R&B Distillers gains £200,000 investment

R&B Distillers, the owner of Scotland’s Isle of Raasay Distillery, has secured up to £200,000 (US$255,800) in funding for new bottling facilities and additional warehousing.

Scotland’s Isle of Raasay Distillery

The investment from Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) will also help to create up to five jobs.

The ability to mature and bottle gin and whisky on the Isle of Raasay is said to support the distillery’s “core aim of keeping as much of the operation as possible in house and on the island”.

Alasdair Day, co-founder of Isle of Raasay Distillery ,said: “This support from HIE for new warehouses and bottling facilities will ensure that every drop of our spirit is matured and bottled locally while, crucially, supporting local island jobs in what is deemed a fragile rural economy.

“Already, over 10% of the local population work at the distillery, and with HIE’s support, we hope to create more opportunities to live and work on Raasay.”

Over the next three years, product expansion is predictable to increase R&B Distillers’ turnover by more than £2.4 million (US$3m), two-thirds of which will come from international sales.

The first batch of Isle of Raasay Single Malt whisky is due for release in November 2020. In July this year, the Isle of Raasay Distillery released a Hebridean gin.

Eilidh Ross, business growth account manager with HIE’s Lochaber, Skye and Wester Ross team, added: “The Highlands and the Islands region is renowned for its food and drink as well as tourism offerings. The Isle of Raasay Distillery is already an important contributor to this growth sector.

“By creating valuable rural employment, the company is also helping strengthen community resilience on the island.

“We are very pleased to be able to provide support for this project and look forward to working with the company as they develop their product line in this rural island economy.”