CollaGin, said to be the world’s first gin distilled with pure collagen, has launched in travel retail exclusively with Aer Rianta International (ARI) at The Loop in Dublin Airport.
The new gin is the first offering from Young in Spirit, a company formed by UK-based Camilla Brown and Liz Beswick. The two women left positions in public relations to enter the drinks market and aim to introduce a range of collagen-distilled products.
Collagen is one of the most abundant proteins in the body, responsible for giving skin elasticity and hair its strength. It is often used as a health supplement and as an ingredient in beauty products.
Young in Spirit said its CollaGin is distilled with a leading US collagen brand which does not affect the taste, smell, or appearance of the gin. CollaGin “stays true to the principles of a classic gin” and blends anti-ageing botanicals including angelica root, pink grapefruit and star anise to complement the effects of the collagen.
The gin is described as fragrant and soft with a hint of vanilla in the aftertaste. Serving suggestions include as a Martini ingredient or classic Gin & Tonic.
Brown said Young in Spirit was using social media to develop and increase CollaGin’s brand awareness.
“As the founders of the brand we are very much the story behind CollaGin and we intend to use our story to build the brand. It is, after all, pretty rare to find two young females coming up with a new brand in the male-orientated drinks industry.”
Brown said the new gin appeals to a wide market and does not focus only on women gin enthusiasts. “It is not pigeon-holed to a female-only market. The amount spent by men on grooming and skincare is growing and I believe our combination of gin and collagen taps into a consumer mindset that is looking for something different.”
She added: “There is no other gin like it. It is a world’s first and merges two of the top channels – spirits and beauty – in travel retail.”
Beswick said Young in Spirit was in discussion with premium beauty brands for possible cross-category promotions.
ARI Head of Global Consumer Marketing Michelle Corbett commented: “We are thrilled to be the exclusive Ireland stockists of CollaGin and look forward to continuing to work with Young in Spirit on future ventures.
“At The Loop, we strive to provide new and exciting products and experiences for our customers and this unique offering from CollaGin certainly ticks all the right boxes. By seamlessly merging the worlds of beauty and spirits, we are confident that CollaGin will appeal to our growing numbers of gin connoisseurs and beauty fans alike.
Corbett said ARI has invested heavily in its gin offering throughout 2016 and into 2017 and gin is now The Loop’s fastest growing category, second only to Irish whiskey. “In 2016, sales of gin increased by a staggering +70%, with Irish-produced gin growing by nearly +200%.
“By seamlessly merging the worlds of beauty and spirits, we are confident that CollaGin will appeal to our growing numbers of gin connoisseurs and beauty fans alike”
“To ensure we remain at the forefront of this growing trend we have expanded our range by +40% in the last year, providing carefully selected lines to continue to offer our customers new and exclusive products.”
Corbett emphasised the retailer’s strategy to work with local and start-up brands and stressed the importance of niche brands at The Loop, and the role that travel retail can play in their development.
“At ARI we have an open-door policy and allow people to approach us. A product launch in travel retail gives a brand exposure to a great mix of passengers. Here Collagin gets the exposure and we have a great product to sell.
“Partnerships are key to everything we do. This collaboration has been a year in the making but ARI is willing to take that time to build a relationship with brands. We tailor our product range to fit an airport’s passenger profile and we look, especially in the gifting category, for brands that have a story behind them.
“CollaGin is a tremendous new addition to The Loop and we are truly delighted to finally have this exclusive product on our shelves.”
Beswick added: “We are incredibly excited to exclusively launch CollaGin at The Loop at Dublin Airport. We have been working towards this launch for a year…and the advice and support provided by The Loop has been instrumental throughout the entire process.”
Collagin is available to purchase at The Loop for €52 duty free and €60 duty paid. It will be featured, and available for sampling, during World Gin Day celebrations at The Loop on 10 June.
