Press Release: Premium Whiskies and Liqueurs for Gastronomy and Events – Strategic Alliance with Sales Agency OTHER GUYS

Germany's largest whisky distillery enters into strategic alliance with renowned distribution agency.

Premium whiskies and liqueurs for gastronomy and events: St. Kilian Distillers and OTHER GUYS enter into distribution cooperation to strengthen and expand market position.

Rüdenau/Erfurt, July 2023

After several months of exploratory talks, a long-term sales cooperation between St. Kilian Distillers GmbH from Rüdenau in Lower Franconia and OTHER GUYS GmbH, based in Erfurt, was sealed last Tuesday.

In the stillhouse, Managing Directors Philipp Trützler (St. Kilian Distillers) and Benjamin Trommler (OTHER GUYS) signed the cooperation agreement, which represents a milestone for both companies.

Supply chain situation delayed sales launch

Due to the prolonged supply chain problems, St. Kilian had to postpone its ambitious sales plans by one year. While the ambitious company plan foresaw participation in the revival of the gastronomy sector following the pandemic, the war-related consequences for the glass bottle market abruptly thwarted these plans.

"From today's perspective, this was more of a blessing than a curse for our development prospects," says Philipp Trützler, explaining, "The sometimes months-long delivery delays and barely foreseeable delivery times gave us the time and opportunity to put some things to the test again. Only in this way were we able to find the perfect distribution partner and further expand and optimize our product and brand portfolio before the start of the distribution cooperation."

Perfect match: young, unconventional, determined

Kai Bentlage, Sales Director and authorized signatory at St. Kilian, says they are a little proud that various international sales giants in the industry have knocked on their door in the last two years.

However, he adds, there was a greater concern of getting lost in the broad brand portfolio of a large distribution partner and, as a still very young company, perhaps having to make too many concessions regarding product and company development. This fear, he says, is not present with the newly acquired cooperation partner. Rather, he expects good cooperation and joint growth, Bentlage says, visibly pleased.

Benjamin Trommler, Managing Director of the commercial agency OTHER GUYS, is also very happy about the newly established partnership.
Small but excellent and powerful, that's how Trommler sees his company based in Erfurt, and he elaborates, "Our philosophy is to only have one premium manufacturer per spirits category in our portfolio. In our opinion, St. Kilian is the clear quality leader in the whisky and whisky-based liqueurs sectors in Germany. St. Kilian Distillers is also among the absolute top internationally, despite its young company history." Trommler sees huge potential in the Lower Franconian distillery and is sure that St. Kilian has everything it takes to quickly gain the recognition and renown of major whisky brands.

When asked why St. Kilian mandated the sales professionals from OTHER GUYS to open up the gastronomy & event market segment, St. Kilian founder and owner Andreas Thümmler replies: "Both companies are young, unconventional and at the same time extremely goal-oriented. In addition, the 'human' aspect fits, and interactions take place at eye level. What more do you need for a perfect match?"

Strong brands and a well-rounded product portfolio meet sales expertise

Over the past three years, St. Kilian has transformed from a pure whisky distillery into a multi-brand company. Under the leadership of Managing Director Philipp Trützler and Andreas Thümmler, the founder and owner of St. Kilian, there has been a successive expansion with licensed brands. In addition to the core brand St. Kilian, absolute top brands such as Bud Spencer, Terence Hill, Judas Priest and Grave Digger are now part of the brand portfolio of the successful German whisky distillery. A variety of high-quality whiskies and liqueurs ensure a coordinated and well-rounded product portfolio within this brand world.

The distribution agency Other Guys GmbH is known for its extensive sales expertise and strong market presence. Its long-standing partnerships with leading companies have earned it a reputation as a trustworthy and reliable partner in the out-of-home beverage market. The collaboration with St. Kilian Distillers GmbH will enable OTHER GUYS to expand its portfolio with the premium whisky and premium liqueur expertise and offer its customers a wider range of high-quality products. The sales cooperation with OTHER GUYS will enable St. Kilian Distillers to strengthen its market presence and make its products accessible to an even wider customer base.

Expansion in St. Kilian liqueurs and a new look

Before the sales launch in August, the entire liqueur range of the St. Kilian brand will undergo a revision. The introduction of an egg liqueur with single malt whisky is already planned for the coming days. In addition, St. Kilian's liqueurs will also come in a different guise in the future.
The presentation of the entire St. Kilian liqueur series will take place in July.

About St. Kilian Distillers GmbH

The German whisky distillery from Rüdenau in Lower Franconia near Miltenberg am Main is one of the leading manufacturers of single malt whisky and liqueurs in Germany. Its products have been awarded over 170 gold medals at the most prestigious industry competitions around the globe. In addition, awards such as "World-Class Distillery," "Distillery of the Year," and "Whisky of the Year" attest to the international top level at which the distillery, which began operations in 2016 and is therefore still quite young, operates with its whiskies and liqueurs.
The owner of St. Kilian Distillers GmbH is investment banker and venture capitalist Andreas Thümmler.
St. Kilian Distillers supports the responsible consumption of alcohol, about which you can find information at www.massvoll-geniessen.de. Further information about the company and its portfolio can be found at www.stkiliandistillers.com.

About OTHER GUYS GmbH commercial agency

OTHER GUYS is a modern sales agency with many years of experience in the German beverage sector. With an exceptional network and contacts to opinion leaders in the industry, the agency team is an integral part of the scene surrounding new and established beverage culture. When selecting its product portfolio, the focus is on enthusiasm for quality, innovation, and professionalism. Brand building and solid sales growth are firm, equally important pillars. Classic sales and innovative representation of its partners – these are the core competencies of the team. OTHER GUYS strives for long-term cooperation with partners and customers. They understand sales as the heart of every company and develop unconventional and individual strategies. Further information about the company and its portfolio can be found at www.otherguys.de.

---