Distil Regulatory News (DIS)

6 Apr 2006 07:01

Blavod Extreme Spirits PLC06 April 2006 Blavod Extreme Spirits plc ("the Company" or "Blavod") Trading Update Blavod Extreme Spirits plc (L.BES) is issuing this trading update to coincidewith the completion of the Company's financial year-end. When it announcesaudited results in late June, 2006, the Company expects to report that caseshipments during the 12 months to 31 March 2006, will show significant growthand be broadly in line with market turnover expectations and ahead of marketexpectations regarding operating performance. In the US, this represents an approximate increase of almost 98% on ayear-on-year basis. Our Players Extreme line of infused vodkas and rumscontinued to propel sales in the US market, while the Company's Italian wineportfolio showed strong increases over last year. The joint venture withSuntory, Diamante Spirits, has started well, with our newly launched ultrapremium tequila, El Diamante del Cielo continuing to gain momentum in themarketplace. Margins in the US delivered continued improvements with significantincreases from Blavod Black Vodka. The Company's sales in the UK advanced almost 34% ahead of the same period lastyear. As in past periods, growth continued to be led by the top three multiplesupermarket customers where volume increased approximately 23% ahead of lastyear. UK agency brands, led by Babco and Molinari also made strong gains. Jeffrey Hopmayer, Chief Executive of Blavod Extreme Spirits plc, commented: "I am very encouraged by the initial results delivered by our teams in the USand the UK. Trading continues to deliver strong growth, with improved grossmargins. I look forward to the future contributions from the recently announcedCockspur agreement, along with continued growth from all our company owned andagency brands." Blavod Extreme Spirits, plc (LSE:BES), is an international spirits company basedin London with U.S. offices in Franklin, Tennessee. BES produces and sells itsblack-coloured vodka, aptly called Blavod, throughout the world. BES alsoproduces and sells the award-winning, intensely flavoured line of PlayersExtreme vodkas and rums. In the United States, BES is the exclusive distributorof an elite wine portfolio of fine Italian wines. BES also maintains a jointventure with Suntory, Diamante Spirits, which owns El Diamante del Cielotequilas. Agency brands represented in the UK, include Mickey Finn's from Babco,Fernet Branca bitters, Marie Brizard liqueurs, Molinari Sambuca. For more information on Blavod Extreme Spirits, log on to:www.blavodextreme.com Further details: Cardew Group Tim Robertson 020 7930 0777Brewin Dolphin Mark Brady 011 3241 0129 Keith Williams 011 3241 0186Blavod Extreme Spirits Jeff Hopmayer 001 615 771 9111 This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange