Belfast Distillery Company secures South Korea whiskey deal

Dessie Roche with Invest NI's executive director of international and skills, Steve Harper

A Belfast-based whiskey producer has signed a deal to ship 10,000 bottles of the spirit to South Korea.

Belfast Distillery Company will supply McConnell's Irish Whisky to South Korean distributor Goldenblue.

The company sells its products in more than 30 countries.

The deal was aided by £8m funding from the New Deal for Northern Ireland, a £400m package from the UK government aimed to boost economic growth post-Brexit.

Northern Ireland Office minister, Steve Baker, met Invest NI teams in South Korea last month, who helped the company secure the deal.

He said: "New Deal funding is helping to promote some of the unbelievable talent and expertise that Northern Ireland has to offer and I hope the brilliant success of the Belfast Distillery team can help inspire others to take advantage of the opportunities offered by Invest NI's new international locations."

'Significant new market'

Dessie Roche, from Belfast Distillery Company said the agreement was a significant milestone for the business.

"Relationships and personal connections are a very strong part of the Korean culture and we utilised the in-market knowledge of Invest NI's team in Seoul to build a relationship with Goldenblue which has helped us secure our first entry into Korea and ultimately bring our product to this significant new market," he said.

"We very much look forward to building on this success in Korea and other international markets in the future."

Welcoming Belfast Distillery Company's success, Steve Harper, Invest NI's Executive Director of International Business said the news showcases the scale of opportunities available to Northern Ireland businesses.

Last year the whiskey company announced plans to transform one wing of Crumlin Road Gaol into a distillery and visitor experience in a £22.3m development.