British potato vodka targets lucrative U.S. market
William Chase, owner of the only premium potato-based vodka distillery in Britain, plans to take on much larger, mass-produced luxury brands in the U.S. market, the news agency Reuters reports.
Unlike all large-scale vodka producers, Chase Distillery grows, mashes and distils its own potatoes on the founder's 400 acre family farm in the heart of the English countryside before bottling the spirit on site. "There's a great market for high-quality spirits with provenance and pedigree...people are caring more and more where their products come from," said the 50-year-old potato farmer turned entrepreneur. Although Chase Distillery prizes its vodka's exclusivity, producing only 1000 bottles per week, long-term turnover could multiply to hit 100 million pounds ($154.5 million), if the unique British vodka holds its own in the highly competitive premium vodka market, the company's U.S. management firm, Pelican Brands estimates. The potato farmer's ambitions to break into the lucrative U.S. market were fired when Chase Vodka won the title of "World's Best Vodka" at the prestigious San Francisco World Spirits Competition in July, beating a host of heavyweight Russian and Polish contenders to the top prize, according to Reuters. (bmg)
