Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Glenfiddich maker William Grant & Sons to take Tullamore Dew whiskey production back to Ireland

Drinks company William Grant & Sons is ploughing €35m (£29.35m) into a new distillery in Ireland in a move that will see production of Tullamore Dew whiskey return to its home town after 58 years.

Sales of Irish whiskey have grown to almost 700,000 cases since 2005 Photo: Alamy

By Nathalie Thomas

6:00AM BST 28 Mar 2012

The group, which is also behind brands such as Glenfiddich and Hendrick’s gin, is building a new distillery in Tullamore in central Ireland after the original site was closed in 1954.

William Grant & Sons said the facility will help meet long-term demand for Tullamore, the world’s second largest brand of Irish whiskey, which was acquired as part of a €300m deal with C&C Group in 2010.

It is hoped work on the facility, which will be spread over a 58-acre site, will commence later this year and will be completed by the end of 2014.

Stella David, chief executive of William Grant & Sons, said: “This investment by William Grant & Sons underpins our long-term commitment to Tullamore Dew, the town of Tullamore and Ireland.

“It represents an important next step in the long-term growth and development of the Tullamore Dew brand, one of Ireland’s food and drink export success stories, which is now the second largest selling Irish whiskey worldwide. We’re excited about bringing whiskey distilling back to Tullamore Dew’s roots for the first time in almost 60 years.”
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Sales of Irish whiskey have grown to almost 700,000 cases since 2005.

News of the investment by the 125-year-old family company comes after figures on Tuesday showed sales of Scotch whisky soared to record levels last year.

The value of Scotch exports rose 23pc to £4.23bn in 2011 amid strong growth in both emerging and developed markets.

Exports to the US, the industry’s biggest market by value, surpassed £600m for the first time to hit £654.9m, according to the figures from the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA).

However, there are fears that moves to introduce minimum unit pricing in England and Wales and Scotlan could knock £500m off the value of Scotch exports as it will help protectionist economies defend import barriers designed to boost their own whisky industries.

The drinks industry claims minimum unit pricing is illegal under European trade laws.

A spokeswoman for the SWA, said: “While we remain optimistic about Scotch whisky exports, the introduction of minimum unit pricing would undoubtedly have an adverse effect. We have estimated it would knock £500m off exports as a result of the introduction of copycat measures.”

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Valentine’s Day-themed events in Orange County, CA

By SUMMER ROGERS FOR THE REGISTER
The Orange County Register
updated 2/8/2012 9:19:52 AM ET

Valentine's Day isn't just for couples. It's a day to celebrate love and have fun with loved ones. For ways to celebrate, here is a roundup of some fun Valentine's Day-themed events for couples, families and friends to enjoy together in the spirit of love.

For more Valentine's Day events, go to ocregister.com/events.

Valentine's Day Dinner Show with Christina Pazsitzky

Celebrate laughter and love this Valentine's Day with comedians Christina Pazsitzky and Tom Segura. Opt for general admission tickets for $25, or upgrade to the dinner package which includes; one glass of champagne (for guests 21 and over), small Caesar salad, an entree selection of prime rib, Asiago crusted chicken or honey shrimp pasta and chocolate mousse for dessert. 8 p.m. Feb. 14. Brea Improv, 120 S. Brea Blvd., Brea. $25-$50 per person (tax 5-7 p.m. Valentine's special also available Feb.10-13. Pirates Dinner Adventure, 7600 Beach Blvd., Buena Park. Couples Package: $65 per couple; Romance Upgrade: $89 per couple. Reservations required. 866-439-2469.

Valentine's Day at Medieval Times

Medieval Times Dinner and Tournament is offering a Valentine's Day Couple's Package. The package includes two admissions to dinner and tournament show, two admissions to castle dungeon museum, photo in a souvenir frame, a valentine scroll to remember the occasion, split of champagne with two logoed souvenir glasses, feather long-stem sweetheart rose and two cheering flags. Buy tickets in advanced online to guarantee the Couple's Package. 6 p.m. Feb. 14; Valentine's special available Feb. 10-15. Medieval Times Dinner 8 p.m. Feb. 10 Non-members: $15. 312-488-9883.

Valentine's Day Sunset Whale Watching Cruise

Enjoy the sea at sunset for a unique and romantic way to celebrate Valentine's Day. Sail aboard the Dana Pride at sunset and search for whales, dolphins and other marine life. Chocolates and Valentine's Day treats are included, as well as a complimentary glass of champagne for guests 21 and over. 4-6 p.m. Feb. 14. Dana Wharf Sportfishing Non-members: $50 Reservations required. 657-278-3407.

John Heffron Valentine's Day (Special Event)

Laugh with someone special and Valentine's Day with John Heffron. Two packages available; general admission and dinner. General admission includes a glass of champagne and a rose for the ladies. Dinner includes: admission, a dinner salad, your choices of entree, dessert, a glass of champagne and a rose for the ladies. 8 p.m. Feb. 14. Irvine Improv, 71 Fortune Dr., Irvine. Admission: $35 per person; dinner package: $70 per person. (949) 854-5455.

3rd Annual Valentine's Event

Dress to impress in your favorite red apparel and give your love to children in need. The evening will begin with a wine tasting and serving of hors d'oeuvres. There will be a silent auction, wine tasting and free massages. All of the proceeds will benefit the children supported by Corazon de Vida Foundation, Steps of Hope Outreach and Foster Care Auxiliary of Orange County. 6-10:30 p.m. Feb. 10. Equinox Sports Club, 1980 Main St., Irvine. $30-$35. 949-476-1144, Ext. 7.

Valentine's Card Decorating

Kids can make Valentine's Day cards for friends and/or family. No registration required. 3:30-5:30 p.m. Feb. 8. Stanton Library, 7850 Katella Ave., Stanton. Free. (714) 898-3302.
For Immediate Release: Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Contact: Clinton Foundation Press Office, 212.348.0360
press@clintonfoundation.org

MEDIA ADVISORY: President Clinton to attend CGSGI Graduation Ceremony

New York, NY—On Tuesday, February 14, President Clinton will travel to Bogota, Colombia.

In the afternoon, President Clinton and Frank Giustra will attend and deliver remarks at a commencement ceremony for members of two Clinton Giustra Sustainable Growth Initiative (CGSGI) job training programs. Father Camilo Bernal, Director General of SENA, and Mrs. Azucena de Benedetti, general manager for Gente Estratégica, will also attend. The ceremony will be open press.

919 of today’s graduates participated in the “Manos que Construyen” (Hands that Build) program. In July 2011, CGSGI, SENA, and CAMACOL launched the first on-site skill training and certification program for construction workers in Colombia in Ciudad Verde, a low-income housing development project. (http://www.clintonfoundation.org/news/news-media/press-release-clinton-giustra-sustainable-growth-initiative-announces-training-and-certification-program-for-5-000-construction-workers-in-colombia). The project offers 5,000 construction workers access to free construction skills training courses and certifications in scaffolding, masonry, and blueprint reading, among others. To date, the Project has trained 1,678 workers and has certified another 2,339.

The second group of graduates includes 61 young people (ages 17-29) who studied merchandising, customer service, and marketing. They participated in the “For a Possible Future” retail job training project, a partnership between the Clinton Foundation, Shakira’s Pies Descalzos Foundation and Gente Estrategica. Each graduate will be placed in retail jobs; 43 have already been placed in sustainable jobs at companies like Carrefour, Atacado, and Almacenes Exito. Their education was enabled by President Clinton and Frank Giustra, who allowed each to enroll without the $750 tuition fee. Today’s graduation brings the total number of graduates of this program to 261.

About the Clinton Giustra Sustainable Growth Initiative
Established in June 2007 by President Bill Clinton and philanthropist Frank Giustra, the Clinton Giustra Sustainable Growth Initiative (CGSGI) is an innovative partnership among the William J. Clinton Foundation, the private sector, governments, local communities, and other NGOs that seeks to narrow the wealth gap in the developing world by empowering the poor through effective, results-oriented economic and social development projects. CGSGI focuses on alleviating poverty through market-driven development that creates jobs and increases incomes, and by strengthening factors that enable economic growth such as health and education. CGSGI creates value by forging cross-sectoral partnerships, designing innovative programs and bringing them to scale, aligning stakeholders, and mainstreaming best practices. The Initiative is committed to assuring transparent and efficient use of resources, and integrating rigorous monitoring and evaluation into its projects.

Tuesday, February 14, 2012
4:15 PM EST
President Clinton Attends CGSGI Graduation Ceremony
Skandia Auditorium
Bogota
OPEN PRESS