Distil Regulatory News (DIS)

10 Jan 2005 07:00

Blavod Extreme Spirits PLC10 January 2005 Blavod Extreme Spirits plc ("the Company" or "Blavod") Trading Update Blavod Extreme Spirits plc (BES.L) is issuing this trading update to coincidewith the completion of the holiday selling season in various markets, includingthe UK and US. Preliminary results indicate that case shipments that the Companywas responsible for during the third quarter of the financial year, October toDecember, increased approximately 97% on a year-on-year basis. This increasereflects strong sales levels of the Company's Blavod Black Vodka, the additionof the re-packaged Players Extreme, as well as the line of Italian wines in theUS and other agency brands the company represents. Driven by its ground-breaking marketing and advertising campaigns, the Company'sUK sales advanced with Blavod Black Vodka sales volumes 116% ahead of the sameperiod last year. This growth escalated in December led by the top threemultiple supermarket customers where volume increased over 125% ahead of thesame period last year. Other brands in the UK portfolio also performed well,producing sales increases of 89% on a year-on-year basis. Shipments in the US were largely driven by continued acceptance of theredesigned Players Extreme line of infused vodkas and rums along with the newlyreleased Italian wines. Additionally, Blavod Black Vodka on its own producedsales increases of over 270% in the US, on a year-on-year basis. The Companysees it's strengthened US distribution network providing additional marketingopportunities, with wider coverage and a greater ability to deliver its brandsto the ultimate consumer. The Company continued to show solid, consistent growth for Blavod Black Vodkaoutside of the UK and the US, the two largest markets for its brands, with salescontinuing in Russia and new markets opening in Asia and the Middle East. Jeff Hopmayer, Blavod's CEO said, "I am extremely encouraged by the preliminarytrading information. Our entire organization, along with our strengtheningdistribution network, has done a great job. The decisions we made earlier in theyear are bearing fruit in the markets we operate in, giving us positive momentumas we enter the New Year." Blavod Extreme Spirits, plc (BES.L), established in 2003, is a London-based andpublicly traded company, with U.S. subsidiary offices, Blavod Extreme SpiritsUSA, Inc., headquartered in Franklin, Tenn. In addition to Blavod Black Vodka,the Company's portfolio includes the award-winning Players Extreme linefeaturing Five Times Distilled Vodka along with intensely infused Green Apple,Cherry, Lemon, Mandtango (mandarin/tangerine) and Caramel (new in 2004) vodkas.The Players Extreme brand also offers flavor-infused rums - Banana, Coconut andMango (new in 2004). The Company also represents a wine portfolio in the US,including Italian estates, Baroncini and Bruno Rocca, among others. Agencybrands represented in the UK, include the Babco brand of products For more information on Blavod Extreme Spirits, log on to: www.blavodextreme.comwww.playersextreme.comwww.blackvodka.comwww.blavod.com Further details:DSPR Donna Schwartze 314.330.3488Blavod Extreme Spirits Fred Read 615.771.9111 This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange