Cheers to 200 years!

Longevity in business is certainly something to celebrate because every business experiences ups and downs, highs and lows, good times and bad but what differentiates those businesses that stand the test of time is their ability to get back up after being knocked down, as many have valiantly done since Covid. It’s indeed remarkable that two of our interviews in this issue are celebrating bi-centenary birthdays this year.

Both Findlaters & Co and The Palace Bar on Fleet Street reflect on 200 years of business and they define what this milestone means to them as both an owner and an employee of their respective businesses.

Elsewhere this month, we took a trip to Northern Ireland courtesy of Invest Northern Ireland and it was a real treat getting the opportunity to visit some of the region’s newest (and some not even opened yet) distilleries and see the wealth of innovation and investment that is being poured into the Irish whiskey industry at present. I’ve advise anyone with a keen interest in whiskey, to take some time to visit these wonderful establishments and bring back the knowledge to your customers. For a sneak preview, see page 24.

As the holiday season approaches, we have the Christmas drinks feature inside, bringing you all the brands that you should be stocking for the festive period in order to take advantage of the most lucrative time of the year. We also have a special feature on no and low alcohol brands, a category that you should ignore at your peril. The growth in this area has been phenomenal in the past five years and is only set to increase.
Wishing you all a very happy and healthy Christmas and the best for 2024. Please don’t hesitate to contact me with any news or views on the industry.
I would be delighted to hear from you.

Sláinte,
Fionnuala.