features and plays host to a selection of global spirits, wines and beer brands, putting brands in front of India’s shifting alco-bev market which is seeing a younger and experimentative crowd emerging in one of the largest markets for alcohol in the world.
The trade mission, organised by Santander Navigator, was a fruitful opportunity for WL Distillery to research the market size and audience and pay homage to the intertwined cultural heritage of India and Britain. Santander Navigator is the bank’s digital platform that supports UK companies with international growth.
India’s economy is on track to be the third largest in the world by 2027 and have a market of 95 million middle-class consumers by 2035. Volume sales of alcoholic beverages in India will see ‘rapid growth’ to 2027, according to IWSR Drinks Market Analysis.
Scott Wilson-Laing, Founder and Managing Director, WL Distillery said: “The opportunity to secure a place on the trade mission has been a phenomenal moment for the distillery to present our brand, ethos and gins to a growing and inquisitive market.
The Vault Festival was a fantastic experience and an opportunity to further raise our profile, but we were also thrilled that customers sought out our stand after already hearing about our brand and unique flavours online. It’s a great feeling to know we already have global reach and awareness even before we’ve set foot in the country. We are thrilled that the Santander Navigator team brought us along on the trade mission and are helping us connect with vital partners to support our expansion plans”.
Around 7,800 UK SMEs (small and mediumsized enterprises) are already exporting to India across sectors as diverse as wind power to cyber security, agriculture, film and gaming.
The trade mission was a pivotal moment for WL Distillery to access a huge market of consumers looking to buy high quality, British goods and has led to a host of promising opportunities.
With a number of flavours now under their belt at WL Distillery the star of the show in India and winner of the Bronze Design Award at the World Gin Awards was the popular Wilson’s Gin Club ‘Watermelon and Liquorice’, and seemed to be just the tonic for Indian gin connoisseurs.
Scott was crowned Most Pioneering Gin Distillery MD 2023 in the Managing Director of the Year Awards 2023 hosted by SME News, a finalist in the Great British Entrepreneur Awards for the Maker and Creator category, and finalists for two awards in the Startup Awards North East, Yorkshire and Humberside heat. Alongside, Gin Distillery of the Year’ SME Northern Enterprise Awards and ‘Best Craft Brewery/Distillery’ Food Industry Awards, Business Awards UK.
With the news also just announced that WL Distillery has been named Gin Distillery of the Year in the Corporate Live Wire Innovation & Excellence Awards 2024.
WL Distillery have established themselves as a key player in the UK gin market, both regionally and nationally. Award-winning recognition quickly followed their debut to the market in 2020, with accolades including gold at The Gin Masters, listed in the London Spirits Top 100 spirits, through to making Vogues ‘Hot List’, GQ’s ‘Cocktail Club’ and being featured at London’s world-famous Science Museum.
www.wldistillery.com