Licensing World

Licensing

WORLD Summer 2015

VFI & LVA

Speak With

One Voice

4: VFI Urges Government to Help Rural Ireland 5: Councils Endorse LVA/VFI Merger 5: Irish Wine Excise Highest in Europe 6: Jack Ryan Whiskey Launched in the UK 7: Irish Distillers’ €17m Expansion at Fox and Geese 11: Bar to Pay Setanta Sports €6,746

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EXCLUSIVE DISTRIBUTION PARTNER

01/07/2015 02/06/2015 12:39 16:56

Contents

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Contents

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COVER STORY A Tale of Two Publicans Maev Martin talks to Vintners Federation of Ireland (VFI) President Noreen O’Sullivan and to the new Chairman of the Licensed Vintners Association (LVA), Oliver Hughes, about why they believe they will be stronger together.

centre which, they hope, will give the neighbouring Guinness Storehouse a run for its money.

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DIGITAL DIGEST Dublin restaurant and late night bar Copan has experienced an increase in bookings and overall turnover since it carried out a complete overhaul of its website in response to changes in customer booking habits.

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WHISKEY REVIVAL When the doors of the Teeling Whiskey Distillery opened on June 9th they welcomed invited guests into the first distillery in Dublin for over 125 years, as well as a visitor

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NEWS A round-up of all the latest news from the on and off trade.

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COFFEE CULTURE Oliver Plunkett Gets Ahead of the Competition - Chris Weldon of The Oliver Plunkett in Cork tells Licensing World how Marco Beverage Systems and Badger & Dodo have helped them make the most of consumers' love affair with coffee.

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BARFLY Peroni Nastro Azzurro celebrates life in Italian style...Corona Extra launches Sunset Sessions...MVP's Anna Walsh is World Class Irish Bartender of the Year...Press Up Entertainment Group Raises Funds to Fight AIDS.

WINE Wine expert Jean Smullen explains why publicans should be seeing red this summer.

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PUB PROFILE The McGettigan's brand has been busy bringing the traditional Irish pub into the 21st century, both internationally and here in Ireland. Maev Martin talks to CEO Dennis McGettigan about creating a modern Irish experience.

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10/07/2015 16:43

Editor's Letter

The Report by the Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children, chaired by Jerry Buttimer TD, on the Pre-legislative Scrutiny of the General Scheme of the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015, was launched on June 22nd. When I read some of the headline points and the key issues and recommendations section I was reminded of a question that was posed during my recent interview with the Chairman of the LVA, Oliver Hughes and the VFI President Noreen O'Sullivan, which took place prior to the publication of the report (see Cover Story Page 12).

“I would ask those public representatives and members of the government which poster influences a young person more – a poster about Guinness sponsoring the GAA or one that is advertising the sale of below cost alcohol in their local off licence or supermarket?,” said Oliver. We are all aware of the much publicised move to ban drinks companies from sponsoring sporting events. This has now been reduced to 'regulation of sponsorship of events by alcohol companies' in the proposed legislation. However, while an outright ban is seen as impractical at this point, the ultimate goal is to ban drinks companies from sponsoring sporting events. The view that this will make a significant impact on the behavour of young people still holds sway.

All of the measures proposed in the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015 revolve around limiting or restricting the marketing or advertising of alcohol. There appears to be no focus in the proposed legislation on any other factor, such as below cost pricing, parental attitudes and behaviour, or the societal culture, that are contributing to alcohol abuse in this country.

I supposed this isn't surprising, given the government’s public statements criticising the ‘drink culture’ in Ireland and the demonisation of alcohol in the national media. The government often refers to countries that are known to have a healthy and responsible attitude towards the consumption of alcohol and makes the point that these are the models that we need to emulate. However, they fail to recognise and acknowledge the connection between the healthy and responsible attitude in those countries and the fact that their taxes on alcohol are very low. Our excise rates are one of the highest in Europe.

The government is keen to promote the consumption of locally sourced food and encourages people to shop local in order to support local farmers and retailers, there is little encouragement for people to support their local publican. And that reminds me of something that Noreen O'Sullivan said during our interview - “we need to ensure that the pub is restored to its rightful place at the centre of town, village and rural life.”

Well, it looks like the drinks industry has its work cut out for it on that front. But it also looks like there has never been a better time for the industry to be speaking with a single united voice in its efforts to lobby government. And maybe the first crucial step in mounting a strong case for our industry is for publicans around Ireland and throughout Dublin to say 'Yes' to the proposed merger of the VFI and LVA over the coming weeks.

Licensing

WORLD Editor: Maev Martin Editorial and Production Manager: Mary Connaughton Art Director: Jane Matthews Design: Alan McArthur Layout: Antoinette Sinclair Advertising Design: Antoinette Sinclair Production: Nicole Ennis Stock Photography: Thinkstock.com Sales Director: Paul Clemenson Managing Director: Diarmaid Lennon Published by: Ashville Media, Old Stone Building, Blackhall Green, Dublin 7.

Tel: (01) 432 2200 ISSN: 1393-0826 All rights reserved. Every care has been taken to ensure that the information contained in this magazine is accurate. The publishers cannot, however, accept responsibility for errors or omissions. Reproduction by any means in whole or in part without the permission of the publisher is prohibited. © Ashville Media Group 2015. All discounts, promotions and competitions contained in this magazine are run independently of Licensing World. The promoter/advertiser is responsible for honouring the prize. ISSN 1393-0826

VISIT US ONLINE www.licensingworld.ie FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @BarAwards2015 FIND US ON FACEBOOK For information on the Bar of the Year Awards and the Hotel & Catering Review Awards please visit our dedicated Facebook pages www.facebook.com /BarOfTheYearAwards www.facebook.com /TheHotelCateringReview

Maev Martin Editor email: maeve.martin@ashvillemediagroup.com tel: 01 432 2271

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01/07/2015 11:23

Commercial Profile

Spirits Supplier of

Choice

While Findlater Wine & Spirit Group's credentials in wine are well known, especially with a history going back to 1750, it is their spirits brands that are really making waves in the drinks industry.

RANGE Findlater Wine & Spirit Group prides itself on being the ‘Supplier of Choice’ to the trade, offering first class service, range, knowledge and brand-building expertise. The Group has an extensive range of branded spirits, covering all the major categories in the market: Tullamore D.E.W. is the number two Irish whiskey in the world. Its 35m whiskey distillery opened in Tullamore, Co Offaly last year.

Stolichnaya, more popularly known as 'Stoli,' is still made to its original Russian recipe.

The brand was the first to produce a line of premium flavoured vodkas in 1962 and today it boasts the largest range of naturally flavoured vodka in the market.

Sea Dog Dark Rum is Ireland's number one dark rum. Based on a recipe that takes its inspiration from infamous Sea Dog pirates of the 1500s, it is distilled in the tradition of that buccaneering spirit, maintaining the same dark, mysterious character that is evocative of Old Jamaica.

Glenfiddich is the number one single malt in the world.

It is also the most awarded, having won more awards than any other single malt.

Complementing these brands, Findlater Wine & Spirit Group also distribute Grants Scotch, Drambuie, La Fée Absinthe, Marie Brizard Liqueurs, Botanic Premium Gin and Count Rostov Vodka.

and the company is proud to boast a tally of 22 Advanced Certificate and five Diploma holders. In addition, their Spirit Brand Developers have undergone in-depth cocktail and spirit training at The Dublin Bar Academy and regularly visit other markets to stay ahead of any trends that are about to hit Ireland.

SERVICE The Findlater service is second to none, with an extremely high 99.4% service level. As cash flow is key, especially on high value spirit lines, the Group offers the facility to deliver single bottles via their team of Spirit Brand Developers, as well as access to high quality branded POS and glassware to complement your outlet.

Spirit Brand Developers can use their service, range and knowledge to design a bespoke plan that fits your brand to make it stand out from your competitors and drive your business forward.

For more information on how Findlater Wine & Spirit Group can improve your spirit offering, contact Richard Moriarty on rmoriarty@findlaterws.ie

KNOWLEDGE All Findlater Wine & Spirit colleagues have undergone WSET education as standard,

BRAND DEVELOPER PROFILE Kevin Pigott

Athlone man Kevin Pigott has been with Findlater Wine & Spirit Group for almost a year now. After studying International Business in Smurfit Business School, Kevin earned a place on IBEC’s prestigious EOP Graduate Placement Programme where he represented Tullamore D.E.W. in the US for 18 months. With this rare combination of academic and real-world knowledge, Kevin is an invaluable resource to the trade in Ireland.

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01/07/2015 11:24

News

News round-up VFI URGES GOVERNMENT TO HELP RURAL IRELAND Over 400 publicans from all over Ireland were present at the 42nd annual conference of the Vintners’ Federation of Ireland (VFI) in Killarney, Co Kerry on May 12th where a motion was passed calling on Government to take immediate action to address the significant deficit of infrastructure in rural reland.

“When we talk about rural Ireland we talk about areas that are far from villages and towns – what might generally be referred to as remote areas – and this is a serious misconception," said VFI President Noreen O'Sullivan, who was speaking at the AG in the Gleneagle otel. utside of the ma or urban areas like Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway, and perhaps one or maybe two towns in each other county, the rest of Ireland is basically rural. illages and small towns rely on rural living and rural infrastructure for their livelihood and prosperity. e can safely assume that the vast ma ority of the country we live in is rural. he rish pub contributes significantly to the local economy with figures showing that of pubs support local suppliers. he pub also supports local enterprises. n addition the average spend per pub on capital and refurbishment is per annum which benefits local tradesmen carpenters electricians and other trades.

The VFI also outlined the overall importance of the pub to the rish economy. f the obs supported by the drin s industry in Ireland, 52,000 people are employed by the on-trade while the average number of people employed in a pub is seven. his considerable uantity of obs results in an estimated wage bill of . bn meaning that the rish pub ma es a hefty annual contribution to the che uer.

VFI President Noreen O’Sullivan.

ullivan. t is vitally important that we protect the business interests of rural reland. his year s AG also outlined the critical role the pub trade plays in reland s tourism output. elegates at the conference pointed to the significant contribution that the pub has made to the ild Atlantic ay in particular.

Accounting for over obs and contributing over m in employment related taxes alone is ample evidence of the economic benefits of the rish pub she said. e have also played and continue to play a pivotal role in rish tourism. ecent research shows that over of tourists use the pub for food and or entertainment and it is the number one attraction.

“We have a responsibility to address the concerns of those in rural areas who feel underserviced and under-supported by existing poor infrastructure, in particular broadband," said Noreen 4

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01/07/2015 11:30

News

IRISH WINE EXCISE HIGHEST IN EUROPE The National Off-Licence Association ff A released figures on une st as part of its Budget 2016 pre-budget submission to the Department of Finance which shows that Irish wine drinkers are paying on average 624% more excise on wine then their European counterparts. As part of the submission, NOffLA has also released the results of its 2015 members survey which shows that 51% of off-licences across Ireland will struggle to remain open if the current level of excise is increased in Budget 2016, jeopardising thousands of jobs. Furthermore, 78% of respondents do not expect an increase in turnover in 2015 in the current economic climate and taxation regime, thus preventing investment in the local economy and broader community. Of those asked, 70% stated they would hire one or more additional staff members and 42% would increase staff pay if the excise increases of Budget 2013 and 2014 were reversed. Since 2008, the independent off-licence industry has lost 3,000 jobs and NOffLA is calling on the Government to protect the remaining 5,800.

The 2015 NOffLA Members Survey also found that 50% of respondents reported a decline in turnover in 2014 when compared to 2013 and 52% saw a decrease in wine sales of up to 30%. 39% of respondents saw a decline in beer sales and 51% experienced a decline in the sales of spirits of up to 30%. Close to 50% (46%) cited the current level of excise, as increased in 2013

and 2014, as the main reason for a decline in business. 86% of independent off-licences retailers do not believe the Government is doing enough to support SMEs. In its pre-Budget submission to the Department of Finance, NOffLA has called on the Government to: reverse the Budget 2014 excise increases on alcohol; restore parity to wine taxation in relation to domestic alcohol as the excise on a bottle of wine is on average €0.82 dearer than the equivalent excise on cider and beer; reintroduce a ban on the below cost selling of alcohol; and establish tighter control on out-of-state imports in terms of VAT and excise collection, thus ensuring outof-state and online retailers cannot sell directly to Irish consumers without paying the required tax and VAT. Such controls would ensure that online retailers are fit for purpose, tax compliant, and meet the same licencing obligations as domestic retailers. Excise in Ireland is currently 624% higher than the EU average for wine, 298% for beer and 243% for spirits. As a result of these taxes, Ireland is second only to Finland in having the highest taxes on alcohol in the EU. The retailing of alcohol at below invoice cost price will ensure that retailers cannot reclaim 23% of the loss in their VAT return, saving the State an average of €24m each year, as well as ensuring alcohol is retailed in a responsible manner.

New Gas Supply Deal for C&C Group

Thumbs Up for LVA/VFI Merger

The councils of the Licensed Vintners Association and the Vintners Federation of Ireland overwhelmingly endorsed the proposed merger of the two trade association at separate meetings held on May 26th. It will now be put to a vote of all members in September/ October with a strong recommendation to merge from the respective councils.

In a joint statement issued on May 27th, Donall O'Keeffe, Chief Executive of the LVA and VFI CEO Padraig Cribben described this landmark development as being 'hugely positive' and 'in the best long-term interests of the licensed trade and its suppliers' (see Cover Story Page 12).

Irish gas supplier Vayu Energy has signed a new deal with C&C Group plc which adds C&C’s production sites in Glasgow and Somerset to Vayu’s existing gas and electricity supply arrangements with C&C in Ireland, with a combined value of €5m over the next three years. The deal represents a milestone for European energy deregulation by enabling, for the first time, a multinational company with operations in the UK and Ireland to procure natural gas centrally from a single supplier. This means that natural gas for C&C’s key manufacturing and distribution sites across Ireland and the UK are now supplied by one provider - Vayu Energy. The deal provides C&C Group with direct access to wholesale gas prices

Pictured are Simon Firth, Head of Energy Services at Vayu, Denis Cronin, Head of Energy Procurement at C&C Group, and Stephen Behan, Energy Specialist at Vayu.

in the UK and Ireland, allowing the company to achieve significant cost savings by taking full advantage of cheaper prices available in the wholesale gas markets. As part of a fully managed service, Vayu Energy will also provide C&C Group with a suite of procurement tools to manage consumption risk in addition to continuous market analysis and advice to minimise energy spend.

“The deal is an important part of our strategy to drive continuing efficiency across our operations and will significantly streamline our approach to gas procurement in Ireland and the UK," says Denis Cronin, Head of Energy Procurement at C&C Group.

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01/07/2015 11:31

News

HEINEKEN IS OFFICIAL POURING RIGHTS PARTNER eine en has agreed a new five year contract with lster ugby which means that eine en will be offi cial ouring ights artner at ingspan tadium un til at least . he new agreement further e tends an already successful partnership between eine en and the province. As well as eine en s portfolio of drin s being served in every bar at the ground the brand has also successfully delivered supporters nights live music fan tours and meet the player events at ingspan tadium. n addition eine en has invested heavily in facilities as part of the redevel opment of the stadium and one of the bars under the new grandstand is now called the eine en uarter.

Pictured celebrating are (back l-r) Ulster Rugby players Tommy Bowe, Jared Payne and Franco Van Der Merwe with (front l-r), Fiona Hampton, Head of Sales & Marketing at Ulster Rugby, and Leza Nulty, Commercial Manager for Heineken

ith entertainment player appearances and special offers the eine en uarter has become a popular destination for fans both before and after games.

Jack Ryan Whiskey Launched in the UK Ryan's Best Irish Single Malt Whiskey was launched in the UK recently and is being exclusively distributed by Gorden and McPhail.

Located in the north-east of Scotland, in the heart of the world famous whiskeyproducing region of Speyside, Gordon & MacPhail is an independent familyowned and managed firm which has been bottling Single Malt Whiskies for over 119 years. “Partnering with such a long established whiskey family and company gives Jack Ryan the strong credibility needed to enter the UK market with the certainty of brand building knowledge and strong distribution needed," says Eunan Ryan, family member and founder of the Jack Ryan Whiskey Company. "The partnership of both the Ryan Family with Gordon & MacPhail, another family-owned and independent family business built on similar values and ethos, seems like a perfect synergy."

The Ryan Family have been the proprietors of the Beggars Bush Public House on Haddington Road, Dublin 4 since 1913. To celebrate this rare centenary, they recreated the atmosphere and flavour of ‘Ryan’s Malt’ which they produced in association with Dublin Whiskey Distillery until the famous distillery closed its doors in 1946. Jack Ryan Single Malt Irish Whiskey (46%) has been aged for 12 years, with no chill filtration, thereby allowing the true flavours of the whiskey to be retained. The whiskey has been matured in exbourbon barrels hand-picked by the family themselves to deliver a unique taste. Tasting notes describe how the golden amber glow and nose of sweet, oaky vanilla, sets you up for a delicious mouthful of silky, honey sweetness with a long, warm-hearted, lingering, spicy finish. Despite its recent launch, Jack Ryan was awarded ‘Best Irish Single Malt Whiskey’ in the 12 years and younger category at the Irish Whiskey Awards in 2014.

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News

17M EXPANSION AT FOX AND GEESE A €17m expansion resulting in 30 new jobs was announced on June 8th by Irish Distillers at an event to mark 50 years of bottling at its Fox and Geese facility in Clondalkin, Dublin. The investment will increase bottling capacity at the site from five million nine-litre cases to 7.5 million cases – or 120 million bottles – of Jameson per year by 2017. Irish Distillers has been supported by the Department of Jobs through Enterprise Ireland. The Fox and Geese bottling site was first home to bottling of owers rishWhiskey, which relocated from Drury Street in 1965. Irish Distillers was formed in 1966 and became part of global spirits company ernod icard in which repatriated bottling of ameson Irish whiskey to the Dublin facility. Last year the facility bottled over 60 million bottles of Irish whiskey.

Irish Distillers CEO Anna Malmhake with Liam Donegan, Head of Fox and Geese Bottling Facility, Irish Distillers.

San Francisco Seal of Approval for Shortcross Shortcross Gin recently added another award to its string of accolades when it won a Silver Medal at the prestigious San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2015 in April. Shortcross impressed the judging panel of leading spirits experts to beat off stiff competition from gin brands across the world, with record-breaking numbers of submissions received in the gin category for 2015. To celebrate the brand’s recent success, and to mark its launch a year ago, Rademon Estate Distillery released a special limited edition anniversary batch on May 4th. Each of the 365 bottles - one for each day of its first year - is individually signed, labelled, numbered and sealed with a striking gold wax. Rademon Estate Distillery is now exporting Shortcross Gin to four countries, including France, the UK and Holland, with plans to expand its export distribution network and bring Shortcross to more countries

in the coming year. Over the past year, bartenders and mixologists across Ireland and the UK have been creating their own unique Shortcross serves, from the classic Shortcross G&T, served over ice with premium tonic and a spiral of orange peel, to innovative new creations using grapefruit and fresh basil. Shortcross Gin is stocked by leading high-end hotels, restaurants and bars across Ireland, including Carton House, Co Kildare, Castle Leslie, Co Monaghan, Mourne Seafood, Dublin, The Merchant Hotel, James Street South and Ox in Belfast, Balloo House, Co Down, Newforge House, Co Armagh and the Bushmills Inn, Co Antrim. Shortcross Gin has an RRP of €50 and is distributed by Prohibition Drinks and James Nicholson Wine Merchants and sold online across Ireland by JNWines.com and MastersofMalt.com in the UK.

Fiona and David Boyd-Armstrong of Rademon Estate Distillery with their special gold wax topped Shortcross Gin anniversary edition bottle.

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News

MAC IVORS DECLARED CIDER CHAMPION

(l-r): Greg Mac Neice, Director and Cider Maker at Mac Ivors, and Bill Taylor, Chairman of the Judges for the International Brewing & Cider Awards.

Armagh based ac vors cider became the first rish cider producer to win a gold medal and the hampion ider award at the International Brewing and Cider Awards at London's Guildhall. ac vors won the award at this prestigious event for its raditional ry ider .

A . stablished in he nternational Brewing and Cider Awards are internationally regarded as one of the most important and influential industry events.

ity cider and we are proud to be part of that. According to ill aylor chair of the udging panel close to beers and ciders were udged at urton upon rent earlier this year. o be chosen as one of ust championship winners is a tremendous accolade he said. ac vors ider was launched in by longstanding orthern rish apple processor ac eice ruit. he range includes two bottled ciders - Mac Ivors Medium (4.5%) and Mac Ivors raditional ry . . oth are produced in ml bottles. he edium ider is also produced in draught format. ac vors sells its ciders in the epublic of reland inland and Germany.

his endorsement will be immensely important to ac vors ider as we see to e pand our business in urope and the says Greg MacNeice, Director and cider maker at Mac Ivors, based at Ardress ortadown. t also signals that orthern reland is fast becoming a significant producer of the finest ual-

New Market Leap for Whitewater Brewery Northern Ireland's Whitewater Brewing Company has launched a new Indian Pale Ale for its key markets in the UK and Republic of Ireland. The brewery, located at Kilkeel in the foothills of the Mourne Mountains in Co Down, is using spring water blended with American, Australian and New Zealand hops in its latest bottle-conditioned beer, Maggie’s Leap (ABV 4.7%). The beer is available in 500ml bottles. Managing director and founder of Whitewater Brewery Bernard Sloan describes the latest brew as "a hoppy beer packed with citrus flavours ideal for accompanying spiced foods”. Maggie’s Leap, named after a popular part of the Mournes with visitors, is the first beer that has been produced following a substantial investment in new equipment and technology to enable the brewery to increase productivity and its portfolio.

Whitewater Brewing Company, Northern Ireland’s biggest craft brewer, has won a series of awards for the quality of its handcrafted beers, ales and stouts. These include International Brewing Challenge medals and UK Great Taste Awards for products such as its Belfast Brew (ABV 4.6%) and Germanic style Hoppelhammer (ABV6%). The company produces bottle conditioned beers and ales and also supplies products in kegs to customers throughout Ireland. The craft business was formed in 1996 by master brewer Bernard Sloan and provides beers and ales to major retailers, as well as restaurants, hotels and bars. It recently won business from Hastings Hotels, Northern Ireland's largest hotel chain.

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Brut Valdo Floral Edition Rosè is a unique interpretation of the spring mood, designed by Fabrizio Sclavi, an eminent fashion editor with a special passion for illustration. This new limited edition bottle was revealed at the Milano Design Week 2015 and displayed at the Superstudio Selected Gallery Design Exhibition. Valdo Floral Edition Rosè Brut was on special promotion with an RSP of €20 during May and June.

It is available at independent off licences including: Hollands, Bray, Co Wicklow; Donnybrook Fair, Dublin and Greystones; Egans Off Licence, Portlaoise, Co Laois; The Grape Vine, Dalkey, Co Dublin; Kellys Wine Vault, Clontarf, Dublin 3; Martins Off Licence, Fairview, Dublin 3; La Touche Wines 4U, Greystones, Co Wicklow; The 1601 Off Licence, Kinsale,

News

The Scent of Spring

Co Cork; McCambridges, Galway; Listons, Camden Street, Dublin 2 and Dublin Airport – Duty Free.

The Valdo ‘Marco Oro’ Prosecco di Valdobbiadene DOCG is a softly sparkling wine from the house of Valdo, based in the heart of the Veneto production area at Valdobbiadene. Glera is the grape variety for the white wine but, under EU law, champagne and sparkling wine may have red wine blended into it to make a rosé as an alternative to the 'saigné' method of bleeding off juice once the fermentation on the skins has produced enough colour and from then on it is vinified as a white wine. In the case of the Valdo Brut Rosè, the southern grape variety Nerello Mascalese has been added to produce a strawberries and cream style wine.

Drop in for a Spell at Kytelers Kyteler's Inn in Kilkenny, the 2013 and 2014 winner of the Tourist Bar of the Year category in the Licensing World Bar of the Year Awards, recently unveiled its new lifesize bronze statue of Dame Alice Kyteler.

The statue is designed as a permanent figure of the infamous witch so that all tourists and visitors to the pub can be photographed with her and beside her - and even sit on her lap! Dame Alice has arrived in time for the new season and also ties in nicely with Fáilte Ireland's 'Irelands Ancient East' initiative, as well as 'Kilkenny's Medieval Mile' of which Kyteler's Inn is, of course, part.

The new statue was designed by local sculptor Ani Mollereau.

New Manager for Febvre Therese O’Toole has been appointed as National On-Trade Key Accounts Manager for Febvre. Therese previously held the title of Commercial Brand Manager in Febvre. She has worked as Director of ales for five star hotels in reland and was co-owner of The Wine Boutique in Dublin 4. Therese is an honours graduate with a BSc (Mgmt.) in Hotel and Catering from DIT Cathal Brugha Street, Dublin. She is also a WSET Diploma Graduate.

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01/07/2015 11:33

News

BOTL SEEKS ROI DISTRIBUTORS FOR NEW RUM Belfast-based Botl Wine & Spirit Merchants is seeking potential distributors in the Republic of Ireland for its new brand, utterfly ane um which it is launching this month.

Based on the Boucher Road in Belfast, Botl is the sole owner of the new brand which is targeting burgeoning demand for rum among the lucrative illennial mar et of to year olds. he company has already secured a number of high profile customers. utterfly ane um is a premium uality three year old rum matured in oa barrels by Angostura manufacturer ernandes amily istillers in rinidad. t is available at .

A along with a spiced variant at A . he rum was specifically developed as a base for coc tails and mi ed drin s which are currently a ey growth area in the industry. he brand and taste profile were painsta ingly researched at every stage of development by an agency in ondon and we firmly believe it will be more appealing to both male and female drin ers who are becoming more and more discerning says ar eting anager oan elly. t will be positioned comfortably alongside the category leaders and is premium in every way from the smooth three year old spirit itself to the labelling pac aging and point of sale material. very consideration has been given to all aspects of utterfly ane um. or e ample the label is in ed to catch the light in nightclubs and we believe this level of attention to detail will give it universal appeal. ur focus in the on trade will be to build the brand in opinion forming bars. e have been wor ing with top mi ologists to create perfect serves and develop the best coc tails based around both the three year old Golden um and our utterfly ane piced um. hile other spirits are in decline rum is one of the ey categories currently e periencing growth so it is a really e citing time for us. e have high e pectations and we hope that the trade will support this local product.

First Cider Cask Finish Irish Whiskey Tullamore D.E.W. recently unveiled the world’s first cider cask finished Irish whiskey - Tullamore D.E.W. Cider Cask Finish - which will be available exclusively in global travel retail stores and at the Tullamore D.E.W. Visitor Centre in Tullamore. Tullamore D.E.W. Cider Cask Finish is a 40% ABV triple distilled, triple blend Irish whiskey. Designed with worldly whiskey explorers in mind, this unique edition combines two of Ireland’s oldest crafts - cider and whiskey-making.

The result is a whiskey with notes of toasted oak and tinged with cider sweetness. Due to the seasonal nature of the Irish apple harvest, Tullamore D.E.W. Cider Cask Finish is only produced between September and November each year.

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News

First Potato Vodka Launched

Stuart & Barbara Hughes of RubyBlue Vodka

BAR ORDERED TO PAY SETANTA SPORTS 6,746 A bar in Co Tipperary has been ordered to pay Setanta Sports €6,746 for showing matches without a commercial contract and injuncted from showing further Setanta Sports programmes.

Setanta Sports has been granted a judgment for €6,746 for loss of royalties against The Arch Bar in Thurles, Co Tipperary, and an injunction restraining the bar from showing Setanta Sports exclusive content. The Circuit Court in Clonmel heard evidence of The Arch Bar having shown live Premier League soccer matches involving Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester City and Liverpool.

Graham Byrne, Head of Commercial Business for Setanta Sports, told Judge Karen Fergus that live matches had been shown in 2013 and 2014. r. yrne confirmed that no commercial contract e isted with the Arch ar and that the live games had been shown, which infringed Setanta Sports’ copyright. He said that the Setanta ports pint glass symbol which identifies a broadcast as a legitimate etanta feed was not present and that this indicated that the Setanta Sports programmes were being unlawfully broadcast by the Arch Bar. The Court heard that the bar had received substantial correspondence requesting it to cease the unlawful broadcasting of Setanta Sports programmes but had not engaged at any time with Setanta Sports.

Judge Fergus granted Setanta Sports judgement for €6,746, an injunction restraining the bar from showing Setanta Sports programmes, and the costs of the proceedings.

The bar’s owners were unrepresented in court and there had been no response to the legal proceedings initiated by Setanta Sports.

Hughes Craft Distillery in Lisburn has won export business for Northern Ireland's first potato vodka, RubyBlue Craft Irish Potato Vodka, which it launched at the start of June.

The company has begun supplying the new craft vodka to duty free outlets at Dublin International Airport. According to Commercial Director Stuart Hughes, other significant business for the new vodka has been placed by UK online retailer Ocado, Amazon and Master of Malt, another online retailer. “We also saw an opportunity from the developing trend, particularly in high-end hotels, cocktail bars and restaurants, for craft spirits with provenance and outstanding taste," he says.

The new vodka, the first in Ireland to be distilled from potatoes, is the result of market research and discussions with existing customers of the company's super-premium liqueur products.

Sales Director Barbara Hughes says that the first batch pre-sold within a few days of announcing it and they are now working to fulfil orders to on-line retailers, local bars, and restaurants and off licenses.

RubyBlue Potato Vodka is 40% ABV 80% proof and is being marketed as being perfect for those who like to enjoy vodka neat but can also be used to create cocktails.

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Cover Story

A

TALE OF

Two Publicans

Maev Martin talks to Vintners Federation of Ireland (VFI) President Noreen O’Sullivan of Rocky O’Sullivan’s and the new Chairman of the Licensed Vintners Association (LVA) Oliver Hughes, CEO and Co-Founder of the Porterhouse Group, about why they believe they will be stronger together.

T

he conversation takes place shortly after the Councils of both organisations made a landmark decision to endorse a merger of the two bodies.

Noreen O'Sullivan, VFI President.

Oliver Hughes, LVA Chairman.

Oliver’s pub business couldn’t be more different from Noreen’s. One is a pub group that operates in major cities in Ireland and overseas and includes very on-trend tapas bars and a craft beer distillery. The other is a typical family-owned pub at the heart of its local community and one that, unlike many of its counterparts, has survived several recessions to remain in business for nearly a century.

Oliver Hughes started the Porterhouse Group in 1989 when he bought a pub in Bray. Today the Group has four bars in Ireland, one in London and one in New York. In addition, they operate Porterhouse tapas bars – four in Ireland and one in London. They also opened the first craft brewery in Ireland in 1983. It didn’t work but they re-opened it in 1986 and in December 2012 they opened the Dingle Distillery, which now employs 11 people, and was the first purpose built distillery for a new whiskey in 200

years. The Porterhouse Group employs 550 staff across their entire operations.

“We saw the market for a local brewery supplying a local product and then we saw the potential for tapas bars,” he says.

“There are 180 distilleries in Scotland and they employ one in five of the population.

Four years ago we had four distilleries in Ireland - all multi-national and foreignowned (Bushmills, which is owned by Diageo, Cooley owned by Jim Beam and Irish Distillers by Pernod Ricard) – so it is about thinking global and creating local.”

Noreen O’Sullivan’s Rocky O’Sullivan’s is a fourth generation family-run pub in Nenagh, Co Tipperary. “We are celebrating 90 years in business this year,” she says. “Apart from the pub, we also lease out an adjoining restaurant. We focus on hosting events – parties, music and card nights (we run two card nights mid week and these are extremely popular), local societies, and local GAA meetings.”

There was a time when the VFI and the LVA operated as one but they decided to go their separate ways in the 1970s. Oliver explains that the LVA operated under the VFI but during the 1970s, a period

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Cover Story

The Porterhouse Central, Nassau Street, Dublin.

The Porterhouse, Temple Bar, Dublin.

of high inflation, the Dublin publicans felt that they weren’t being looked after as inflation was particularly rapid in the capital. Noreen also points out that food was a factor in the split, with Dublin publicans starting to focus more on developing a food offering, something that rural publicans had yet to embrace.

There is a certain irony about this, given that today nearly every pub has to have a food offering and the food has to be restaurant standard. In fact, Oliver says that pubs now turnover more per year on food than restaurants. In addition, a lot of publicans are now chefs. “Over the past 10 to 15 years a lot of chefs have been buying pubs,” says Noreen. “In Tipperary a number of chefs that would have worked in hotels or restaurants decided to set up their own pub.”

Why Merge?

When Noreen became President of the VFI her focus was on trying to retain membership, gettting more people involved, and increasing attendance at meetings. “I felt it was time to get rid of the split that occurred in the 1970s because the same issues were affecting all pubs and we need a strong organisation to deal with those

issues,” she says. “The LVA and VFI commissioned a company called Genesis to carry out a review of our respective organisations – they looked at how the organisations functioned, the things that we had in common, our differences, and strengths and weaknesses. They also interviewed suppliers and the various organisations that our members deal with, including the banks.” The result – both organisations were given a number of options for going forward but the consultants recommended a merger of the two bodies as the best route. “Lots of Dublin pubs are dealing with the same issues as their rural counterparts,” says Oliver. “And some of the statistics relating to our sector, apart from being quite shocking, illustrate this point. For example, statistics from the Revenue Commissioners reveal that 78% of all pubs in the country turnover less than 5,000 a week so, contrary to the public perception, there are a lot of publicans out there who clearly aren’t in this business for the money! When you look at the situation in rural Ireland it is even more startling – a number of rural pubs only turnover 1,500 a week and 40% of that turnover would be cost of goods.”

The Porterhouse Group's portfolio includes very on trend tapas bars.

Apart from the common cost constraints that rural and Dublin publicans have to deal with, Oliver feels very strongly about the government’s public statements criticising the ‘drink culture’ in Ireland and the demonisation of alcohol in the national media. “If you were to buy into the a lot of the public discourse in Ireland you would think that we were the only country in the world with a ‘drink culture’. Look at Northern Europe, for example. Yet, despite government pronouncements about the perils of drink, in recent years we have allowed alcohol to be sold at a lower price than water. A can of beer was 1.30 in 1979 and now it is 65 cent so if the Government is so concerned about the health of our young people why do they allow alcohol to be used as a loss leader in supermarkets? The average American drinks more than the average Irish person but we binge drink and that is where education comes in. The levels of excise duty on alcohol are extortionate. The

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Kieran O'Sullivan of Heineken with Noreen O'Sullivan at the VFI Annual Conference 2015

Government often holds up countries like France and Spain as examples of a sensible drinking culture – and their taxes on alcohol are very low. Our excise rates are one of the highest in Europe so the government has to deal with this.”

According to Oliver, 50% of LVA members have said that they want an effective lobbying organisation that would be strong and deal with all matters relating to the pub. “Global supermarkets spend millions on lobbying and the LVA and the VFI have been trying to progress legislative issues at government level that have been ongoing for years without any significant progress being made,” he says. “We feel that if we present a unified front it will give us a much better chance of fast tracking the legislative changes that are required to improve the trading environment for our members.”

off licence or supermarket? And, if we are talking about drinking in a pub versus drinking at home, who better to educate the public, particularly young people, about the perils of alcohol abuse than the publican. The pub is a controlled environment where the bartender is observing customers and can see when someone has had more

than enough and refuse to serve them.”

Noreen also points out that while government is keen to promote the consumption of locally sourced food and encourages people to shop local in order to support local farmers and retailers, there is little encouragement for people to support their local publican. “The pub has been left out of that national

The Big Issues One proposed measure to tackle alcohol abuse that has left the heads of both organisations pretty perplexed was the move to ban drinks companies from sponsoring sporting events. “I would ask those public representatives and members of the government which poster influences a young person more – a poster about Guinness sponsoring the GAA or one that is advertising the sale of below cost alcohol in their local

The VFI and LVA support minimum unit pricing.

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Statistics from the Revenue Commissioners reveal that 78% of all pubs in the country turnover less than €5,000 a week...a number of rural pubs only turnover €1,500 a week and 40% of that turnover would be cost of goods.

The Dingle Distillery,

movement and it is unfortunate,” she says. “The government was closing down post offices and garda stations in rural areas but they are a huge part of community living and we need to ensure that the pub is viewed in that way as well, that it is restored to its rightful place at the centre of town, village and rural life.”

Minimum alcohol pricing, a reduction in excise duty, and speedier rates revaluations are three of the core issues that will be tackled as a priority postmerger. Both the VFI and LVA support minimum unit pricing of alcohol to deter below cost selling. “Also, there has to be a reduction in excise duty,” says Oliver.

“A bottle of Paddy costs $17 in New York but the Irish drinks industry pays 16.50 in excise duty on a bottle of Paddy in Ireland.” Rates are another big issue. Noreen says that the Government needs to free up more personnel to work with the rates officer in each county to revaluate the local authority rates. “They have completed the revaluation in Dublin, Waterford and Limerick but it took four years so this process has to be speeded up.” Oliver Hughes says that five years ago one of the bars in the Porterhouse chain was paying 55,000 in rates and that has now rocketed to 165,000.

“On top of that hefty amount we have water charges, Sky and other costs. All bars are in the entertainment business, it is about offering the customer a

total experience, not just alcohol, so excessive charges make it difficult for the publican to offer the range of services that they would like to offer.”

Noreen’s pub in Nenagh is paying 12,000 a year in local authority rates.

“This is based on the square foot of the bar but the revaluation will mean that the rates will be based on turnover, which will help publicans, because you could have a huge business but low turnover.”

How Will It Work?

If the new national representative organisation is approved by the memberships, pubs will be categorised based on their turnover. “We won’t categorise pubs based on their location or region,” says Noreen. “The name of the new organisation has yet to be decided but the world ‘pub’ will feature in it somewhere! The VFI has 4,300 members while the LVA has 600 members. 1,500 pubs have closed since 2005, 1,000 pubs have closed since 2007, and five pubs have closed in the past two weeks in Dublin (prior to June 18th). Those statistics show how the trading environment is still very tough for publicans, despite an improving economic situation at national level.

Both Councils support this proposed merger because we recognise that times have changed and we have to change with them. Young publicans are entering the market and we need to

relate better to their needs. From early September to early October the VFI members in each county will vote on this proposed merger. I know that a lot of our members think it makes sense to have just one effective single representative organisation but, of course, we have to wait and see what the result of the county by county vote will be.”

Similarly, Oliver Hughes says that the LVA has received very positive feedback from members about the single entity.

“Our service regarding licensing law and human resources issues will continue, as will our meetings, but the format will be slightly different and we’ll be speaking with one voice.” The LVA will meet in late September and both organisations will know by the end of September or by the first week in October if the merger has been approved by the membership.

However, both organisations are confident that it will be approved.

Noreen says they hope to have the new organisation up and running by June or July of 2016. “The big issue for the new organisation will be to develop a strong lobbying operation for publicans,” she says. “Above all, we will be working to present a cohesive vision for the pub, and for a government and tourist industry acknowledgement of the value of the pub in Irish society, and as part of the local and national tourism product.”

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Digital Digest

Online Overhaul Boosts Bookings at

Copan Dublin restaurant and late night bar Copan approached new web studio, nettl. com to carry out a complete overhaul of its website in response to changes in customer booking habits. Since the new website was launched earlier this year, Copan has experienced an increase in bookings and overall turnover.

75

% of all bookings now arrive online through Copan’s new website, a trend which is set to continue in 2015 and beyond, especially as the latest research reveals that more than half of all web visits in the UK now take place from a mobile device (IMRG Capgemini Quarterly Benchmarking Report) - and Ireland is quickly following suit.

The Central American-themed establishment was looking for a visual refresh to appeal to the professional clientele it attracts, to increase functionality, speed up and increase the efficiency of the booking system, and for a fully responsive system to meet the needs of today’s mobile, tech-savvy customers.

Previously, the website did not allow online bookings and was not updated regularly – which was often a turn off for potential customers. It also created more manual administration for staff and added to the workload of the bar manager and reservations team.

The new website, designed, implemented and hosted by nettl.com, was launched in February 2015.

Since then the number of hits to the website has doubled and the business has seen even further sales growth. "We attribute this growth to the impact of the new website," says General Manager Ciaran O'Flynn.

“We wanted to overhaul the look and feel of our website but also make it easy for customers to make reservations, review our menus and view our event schedule and photo galleries. In addition, we wanted the booking process to be integrated with our back office systems, to offer data capture options, and reduce administration, while bringing an optimised, modern website to our customers.”

The fully responsive system works across mobile phones, tablets, as well as computers, and the website adapts its layout according to the type of device it is being viewed on. It also links to Copan’s social media feeds to allow customers to interact and engage with the venue, provide feedback, post images and share experiences.

“The new website has certainly generated more interest and customers can browse menus and events for inspiration, plus we have recorded a 54% increase in bookings since January," says Ciaran.

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Digital Digest

“The new website has certainly generated more interest and customers can browse menus and events for inspiration, plus we have recorded a

54% increase

in bookings since January."

General Manager Ciaran O'Flynn.

"They can also make reservations with ease, and we can run and view reports either daily, weekly, monthly, or for longer periods. We do still receive some bookings over the phone or in person, but the website is our main source for reservations and we have incorporated this into all of our marketing material to direct potential customers to our enhanced system.

There is much more confidence in booking online, especially with the increased use of smartphones to view web content. The website is now a truly integral part of our business, it has speeded up the reservation system, enhanced efficiency and profitability across the establishment, and allows us to update the events calendar and photo galleries ourselves, while providing a sleek, professional online image for Copan. It’s certainly an investment worth making as it has boosted our profits and enhanced our offering.”

Dublin-based Matthew Duffy launched nettl last year.

“Since launching nettl we’ve lost count of the number of times new clients have told us they have been meaning to sort out their website," he says. "Now, it is more important than ever for restaurants and bars to recognise the benefits of responsive websites to suit the changing needs of today’s consumers, particularly as Google has been ranking mobile-friendly websites higher within searches since April 21st.

"Websites are one of the most crucial assets for any business, especially within the hospitality industry, and it’s important for customers to be able to view all the information on any device. As consumers become more savvy, convenience and ease of use becomes critical. If you can’t make a restaurant reservation within a couple of swipes on your phone you’ll move on, it’s as simple as that.”

How to Succeed in a Multi-Channel World

1 2 3 4 5

Just get started. You don’t need to decide everything at the beginning. It is better to get going and evolve your site as you grow.

Focus on your customers. Think about what they want to do online and centre your message and navigation around that. Don’t hide things – make it easy for them.

Content is queen. It is much more important to concentrate on getting fresh relevant content and keeping it updated than to be obsessive about the layout.

Choose your partners wisely.

You’ll always be able to find someone to do a cheap job for you but will they be around when your site goes down?

Keep dreaming. It’s great to have a wish list of features that you want to add. But it is better to get your site live and get it selling rather than waiting until everything is perfect.

In a bid to help small businesses and entrepreneurs get started, nettl.com is offering 600 grants and a free consultation to restaurants, bars and cafés hoping to make the move online or revamp an existing website that is in need of some attention.

ABOUT Nettle.com

nettl.com is a new cross-media design studio, the evolution of sister brand, Printing. com, and part of Grafenia plc.

It offers a

complete marketing strategy

across branding, web design and online media and website services in Dublin and throughout Ireland.

Visit nettl.com for more information.

To view Copan’s new responsive website, visit www.copan.ie

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01/07/2015 12:01

Whiskey Revival

Teeling Set to Rival Guinness As

Top Tourist Destination

When the doors of the Teeling Whiskey Distillery opened on June e elcome i i e e i o e fir i iller i li for over 125 years, as well as a visitor centre which, they hope, will i e e ei o ri i e ore o e a r or i mo e

T

he 10m distillery in The Liberties in Dublin is the only fully operational distillery in the city at present. The visitor centre will host whiskey tasting tours, a café, a bar, a private event space for hire, and a gift shop.

Founded by Jack Teeling in 2012, Teeling Whiskey Company (TWC) was set up to revive his family-old trademark of Irish whiskey and bring distilling back to Dublin where Walter Teeling had a distillery on Marrowbone Lane in the 18th century.

His brother Stephen Teeling joined him in 2013 as Sales & Marketing Director and is a co-owner in the business. "The Teeling Whiskey Company aims to be Ireland’s leading independent Irish whiskey producer driving category choice and innovation through a selection of unique handcrafted small batch Irish whiskeys," says Jack Teeling.

The opening of this new distillery means that TWC has complete control of all aspects of its whiskey production, from grain to bottle. Most recently, Teeling Single Malt was named ‘World’s Best’ at the 2015 World Whiskies Awards and Teeling Small Batch was awarded ‘Best Blended Irish Whiskey’ at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

Irish whiskey is currently experiencing a surge in popularity both at home and abroad and is the fastest growing spirits category in the world. According to an IWSR/Just Drinks report, Irish whiskey is expected to grow by over 60% between 2014 and 2019 and it is estimated that 96 million bottles of Irish whiskey will be sold globally by 2016.

"This is something that we have been working towards for the last three years," says Jack Teeling. "We are delighted

Teeling Whiskey Distillery

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Whiskey Revival

Jack & Stephen Teeling

Jeanne Sutton & Zoe Coleman

Ailis O'Connell

Darren Kennedy

Julie Mahon, Stephen Teeling & Judith Boyle

Michelle & Nicole Dunne

Kelly Donegan and Ciara Docherty

to officially open our brand new distillery and bring back the tradition of distilling to Dublin. We are also looking forward to opening our doors to our first official visitors and we’re confident that our distillery will become a must-visit destination for tourists to Dublin from all over the world.”

prohibition style cocktail. There are a variety of options for whiskey tasting experiences, including an upgrade to a Teeling Trinity tasting, or visitors can taste the award-winning range of Teeling Single Malts. They can also enjoy a second drink at the ‘Bang Bang Bar’, purchase distillery-exclusive items in the gift shop, or taste locally roasted 3FE coffee and relax with some freshly baked pastries or sandwiches in the Visitor Centre café.

Teeling & Liberties Heritage The Teelings have being crafting Irish whiskey since 1782 when Walter Teeling had a distillery on Marrowbone Lane in The Liberties of Dublin. At this time there were over 37 different distilleries in Dublin alone and many of them were located in the industrial engine room of the city - The Liberties, the Coombe, Newmarket and Smithfield. During the 19th century Dublin whiskey became globally recognised as the premier whiskey in the world and some of the largest distilleries of the time emerged from these smaller operations in Dublin’s Liberties. The remains of many of these can still be seen to this day. However, in 1976 the last Dublin distillery shut down and production moved to Midleton in Cork.

About Jack & Stephen Teeling Managing Director Jack Teeling has over 15 years’ experience in the Irish whiskey industry having previously held the roles of Commercial Manager, Sales and Marketing Director, and latterly Managing Director with Cooley Distillery. During his time as Cooley’s Managing Director the company experienced sales growth of over 85%. Cooley Distillery was sold to Beam in January 2012 for $95m. Jack holds an MSc in International Business (TCD), an MBS in Finance (Smurfit Business School) and a Bachelors Degree in Commerce from UCD. Sales and Marketing Director Stephen Teeling was previously a Commercial Manager in Cooley Distillery and was appointed Senior Global Marketing Manager for Irish whiskey in Beam in February 2012. After 16 months managing Cooley brands integration into Beam, he left to join TWC in May 2013. Stephen holds a MBS in International Business (Smurfit Business School) and Bachelors in Business and Economics from Trinity College Dublin.

Visitor Centre The visitor centre will be open seven days a week from 9.30am until 5.30pm and will host guided tours of the distillery. During the tour visitors will see all the elements involved in whiskey production, from barley to milling to fermentation, right up to three custom made copper pot stills. All tours will receive a measure of Teeling whiskey with an accompanying pre19

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Commercial Profile

Italian Icon meets Irish On-Trade Dalcassian Wines & Spirits launch the world famous exclusive range of premium Astoria wines from Italy to Irish bars and restaurants.

I

n May, the spectacular Astoria bottles became famous the world over as millions of viewers across the globe celebrated with the world class cyclists holding them victoriously on the Giro D’Italia winners’ podiums. As proud sponsors of the international Giro D’Italia, Astoria personifies all that is wonderful about Italy.

Astoria wines are all made by the original, long-established wine making Polegato family.

Filippo Polegato explains that the Giro D’Italia was the reason they introduced Astoria to Ireland. “Our export manager was over in Dublin and Belfast for the second tour of the Giro D’Italia 10 years ago and we met John Dillon, the Managing Director of Dalcassian Wines & Spirits.

We invited him along to see the Giro and we got to know each other. Dalcassian Wines & Spirits were very serious about quality and service and John really understood the wine market so, when the timing was right to launch in Ireland, we knew Dalcassian was the distributor we wanted to work with.”

Filippo had the opportunity to meet the Irish ontrade through the Astoria sponsorship of the Irish Hotels Federation conference where Astoria wines took pride

of place at the President’s Dinner. He was impressed with the sophisticated wine knowledge of Irish restaurant owners and managers and the tremendous response to Astoria. Sommeliers in Europe’s most exclusive bars and restaurants list the Astoria range on their carefully selected wine lists. Since the launch of the Astoria Sparkling, Pinot Grigio and Pino Noir in Ireland, through Astoria's sponsorship of the Irish Hotels Conference, there has been a great response from high-end bars and restaurants across the country who are keen to add such an exceptional range to their wine lists. The stunning Astoria taste owes much to

the renowned climate of the Valdobbiadene vineyards in the Veneto region in Italy.

The 40-acre Val de Brun estate is located in the heart of this prized wine region.

The fruit is sourced from the Astoria Estate vineyard 'Val de Brun' in the rolling hills of the delle Venezie. “Irish people are starting to take a huge interest in sparkling wines and proseccos and they are looking for something different and very high quality," says Filippo.

"Prosecco is only produced in the Veneto region of Italy and the quality level of Astoria is extremely high.” The grapes are harvested by hand from vines planted 600 feet above sea level with an average age

of 10 years. They are gently crushed and are allowed a prolonged maceration inside stainless steel tanks to maximise the full extraction of flavour and colour. The wine is lightly filtered before bottling.

Apart from the 'Alisia' Pinot Grigio and 'Caranto' Pinot Noir, Astoria recently launched the AstoriaCorderie Prosecco in Irish restaurants and it has become a firm favourite with diners. The ‘Alisia’ won the prestigious gold medal at the 2012 World Wine championships, while the Astoria 'Caranto' Pinot Noir has also been awarded top marks by the esteemed Wine Connection for its balance and flavour.

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Cover: New Glass Range Marks Centenary Celebrations 9: Heineken Ireland to Launch Cider Brand 14: First Whiskey Spirit Produced in Dublin in 39 Years 20: Vintners Seek Clarity on Public Health Alcohol Bill 29: Martin Connolly on the 4: VFI Urges Government to Help Rural Ireland 5: Councils Endorse LVA/VFI Merger 5: Irish Wine Excise Highest in Europe 6: Jack Ryan Whiskey Launched in the UK 7: Irish Distillers’ €17m Expansion at Fox and Geese 11: Bar to Pay Setanta Sports €6,746

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new Irish Pub Investment Network 32: Wine Expert Jean Smullen Provides Crucial Information on the Wine You Are Selling

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Cover: Tara and Michael Gavigan – The Central Celebrates Bar of the Year Award 20: Sales Director Ross Bissett on the Newly-Enlarged C&C Gleeson 28: CBRE Predicts 40 Pub Sales This Year 31: Francisan Well and Jameson Irish Whiskey Unveil Fruits of Second Collaboration 33: Bar of the Year Awards 2014 46: Jean Smullen on the Market for Spanish Wines in Ireland

Cover: Sky Sports and Molson Coors Appealing Package for Pubs 12: Tullamore D.E.W. Marks Distillery Opening 20: Classic Drinks Celebrates 10 Years in Style 22: Paul McNulty on Building a Successful Bar Brand 26: David Chawke Stays Ahead of the Game 34: DIGI Calls for Reversal of Excise Increase Ahead of Budget 2015

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10/07/2015 16:15

Coffee Culture

Oliver Plunkett

Gets Ahead of the Competition Coffee sales in pubs are outstripping cafĂŠs in the UK and coffee is now the fastest growing area for pubs throughout Britain. Chris Weldon of The Oliver Plunkett in Cork tells Licensing World how Marco Beverage Systems and Badger & Dodo have helped them make the most of consumers' love affair with coffee.

Q A

Why did The Oliver Plunkett decide to transform its coffee offering?

Quite simply, we wanted to offer our customers a quality coffee and show that we were putting effort into the cup. We felt we had addressed the food, the music, the bar, the beverages and the look of the venue itself, so we decided to look at how we could improve the coffee as well.

Q A

What type of service was the pub offering before Badger & Dodo and Marco Beverage Systems came on board?

It was very basic. Press the button on the machine and here comes your coffee. We also had a couple of the open neck drip pots and a traditional espresso machine upstairs. The bean to cup machine was quick but it wasn't great.

Q A

Can you describe the different aspects of your coffee offering today?

We offer both filter coffee, via the Marco Jet brewer with an integrated grinder, and the full espresso based menu, via a La Marzocco espresso machine, both of which are supplied by Marco

Beverage Systems. The Jet Brewer resides behind the bar but we built an entirely new, purpose built, barista bar that houses the espresso machine. The barista bar serves our trade inside but also opens out to serve coffee into the street.

Q A

What percentage of turnover comes from coffee sales?

At the moment 15% to 20% of our sales come from coffee. Most of this is during the day as we have a steady morning into lunch trade.

Q A

What percentage of sales would you like to come from coffee?

Ideally we would love to see our sales double.

It's something we are constantly looking at from our early morning to lunch trade and into our early afternoon trade.

Q A

Do you offer any unusual coffees that mightn't be available in most bars?

We offer both quality brewed coffee as well as the full espresso-based range of beverages which is a selection that you wouldn't find in most pubs, as most would offer either one or the other.

We also try to get latte art on top of every cup that goes out!

Q A

What feedback are you getting about the coffee on offer in the bar?

At the start we had mixed reviews. We didn't change our supplier of coffee in the bar for about 12 years so we found people had got used to what we were offering. As it wasn't what they were used to there were a few complaints but we stuck with it. Now customers are asking for different coffees and getting into it. We ask for feedback on a daily basis and we work closely with Badger & Dodo regarding the feedback that we get from our customers. Knowing how to change grind on the Marco Brewer and the extraction temperature on the espresso machines so that we can tweek the coffee to our customers' taste has been vital, as has the guidance that we have received on this from

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Coffee Culture

Badger & Dodo. It has also been a challenge for us to make drinks fast enough to meet the demand but, again, support and advice from Badger & Dodo on order processing, and a re-jig of the bar, is a great help in getting them through.

Q A

Do you plan to introduce new products?

Of course, the beauty is that you can do so much with coffee.

Being a bar, Irish coffee is a natural option. And now that summer is here we are also considering cold brew and an affogato menu.

Q A

Is a strong coffee offering and the purchase of an easy to use coffee machine a worthwhile investment for publicans?

Once you have the staff trained to use the machine then, yes, definitely. There is a bit of an art to it but it really motivates staff. I've found the espresso machine very easy to use. We've had it about seven months and so far we have had no problems with it. Our old machines were a bit temperamental and a break down could take hours to fix. The Marco Brewer with integrated grinder is a breeze for us to use - this part of the operation is a complete success. With the Marco Jet we can produce a lot of coffee very quickly and keep the freshness and quality very high. It is so easy to use you almost forget it is there. Most importantly, the Jet brewer has allowed us to retain that tradition of a 'free refil', which isn't an option via the espresso machine. It is great to see all the things you can do with a good brewing machine and espresso machine. It has really helped us to grow our business.

THE THIEVED APPLE TA S T E S B E S T

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The season never ends on With every ball from The Ashes, every Formula 1速 race live and so much more live sport this summer, no-one else comes close.

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01/07/2015 15/06/2015 12:15 09:34

Also, the football season starts earlier from 8 August 2015.

Only Sky Sports brings you

3x

more Barclays Premier League matches than anyone else

Sky Bet Championship

Capital One Cup Barclays Premier League

116

live Barclays Premier League matches

127

live Sky Bet Football League matches

Plus live action from the 2016 European Qualifiers, Capital One Cup, Scottish Premiership, Scottish Cup and Johnstone’s Paint Trophy.

Bring the summer’s best sport to your venue

Call 08448 245 560 The F1 Logo, F1, Formula 1, FIA FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP, GRAND PRIX and related marks are trade marks of Formula One Licensing BV, a Formula One group company.

All rights reserved. Number of league games quoted is total shown on Sky Sports from 2014/2015 season as a whole. Scheduling may be subject to change. Terms apply. Calls to Sky cost up to 5.1p per minute (plus 15.97p connection fee) for BT customers. Calls from other providers may vary. Sky Sports comparison: Comparison against other broadcasters live UK sports rights from Feb 2015 to June 2015 Correct at time of supply: 10.06.2015

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ar

Peroni Parties at Minima Peroni Nastro Azzurro celebrated life in Italian style, merging Italian food, lifestyle and design elements with Irish culture at a summer soiree in Dublin's trendy interior design mecca Minima last month.

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eroni Nastro Azzurro unveiled the three Irish creatives who have been chosen by the brand to explore their own interpretation of 'Life in Italian Style' through visits to Rome, Milan, Bologna and Turin. Milliner Laura Kinsella, mixologist Federico Riezzo, and trendsetting Dublin design duo, Designgoat, travelled to Italy to discover the passion, craftsmanship and attention to detail that defines Italian culture.

Laura Kinsella trained with Philip Treacy and her work has featured most recently as part of Irish Design 2015’s 'In the Fold' at London Fashion Week. Dublin-based design company Designgoat is known for its innovation in product design and interiors. Their work has featured in exhibitions at the Salone del Mobile in Milan, and in New York. Frederic Riezzo is Peroni Nastro Azzurro Head Mixologist for Europe. The Italian-born Federico is also proprietor of Coppa CafÊ in the Royal Hibernian Academy.

Martha Lynn and Carolina Lees at the Peroni Nastro Azzurro party

Laura Kinsella

Ellie Balfe and Hugh Scully at the Peroni Nastro Azzurro party

Along with a selection of Italian Aperitivo, guests were treated to some of Frederico's Peroni infusions (a new take on cocktails!). These included Peroni Spritz. Served in a burgundy glass, it combines Prosecco with Aperol, marrying the flavours of bitter orange, gentian, rhubarb, and cinchona, with a dash of tangy grapefruit juice and Peroni Nastro Azzurro. Peroni Irish Garden celebrates Irish and Italian ingredients. This infusion features cucumber and elderflower with unexpected bursts of basil and apple juice to complement Peroni Nastro Azzurro. Served in a goblet glass, the drink is finished with cracked black pepper and zesty lemon. The Peroni La Piazza infusion is a balance between fiery ginger, angostura bitters, zingy lime and aromatic rosemary, complemented by Peroni Nastro Azzurro. The drink is garnished with raspberries and crystallised ginger cubes and served in a high ball glass. Federico's range of experimental Peroni Nastro Azzurro infused drinks is being showcased at Peroni’s pop-up bar across selected premium bars in Dublin, Cork and Belfast. Meanwhile, the encounters and discoveries of the three creatives will unfold on www.peroniitaly.ie in the coming weeks, where their interviews, features, videos and photographs will offer their unique insights into La Dolce Vita.

Federico Riezzo

Phoebe Laing and Kevin Gordon

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Corkonian is

World Class Bartender

Anna Walsh with judges Max La Rocca, Tom Jones and Spike Merchant

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ork native Anna Walsh from popular Dublin bar MVP recently won the coveted title of World Class Irish Bartender of the Year 2015 at No. 10 Ormond Quay in Dublin’s city centre following an intense year-long competition. Six finalists representing some of the top cocktail bars across the country were put to the test, challenged on all aspects of bartending and judged by some of the most revered names in the industry Spike Marchant, Tom Jones and Max La Rocca. Chef and food writer Gizzi Erskine was also on hand to put the contestants through their paces and judge them on their creativity, their ability to balance flavours, and their presentation skills.

Anna, the only female finalist, will now go

Melanie Morris and Clodagh Edwards

on to represent Ireland at the World Class Global Final in South Africa in August.

The elite World Class competition is a celebration of contemporary cocktail culture, bringing together the best bars, the most iconic bartenders and the most exquisite spirits from around the globe.

It also showcases the Diageo Reserve portfolio of luxury spirits, including Ketel One, CĂŽroc, Zacapa 23, Tanqueray, Tanqueray No. Ten, Bulleit, Don Julio and Johnnie Walker. The other finalists included Adam Walsh from Soder & Ko in Dublin, Shane Nolan of SoHo in Cork, Darren Gerraghty who represented The Candlelight Bar in Dundrum, Dublin, Ken Herlihy who is Bar Manager in House, Dublin, and Mark Gil R. Velasquez of The Merchant Hotel, Belfast.

Cecilia Fava and Gillian Hamill

Loren Ray and Shane Nolan

Orla Brandon and Kenneth Cronin

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ar

Sunset Sessions

for Summer

T Eamonn Fennell and Laura Faulkner of C&C Gleeson at the launch of the Corona Extra Sunset Sessions.

he launch of Corona Extra’s summer initiative, Sunset Sessions, took place across two floors at the trendy Morgan Hotel in Dublin recently.

Corona Extra with a slice of lime was the order of the day and the inclement Irish weather didn’t stop guests enjoying finger-licking BBQ platters and ice cold beers. The party, hosted by Brand Manager Laura Faulkner for trade guests, marked the start of summer and a new experience for music lovers. Corona Extra has partnered with FM104 DJs to create a sundown experience at trade venues offering live and exclusive DJ sets and laid back hangouts for customers.

C&C Gleeson recently became the exclusive distributor of Corona Extra and Corona Light in Ireland. Under C&C Gleeson ownership Corona will be supported by a heavy-weight marketing campaign throughout the year.

Press Up Supports

Eat Red, Drink Red Campaign

A

number of Press Up Entertainment Group venues are running a month-long initiative to encourage the food and beverage industry to raise funds to fight AIDs. The campaign kicked off on Monday, June 1st and ran until Tuesday, June 30th in Sophie’s Restaurant & Bar, The Dean Bar, Vintage Cocktail Club, The Liquor Room and Peruke & Periwig, as well as Oliver Dunne’s Cleaver East at The Clarence Hotel. These venues joined the global Eat (Red) Drink (Red) Save Lives campaign. (Red) was founded in 2006 to help provide a sustainable flow of money from the private sector to fight AIDS. All over the world, restaurants and bars have been creating their own (Red) inspired menu items, with a portion of each sale going to (Red)’s fight against AIDS. Each time a customer purchases a Red dish or Red cocktail, 1 will go directly to the Global Fund to Fight HIV/ AIDS, the beneficiary of all (Red) funds.

Head Chef Darren Mathews. While dining there or enjoying a few drinks in The Dean Bar, patrons could sip and savour an '86 (Red) from Sophie’s Head Mixologist Chris Crowley, flavoured with strawberries and a shot of Jameson. As Irish ambassador for the Eat (Red) Drink (Red) campaign, Chef Oliver Dunne served up a strawberry Panna Cotta with honeycomb in Cleaver East at The Clarence. Over at Vintage Cocktail Club in Temple Bar, guests enjoyed a Power’s based cocktail, elegantly served in vintage glassware with a freshly cracked black pepper rim. Up at Peruke & Periwig on Dawson Street, Rob Caldwell’s Just for Kicks cocktail blended a house made chilli syrup with Jameson Crested 10 to produce a tasty concoction that really packed some heat.

At The Liquor Rooms on Wellington Quay, Alan McGillivray’s floral-inspired (Dearg) D.E.W featured a house-made hibiscus syrup mixed with Tullamore D.E.W for a real taste of summer.

Sophie’s Restaurant & Bar featured a portion of creamy whipped Ardsallagh goat’s cheese with red pepper purée, pickled beetroot and a crunchy pine nut crumb, courtesy of

All cocktails were 10. Whipped Ardsallagh goat’s cheese at Sophie’s was 9.

Strawberry Panna Cotta with honeycomb at Cleaver East was 7.50.

Just for Kicks at Peruke & Periwig

Whipped Goat's Cheese at Sophie's

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Summer Sellers

Summer Sellers

Ireland's Favourite Rioja

Low ABV Boosts Profits Pubs and clubs can reap valuable profit margins as a result of 'B’ by Black Tower's 5.5% ABV. Ireland’s brand leader and pioneer in the lower alcohol wine sector, ‘B’ by Black Tower, attracts lower alcohol duty, allowing for competitive retail pricing and good margins. The brand's sales grew by a massive 21.8% in volume during 2014 versus the previous year. "Customers mindful of alcoholassociated health issues are attracted by the added appeal of just 55 calories per 125ml glass – that’s 30% fewer calories than a standard glass of wine," says Jonathan Smith, Reh Kendermann's Country Manager, Ireland. "And, at 5.5% abv, it offers valuable profit opportunities and affordable pricing."

For sales enquiries contact Jonathan Smith on 01 8956600, Mobile: 086 2930650 or email: Jonathan.Smith@reh-kendermann.de

Tullamore D.E.W. Supports Castlepalooza

Masi recently turned their expertise to producing a rosé wine, using the same skills as their world-renowned reds. Made entirely with the native Refosco grape, Rosa dei Masi is produced by semi-drying a portion of these grapes on traditional bamboo racks using the ancient ‘appassimento’ technique, softening out what is often a harsh variety and adding some complexity to the final blend. This summer, Masi will be introducing the Rosa dei Masi Ice Bag, which is suitable for display but also for on-trade service. Completely water-tight, making it suitable for holding ice and water, it is embossed with flourishes that echo Rosa dei Masi’s elegant rococo labelling.

Tullamore D.E.W is continuing its sponsorship of Castlepalooza, the three day music and arts festival taking place between July 31st and August 2nd in Charleville Castle.

For this year’s festival, Tullamore D.E.W. will be investing significantly in ATL activity to look for acts with 'True Character' to perform in front of up to 5,000 revellers on the main stage of this year’s festival. In October, the brand will once again take part in the Dublin Whiskey Fest following the success of its inaugural outing last year. At the 2014 Fest, Tullamore D.E.W. launched its new signature serve, the "Dew n' Apple", or “D.N.A.” for short, a mix of Tullamore D.E.W. Original and Cidona.

Be sure to ask your Findlater Wine & Spirit Group Wine Specialist for more details.

Tullamore D.E.W. is exclusively distributed in Ireland by Findlater Wine & Spirit Group.

Best of the Summer Wine

Summer means barbecue season and no Irish barbie would be complete without a Rioja, one of Ireland’s favourite red wine styles. The Torres Ibéricos Crianza has become one of our preferred choices since it was first launched a few years ago, and this year it comes with a striking new label and a new name - Torres Altos Ibéricos. Torres Altos Ibéricos is part of the 'new wave' style of winemaking in La Rioja which involves longer maceration times and partial aging in new oak in an effort to allow the majesty of the noble Tempranillo grape to shine through.

Torres is exclusively distributed in Ireland by Findlater Wine & Spirit Group.

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Commercial Profile

Not Just Another

Catalogue

The Bunzl McLaughlin 2015 catalogue is giving customers access to over 12,000 products from over 300 suppliers worldwide. Since its launch in April, it has got caterers talking about fresh ideas and new trends throughout the industry.

Creating Excitement When preparing the 2015 catalogue Bunzl McLaughlin wanted to create excitement for their customers. They also wanted it to be competitively priced and informative, offering customers profit-enhancing opportunities for their business.

Through extensive market research, trend analysis and really listening to consumers’ needs, Bunzl has created a catalogue that isn't just about products but reflects their knowledge and insights into the hospitality trade based on a wide range of competencies that exist within the company.

respected names in catering.

Complement perfectly cooked dishes with fine dining crockery from Churchill, Steelite or Villeroy & Boch. Or for your everyday crockery needs, explore the Classic range of simple but effective dishes. Keep your bar well stocked with barware such as cocktail shakers, measures, and wine coolers that are long lasting and excellent value for money.

Remember to check out the collection of cleaning and safety supplies too, where you'll find everything from mop buckets to baby changers.

Shop for Top Brands

Everything you Need!!

Bunzl McLaughlin bring you only the best quality equipment from highly

Pick up everything you need to run a successful business

within the hospitality trade from this catalogue. Whether you run a pub, restaurant, hotel or catering company, you'll find a huge range of kitchen equipment and accessories to ensure that your business runs smoothly.

From glassware to dishwashers, chefs uniforms to crockery, get kitted out with all the essential catering supplies.

For more great ideas contact your local Bunzl McLaughlin Sales Representative, or call the team: Tel: 028 3751 1999 (NI) Tel: 048 3751 1999 (ROI) Web: bunzlmclaughlin.com bunzlmclaughlincateringsupplies @BunzlBML in bunzl-mclaughlin

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Commercial Profile

Creating the

Right Impression

Bunzl McLaughlin’s

Your tableware is essential to the dining experience – it should complement, not restrict, your cuisine.

1

Y

our tabletop settings instantly announce the type of food experience that your customer can expect – smooth highend elegance, cool hipster, funky rustic and ethnic, or cosy home-baking. Wise restaurateurs advise thinking about the food first and then choosing a plate that suits and highlights the main ingredients.

For instance, at The Shelbourne Hotel in Dublin, Executive Chef Garry Hughes finds that plain white china provides the most scope for elegant presentation and he favours shallow, flat plates with no lip. He advises chefs to look at every dish from the diner’s point of view – ‘how food eats is as important as how it looks; if a dish makes the food awkward to eat, that’s a fail.’ His own favourite dessert of sherry trifle, which he has seen served in glasses too narrow for the spoon, is a case in point. ‘I looked for a nicely shaped glass that shows the layers and is wide enough to comfortably scoop a bit of each layer in every spoonful,’ he says.

Pat O'Sullivan of Masterchefs Hospitality says that durability has to be paramount when you are catering for high volume student restaurants and large scale sporting and corporate events. As many as 3,000 university students use Masterchefs Hospitality’s services daily and tableware can easily go through dishwashers six times during the course of the day. ‘Steelite vitrified tableware stands up to the hard wear and is chip resistant and stackable, which is important for crockery that is moved about on trolleys and transported to events,’ says Pat. He opts for white dishes with a simple design as they make table settings interchangeable and replacements easier. In his Café Noir outlets, Pat features brightly coloured mugs to provide splashes of colour in the informal setting.

For more ideas visit www.bunzlmclaughlin.com

5

Top Tips Durability is Essential Look for products that are proven to be hard-wearing, chip resistant, dishwasher safe, microwave safe and finger mark resistant.

2

Present the Right Image Take time to think about the image that you wish to project and choose tableware that reflects the personality of your restaurant. Ask your suppliers for samples and test them with your dishes.

3

Make it Easy You don’t want your customers to break out in a cold sweat as they grapple unsuccessfully with awkward implements.

Try your preferred products for yourself. Are they easy to use? No? Then go back to the drawing board.

4

Set the Tone Changing your tableware to suit the occasion can create the right mood in multifunctional dining areas. Your supplier will be able to suggest different ranges to suit your dining room at each service.

5

Choose a Trusted Supplier We’ve all had those kitchen nightmares when a tray-load of precious plates has come crashing down or a client adds extra tables to their banquet at the last minute. By partnering with a trusted supplier like Bunzl McLaughlin you can rest assured that you can call for back-up when you need it.

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Wine

Why You Should See

Red

This Summer During the warm summer months the consumer tends to drink more white and rosé wines and lighter red wine styles. Full bodied red wines, with high tannin and alcohol, are much more suited to months that have an “r” in them, as they go well with roast meat and hearty stews.

I

f your lighter summer menu features salads and fish then I can recommend the French wine region of Beaujolais as a place to start when looking for lighter red wine styles. Most importing companies have a Beaujolais wine on their list and a few recommended producers are listed on Page 35.

Most people know Beaujolais as Beaujolais Noveaux but in fact the region offers much more than just one wine style and has a top quality winemaking tradition that has existed for more than 2,000 years.

The Beaujolais region is part of Burgundy and the region

and Gouais, a grape which originated in south west France, to create the Gamay grape. Gamay’s versatility means that it is capable of producing elegant wines that can be consumed young, as well as more structured wines for laying down and ageing. Gamay ripens early and produces beautifully bright and limpid red wines which are superbly aromatic, with dominant notes of raspberry, wild strawberry, blackberry and black cherry, sometimes with slightly peppery and floral notes.

is situated north of the city of Lyon. Beaujolais is a very beautiful region. It has lots of hills and breathtaking scenery.

It also has 150 Chateaux. They make red, white and rosé wines but here in Ireland we mostly import red wines from the region. The wines in the region are made exclusively from Gamay and Chardonnay grapes. The official name for the grape is Gamay Noir à Jus Blanc, for red wines and rosés, which accounts for 98% of the region’s production, and Chardonnay, for whites, which accounts for two per cent of the total production.

The secret of Beaujolais is the way the Gamay grape is made.

Winemaking in Beaujolais combines the classic method of Burgundy with maceration

The Gamay Noir à Jus Blanc is actually a man made grape. Viticulturists crossed two grapes - Pinot Noir

Vatting

De-vatting

Press juice (paradis)

carbonique, whereby enzymes present in the uncrushed grape are surrounded by carbon dioxide. The resulting wine style is abundantly fruity, medium bodied (not too heavy, not too light) and has amazing freshness that you wouldn’t normally associate with red wine.

There are 10 Cru vineyards in Beaujolais. The best vineyard sites in the region are: Brouilly, Chénas, Chiroubles, Côte de Brouilly, Fleurie, Juliénas, Morgon, Moulin à Vent, Régnié, and Saint-Amour. The only grape variety permitted is Gamay, a grape which likes granite-based soil, which is found in these premium vineyard sites. Let us take a look at each one to see what makes them different:

Bottling

Whole bunches of grapes Racking

Run-off juice

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Wine

THE 10 BEAUJOLAIS CRU

1

Brouilly

The vines planted around the foot of Mont Brouilly make up the largest of the Beaujolais Cru appellation areas.

The most southerly of the Crus, Brouilly produces deep coloured, elegant and medium-bodied wines redolent of red fruit, plum and peach with a mineral touch.

2

Chiroubles

Perched high on the hills at 400 metres above sea level in its own granitic cirque, the vines of Chiroubles produce tender, elegant wines and a nose redolent of flowers: peony, lily of the valley and violets.

Refined, aromatic, mineral and fruity in style, they are highly characteristic of the Beaujolais region.

3

Regnie

This is the 'youngest' of the Beaujolais Crus (AOP decree in 1988). The vines that surround the double-spired church of Régnié-Durette produce supple, tender, easy to drink, well-built wines with purple tints and redcurrant, blackberry and raspberry aromas. Grapes ripen early in the area, yielding concentrated, juicy and fruity wines.

4

Fleurie

The most 'feminine' of the Beaujolais Crus, it is seductively velvety and elegant. It has a flattering carmine robe with floral and fruity aromas of iris, violet, rose, peach, blackcurrant and red fruits.

5

Saint Amour

This Cru is the most northerly, with nearly all of its vines in the Saôneet-Loire department. Lively yet refined and well-

balanced, St Amour wines are ruby-coloured with a kirsch, spice and wild flower bouquet. The wines are very perfumed and can be complex depending on the vinification process.

6

generous, smooth and supple on the palate, and ages well.

9

This unique terroir yields fleshy and seductively full wines, deep garnet in colour, with aromas of ripe stone fruits such as cherry, peach, apricot and plum. It is full bodied and very well structured. Morgon wines reach their peak after a few years in the cellar.

Julienas

Often preferred by journalists and wine writers, who have been singing its praises for decades, Julienas is powerful and harmonious. These wines are deep and ruby-red in colour with a generous bouquet of peach, red fruits and floral aromas.

7

10

Moulin a Vent

This Crus takes its name from the windmill that rises above the vineyards. It is a deep ruby-coloured, well-structured wine with iris, rose, spice and a ripe fruit aroma. It ages well.

Côte de Brouilly

The Côte de Brouilly vineyards flourish on the steep, well-exposed slopes of Mont Brouilly, on a subsoil made up of granite and schist.

The wines are crimsoncoloured with fresh grape and iris aromas. They are powerful, floral and spicy, with some degree of minerality. A little cellaring will give them time to come to the full, becoming elegant and distinctive.

8

Morgon

IMPORTERS OF BEAUJOLAIS WINES IN IRELAND: Most of the importing companies will have a Beaujolais wine in their portfolio but here are a few names to look out for: Jean Paul Brun (Wines Direct); Louis Jadot (Findlater Wine & Spirit Co); Georges Duboeuf & Henry Fessy (Febvre & Co); Domaine Berrod (McCambridge, Galway); Domaine Rochette (James Nicholson Wine Merchants); Domaine des Billards & Lupe Cholet (Classic Drinks); Trenel (Bacchus Vinos); Momessin (Comans Wines); Jaffelin (Dalcassian Wines); Domaine de Combieres (French Wines Unlimited); Domaine Les Tours de Montmelas (Liberty Wines); Christian Bernard (Mackenway Distributors); Domaine de la Madonne (Mitchell & Sons Wine Merchants); JeanClaude Fromont (Pallas Foods); Labouré (Richmond Marketing); Bouchard Pere et Fils (Tindal Wine Merchants) and Bouchard Aine et Fils (Cassidy Wines).

Food

RECOMMENDATIONS

AOC Chénas, Côte de Brouilly, Juliénas, Morgon, Moulinà Pair with: meat casseroles, creamy poultry dishes, smoked meats, and mature soft cheese such as Brie.

AOC Brouilly, Chiroubles, Fleurie, Régnié, Saint-Amour Pair with: duck, parsley seasoned ham, veal, lamb or soft crust cheeses such as Camembert.

Chenas

The ‘rarest’ and the smallest of the Beaujolais Crus was Louis XIII’s favourite wine.This garnet-tinted, ruby-robed wine is well structured with floral and sometimes woody aromas. It is

AOC Beaujolais, white, red and rosé; AOC Beaujolais Villages, white, red and rosé Pair with: Fish such as salmon, seafood and shellfish, white meats and a selection of cheeses or creamy risottos with the rosés; red meat with the red wines.

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P

Profile

The

Modern Irish Experience

The McGettigan's brand has been busy bringing the traditional Irish pub into the 21st century, both internationally and here in Ireland. Maev Martin talks to CEO Dennis McGettigan about creating a modern Irish experience.

T

he first McGettigans Irish Bar opened in Dubai in 2010 and the 11th and most recent addition to the chain opened in Galway on June 18th. "Galway is one of the great party and going out cities in Ireland and, following a lot of research, the right location came up so here we are," says Dennis, who is CEO of McGettigans Irish Bars and of the Bonnington Jumeirah Lakes Towers Hotel. "We are located just off Eyre Square on Prospect Hill so it is a super location." McGettigans already operates two other outlets in Ireland - in Letterkenny and in Limerick – and the company is planning to open other bars around the country. "We are looking at sites in Dublin, Belfast and Kilkenny and we will be opening a McGettigans Irish Bar in the Royal Hotel in Bray, which we own, on October 31st," he says.

How does the McGettigan's product differ from other independent pubs in Ireland? "The concept

evolved from my time in Dubai and my experience of the various bars there and what they had to offer," he says. "I saw a major opening for a traditional Irish pub overseas but I didn't want to create the stereotype Irish pub. I wanted the product to be more upmarket and authentic than what was already on offer and to combine that with excellent food, Irish music and entertainment, as well as an extensive sports offering. That led to my opening three bars in Dubai and I decided to keep going. The big test for me was the creation of the first McGettigan's Irish Bar in Ireland, which was in Donegal. When I bought the hotel and installed McGettigans there my dad said I was mad but it has been really well received so on the back of that I opened a McGettigan's Irish Bar at Clarke Quay in Singapore on April 16th followed by New York on June 4th and Galway on June 18th. The McGettigan Group has venues in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Limerick, Letterkenny, New York, Singapore and Fujairah, with three more opening before the end of 2015 in Wicklow, London and Bahrain. We will then be looking at Asia and at more destinations in the US, including Philadelphia, Washington, Boston and Chicago."

When I suggest that his product and service offering could be viewed as the Irish equivalent of Wetherspoons, he is adamant that they have a totally different approach to the market. "They have been a hugely successful company with thousands of pubs but that is not the route that we want to go down because we would loose the authenticity," he says. "I want each outlet to have its own character but yet be consistent with the design and range of services on offer in our other outlets.

We also have our own loyalty programme and we have tie ins with Etihad and Emirates and we will

Images show the interiors of McGettigan's Irish Bar's in Dubai, Letterkenny and Limerick.

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Profile

"Food is a massive part of our offering...

In New York 50% of our turnover comes from food and in Ireland it is 35% to 40% of turnover so the consistent delivery of quality food has become much more important..."

CEO Dennis McGettigan with Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport Michael Ring who cut the ribbon and officially declared the Galway bar open on June 18th.

be working with Aer Lingus as well. In addition, we are very involved in local GAA, rugby and League of Ireland sponsorships. For example, we took a sponsorship package at Thomond Park in Limerick, we sponsor Finn Harps in Donegal, and we will be talking to a number of sporting organisations in Galway about sponsorship opportunities."

So what is McGettigans bringing to the Irish pub scene that it doesn't have already? "What we are bringing is a phenomenal ambience, even if no-one is in the bar, and the design is tastefully done," he says. All McGettigans Irish bars are designed by architects, interior designers and project managers Frank Ennis Associates, who have designed a number of hotels and bars around Ireland. "Frank Ennis and Suzanne Roche have continued to design all of our outlets, based on the success of the first bar," says Dennis. "Depending on location, the typical McGettigan's outlet is between 3,000 square feet and 6,000 square feet in size. The design team have developed a unique image for McGettigan's that incorporates the finest furnishings and innovative lighting in modern surroundings and represents a move away from traditional Irish pub concepts. McGettigan's outlets can comfortably seat up to 300 guests indoors, with some venues boasting sizeable outdoor seating areas. All of the major football, rugby, Gaelic games, NFL and cricket matches are catered for on our big screens and we also cover horse racing and other events on a regular basis. In addition, each outlet has a programme of regular live music with occasional performances from international acts such as Mary Black, Paul Brady and The Coronas – Irish acts with an international appeal. I want a situation where everyone feels

comfortable on the premises, whether it is two guys, a husband and wife, or a group of girls. I don't want to over price either. I just want to deliver a really good service and quality product."

Apart from McGettigans Irish Bars, the company also owns and operates a number of hotels throughout Ireland. "We employ 850 people in Ireland and somewhere between 50 and 60 people in Galway," says Dennis. "A high level of staff training is undergone before any new outlet is opened to ensure that McGettigan's high standards are maintained. A core team will work pre and post opening to bring the necessary high standards and training to each new outlet. In addition, managers for new outlets will spend an 'internship' in the original Dubai outlet to become expert in how a McGettigan's outlet is run. Food is a massive part of our offering. I think the drinking culture has toned down quite a bit in Ireland. In New York 50% of our turnover comes from food and in Ireland it is 35% to 40% of turnover so the consistent delivery of quality food has become much more important and it will continue to be an even more crucial part of a pub's success. Gone is the day of the ham 35

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Profile

HISTORY

sandwich. People want a light lunch or something more. Our menu includes classic dishes such as Irish stew, beer battered fish and chips, the full Irish breakfast and signature McGettigan's favourites such as the 'Buffalo Hot Wings', 'Atlantic Salmon' and 'Beef and Guinness Puff Pastry Pie.' We try to standardise our menus across the group but we also offer local dishes that complement our McGettigan's signature dishes and reflect what a particular region or locality is famous for."

McGettigan's Irish pubs stock a wide range of both classic and newer brands of Irish whiskeys, ciders, ales and stouts, as well as a wide range of other international beverage brands.

What does Dennis regard as the major trends in the pub business today? Is it still all about craft beer, coffee and cocktails?

"I've taken on a mixologist for cocktails and they are popular at the moment, as are craft beers. We will have 40 cocktails on the menu in Galway. You need to offer the flavour of the month to attract people but customers still want the old reliables and they still respond to discounts. A lot of customers just want a Guinness or a coffee so we have to be geared towards them as well. Drink and food trends will come and go but providing a quality service and value for money never goes out of fashion. It's about not robbing people because if you get greedy you will have a lovely bar with no-one in it."

Jim McGettigan opened his first pub in Queen Street in Dublin in 1964 and since then the McGettigan family have developed a hospitalitybased business that has included many successful hotels, restaurants, pubs and live music venues.

The McGettigan's Baggot Inn was the legendary music venue in Dublin that helped launch the careers of U2, Thin Lizzy and the Boomtown Rats. It also hosted international legends such as David Bowie and Tracy Chapman. In 2010 the McGettigan family opened the five star Bonnington Hotel in Dubai and shortly afterwards the first McGettigan's Irish pub in Jumeirah Lakes Towers. This first outlet is ranked in the top three bars in Dubai by turnover.

McGettigans have won a number of Best Pub and Best Sports Bar awards in Dubai and they were awarded a Certificate of Excellence

by TripAdvisor in 2013 and 2014.

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