Irish spirits company Intrepid Spirits has announced that it has acquired a majority position in Australian vermouth company Regal Rogue.
Regal Rogue founder Mark Ward will continue to be heavily involved in the development of the brand, working closely with the marketing team at Intrepid to expand the distribution and presence of Regal Rogue worldwide going forward.
"A World Class Brand"
Intrepid Spirits CEO John Ralph stated, "Mark has created a world class brand, and we look forward to bringing the infrastructure and resources required to take Regal Rogue to the next level.
"While it is certainly an unusual time to announce Intrepid Spirits' first major strategic brand investment, we were determined to take an optimistic approach to these tumultuous times. It's something that Mark and I have been discussing for months, long before the pandemic, and we felt the long-term strategic value for both parties was just the reason to continue to move forward."
Challenging Tradition
Meanwhile, Ward commented, "When I debuted Regal Rogue in 2011, I sought to challenge tradition by introducing a vermouth with a captivating story and unique positioning as a stand-alone aperitif. We've seen tremendous success in Australia, the UK and USA, and by joining the Intrepid portfolio, we'll be able to dramatically amplify our positioning in the vermouth category."
"Blazing Profitable New Trails"
Ralph added, "Intrepid Spirits is about fearlessly blazing profitable new trails across diverse categories, continents and cultures, and Regal Rogue fits our corporate strategy perfectly. It's not about stealing share from the old, traditional vermouth category, but rather taking a whole new approach to the segment via a proposition that ticks all the right boxes - innovatively crafted, low ABV, made with natural ingredients - that not only has the potential to re-define the vermouth segment, but to go beyond it."
Intrepid's spirits portfolio includes Egan's Irish Whiskey, Cocalero, and Mad March Hare Irish Poitín. Additionally, the company manages the distribution of several other spirits in Ireland including Michter's Whiskey, Pusser's Rum, Merlet Cognac, Los Javis Mezcal and Kyrö Gin.
© 2020 Hospitality Ireland – your source for the latest industry news. Article by Dave Simpson. Click subscribe to sign up for the Hospitality Ireland print edition.
