A gin distillery has bought tourism attractions in Gwynedd in a deal that secures 50 jobs. Dyfi Distillery has acquired the Corris Craft Centre, Corris Mine Explorers and King Arthurs Labyrinth after a £500,000 investment supported by Barclays.
Established in 2015 by brothers Pete and Danny Cameron the distillery now employs four staff, supplies Michelin starred restaurants, and exports 40% of its luxury product to the US. Based at the Corris Craft Centre it saw that the site had been placed on the market along with the connected attractions.
This deal protects the jobs of 50 staff during the peak periods.
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Danny Cameron, co-owner of Dyfi Distillery said: “We discovered our landlord Corris Craft Centre was putting the business up for sale and had no hesitation in putting together an offer to secure the future of our business and the other tenants within the site. Our location and site is integral to our brand recognition and our values as a business. We pride ourselves on our sustainable values which are embedded within our location.
"Investing and expanding post Brexit and during a pandemic might seem strange but we have continued to grow and diversification of the business will allow us to meet these challenges. Acquiring the Corris Craft Centre and associated tourist attractions such as the Corris Mine Explorers and King Arthurs Labyrinth secures up to 50 employees during peak season.”
Peter Jones, Barclays business manager, said: “As champions of local business, it is essential that we support local growing businesses such as Dyfi Distillery which are so important in local communities. Danny and Pete are great example of entrepreneurs using their industry experience, passion, knowledge and skills to develop a successful venture. By really understanding the sector and the individuals involved, we have been able to create a funding package to support the business throughout the acquisition.”
Danny added: “We are well positioned within a growing market, with a loyal client base and can use this investment supported by Barclays to secure our future, retain valuable local jobs and diversify our income streams. Running a business is tough but the rewards far outweigh the downsides even after working long hours.
"Being a micro distillery allows an uncompromising approach to quality using locally foraged botanicals, producing award winning gins. In addition to welcoming visitors to the distillery, we focus on working with high quality independent retailers and restaurants as we wish to retain our sense of place and unique connection to the land for our small but special offering.”
