Wealth & Finance International - February 2017

Wealth & Finance International 90 The Bulldog Spirit s a lifelong gin fan, Anshuman has always been committed to developing a new gin that would be distinctive within the category. He outlines the factors which have made BULLDOG Gin the 4th largest premium gin in the world within a decade of launch and tells us about an exciting new stage for the premium brand. “So many gins out there promote a strong juniper flavour, I saw the opportunity in creating a liquid that would appeal directly to the modern consumer and give them a premium, versatile gin with a more nuanced flavour profile. Consumers respond really well to this distinctive proposi- tion and BULLDOG is now the 4th largest premium gin in the world, an achievement which everyone at the firm is immensely proud of.” The firm has expanded since inception and as such Anshuman is proud to work with so many connoisseurs who are so passionate about creating a quality product. “At the beginning it was just me so for a long time, I was the CEO, the CFO, the COO and the CMO, as well as the door-to-door sales man, so entrepreneurial zeal kept me going. Now the team has expanded and I am more focused on the strategic direction of the brand. We are still a lean organisation and I remain heavily involved in the day-to-day running of the business – from reviewing production forecasts with our distillery to meeting an important retailer in one of our key markets or approving new advertising assets. I must admit I really enjoy all these aspects as it keeps me close to our markets and our customers. I often do not feel like I am working; I am doing something that I truly love and enjoy. “Overall, the team are key in keeping momentum behind the brand growth. We feed off each other’s energy. Relationships are paramount in the drinks industry and as a small team with a large global footprint, I rely on my team to build and maintain relationships with our distributor partners, customers and consumers across the world. “Gin has seen a lot of growth over the last few years and it is critical for us to differentiate ourselves and firmly establish BULLDOG as a leading brand in the growing category. To achieve this, we have to work closely with our distributor partners and garner learnings from across markets so we can feed in to the global strategy. No matter how technology advances, to do this well, I need a strong team, and I am proud to have one.”This strong market growth presents the company with many chal- lenges which it will be looking to overcome, as Anshuman concludes. “Personally, I believe that the gin market is going from strength to strength and there is definitely a role for craft gin and micro-gin dis- tilleries. Entrepreneurs are bringing innovation to the gin game which I love. I think that the premium gin category will continue to grow. As the current the number 4 premium gin in the world and the fastest growing, I look forward to BULLDOG maintain its leadership position as it does so. “Fundamentally, the spirits industry is an exciting one with endless innovation in terms of product development and marketing initiatives. The challenge for BULLDOG is to stay ahead of the curve and keep BULLDOG at the forefront of the latest market innovation, and this can be achieved this through commitment to excellence and strong focus on branding.” Since this interview was conducted, BULLDOG Gin has been acquired by Gruppo Campari, a major player in the global spirits industry, and with a portfolio of more than 50 premium and super premium brands. The deal leaves cash-on-hand and other assets on BULLDOG’s balance sheet, resulting in approximate proceeds of $70 million at closing to BULLDOG’s shareholders. The new deal structure enables Gruppo Campari to achieve a financial- ly attractive proposition, allowing it to fully exploit the brand’s growth potential going forward by taking full control of the marketing strategy as well as the brand building initiatives. Anshuman commented: “BULLDOG has always been a labour of love for me, and I’m quite pleased to hand over control of BULLDOG to a venerable institution, such as Gruppo Campari. I’ve had the pleasure of working with their very professional organization for the last few years and am confident the brand will continue to excel in its new home.” Company: BULLDOG Gin Company Name: Anshuman Vohra Web Address: BulldogGin.com Address: Suite 201, 594 Broadway, New York, NY 10012 BULLDOG Gin Company is an innovative company committed to reinventing London Dry Gin. We invited Founder Anshuman Vohra to tell us more about the firm and its pioneering product. A 1702WF50