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Persbericht dat ik gisteren ontving van mijn collega Dominic Roskrow:

SMALL DISTILLERS TO GET THEIR OWN ASSOCIATION

I am delighted to announce the imminent launch of the British and Independent Distillers Association (BIDA) which will come in to existence on September 1.
I am contacting you because I think the Association would be of interest to you and I would encourage you to consider joining in some capacity. I have included details of what it will stand for below.
The Association is intended to add a distinct and separate voice for its members and hopes to work closely with related trade body and Associations. We have already received the support of American Distillers' Institute, the Tasmanian Distillers' Association and The Distilleries Council of The United States and we are due to meet The Scotch Whisky Association in due course. Before launch we intend to attract a large number of endorsements and we are in the process of appointing a high profile Scotch whisky industry figure as Honorary Chairman.
No payments will be taken until late August but at this stage I am hoping you will commit to one of the following three options:
* A commitment to join as a member in some capacity
* An indication that you will consider joining or discuss it with the relevant people
* An endorsement of the principle of the Association - this is so that when we make our public announcement we will be able to show that we have the support of a sizeable section of relevant

I would of course be only too happy to taik further on any aspect of the Association should you so wish, and I can be contacted at this email or on 07540 348998.

Best regards
Dominic Roskrow
Executive Director


ASSOCIATION NAME: The British and International Distillers Association - BIDA

TAG LINE: Promoting the very best of craft distilling in Britain

Mission statement
The British and International Distillers' Association is an Association set up to represent the views and needs of small producers of spirits from across the world and wishing to retail their products in the United Kingdom. It is focused on the British market but includes any world craft distiller with interests in the United Kingdom. Its four principle roles will be:
* to lobby on behalf of members on issues which are relevant to them;
* to promote the benefits of craft distilling in terms of responsible drinking, job creation, income generation and tourism;
* to provide a platform of events, tastings, marketing and promotional support to alert the public to the diversity and quality of small distilling companies;
*and to provide a forum for members to seek advice and help, and to engage in debate and conversation.


POSITIONING
The Association will seek to work alongside other associations and especially The Scotch Whisky Association, the American Distilling Institute and The Distilleries Council of The United States

STRUCTURE
* The Association will be set up as a company owned by my freelance business True Spirit.
* The Association will have a website with a members' area to act as a forum for debate and to seek help and advice
* The Association will publish an online magazine edited by me, featuring positive human-led distilling stories
* The Association will send out press releases to the media on member activities
* The Association will encourage associated bars, hotels and restaurants to taste and review members' products and to potentially stock them
* The Association will in the medium term seek to events such as craft distilling weeks, or small gin days etc, tasting events and craft distilling roadshows

LAUNCH STEPS
The Association will be announced imminently but will not go live until September 1.

MEMBERSHIP
The following groups will be eligible to join:
* Distillers producing less than 140,000 litres of spirit per annum
* Independent bottlers and spirits producers who do not necessarily distill but share an interest in craft and small scale distilling
* Bigger spirits producers who consider themselves as operating in the spirit of craft distilling
* Other businesses linked or associated with craft distilling
* Hotels, restaurants and bars wishing to be associated with craft distilling


FEES
Distillers producing less than 20,000 litres of spirit a year :£200, or £20 a month
Distillers producing 20,001 to 50,000 litres of spirit a year £300, or £30 a month
Distillers producing 50,001 to 140,000 litres of spirit a year £400, or £40 a month
Other companies with a turnover of less than £1 million a year: £300 a year
Other companies with a turnover of more than £1 million turnover £500 a year
Corporate associated membership £1000 a year
Hotel bar and restaurant associates £200, or £20 a month

1st June 2012

PRESS RELEASE

Association set to raise spirits
Small and craft spirits producers are to get their own voice when a new Association is launched in September, reflecting the growing interest in boutique distilling in the United Kingdom. The British and International Distillers' Association (BIDA) will lobby on behalf of small boutique and craft distillers, will market and promote them and will organise tastings and events to promote their products. The new Association will be focused on the United Kingdom but membership will be open to any small or craft distiller aiming to sell spirits in Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

The new Association has been created by international whisky writer Dominic Roskrow, who will run it along with his wife, marketing director Sally Roskrow, who will take day to day control of it. Speaking about the new association, Dominic Roskrow said: "These are exciting times for distilling and it is clear that there is a need for a dedicated Association to provide a UK representation for the growing wave of craft distillers.
"In America there are more than 400 craft distillers making a wide variety of dynamic drinks and while the United Kingdom will never sustain that number, there is a growing surge of interest in boutique distilling, not just here but across the world. Australia and Sweden, for example, are both making spirits that would be of interest to the British consumer.

The new Association will have four main functions:
* To lobby on issues relevant to a small distiller wishing to trade in the UK market, such as tax stamp exemption or reform for small distillers and clarity on excise duty and other barriers to craft distilling
* To market and promote a positive image of craft distilling in areas such as responsible drinking, quality over quantity, craftsmanship, tourism, job creation, tax generation and regionalism
* To organise events, exhibitions and tastings to promote a new wave of craft distilling
* To provide a trade forum for discussion and debate on issues relevant to members, and to offer advice, support and help for members and potential members

BIDA will seek associate partners in the pub, restaurant and hotel trade to help champion craft distillers and will highlight human interest distilling stories to attract consumer media coverage through an online magazine and regular press releases. The association intends to work alongside existing trade associations in the interests of its members. BIDA is due to meet The Scotch Whisky Association to discuss how they might work together, is in conversation with The Distilleries Council of the United States and already has the support of The American Distilling Institute, The Tasmanian Distillers' Association and the New Zealand Whisky Company as well as whisky distillers in England and companies such as Compass Box.

“There are of course other trade associations representing drinks producers in Britain but none that put the needs of small producers wishing to sell in the UK market at the top of their agenda” commented Dominic Roskrow. “We hope that existing Associations will welcome BIDA as a complimentary force for good and work with us as we move forward. Indeed from early conversations I am greatly encouraged that this will be the case."

The new Association is now open to potential members but will go 'live' on September 1st. Membership will be open to distilleries producing 140,000 litres of spirit per annum or less, but there will also be associate membership levels open to bigger companies linked to the distilling industry and to hotels, restaurants and bars. Plans for the Association include a ' starter pack' for would-be distillers, and themed weeks featuring different spirits genres.


For more information, please contact:
Dominic Roskrow +44 7540 348998