Despite the looming threat of 30% US tariffs on Irish spirits, 20 Irish drinks companies including Slane Whiskey, will be in the US this week to take part in Tales of the Cocktail, the world’s leading cocktail conference event. These companies represent Irish beer, cream liqueur, gin, poitín, and vermouth producers. 

Bord Bia is supporting the companies at the event in New Orleans from July 20^th -25^th as part of programme of supports for the sector as it deals with difficult trading conditions. It forms one piece of a global plan that also includes new routes to market as a diversification strategy for Irish drinks companies. 

At Tales of the Cocktail Bord Bia is sponsoring a high-profile showcase event for the 20 companies to meet with prolific on-premise personnel in the US including bar owners, bar tenders and media, with over 1800 guests confirmed. The Irish Spirits Showcase event will feature renowned representatives linked to the Irish drinks and hospitality sector, including Dave Mulligan, owner of Bar 1661 in Dublin, Irish whiskey consultant; Jack McGarry, who is co-founder of The Dead Rabbit bar in New York; and Christy Caldwell, owner of The Ordinarie bar in California, who will all be creating experiences for guests during the week.

Valentia Island Vermouth from Co Kerry will use the opportunity stateside to officially launch its brand into the US market at the Tales of the Cocktail conference.

Speaking ahead of the event, Bord Bia CEO Jim O’Toole said:

“The US is an incredibly important market for Irish spirits, worth €860 million to the economy last year. We hope that this event will drive commercial opportunities for Irish companies and an opportunity to showcase Irish spirits and their potential use in cocktails, a vastly underdeveloped space for Irish companies in the US.

The Irish drinks industry is no stranger to global headwinds with inevitable upturns and downturns, so supporting companies to explore new avenues in the US and abroad at this challenging time is a priority. The resilience and ambition of these 20 companies participating in the conference in Louisiana next week is a testament to that spirit.”

Among the 20 companies attending, Dingle Distillery will arrive in New Orleans fresh from Bord Bia-led trade visits to Japan and Australia in June, where 21 Irish drinks companies explored new market opportunities with local importers and distributors.

Aidan McNamara, Global Commercial Manager of Dingle Distillery said: 

“We’ve just returned from Japan and Australia where Dingle Distillery has been identifying new opportunities for growth in regions with strong whiskey cultures. The US is still our number one export market and next week’s trade show is an excellent opportunity to meet all our target trade connections in one go, including bar owners who seeking new brands to work with. As a company we are continuing to invest in the US but looking at other markets to now compliment it.” 

In June, Bord Bia led a delegation of Irish drinks companies to Japan as part of the government trade mission led by Minister Martin Heydon. Irish whiskey is gaining traction in Japan among younger consumers and women, where the popularity of ‘highball’ cocktails and a post-pandemic shift toward premium home consumption are fuelling its demand.

“Alcohol consumption overall is decreasing in Japan but spirits consumption is increasing, which is good news for Irish companies,” said Michael Hussey, Senior Manager for Alcohol at Bord Bia. “Irish whiskey, though still a small player, is the fastest-growing imported whiskey in Japan, with a growth of over 10% projected for the coming year.”

He added that market entry guides have been developed for companies looking to export to both Australia and Japan in the coming year. “Japan and Australia have been identified as key markets for diversification for the drinks sector and are important players for Irish companies looking to generate new business leads in the current climate,” he said. “In the past month Bord Bia hosted Meet the Makers^[1] drinks events in both countries where Irish drinks companies were introduced to over 200 importers, distributors, food service operators and major retailers with a view to generating commercial opportunities.”

In September Bord Bia’s CEO will join the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon T.D. on a trade visit to South Africa for the G20 Trade and Investment Working Group. During the visit, Bord Bia will launch its Spirit of Ireland global educational programme in Cape Town, in an effort to raise awareness of the Irish spirits category.   Spirit of Ireland is aimed at customer-facing staff selling Irish spirits in off-licenses and bars. South Africa is now Ireland’s sixth-largest drinks export market and the largest in the region, with exports growing over 300% since 2020 to reach €55 million in 2024.

Bord Bia CEO Jim O’Toole said:

“Global reach is essential for attracting the future customers of Ireland and for the long-term development of our drinks industry. While the US remains a vital market, diversification is key to building resilience and sustaining growth. We are continuing to work closely with industry partners to ensure that Irish spirits remain front-of-mind for international buyers, regardless of geopolitical uncertainty.”