Welcoming Business Minister Richard Lochhead to Brave New Spirits

This week we were delighted to welcome Richard Lochhead, Scottish Government Business Minister, to our Glasgow offices and warehouse.

The visit was a chance to do what we do best: open the doors, introduce the team, and show how Brave New Spirits works day to day — from whisky creation and bottling, to building international partnerships and telling a modern Scotch whisky story on a global stage.

It was also an opportunity to reflect on what’s been a pretty big few years for us, particularly following our involvement in Expo 2025 Osaka, where Scottish businesses showcased their products and expertise to the world.

From Osaka to Glasgow: Turning Conversations into Orders

A newly published evaluation report highlighted the success of Scottish companies attending the Osaka Expo, with business delegations reporting £23 million in sales, including immediate export orders and forecast sales over the next three years.

Brave New Spirits was proud to be part of that story, securing £4 million in orders over the next three years as a direct result of Expo Osaka — particularly in the Japanese market, which continues to be one of our most important export destinations.

The visit from the Minister was very much about connecting those headline numbers to the people behind them: the team members filling bottles, managing casks, building brands, and working with partners across the globe.

A Team Scotland Approach

During his visit, Richard Lochhead spoke about the importance of supporting Scottish companies in accessing new international markets and strengthening existing trading relationships, particularly in an increasingly volatile global economy. He highlighted how recent events in Japan demonstrated Scotland’s skills and opportunities across a range of industries.

Mr Lochhead also underlined the importance of Scotch whisky to Scotland’s economy and culture, with exports worth £5.4 billion annually, and noted the continued growth of the Japanese market, where whisky exports rose by 7% last year, making it the seventh largest global destination. As he put it:

"Brave New Spirits has shown how effective a Team Scotland approach can be to grasping opportunities in international markets".

We’ve worked closely with both Scottish Government and Scottish Enterprise since day one, and that collaborative “Team Scotland” approach has played a huge role in helping us grow responsibly and sustainably overseas.

Japan: A Key Market for Brave New Spirits

Our Export Director, Tomek Weselik, spoke about just how important the Osaka trade mission has been for us. Since the visit, our turnover with Japan has nearly doubled, with new agreements in place with one of the country’s largest supermarket chains and a group of high-end retail stores.

Japan continues to be one of our key markets, and thanks to introductions from Scottish Enterprise, conversations are now underway with a major hotel group as we look to expand into new channels. Showcasing our whiskies at Expo Osaka played a big part in growing our distribution network. Tomek says:

"The support from Scottish Enterprise and Scottish Government was invaluable, and we welcome further support for Scottish businesses, via support with trade negotiations and exhibition support in new export markets".

Turning Opportunity into Growth

David McPhee, Scottish Enterprise Director of Global Trade, reflected on the wider impact of international events like Expo Osaka, highlighting the strength of Scotland’s collaborative “Team Scotland” approach and the continued global appetite for Scottish products.

As he noted:

“Success stories such as Expo 2025 really highlight the value of our Team Scotland approach. By bringing innovative and ambitious Scottish companies to global markets we can showcase our enviable capabilities in growing industries, in turn delivering tangible benefits for our economy.”

Moving Forward

From global trade missions to the day-to-day work across the business, visits like this are a reminder of how far Brave New Spirits has come, and how much is still ahead. With international growth continuing, work moving forward at Witchburn Distillery in Campbeltown, and our bottling, labelling and cask services supporting partners worldwide, it’s very much a team effort.

Reflecting on the visit, founder and Managing Director of Brave New Spirits Adam Hochul said:

“We are grateful for the support from Minister Lochhead and the Scottish Enterprise. We hope to obtain more support for trade missions in other countries. Brave New Spirits will continue to work hard and present Scotch whisky around the world”.

At the heart of it all are the same things as ever: the Brave New Spirits team, long-term thinking, and a willingness to do things a little differently. We were proud to welcome the Business Minister to see that first-hand,  and even prouder of the people quietly turning conversations into casks, bottles and lasting partnerships every day.

Read more on an official Scottish Government page here.

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