Nick Reed Appointed Sales Director at Essential Drinks
London – 13 February 2014
Essential Drinks, part of the Quintessential Brands Group, announces the appointment of Nick Reed as Sales Director, with immediate effect. Essential Drinks is the business to business spirits supply division of the Quintessential Brands Group and Nick has joined initially to focus on the continued growth of the Off Trade Channels. Nick’s role is a newly-created position at Essential Drinks and reflects the continued success and expansion of the company which supplies major UK and international retailers and brand owners with spirits solutions, totalling 3.5m 9L cases in 2013.
Nick was previously Business Unit Director of the Grocery Channel at First Drinks Brands, part of William Grant & Sons, which moved from number seven spirits supplier in the UK to number two in three years. Nick was with First Drinks for 18 years and prior to that worked in senior sales positions for Reckitt Benckiser and Pepsico.
Essential Drinks has appointed Nick as part of the Quintessential Brands Group’s on-going strategy to create one of the leading European independent international spirits companies. Karl Hayes, Managing Director of Essential Drinks, says: “Nick is a great addition to the Essential Drinks team and brings with him over 25 years’ FMCG experience, working in multinational blue-chip companies. His entrepreneurial flair is a great fit for our company and we look forward to the continued expansion of our spirits supply business with Nick on board.”
Enzo Visone, Chairman and Co-Founder, Quintessential Brands Group, says: “Essential Drinks is a great business within the UK today, providing high quality spirit solutions and has phenomenal potential for further international expansion. We are delighted that Nick is joining our talented team of people and look forward to continuing to build a profitable business founded on excellence.”
Nick Reed comments: “I’m delighted to be joining Essential Drinks at an exciting point on their journey. Quintessential Brands has an interesting and high quality portfolio and I look forward to spreading the word about our capabilities and service and working closely with Grocery Channels both in the UK and internationally.”
Notes to Editors
Essential Drinks is one of the top three spirits solution providers in the UK.
Essential Drinks is part of the Quintessential Brands Group and works closely with G&J Distillers, and Master Distiller Joanne Moore, to produce high quality spirit solutions for both UK and international customers.
The Quintessential Brands company portfolio includes Greenall’s Original Gin, BLOOM Gin, Berkeley Square London Dry Gin, Opihr Oriental Spiced Gin and Toussaint Coffee Rum Liqueur which are all produced by G&J Distillers.
The Quintessential Brands Group was founded by Enzo Visone, former CEO of Campari, and Warren Scott and the Group includes the companies Quintessential Brands, G&J Distillers, the distilling and bottling division, and Essential Drinks, the business to business supply division. G&J Distillers has been distilling premium gin since 1761.
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ABOUT QUINTESSENTIAL BRANDS
Quintessential Brands owns an award-winning portfolio of world-class spirit brands, which is powered by a strong entrepreneurial vision and passion for innovation, backed by centuries of handcrafted distilling expertise.
Quintessential Brands Group was established in 2011 with the acquisition of G&J Distillers, the UK’s foremost gin distillery, which evolved from Thomas Dakin’s original 1761 operation and now produces an unrivalled quality gin selection. In Ireland, Dublin Liberties Distillery is our home of modern Irish whiskeys and First Ireland Spirits in Abbeyleix crafts award-winning Irish creams. Our French hub, L&L France, creates fine French fruit liqueurs, cognacs, brandies and vodka.
For more information, please contact the communications team at Quintessential Brands by e-mail: [email protected]
