A locally-based brewing company that specialises in creating flavoursome artisan craft beers is to showcase its produce to some of the top influencers in the drinks industry when the company travels to Philadelphia this week.
Baronscourt Brewing Company, are in the United States alongside Donegal based The Muff Liquor Company as part of an Ireland Northwest delegation with Derry City and Strabane District Council and Donegal County Council to attend a prestigious Craft Drinks event entitled “In Good Spirits.”
John Wauchob, co-founder Baronscourt Brewing Company says this is a fantastic opportunity for the farm-run brewery to showcase its unique products and the unique methodology behind the production of their beer to specialists in the US drinks market.
Laura Bonner, co-founder of The Muff Liquor Company that produces a potato based craft gin and vodka says being part of the visit is an excellent opportunity for the company to network and meet with key influencers that will assist them to tap into the US drinks market.
The event is part of the collaborative work carried out by Derry City and Strabane District Council and Donegal County Council and their partners to develop in-market support for local companies to help them build relationships to support the development of export opportunities and is funded by the Executive Office and the Irish Government.
The Councils have been working closely with the Irish American Chamber of Commerce and Pennsylvania Dept. of Community & Economic Development to promote the North West region and are delighted that Baronscourt Brewing Company and Muff Liquor can avail of the unique opportunity to further develop their exports into the US market.
The “In Good Spirits” event features a panel discussion and question and answer session moderated by Terese Waldron, Director of Graduate Food Marketing Program at Saint Joseph’s University. There will be drinks experts from Pennsylvania and Irish industry taking part including, Eve-Anne McCarron, Donegal Local Enterprise Office, responsible for The Food Coast Initiative); John Teeling of Teeling Whiskey; Andrew Auwerda, President & Co-Founder of Philadelphia Distilling and John Cooper, Co-Founder of Mountain Laurel Spirits (Dad’s Hat Rye)
Director of Business Stephen Gillespie with Derry City and Strabane District Council has welcomed the invitation for local companies to take part saying the visit is part of the Ireland Northwest’s strategic objectives, aimed at assisting local companies to internationalise their business, increase their business connections and exports.
A key element of this visit is that it aligns with the objectives set out in the recently launched Council food and drink strategy.
He said: “This is a great opportunity for Baronscourt Brewing Company and The Muff Liquor Company to showcase their products and further develop their links with drink distributors in the US. It’s a huge privilege for us to be invited to take part in this prestigious event and to be given a platform to promote the North West region as a food and drink destination. The event will be attended by a range of influencers in the drinks sector and our participation at this showcase is testament to the ongoing relationship we have developed with Philadelphia during our trade investment visits,” he said.
The delegation departed to Philadelphia earlier this week.
Further trade missions are scheduled to take place to both Boston and Philadlephia in November when both Councils will be supporting a range of local companies to assess their readiness to export and gear up to target and explore new business opportunities in export markets.
