Titanic Distillers launches £5m ingrowth expansion
Titanic Distillers in Belfast, a Food NI member, has landed a £5 million equity
investment from Whiterock to expand its sales team, drive growth, and establish
key distribution channels.
Titanic Distillers, Belfast’s first working distillery since Prohibition in the US,
produces premium blended Irish whiskey, pot still Irish whiskey, and Irish vodka
distilled from sugar beet.
The £5m funding package is comprised of equity investment from Whiterock’s
Growth Capital Fund, which makes investments of between £1m and £5m for
minority shareholdings in growth and scaling companies from Northern Ireland.
The investment has already been used to hire two senior drinks industry
executives to help drive the next phase of the brand’s growth.
Colin Green, former commercial director of Diageo Ireland, has joined to
implement the brand’s international sales strategy, while JC Rice, former head
of sales for Tennent’s NI, will manage sales in Great Britain and Ireland. Both
will oversee the growth of Titanic Distillers existing sales team during 2025.
Stephen Symington, chief executive of Titanic Distillers, said: “This equity
investment will help fund the next phase of growth for Titanic Distillers. It has
already enabled us to bring unrivalled expertise into our team in the shape of
Colin and JC, who will drive our sales in new and existing markets.
“Craftsmanship is at the core of Titanic Distillers. We have created a whiskey
that the people of Belfast can be proud of and have a unique brand that we are
excited to now showcase to customers around the world in a modern and
contemporary way. Whiterock is a fantastic partner to have with us as we put
the new strategy into action.”
The business also plans to use the new funding to expand its existing footprint
across the UK and Europe, as well as move into the US and Asia.
The company expects to formally establish its US team in the coming months,
including the appointment of a chief revenue officer, with the initial focus on
New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania – all said to be states with strong Irish
heritage – before targeting the rest of the country.
The company also plans to increase its visibility and sales in the travel retail
segment of the market through new partnerships with duty free specialists, and
to build on existing success in European markets, such as France and
Germany, by targeting neighbouring countries such as Belgium and Poland.
David McCurley, director of Whiterock, said: “We are delighted to invest in
Titanic Distillers as they continue to grow and expand their presence in the
whiskey market. Over the past few years Titanic Distillers has successfully
established its brand in both the drinks and tourism industry here in Belfast,
achieving impressive growth. It is positive to see the hard work and dedication
of the team paying off and we look forward to supporting the company’s plans
to enter new markets.”
