Exclusive: William Grant & Sons Names Paul Basford To Lead Its U.S. Business
May 4, 2021William Grant & Sons has appointed Paul Basford president and managing director of its U.S. business, effective May 24. Harvey Purchese, who had been serving as interim managing director for the U.S., will now resume his role as senior vice president, marketing, North America.
Basford was appointed by Jonathan Yusen, who was recently promoted to chief officer, network distribution companies at William Grant & Sons globally. Basford’s career includes general management, business development, and commercial roles, initially with Diageo in the U.K. and then in the U.S. and Australia with Britvic Soft Drinks. Most recently he was general manager of Danone’s North American waters organization.
“Paul joins us just as we’re building key lessons from the last year into our U.S. business,” Yusen told SND. “With a foundation of a strong portfolio that has proven resilient through the pandemic, a world-class team who have demonstrated remarkable flexibility in a dynamic environment, and exceptional partners in the trade, this is the perfect time to complement our foundation with Paul’s range of experience as the country continues to open up, as consumers return to the on-premise more widely, and as we look to delight our consumers wherever they desire our brands.”
Among William Grant’s key brands in the U.S., the company saw double-digit depletion growth last year for Milagro Tequila, Reyka vodka, and Monkey Shoulder Scotch whisky, as well as rising volumes for Sailor Jerry and Flor de Caña rums and Tullamore Dew Irish whiskey. Overall, William Grant & Sons has annual volume of above 3 million cases in the U.S., according to Impact Databank.
“I’m relishing the prospect of helping guide the U.S. business through the market’s continued recovery from the impact of coronavirus and into the next phase of our growth as an independent family-owned business,” said Basford.—Daniel Marsteller
| William Grant & Sons’ Key Brands In The U.S. (thousands of 9-liter case depletions) |
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| Brand | Type | 2019 | 2020 | Percent Change1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sailor Jerry | Rum | 633 | 680 | 7.3% |
| Hendrick’s | Gin | 452 | 441 | -2.3% |
| Milagro | Tequila | 293 | 349 | 19.0% |
| Tullamore Dew | Irish Whiskey | 300 | 304 | 1.3% |
| Glenfiddich | Single Malt Scotch | 210 | 185 | -12.0% |
| Reyka | Vodka | 148 | 168 | 13.3% |
| Flor de Caña | Rum | 158 | 167 | 6.3% |
| Balvenie | Single Malt Scotch | 117 | 111 | -5.4% |
| Monkey Shoulder | Blended Malt Scotch | 80 | 104 | 29.1% |
| Grant’s | Blended Scotch Whisky | 96 | 94 | -1.4% |
| Total Key Brands2 | 2,487 | 2,603 | 4.6% | |
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1 Based on unrounded data
2 Addition of columns may not agree due to rounding Source: IMPACT DATABANK 2021
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Tagged : William Grant & Sons
