Andrew Morrison, sales director of Maxxium, explains how the company is working with the Scottish licensed trade to help operators from all sectors grow and develop sales – and attract customers
FOR Maxxium, training and education is one of the driving forces behind its commitment to working with the licensed trade and sharing best practice.
As Andrew Morrison, sales director of Maxxium explains, the much-lauded Mixxit training and education programme, which aims to inspire bars to create perfect mixed drinks and cocktails through comprehensive training across all major spirit categories, is gathering pace.
“Our sales teams are all trained across a broad range of categories and brands,” he points out. “While as a branded supplier of many of the UK’s number one brands we will always look to share the quality and benefits of our own portfolio, our teams are fully equipped to advise in all areas of category and range, which will ultimately develop our customers’ businesses.
Andrew Morrison, sales director of Maxxium
“In addition to all of this, we are also committed to encouraging people out of home and back into the on-trade.”
As part of the industry-leading Mixxit programme, Maxxium engages heavily with the trade but is also using the initiative to inspire and stimulate young bartenders. “We have a team of mixologists who cover the country, training in category and brand, and helping bartenders deliver the best possible knowledge and ultimate serve for our consumers,” says Morrison.
“In addition to this, each year we run and sponsor the Mixxit bar incentive programme where we train bartenders who are early in their careers which culminates in the winner being recognised with an award at the Scottish Bar and Pub Awards.”
Morrison points to the “fantastic people within our industry who are making major investments within their outlets and businesses”, and explains how Maxxium is committed to supporting this by focusing all investment and resources into its priority brands – The Famous Grouse Blended Scotch Whisky, Courvoisier Cognac, Jim Beam Bourbon, Sourz liqueurs and Stolichnaya Vodka – with a clear intention of growing trade sales in key whisk(e)y and cognac categories.
For example, this year has seen the launch of Jim Beam Double Oak Bourbon. “Jim Beam is the number one Bourbon in the UK and this latest edition to the family is an exciting step for the brand into the premium arena,” says Morrison. “Twice matured, this liquid is aged for four years in barrel and then placed into a newly-charred barrel where the wood adds to the colour and flavour before being bottled at 43% ABV, creating a fantastic liquid of which we are very excited.”
The malts category is also a priority of Maxxium with The Macallan, Highland Park, Laphroig, Bowmore, Auchentoshan, The Yamazaki and Hibiki among those benefiting from support and investment.
With the festive season looming, The Famous Grouse – the UK’s number one selling blended whisky – has been synonymous with Christmas TV advertising for over 20 years, and this year is no exception, says Morrison. “We are investing over £1.8 million in consumer media and this represents our biggest-ever investment.
“Our heavyweight campaign will reach over 40 million consumers across traditional TV and video on demand. We will also have presence across the UK’s high streets for the very first time and this will help build our presence in line with our strategy.”
Morrison, who is sales director for the on-trade and route to market accounts, first joined the licensed trade in 1993 with wholesaler Wallaces Express. In 1998, he moved to Matthew Gloag & Son, which became the joint venture of Maxxium. He has held various commercial roles across Maxxium’s trading channels, moving to his current position earlier this year.
“My role encompasses the free, managed, and leased and tenanted on trade business, wholesale, cash & carry and the associated impulse retail groups. “We have a team of 60 people based across the UK, covering all channels and supported by our head office team based in Stirling,” says Morrison.
Talking about Maxxium’s relationship with the SLTA and how he sees it developing in the future, Morrison comments: “Trade associations like the SLTA are vital to a strong future for our licensed on-trade. They lobby, challenge and protect the very industry that we all passionately work within.
“Over the years Maxxium has been a strong supporter of these values and this is something that I look forward to continuing.”
Morrison also points to his company’s commitment to encouraging responsible drinking. “Maxxium takes its commitment to responsible and sensible drinking very seriously,” he points out. “It is important to us that we help to maintain high standards and promote best practice within the licensed trade, and we have codes of practice in place which are at the heart of our operating principles.
“Our sales and marketing teams, and their agencies, are trained on these codes to truly understand how to promote our brands responsibly to people of legal drinking age who choose to drink. In addition, we are signatories of The Portman Code, we fully support Drinkaware’s campaigns and our communications manager is on the board of Best Bar None Scotland.”