Vision for Irish whiskey

Table 1: Export differentials Scotch v Irish whiskey in key Irish markets
DIFFERENTIAL €
UNITED STATES
FRANCE
SOUTH AFRICA
GERMANY
AUSTRALIA
CANADA
2. Irish whiskey in comparison
Total figures for the Irish whiskey sector in
comparison to other sectors are displayed in
table 2. The table shows that in size terms
Irish whiskey accounts for about 21% of total
beverages employment, 23% of its value added
and almost 30% of its exports. It accounts for
about 4% of the total values added of the whole
food and beverages industry. Despite other food
and drink sectors e.g. meat and dairy industries
being larger in terms of employment and
purchases, the Irish whiskey industry still adds
about 50% of their GVA.
Table 2: Irish whiskey totals
+856,161,280
+499,171,455
+203,755,861
+189,248,557
+95,297,367
+72,182,043
The Scotch industry as it stands is between 10
and 17 times as large as the Irish industry across
the indicators. When compared to Irish domestic
industries Scotch is relative in employment
to about one third of the Irish food and drink
sector, almost 40% of its value added and over
half of all Irish food and drink exports. Despite
the fact that the Irish industry remains relatively
small compared to Scotch these figures show
the potential for the Irish whiskey industry
if it continues to converge relative to its main
European competitor with the right support.
EMPLOYMENT TURNOVER (€M) LABOUR (€M) PURCHASES (€M) GROSS (€M) EXPORTS (€M)
VALUE ADDED
IRISH WHISKEY 748 400.0 45.0 96.3 303.7 307.0
BEVERAGES
OTHER BEVERAGES 2,857 2,577.6 263.7 1,542.2 1,039.8 820.0
BEVERAGES TOTAL 3,605 3,127.6 308.7 1,779.2 1,352.8 1,090.0
FOOD AND BEVERAGES
MEAT 12,464 4,838.8 396.0 4,180.7 67.7 3,010.0
DAIRY 5,163 4,129.5 247.5 3,593.6 558.0 1,890.0
FOOD AND
BEVERAGES TOTAL 38,822 25,927.7 1,695.4 18,626.3 7,331.1 9,790.07
SCOTCH 10,284 4,708.0 554.0 1,598.0 3,110.0 5,100.0
In per employee terms the Irish whiskey industry
has large average wages in comparison to other
sectors in the food and drink industry at around
€60,000 per annum. It also has very large
exports per person at €410,000 and the highest
GVA per person out of the food and drink sector
(€406,000).
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