Make export easier, less red tape and more support – says Belvoir Farm MD Peverill Manners to Liz Truss, Secretary of State for International Trade, as he hosted a visit at the family-owned company, based in Bottesford,
The company is celebrating strong export growth of 20% in the last 12 months and currently exports its delicious range of cordials and sparkling drinks across the world, despite the double challenges of Brexit and Covid 19. In particular, sales are up in Australia by 102% and the USA by 54% and organic cordial is enjoying strong growth in Europe. This growth very much bucks the trend, as recent research by the Food and Drink Federation shows Food and Drink Exports, in particular to Europe, have fallen to a 10-year low.
“We were delighted to show the Secretary of State round our unique bottling factory” comments Pev Manners, owner of Belvoir. “Our flowers are hand-picked by the local community, to infuse into our delicious elderflower at our modern factory and bottling plant.”
International Trade Secretary Liz Truss said: “Brilliant to see a quintessential British brand like Belvoir not only contribute to local economic growth but also take their exceptional drinks all over the world including to key markets like the US and Australia.
“New trade agreements will help open markets UK businesses would not have been able to access previously.”
Pev also discussed some of the key barriers to other exporters due to red tape. “Export is currently around 20% of our business but we are having fantastic interest from markets outside Europe, so can see it growing to at least a third over the next year. France, USA and Australia are currently huge opportunities, particularly as our organic cordial is very popular in France.
“We are certainly bucking the trend – many exporters may have either given up on exporting to the EU, or “put it on the back burner” given the Brexit complications. We were asking the Secretary of State what practical support the government will put in place to help brands like ours diversify risk within our businesses, particular in relation to reducing legislative requirements and also helping us to win new business.”
MP Alicia Kearns for Rutland and Melton also accompanied the Secretary of State on the visit.
The family firm fills 19,000 bottles an hour and 25 – 30 million bottles each year, that are sold up and down the country and exported all over the world from the £5 million bottling plant in Bottesford. Each year, during the elderflower harvest, Belvoir invites people from the local community to pick flowers and bring them to the bottling plant, in return for cash payment.
These fresh, locally grown elderflowers are the heart of the company’s traditional elderflower cordial and Sparkling Elderflower, still made to the Manners family’s original recipe. People pick from the miles of wild hedgerows in the local area and organic elderflowers from the 60 acres of company-owned plantations across the county.
· Belvoir is now the UK’s fastest growing premium cordial brand in absolute volume sales (*Source: IRI Total Premium Cordials Category, Volume sales, IRI Major Multiples YTD to 24/4/2021)
· Belvoir is growing in both volume and value sales ahead of the market (*Source: IRI Total Premium Cordials Category, Volume, Value sales, IRI Major Multiples YTD to 24/4/2021)
· Belvoir’s classic Ginger Cordial is the biggest ginger flavoured cordial and the fastest growing at 35% in value. (*Source: IRI Total Premium Cordials Category, Value sales, IRI Major Multiples YTD to 24/4/2021)
· Belvoir had a great start to 2021, recording 21% value growth across (*Source: IRI Total Premium Ready to Drink Category, Vale sales, IRI Major Multiples YTD to 24/4/2021)Belvoir are market leaders in Sparkling Elderflower within Total Ready to Drink. )*Source: IRI Total Premium Ready to Drink Category, Value sales, IRI Major Multiples YTD to 24/4/2021)
· Belvoir has the No.1 Elderflower drink with its Sparkling Elderflower 750ml. This has been a key driver of growth for the brand, with 8% growth in 2021.
(*Source: IRI Total Premium Ready to Drink Category, Value sales, IRI Major Multiples YTD to 24/4/2021)
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