By James Atkinson
island2island Beverage Company this week celebrated its fifth birthday by announcing an extension of its distribution partnership with Angostura aromatic bitters and Angostura Rum.
island2island Managing Director Les Page said the new deal is confirmation of the success of the existing partnership between island2island and Angostura, which began in 2007 and has seen the total volume of Angostura aromatic bitters in Australia grow by over 20 per cent.
On a Sydney Harbour cruise to mark the occasion, Page cut a cake with Angostura communications manager Giselle Laronde-West (pictured right). He paid tribute to his family and to island2island's staff for their crucial role in achieving the result.
"We've moved the brand quite incredibly in the last four years," Page said.
"A case of bitters sells 2,500 drinks. So it's not like a case of beer or a case of bourbon – every case we sell is a major achievement."
"We've increased the market in the last four years by 14 million drinks. In a population of 22 million, that's pretty good."
Page said that in the on-premise, Angostura bitters outsells any other product.
"We sell about 80 million drinks – if you equated that to a normal spirit, that would be 300,000 cases, and there's no spirit in Australia that sells 300,000 cases on-premise."
Page said island2island itself is currently growing at 40 per cent year-on-year and he expects to further growth to come from Angostura bitters and rum, as well as the Stolichnaya vodka brand, its premium whisky range and the addition of new brands to be announced shortly.
In Australia this week, Angostura communications manager Giselle Laronde-West paid tribute to island2island's work with the brand.
"We are excited to be continuing our partnership and look forward to continued growth in this key market," she said.
island2island is one of only three master distributors for Angostura internationally, having commercial responsibility for Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands.