A Caithness husband and wife team who pooled expertise in the oil and hospitality sectors are firing on all export cylinders as their award-winning Dunnet Bay Distillers starts to attract serious overseas attention from 23 global markets.
Addressing a virtual event organised by Scottish Council for Development and Industry’s Productivity Club, Dunnet Bay Distillers co-founder Martin Murray outlined how the company moved from its starting market of Germany to worldwide exports of its gin and vodka products.
Mr Murray who owns the Caithness distiller with his wife Claire, said: “Eight years ago we were reactive, nervous and new to exporting. I did a course with Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) and now have an export manager.
“What we have come to learn is every market has different challenges around advertising, pricing, promotion and tax.”
Wherever whisky is a succcess, gin lives off that”
Dunnet Bay Distillery co-owner Martin Murray
Dunnet Bay prides itself on sustainability and to that that end provides Freepost refillable pouches and is developing a bottling plant and warehouse which will incorporate an air source heat pump system for heating and cooling.
It also faces south to maximise the potential for a solar PV array on the roof.
South American demand ‘blew our mind’
Mr Murray added: “What we are finding is places like Germany have a very strong local gin market, while wherever whisky is a success, gin lives off that.
“We are still finding opportunities – Argentina blew our mind – while the US was thought a big gin market but tequila has just knocked it completely to one side.”
From a standing start, which included a bottling line formed using tables from a village hall sale for £25 a set, the distillery produces Rock Rose Gin and Holy Grass Vodka.
It also now commands a staff of 14 plus two directors and two seasonal employees.
The business has bought a 200-year-old mill and has secured planning permission to turn it into a whisky distillery.
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