Bushmills sales drop in Covid-hit year, as stock levels rise
Bushmills’ sales fell last year from £43.7million to £31.8million, with profits down from £7.2million to £4.9million, its annual accounts have revealed.
Its accounts also show that during the financial year its directors were informed that its long-standing bottling contract with Irish Distillers Limited would be terminating in June 2022.
“The additional capacity will provide the opportunity to bottle other group products,” the directors said.
The Irish News reported that its current stock levels. maturing in casks in the expansive Old Bushmills Distillery, sit at £129.7m, up from £118.8m a year earlier.
The company, owned by Mexican drinks giant Becle (best known for the tequila brand Jose Cuervo), said it “demonstrated a good level of performance in its major markets” despite the impact of the Covid pandemic.
‘New variations’
Three years ago Bushmills made a multi-million investment in 29 new maturation warehouses at the Co Antrim site, which has let it significantly increase those stock levels.
The accounts also show that Bushmills – which has 101 staff made up of production (67), sales (8) and administration (28) – benefited from £1,446,000 in royalties income during the year and £208,000 in government grants.
In April, in a range of new variations to complement its 10-, 16- and 21-year-old staples, it put on sale the first in a series of new cask finish products finished in hand-selected fine oak Caribbean Rum casks.
More recently it unveiled an American Oak Cask Finish inspired by its long-running relationship with Louisville barrel maker Kelvin Cooperage.
The accounts also show that Bushmills – which has 101 staff made up of production (67), sales (8) and administration (28) – benefited from £1,446,000 in royalties income during the year and £208,000 in government grants.
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