Cooley & BRM partnership to aim for 10% maket share

Cooley Distillery has appointed Barry Fitzwilliam Maxxium (BRM) as the exclusive distributors of its premium Irish Whiskeys range.

These include Tyrconnell, Connemara, Lockes and Kilbeggan.

Michael Barry, managing director of Barry Fitzwilliam Maxxium said: "It is only appropriate that they have combined their strengths to take on the might of Irish Distillers.

"Cooley, Irelands only independently owned distillery, are noted for their production skills and we have built reputation as Ireland's leading independent wine and spirit merchants.

"Combined we are hoping to have a 10% share of the domestic Irish whiskey market by the end of 2005," Barry said.

Cooley have won major international awards for their whiskeys, the most recent was in San Francisco when Connemara Peated Single Malt won the award for Best Irish Whiskey at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, in March 2003.

John Teeling Chairman of Cooley said: "Together we will establish a significant presence in the Irish market. BFM and Cooley each grew up in the past 15 years.

"From small beginnings BFM has become the pre-eminent independent national distributor. Cooley went a different way developing our whiskey and exporting to over 40 countries. The time is right to take Ireland."