SCOTLAND’S only Scotch whisky cream liqueur brand Magnum has announced its first export deal in the United States.
Following two years of planning and negotiation, Magnum is now shipping to around 250 outlets across the states of Minnesota and Tennessee.
The brand is now the only single scotch malt whisky cream liqueur available in the US that is exclusively crafted and bottled in Scotland.
Talks are already underway to expand Magnum’s distribution to other parts of the US in 2024, including the states of Georgia and Texas.
Magnum has teamed up with New York-based importer MHW to transport its product from Scotland across the Atlantic and provide nationwide distribution.
Magnum is also collaborating closely with Tennessee-based importer Brio Brands on targeted state distribution for the brand.
Magnum is contained in a unique, stainless steel flask, which is designed to be reusable and recyclable.
It also keeps the liqueur chilled at the optimum temperature, without the need for ice.
Edinburgh-based Hemisphere Brands is the global brand agent for Magnum and manages the brand from production planning through to the strategy for market entry.
Commenting on Magnum’s success in the United States and future global growth ambitions for the brand, Magnum Director, Lee Schofield, said:
“This is a really significant milestone for our truly Scottish brand.
“Magnum is now the only single scotch malt whisky cream liqueur available in the US that is exclusively crafted and bottled in Scotland.
“Our strategy is to introduce Magnum to globally significant ‘cream’ liqueur category markets, including Canada, South Africa and the United States.
“The US is the largest cream liqueur market, maintaining around a quarter of the world’s consumption, so there’s great potential to widen our distribution across the country.
“We’re keen to establish Magnum in our launch states of Minnesota and Tennessee through 2023 and early 2024.
“From there, we plan to expand across Texas and Georgia.”
Commenting on the challenges of getting Magnum to market in the US, Lee added:
“From start to finish, it took the best part of two years to get Magnum into the US.
“It’s an arduous process, from registration of the trademark, formula and certificate of label approval, to market research and finding our way around the unique US three-tier alcohol and distribution system.
“We needed to find an importer and distributor, as well as manage an effective route to market. Cost and effort is substantial even before the brand hits the shelves.
“In the UK we’re free to sell directly through a variety of trade channels. The three-tier system in the US prevents this.
“Each US state has its own legislative, trading, retailing and marketing environment.
“Our business is mostly international, so we learnt from our experience of researching and processing market entry, as well as from support and feedback from our US importer.”
Lee continued: “With our new cream production facility in Scotland, engineered solely for Magnum, we’re able to scale up as required.
“Innovation is very much on our agenda, but always with provenance, premium ingredients and packaging sustainability in our DNA.
“At Magnum our vision is uncompromising and our ambition is straightforward – to craft a radical, premium cream liqueur, one that contains the finest single malt Scotch whisky and only single malt.”
