Exclusive Tim Palmer
Bristol brewer Smiles has created a new composite drinks company after acquiring a major share of the business of FD Brands which went into liquidation earlier this year.
Smiles md Mark Todd has become chief executive of the new company KC Brands which will handle FD Schnapps, the range of perries which includes Belnor and the Special Red ciders.
It has also signed a deal with Canada's biggest distiller Corby to handle Polar Ice vodka, three small batch Canadian whiskies Pike Creek, Lot 40 and Gooderham and Worts, and two US liqueurs Tequila Rose and Ke Ke Beach.
The business was set up four weeks ago and Todd said: "It was natural for us to go from being a brewer to becoming a composite drinks company. Customers of FD Brands have carried on with us and we have already shifted some stock. We also have some listings lined up.
"We are a well funded company and will be putting marketing support behind the brands."
His plans for the future include a premium packaged spirit version of FD Schnapps which will go on the market in June. It has four flavours, peach, lemon, watermelon and kiwifruit, retailing at £1.29 per 330ml bottle.
Tequila Rose, a mix of tequila, strawberries and cream, will be launched next month. Todd described it as the fastest growing cream liqueur in the US, where it had gone down particularly well in gay communities.
That launch will be followed in September by the introduction of Ke Ke Beach Key Lime Cream Liqueur.
Both have been created by McCormick Distillery, whose brands are handled by Corby.
FD Brands main spirit brand Cockspur rum is now being handled by Halewood. It estimates the business to be worth between 30,000 and 50,000 cases, mostly in the London area.
FD Brands went into liquidation at the beginning of this year after poor sales pre Christmas and gloomy forecasts for this year.
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