UK & Belgium: Duvel Moortgat brewery opens UK office to handle brand marketing and sales

Belgium's Duvel brewery has opened it own UK office to build sales and handle marketing for the brand, Morning Advertiser posted August 24.

The UK arm will work alongside existing distributor James Clay, the specialist beer importer that has handled the brand for 15 years and has just signed an extension to its contract.

As well as 8.5% alcohol-by-volume Duvel ale, Duvel Moortgat UK will be trying to develop a market for sister brands Vedett and Maredsous, with the prime focus on the on-trade.

It will be headed by UK general manger Nick Short, with Jonathan Leape as sales team leader, Neil Williams handling sales in north-west England, Will Oates in the north-east and Lucy Winn in London.

Nick Short was previously head of on-trade sales for Ubevco and also had four years with Anheuser-Busch. Short said: "Opening the UK office shows the long-term commitment of Duvel Moortgat to this market and is an indicator of how speciality beer is growing."

He added that above-the-line support would continue to focus on "edgy, underground magazines" in areas where Duvel was strongest.

He said: "The type of consumer who drinks beers like Duvel doesn't have traditional media consumption. A lot of the advertising out there for speciality beers is just wallpaper to this type of consumer."

Duvel Moortgat, whose history dates back to1871, is an independent producer of authentic specialty beers. The group is regarded throughout the world as the pre-eminent benchmark in the field of high fermentation beers - a dominant position due largely to the success of its best-selling beer, Duvel.

During the financial year 2005, the Group Duvel Moortgat has realized a consolidated turnover of € 66 million or an 8.2 % increase. Operating income rises by 8 % to € 68.7 million. Consolidated corporate results (EBIT) increase by 10 % to € 14.5 million. The result of operating activities after net finance costs rises by 12 % to € 14.7 million.

The profit from ordinary activities rises by 15.3 % to € 9.7 million. The profit margin raised from 13.7 % to 14.6 %.

The gross operational cash flow (EBITDA) rises by 11.6 % to € 21.9 million. The EBITDA margin increases from 32 % to 33 %.

Duvel Moortgat is quoted since the beginning of June 1999 on Euronext Brussels.

E-malt.com, la fuente de información global para los profesionales de la industria cervecera y de malteado. Los boletines quincenales de E-malt.com incluyen las últimas noticias de la industria, estadísticas en gráficos y tablas, precios mundiales de cebada y malta, y otra información relevante. Haga clic aquí para obtener acceso completo a E-malt.com. Si usted es un cliente de Castle Malting, puede obtener acceso gratuito al sitio web y publicaciones de E-malt.com. Contáctenos para obtener más información en marketing@castlemalting.com.