August 3, 2010 / by J Smoke Wallin / Make A Comment / Filed under Brand Management, Distributors, New Products - Brands, News, Pelican Brands
The Beeradvocate published this fine update the other day about Craft beer sales being up 12% in dollars and outpacing last year’s impressive growth. Also showing the 10 year growth in numbers of breweries. 
This is perfectly consistent with what we are seeing on Napa Smith Beer as we are rolling out the 4 packs of Organic IPA and Lost Dog Red Ale along with the traditional lines. We got authorized in all the Bay area Whole Foods and just got authorized in Safeway as well. We are currently launching Indiana, Kentucky, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, Texas and Florida to name a few markets. Should have Napa Smith in 50 states by this time next year as well as select European and Asian markets. Very exciting stuff.
Here is a shot of the new four packs…
Organic IPA 4-pack
Lost Dog 4-Pk
I was hanging with Don Barkley who is one of the most respected and earliest craft brewers in the US having done New Albian in the 1970s and then going on to co-found Mendocino Brewing and Red Tale Ale (which btw, is not what it used to be if you ask me). He is great to drink beer with and has more great stories around beer than a week of sitting drinking beers could allow. Anyway, discussing the amazing growth in the business and the numbers of new brewers, I mentioned our latest beer brand, Flat 12 Beirwerks founded in Indianapolis this year and launching this Fall… its a cool project and the guys behind it are successful entrepreneurs in other industries with a ton of enthusiasm and drive. 
I think they have a great shot based on the early buzz around the brand and the liquid itself. Pelican will manage their brand launch and grow it when appropriate to surrounding markets.
Will update soon on new spirits brands and some other exciting news on the Pelican front…
Until next time, Kind Regards,
Smoke
July 12, 2010 / by J Smoke Wallin / Make A Comment / Filed under Brand Management, Distributors, New Products - Brands, News, Pelican Brands
I’m very pleased to announce our partnership with William Chase and his distillery… as laid out below, William has created an exciting brand platform and everyone at Pelican Brands is very excited to bring these hand crafted brands into the US. I look forward to tasting you on the Elderflower Liquor… you won’t believe it!
FOR RELEASE Monday, July 11, 2010
Chase Distillery Appoints Pelican Brands as Exclusive US Brand Manager for its Range of Artisan English Spirits and Liqueurs.
In partnership with Chase Distillery, Pelican Brands today confirmed its appointment as the exclusive brand manager for Chase’s super premium spirit portfolio in the U.S market with immediate effect.
Based in the heart of the Herefordshire countryside, Chase Distillery is an English artisan spirits company, founded by UK Entrepreneur William Chase in 2007 and a distiller of the “World’s Best Vodka”, as voted by the San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2010 – and indeed the only English potato vodka in the world.
Pelican Brands is the fastest growing full service brand platform in the global beverage industry, based in Carmel, IN, USA. This deal represents a further significant step in the development of Pelican’s portfolio.
“After two years of successful growth we are now being sold in some of the most prestigious of venues in the UK such as The Ivy, The Ritz and Harrods. We also secured the accolade of the “World’s Best Vodka” at the prestigious and globally renowned San Francisco World Spirits Competition, and we do now feel the time is right to enter the US market,” said Will Chase, Founder and CEO Chase Distillery. “Success in the US is the benchmark for all spirit brands and businesses like ours and as such it is a fiercely competitive market. It is critical that we enter the US with the right partner and we have been extremely impressed by Pelican Brands’ people, processes and ambitions.”
J. Smoke Wallin, Chairman & CEO of Pelican Brands, said, “We are building a very exciting and powerful portfolio of spirit brands and the opportunity to partner with the ‘World’s Best’ vodka was too good to miss. More important than the awards is the deep integrity and care with which Chase brands are made. I am delighted to be working with Will and his team and looking forward to future successes.”
Pelican Brands will launch Chase Distillery’s flagship brand Chase Vodka and Chase Elderflower Liqueur – which gains its genuine quality from the fact it is made with Chase Vodka – in key markets in the US in September with full national roll outs planned soon thereafter. Other exciting brands from the Chase portfolio will be launched in due course.
Chase Vodka - Voted #1 in the World
“Pelican sets much store on the integrity of its brands and brand partners, and so we are delighted to be working with Chase Distillery,” said Don C. Hammond, President of Pelican Brands. “We all know just how tough the vodka market is but there is always room for a brand made with genuine care and attention. Chase Vodka needs no hype – just taste it and you will know why its been voted the World’s Best. I am also excited to be bringing Chase’s premium liqueurs to the market: I know that our partners nationwide, be they distributors or retailers, will be just as enthused as we are when they discover what happens when you make liqueurs using only the finest ingredients and the World’s Best vodka as your base. No-one else is doing this. In fact the response to our initial presentations in key markets has been overwhelmingly positive, the like of which I have rarely if ever seen” Mr. Hammond, who began his career with P&G and Gallo and ran McCormick’s Spirit Division, continued “I look forward to presenting Chase brands to our distribution partners very soon.”
Media contact:
Caroline Clarke, T: +44 (0)121 262 4062, e:caroline@williamschase.co.uk, www.chasedistillery.co.uk
Notes to Editors
About Chase Distillery
Chase Distillery is located on owner William Chase’s farm in the heart of Herefordshire countryside, approximately 150 kilometres North West of London. The distillery is housed in a converted hop kiln barn amongst 400 acres of rolling fields of potatoes, apple orchards and Herefordshire cattle.
The genuine quality of Chase Distillery’s products comes from the home grown ingredients and artisan methods used to make them.
William Chase’s journey into making vodka began in 2004 when he discovered potato vodka and how different it is from the usual grain variety and he was convinced he could do better because he could grow, mash and distil his own potatoes on his farm to create a genuine quality product with true pedigree and provenance. After selling his multinational crisp business, Tyrrells, he sourced the very best handcrafted equipment consisting of a large copper pot still and a one of a kind 70 foot rectification column (the tallest one in Europe) and built his own distillery by converting an old hop kiln barn on his farm.
The distillation process Chase uses is very traditional in its approach and one which early 1900s vodka distillers would be familiar with. The process is rather laborious but allows for total control of the quality of the products. All products are bottled & labelled by hand at the distillery.
The first bottle of Chase English Potato Vodka was launched on April Fools’ Day 2008 and took two years in the making. It was the first and still remains the only English potato vodka in the world. It’s made from potatoes grown on William’s farm in Herefordshire – varieties Lady Claire and Lady Rosetta. It takes 16 tonnes of potatoes to make 1000 litres of pure spirit (96%ABV). The distillery can even tell you which potato field your bottle of vodka comes from. They also encourage a sense of eco-spirit by using the waste potatoes and peelings to help feed their Herefordshire cattle and the stillage to help irrigate the fields. Each bottle has less than one drink mile because the potatoes and grown, mashed and distilled on site. The distillery has the capacity to make 3,500 bottles a week.
Chase potato Vodka has a smooth and creamy taste. It is designed to be drunk neat, usually straight from the freezer, but it can be drunk at room temperature to enable you to taste all of the subtle aromas. Their award winning Chase Elderflower liqueur is made with Chase Vodka giving it a genuine luxurious quality and velvety finish.
Chase Distillery is very much a family run business consisting of a handful of staff, two of which are William’s sons; James and Harry.
For more information about Chase Vodka, the Distillery and William Chase
Please visit www.chasedistillery.co.uk | Become a fan on Facebook: search for ‘Chase Vodka’ to find their page: www.facebook.com | And follow Chase Vodka on Twitter: www.twitter.com/chasevodka
About William Chase
William Chase, with his origins as a potato farmer, set up a successful premium potato supply business to retail multiples. In 2001 he established a premium potato chip business called Tyrrells Potato Chips, and quickly capitalised on its artisan nature to become one of the largest suppliers of premium potato chips in the UK. He sold the majority of the shares in Tyrrells Potato Chips in 2008, a deal which very much captured the imagination of the UK national press. He has since focused on Chase Distillery, which has firm aspirations to become one of the leading global niche premium spirit brands.
About Pelican Brands
Pelican Brands was formed to nurture and build brands in the global beverage alcohol space. Pelican Brands’ team and partners have extensive experience in the global beverage and consumer packaged goods industries. www.pelican-brands.com Pelican Brands is headquartered in Carmel, IN and offices in the United Kingdom with a sales team covering the U.S. market.
March 23, 2010 / by J Smoke Wallin / Make A Comment / Filed under Brand Management, Distributors, New Products - Brands, News, Pelican Brands
I’m pleased to share with you our latest announcement from my Pelican Brands company. In 2009 the craft beer segment outpaced all others and grew on a volume basis over 5%. We have been looking for the right premium craft brands to fit into our growing brand platform. Napa Smith is the perfect fit! More on this later, for now, here is our Press Release.
Regards,
Smoke
Napa Smith Brews Hand Crafted Ultra Premium Beers in Napa Valley
Pelican Brands is Led by an Experienced Team from the Global Beverage Industry
Napa, CA & Carmel, IN, USA – March 23, 2010 – In partnership with Napa Smith Brewery, Pelican Brands today confirmed its appointment as the exclusive brand manager for Napa Smith’s craft beer portfolio in the U.S. market. Napa Smith Brewery is Napa’s pre-eminent craft beer brewery and is dedicated to maintaining the traditions of the region for producing the highest quality goods. Napa Smith is proud to feature the beers of America’s most experienced craft brewer – Don Barkley. Don started making craft beer in 1978 at New Albion Brewery, America’s first new brewery since Prohibition. He went on to help found Mendocino Brewing Company, where he became an icon in the industry creating such legendary beers as Red Tail Ale and Eye of the Hawk. Pelican Brands is a brand management company dedicated to nurturing and building brands in the global beverage industry.
Napa Smith Beer
This deal follows Pelican Brands’ previous announcement of its exclusive U.S. rights to the brand management of Singha beer, Thailand’s no.1 export beer. Pelican currently manages the Singha business through distribution in all 50 U.S. states.
“The appointment of Pelican Brands represents a very important step for the development of Napa Smith as we expand beyond California. We expect Pelican Brands to add invaluable insight and experience to the development and implementation of our brand strategy in the coming years,” said Greg Cutuli, Owner of Napa Smith Brewery. “We have been impressed by Pelican Brands on all fronts, and we are delighted to have been able to attract such a strong partner.”
J. Smoke Wallin, Chairman of Pelican Brands, said, “We have been searching for the right brand partners as we seek to expand the Pelican Brands portfolio. We look for a distinct brand proposition, extraordinary product quality and people we want to do business with for the long term. In Napa Smith Brewery we believe we have found just such a partner. The bottom line is this – Napa Smith brews awesome beer!”
“The addition of Napa Smith to our portfolio is a wonderful opportunity for Pelican,” said Mark Smith, Pelican Brands Vice President of Marketing, a marketing veteran of the global beer industry. “The beer is great and is backed up by fantastic branding and a very cool story: we know that beer lovers across the country will be engaged and keen to get their hands on a beer from the home of artisan beverage making in the U.S.”
Napa Smith Beer - Six Packs
Pelican Brands is dedicated to taking full advantage of the opportunities in the marketplace for each brand they represent. Pelican provides its brands with the marketing support and senior level attention necessary to enhance each brand’s market position, leverages their industry relationships to expand distribution, and successfully launches line extensions and new products.
“Napa Smith has already proven itself with the Northern California consumer. Our newest offering is the exciting Napa Smith Organic IPA that is taking the market by storm. We are pleased to be able to team up with the Pelican team to bring our brand to an ever larger base of beer lovers,” said Steve Morgan, President of Napa Smith.
“We are excited by the opportunity that Napa Smith presents,” said Don C. Hammond, President of Pelican Brands. “The craft beer segment is extremely competitive but continues to demonstrate significant growth. I know that our partners nationwide, be they distributors or retailers, will be just as enthused as we are when they learn the Napa Smith story.” Mr. Hammond, who has extensive experience running major beer wholesalers, continued, “Our task is to nurture this brand as we expand its footprint. We will focus on developing value through achieving long term growth and we will do this with some of the finest distribution partners in the US beer business.”
Napa Smith Organic IPA
About Napa Smith Brewery
Napa Smith Brewery is located at the southern gateway to Napa Valley, just south of the town of Napa. Napa Valley is internationally known as a destination for those individuals who seek the best that life has to offer. Napa Smith is proud to contribute to the Napa tradition of hard work, craftsmanship, and artistry with the introduction of its unique family of beers. It creates its beers using proprietary recipes developed by Master Brewer Don Barkley – a veteran of 30+ years in the craft brewing industry. www.napasmithbrewery.com
About Pelican Brands
Pelican Brands was formed to nurture and build brands in the global beverage alcohol space. Pelican Brands’ team and partners have extensive experience in the global beverage and consumer packaged goods industries. Pelican Brands is headquartered in Carmel, IN with offices in the United Kingdom with a sales team covering the U.S. market. Pelican’s beer brands include Thailand’s #1 export, Singha Beer www.singhabeer.com and Napa, CA’s award winning craft beers from Napa Smith Brewery. www.pelican-brands.com
