Sales of local and regional artisan gin have grown by 50% in the past year at Waitrose as demand for spirits from local distilleries continues to rise.

To meet customer demand, the retailer has today (24 July) introduced another three new gins from local British distilleries to several of its shops* – Ramsbury Gin (made on the Ramsbury Estate near Marlborough, Wiltshire), Cotswolds Dry Gin (made in Stourton, Warwickshire) and Masons Dry Yorkshire Gin (made in Bedale, North Yorkshire).

In recent years, Waitrose has worked with local distilleries across the UK to bring more artisan gins to its shelves, many of which had never been stocked in supermarkets before.

The retailer has long supported small suppliers and currently sells more than 2,500 locally and regionally sourced products from over 600 producers. Through its support, Waitrose has seen a number of local businesses become nationally-recognised brands, including Warner Edwards, whose Rhubarb Gin was initially sold in 133 Waitrose shops but is now stocked in nearly 300.

John Vine, Waitrose Spirits Buyer, said:

“Gin is now the most popular spirit we sell, having overtaken whisky earlier this year.

“Gin from local and regional distilleries have become particularly popular for several reasons. There's been a shift towards people sipping the spirit before their meal as an aperitif, so artisan gins, which tend to have been infused with unique flavours, really appeal for this purpose. Our customers are also looking for local gins in a bid to support smaller suppliers.”

David Goddard, Local and Regional Assistant Buyer at Waitrose, adds:

"Working with local British suppliers is really important to Waitrose and we're thrilled to be adding Ramsbury, Cotswolds and Masons' gins to our shelves.

“A number of independent gin distilleries have popped up across the country in recent years and we're always on the lookout for more to work with. We'd encourage any suppliers interested in stocking their gin on our shelves to get in touch.

“It's always a pleasure supporting smaller businesses in their journey to reaching their goals – whether that's stocking their products in a few of our branches, or gaining a national listing.”

The new gins include:

Ramsbury Gin (exclusive to Waitrose; £35, 70cl)

Produced by Ramsbury Distillery a few miles north east of Marlborough in Wiltshire, Waitrose will become the first and only supermarket to stock this classic London Dry Gin. It will be stocked in ten Waitrose shops across Wiltshire and West Berkshire from today.

The spirit is hand-crafted in small batches using wheat from the Estate's own fields and water from their own source. It is infused with botanicals including juniper (picked locally on Salisbury Plain) and quince (which is grown on the estate).

Cotswolds Dry Gin (£37, 70cl)

Cotswolds Distillery, founded just three years ago in the village of Stourton, will bring their Dry Gin to ten Waitrose shops across the Cotswold area from today.

The gin is created by macerating juniper, coriander and angelica root in pure wheat spirit for a minimum of 12 hours, allowing the flavours to fully infuse before adding Cotswolds lavender, bay leaf, fresh grapefruit and lime peel, peppercorns and cardamom. These are then slowly distilled in the bespoke copper pot still. The result is a classic, well-balanced juniper-led gin with crisp notes of citrus and spice which can be enjoyed over ice or with tonic.

Masons Dry Yorkshire Gin (£40, 70cl)

Masons is a small-batch distillery located in Bedale in North Yorkshire. Their Dry Yorkshire Gin will go on shelves in six Waitrose branches across Yorkshire from today.

Masons Dry Yorkshire Gin was the first gin distilled in Yorkshire and is made in small batches, distilled with juniper and citrus elements. Each bottle is hand-filled and bears its own hand-written batch and bottle number.

*Those located within approximately a 30-mile radius of the distillery and/or regionally relevant area

ENDS

For more information, please contact Eleanor Gillingham on 01344 824916 or Eleanor.gillingham@waitrose.co.uk

About Waitrose

Waitrose has 354 shops in England, Scotland, Wales and the Channel Islands, including 64 convenience branches, and another 27 shops at Welcome Break locations. It combines the convenience of a supermarket with the expertise and service of a specialist shop - dedicated to offering quality food that has been responsibly sourced, combined with high standards of customer service. 

Waitrose also exports products to 58 countries worldwide and has seven shops which operate under licence in the Middle East. Waitrose's omnichannel business includes the online grocery service, Waitrose.com, as well as specialist online shops including waitrosecellar.com for wine and waitroseflorist.com for plants and flowers.  

In recent months, Waitrose has been awarded the much-coveted European-wide Compassion in World Farming 'Best Retailer Award', Soil Association's 'Best Organic Supermarket Award 2017' and The Drinks Business' 'Retail Buying Team of the Year Award'.