UK distillers toast £25m Brazilian increase for Scotch Whisky underneath the Geographical Indication standing
UK Commerce Secretary Jonathan Reynolds on Wednesday 21 August visited Glengoyne Distillery in Scotland to have fun Brazil’s determination to grant particular protected standing to Scotch Whisky – bolstering ‘Model Scotland’ by selling iconic Scottish merchandise the world over.
This new safety means the Brazilian authorized system acknowledges the particular standing of Scotch Whisky, making it simpler to deal with counterfeits and giving distillers the arrogance to up their exports to Brazil, boosting a sector that already contributes billions to the UK economic system and supporting the Authorities’s mission to kick begin financial development.
In keeping with trade estimates, Brazil is within the high 5 world development markets for alcohol over the subsequent 5 years and its inhabitants of over 200 million folks have already got an appreciation for whisky, with the UK exporting nearly £90 million of the spirit to Brazil in 2023 alone.
This new standing, often known as a Geographical Indication (GI), may very well be value round £25 million over 5 years and can give distillers higher entry to South America’s largest economic system, strengthening worldwide recognition and mental property for Scotch Whisky. This success is credit score to robust collaboration between DEFRA, together with the agri-food attaché in Brazil, DBT and the UK’s Mental Property Workplace.
Additionally concerned within the profitable operation was Mark Kent, former UK ambassador in Buenos Aires and now a high official on the Scotch Whisky Affiliation.
Enterprise & Commerce Secretary Jonathan Reynolds stated: Scotch Whisky is one in all Scotland’s most interesting merchandise and is in excessive demand throughout the globe. This Authorities is dedicated to maximizing Scotland’s potential, and as we speak’s announcement offers Scottish distillers the arrogance they should export to one of many world’s largest economies with out having to compete with faux knock-offs and pale imitations.
Companies who export extra are higher off, and eradicating commerce limitations like this can unlock extra world markets and drive financial development throughout the UK.
Minister for Meals Safety Daniel Zeichner stated: At present’s announcement reveals each demand for genuine Scotch Whisky overseas and the worth of selling British merchandise on a global stage.
Our UK GI scheme connects British producers with customers who respect the standard and popularity of their merchandise, giving UK companies a powerful leg up in worldwide markets.
With the agri-food and drink sector being the biggest manufacturing sector within the UK, it’s clear there’s a global urge for food for British merchandise and we’re dedicated to additional rising commerce alternatives for producers around the globe.
Offering companies with alternatives to achieve new prospects around the globe is essential to creating jobs and driving financial development. UK Export Finance analysis reveals that companies that export develop at twice the speed of those who don’t.
Securing GIs helps stop counterfeit merchandise being offered on worldwide markets, making certain UK companies can export with confidence and customers can determine the merchandise they’re shopping for as genuine.
Chief Government on the Scotch Whisky Affiliation Mark Kent stated: As the primary overseas product to be granted Denomination of Origin standing in Brazil since 2019, Scotch Whisky now sits beside Tequila, Cognac and Champagne with particular authorized safety. That is elementary to make sure that tens of millions of Brazilians can trust within the high quality and historical past of what they’re shopping for.
Attaining this standing is ‘Model Scotland’ in motion. Eradicating commerce limitations and securing authorized protections for Scotch Whisky is vital to the trade’s success, serving to to extend exports and in flip creating extra jobs, funding and prosperity in Scotland and throughout the UK.
Chief Government of UK Mental Property Workplace Adam Williams stated: The UK IPO locations important significance on supporting UK companies eager to export internationally. Because of this we have now a longtime community of IP attaches in key markets around the globe.
We had been thrilled to have the ability to help the Scotch Whisky Affiliation in securing this GI via our Latin America and Caribbean attaché, based mostly in Brazil. We are going to proceed to work with UK exporters in-country to extend their data and confidence of the Brazilian IP system”.
The Geographical Indication (GI) is an mental property proper used on merchandise which have qualities or traits attributable to a selected geographical origin. Examples embrace: Scotch Whisky, Welsh Lamb and Melton Mowbray Pork Pies. Principally they defend the authenticity of a lot of UK’s prestigious foods and drinks merchandise and provides customers confidence that worldwide GI merchandise are real articles.
UK’s annual GI exports are estimated to be value over £6 billion and account for 25% of UK foods and drinks exports’ worth. In 2023 alone Scotch exports had been value £5.6bn, accounting for 74% of Scottish foods and drinks exports and 22% of all UK foods and drinks exports.