Interview: James Chase, Director, Chase Distillery

RTIH meets James Chase, Director at Chase Distillery, which recently announced it will be acquired by Diageo, to talk about its new gin seltzer range.

RTIH: Tell us about Chase’s gin seltzer range

JC: They are aimed at the active millennial demographic and contain 89 calories per 250ml can. The three flavours are Pink Grapefruit & Pomelo, Seville Orange and London Dry & Lemon, each comprising one of our bestselling craft gins mixed with sparkling water. 

The full production of the seltzer range is done at the family farm in Herefordshire, keeping up Chase Distillery’s field to bottle credentials.  

RTIH: What was the inspiration behind the brand?  

JC: Creating our gin seltzers was inspired by my time living in the USA. Based in Chicago, I saw a big shift away from sugary mixers and drinks as brands targeted an audience focused on health and wellbeing. 

We recognised the growing trend pushing consumers towards a more health conscious lifestyle but wanted to strike the balance between consumers still looking for a drink while being mindful of their sugar and calorie intake. 

RTIH: What has been the industry reaction thus far?

JC: We have seeded the brand in over 60 independent accounts, a channel that is very important to us, and we hope to win a major national listing in spring 2021. 

From the likes of Selfridges to Whole Foods, the brand has seen a great rate of sale with Pink Grapefruit and Pomelo being the early winner. 

RTIH: What has been your biggest challenge/setback?  

JC: We launched Chase’s in lockdown but fortunately with a new canning line installed on the farm, we were able to pioneer into the seltzer category.

The setback has been into a market where trial and promotion has been limited, but we have focused marketing through DTC and working with brand fans. 

We have implemented new technology to roll-out virtual tours and tastings and have utilised Zoom to host up to 300 people. For the first time ever, we will also be hosting virtual office Christmas parties at the distillery. 

We have also adapted our staff training so it now runs online, taking bar groups on virtual inductions which has been a huge success.  

RTIH: What are the biggest challenges facing the online retail sector right now?

JC: There has been a relentless surge of competition with many alcohol brands now being available via DTC and through online channels like Amazon. 

But with a focus on our farming and family heritage, we are still confident we offer the consumer something truly unique, from field to bottle. 

RTIH: What's the best question about your company or the market asked of you recently by a.) an investor and b.) a customer?

JC: Looking at new trends, we must continuously innovate as a distillery to meet new demands from consumers and investors. Moving into the canned seltzer category has got us into an exciting market that is growing rapidly. 

The rise of activewear and the growing awareness surrounding the importance of a healthy lifestyle is only going to increase and Chase’s gin seltzers strike this perfect balance. Looking ahead there is scope for releasing more flavours into the range too.

Consumers are demanding more transparency over where their produce comes from, now more than ever before. Chase Original Potato Vodka has 250 glorious potatoes in each bottle, and this epitomises our field to bottle ethos - people want locally produced, good quality products. 

Equally, with more people staycationing, we have seen a huge increase in alcohol tourism in that consumers are wanting to visit a distillery/brewery/vineyard and learn about the process and the local area.  

RTIH: What can we expect to see from Chase Distillery over the next 12 months?

JC: We have some exciting new additions to the family coming soon. Our much awaited whisky will be sold on allocation next year. This has been 10 years of hard work in the making. Watch this space.