Lark Distilling FY sales up 12%
Tasmanian whisky producer Lark Distilling Co saw full-year revenue rise by 12%, boosted by travel retail and online sales.
Lark’s net sales rose by double digits to AU$15.6 million (US$10.1m) for the year ending 30 June 2025.
The Australian whisky and gin maker reported gains in all four quarters, with growth of 6% to AU$3.5m (US$2.27m) in the last three months of its financial year (April-June).
Its fourth quarter (Q4) was driven by a ‘strong performance’ in direct-to-consumer sales, which rose by AU$400,000 (US$260,000) during the period.
The company’s global travel retail (GTR) business also performed well, particularly in Australian airports. GTR sales reached AU$300,000 (US$195,000) in Q4.
Lark CEO Sash Sharma said of the firm’s full-year sales: “This is a strong performance in a challenging domestic and international market that is still correcting from the Covid-related spike of 2020-2022.”
However, export sales during Q4 decreased to AU$200,000 (US$130,000), which reflected the initial shipments to Malaysia and the Philippines.
Domestic business-to-business (B2B) sales were also down, falling by AU$100,000 (US$65,000) to AU$1m (US$649,525).
Sharma attributed the B2B decline to the inclusion of Spirits Platform’s distribution margin. He noted that “the impact more than offset associated cost savings from the removal of our domestic sales team”.
“Our partnership with Spirits Platform is delivering the objective of expanded commercial reach of our products on shelf,” he added.
He cited the example of Kurio, a new blended malt whisky released by Lark earlier this year. Through its distribution partnership with Spirits Platform, Kurio is available in more than 650 independent outlets and in Dan Murphy’s stores across Australia.
Brand repositioning
During the year, the company has been working on a ‘brand restage’ for Lark. It aims to launch a new range during the first quarter (July-September) of its next financial year in export markets. A domestic rollout will begin in the first half of 2026.
Sharma added: “A focus during Q4 has been on engaging our domestic, export and GTR trade partners ahead of the upcoming Lark brand portfolio launch. These engagements have been positively received with excitement as to the future direction of the brand and the potential for the future.”
The company will reveal further details of the rebrand and market launch plans next month during an investor briefing for Lark’s full-year results.
Last year, Lark completed the first part of its planned AU$22.5m (US$14.7m) equity raise. The funds were used to further develop its Pontville plant by increasing production, and help the distillery expand into GTR.
As part of this equity raise, Lark entered into a strategic partnership with Seppeltsfield Wines, which provided AU$14.5m (US$9.4m).
In its full-year update, the company noted it had nearly completed a redevelopment of its Pontville Distillery, which will bring distilling, cooperage, whisky storage, blending, finishing, bottling, tourism, and back-office operations all into a single site.
Sharma said the site would meet the distilling and blending capacity needs for the company’s next stage of growth.
Bill and Lyn Lark founded Lark Distilling Co in 1992. It produces a range of single malt whiskies and the Forty Spotted Gin brand.
Related news
Kirker Greer expands Australian footprint
