Latest news with #JohnTeeling
Irish Times
18-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Times
Is Irish whiskey on the rocks?
The boom appeared to be very much back for the Irish whiskey business. In the aftermath of the pandemic, consumer demand went through the roof, prompting an explosion in new distilleries – suddenly supply chased demand. 'We were guilty of – hubris is a great word – but of getting caught up in the euphoria that took place in '23,' the founder of Great Northern Distillery John Teeling said recently. 'We expanded our production up to 20 million litres a year – that was about 1.25 million to 1.5 million bottles a week. That's a lot of whiskey . . . and we made plans to double it. We did all kinds of crazy things.' They certainly weren't the only ones in the Irish whiskey industry to get caught up in the euphoria of booming post-Covid demand. The surge in the number of distillers is impressive, from just four in 2010 to somewhere north of 50 today – even Ibec's Irish Whiskey Association couldn't give an exact number when asked this week. READ MORE The big problem for the small-scale producers who flooded into the market during the pandemic is timing. Whiskey isn't gin. You can't found a brand and start selling a month later. Those that came into existence during the pandemic would be reaching the end of the three-year period in which their product is mandated to sit in wooden barrels, often expensively imported oak, to qualify as Irish whiskey. This lead time, with rising electricity prices and interest rates, is expensive. [ Irish whiskey is undergoing a market correction, a temporary blip, a 'little pause' Opens in new window ] In theory, that previously-clear distilled alcohol has now become liquid gold, perfect to erase the debt required to fund its production. In reality it is now hard to shift and expensive to store – leaving debts mounting. The result is small distilleries that will be forced to take a hit on already-thin profit margins, hundreds of staff unsure of their future and a long-awaited pay-off, when it comes, that will struggle to refill the coffers. Ireland's whiskey industry is in trouble, it might not be on the rocks just yet, but it is veering dangerously close. While nobody could doubt the spirit of producers, the viability of more than 50 distilleries is less certain.
Irish Independent
13-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
Dispute over €60m whiskey contract admitted to fast-track court
Dundalk-based wholesaler O'Malley Ireland Spirits Trading Ltd and its related distributor Nonto DAC have brought proceedings against Great Northern Distillery Ltd (GND) which operates a whiskey distillery in Dundalk. O'Malley and Nonto claim they have purchased some €60m in whiskey from GND for around five years. GND, both directly and through third parties, operates several 'bonded' warehouses which are regulated by Customs and Revenue and which store the product with excise duty suspended until such time as it exits the 'bonded chain'. The plaintiff companies seek declarations from the court including that they have title to whiskey purchased by O'Malley for the first three-quarters of 2024. They also seek a declaration that having paid in full for those periods, the defendant has no entitlement to exercise a €6.4m lien over the whiskey for fourth-quarter warehousing and transport costs. They also seek an injunction directing the defendant to provide access to its warehouses for the purpose of taking possession of the first three quarters' whiskey. GND disputes the claims. Yesterday, Mr Justice Mark Sanfey admitted the case to the Commercial Court following an application from Bernard Dunleavy SC, for the plaintiffs, and on consent of Michael Howard SC, for the defendant. The judge said the injunction application could be heard next month. Great Northern Distillery was established in 2015. The Dundalk-based distillery makes whiskeys for customers under contract, supplying bulk private labels and retailers' own-label products. It can distil about 1.25 million bottles of whiskey a week and supplies more than 300 customers who sell its products around the world. John Teeling, the well-known entrepreneur, launched the business after he sold his family's Cooley Distillery to US drinks maker Beam in 2011 for €71m. Beam was subsequently bought in 2014 by Japan's Suntory. Great Northern Distillery is majority-owned by the Teeling family. Two of John Teeling's sons, Jack and Stephen, also launched the separate Teeling Whiskey brand and distillery, which is now majority owned by Bacardi.
Business Mayor
12-05-2025
- Business
- Business Mayor
Dispute between whiskey wholesalers and distillery admitted to Commercial Court
A dispute over a contract to supply whiskey from the John Teeling founded Great Northern Distillery to a wholesaler and its associated distribution company has been admitted to the fast track Commercial Court list. Dundalk-based wholesaler O'Malley Ireland Spirits Trading Ltd and its related distributor Nonto DAC have brought proceedings against Great Northern Distillery Ltd (GND) which operates a whiskey distillery in Dundalk. O'Malley and Nonto claim they have purchased some €60 million in whiskey from GND for around five years. GND, both directly and through third parties, operates several 'bonded' warehouses which are regulated by Customs and Revenue and which store the product with excise duty suspended until such time as it exits the 'bonded chain'. The plaintiff companies seek declarations from the court including that it has title to whiskey purchased by O'Malley for the first three-quarters of 2024. They also seek a declaration that having paid in full for those periods that the defendant has no entitlement to exercise a €6.4 million lien over the whiskey for fourth quarter warehousing and transport costs. They also seek an injunction directing the defendant to provide access to its warehouses for the purpose of taking possession of the first three quarters' whiskey. GND dispute the claims. On Monday, Mr Justice Mark Sanfey admitted the case to the Commercial Court following an application from Bernard Dunleavy SC, for the plaintiffs, and on consent of Michael Howard SC, for the defendant. The judge said the injunction application could be heard next month.
Zawya
05-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
African Mining Week to Spotlight Cutting-Edge Mining Tech
The upcoming African Mining Week (AMW) – Africa's premier gathering for mining stakeholders, scheduled for October 1-3, 2025 in Cape Town – will feature a dedicated Technology Forum. The forum will connect African mining projects with global technology providers and investors, showcasing how digital solutions are transforming resource extraction and redefining the mining value chain. As African countries scale up mineral production to drive GDP growth, developers are increasingly adopting data analytics and digital tools to boost operational efficiency. U.S.-based startup KoBold Metals, which applies artificial intelligence (AI) to mineral exploration, entered the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in April 2025 to tap into the country's estimated $24 trillion in untapped mineral resources. The DRC – already the world's largest cobalt producer and a key copper supplier – could see its global mining profile rise significantly with KoBold's involvement. In Zambia, the company is advancing the $2 billion Mingomba project, one of the world's most promising untapped copper assets. Similarly, in Zimbabwe, Caledonia Mining is investing $1.1 million in IT infrastructure upgrades at the Blanket Mine as part of its $41.8 million capital budget. The upgrades include new mine planning software and a digital clocking system to improve labor efficiency, with a goal to increase gold output from 76,656 ounces in 2024 to up to 77,500 ounces in 2025. In Botswana, Botswana Diamonds is employing AI-driven exploration to expand beyond diamond mining, recently identifying new prospects for copper, silver, cobalt, gold, nickel, zinc and platinum group metals. 'During the initial analysis of the big database, it became clear that the AI technology could be used to identify other unknown minerals opportunities – and so it turned out,' said John Teeling, Chairman of Botswana Diamonds. Meanwhile, South African firms such as Kilken Platinum and Rio Tinto are deploying digital tools to unlock greater operational value. A joint report by Accenture and the World Economic Forum projects that digitalization could unlock up to R213 billion in additional value for South Africa's mining sector by 2026. Technologies such as predictive maintenance, autonomous operations and real-time data monitoring are helping firms streamline processes, reduce downtime and improve safety outcomes. The Technology Forum at AMW 2025 will feature high-level panels examining how digitalization can optimize infrastructure, enhance safety, predict system failures and support sustainable resource management in a data-driven mining environment. The forum will also provide a platform for mining companies to showcase real-world case studies, exchange knowledge with tech innovators, and explore partnerships that drive long-term value creation. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital&Power. About African Mining Week: African Mining Week serves as a premier platform for exploring the full spectrum of mining opportunities across Africa. The event is held alongside the African Energy Week: Invest in African Energies 2025 conference from October 1-3 in Cape Town. Sponsors, exhibitors and delegates can learn more by contacting sales@
Zawya
21-04-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Powers Innovation, Efficiency and Growth in African Mining
African mining projects are increasingly incorporating artificial intelligence (AI) to streamline operations and meet ambitious production targets set by governments across the continent. As the mining industry undergoes a digital transformation, the upcoming African Mining Week (AMW) will highlight the pivotal role of AI and other digital tools in optimizing exploration and production processes, with a view to unlocking new mineral reserves, reducing costs and enhancing worker safety. Botswana Diversifies Mineral Portfolio In Botswana, Botswana Diamonds is expanding its mineral portfolio beyond diamonds with an AI-based nationwide exploration campaign launched in August 2024. By March 2025, the company identified potential deposits of besshi, greenstone, Mississippi Valley-type lead and zinc, SEDEX and platinum group metals (PGMs). To capitalize on these discoveries, Botswana Diamonds has applied for 11 new prospecting licenses. John Teeling, Chairman of Botswana Diamonds, stated: 'During the initial analysis of the big database, it became clear that the AI technology could be used to identify other unknown minerals opportunities… Our analysis so far has identified a series of targets in copper cobalt, zinc and gold.' KoBold Advances Zambia's Critical Mineral Market U.S.-based startup KoBold Metals is applying AI to enhance critical mineral exploration and mine development in Zambia. In January 2025, KoBold raised $537 million in new capital, bringing its total funding to $1 billion. The company is developing one of the world's largest untapped copper basins in Zambia, with plans to produce 300,000 tons annually by 2030 from its $2 billion Mingomba Project. Additionally, KoBold Metals is exploring the Dumbwa Mine and Konkola West Project, contributing to Zambia's goal of reaching 3 million tons of annual copper production by 2031. Kilken Platinum Drives Mine Expansion In South Africa, Kilken Platinum is utilizing AI to optimize operations at its Thabazimbi processing plant in Limpopo as part of an expansion plan to double PGM production to 83kgs per month. The project has already increased output to 40kgs in its initial phase. Dondo Mogajane, CEO of Kilken Platinum's parent company Moti Group, emphasized that AI enables real-time tracking of production metrics and ensures strict adherence to safety protocols. Beyond these projects, Rio Tinto subsidiary Richards Bay Minerals is employing AI for ore body modeling, equipment dispatch management and blast control at its mines in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, Glencore is leveraging digital technology to streamline critical mineral exploration as part of its Phase 2 expansion at the KTO copper and cobalt project. AMW 2025 will feature high-level discussions focused on AI's impact on industry growth, investment opportunities for technology providers and the broader economic benefits of digital transformation in mining. African Mining Week serves as a premier platform for exploring the full spectrum of mining opportunities across Africa. The event is held alongside the African Energy Week: Invest in African Energies 2025 conference from October 1-3 in Cape Town. Sponsors, exhibitors and delegates can learn more by contacting sales@ Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital&Power.
