Findlater 200

2023 was a momentous year for Findlater & Co. as we celebrated our 200th anniversary.

The theme of this year has been all around looking back at the last 200 years of the company as well as looking forward to the next 200 years. One thing that became apparent as we took this journey was that two things have stood out: People and Innovation

People

In 1823 a 26-year-old Scotsman, Alexander Findlater came to Dublin and started a company that imported and exported spirits, wine, tea, and coffee. This pioneering spirit weaves its way through the company’s history and all the people who have driven it on. According to Richard Moriarty, Wine Director at Findlater & Co “There are too many great people to name from the history of the company, but you don’t become 200 years old without entrepreneurial spirit. This company has come through the famine, the founding of the state, and wars, and you can only do that with great people. I’d like to think that the team here now has that same spirit; I certainly think that the team here is second to none!”

Innovation

That initial company specialised in import and export, using family connections and business acquaintances across the globe, including a link to the famous Scottish poet Robert Burns. That company developed over the prevailing decades into a retailer and became synonymous across Dublin and further afield. Indeed, there was an area of Dublin on Sackville Street that was colloquially called “Findlater Corner” and locals navigated by this landmark and was mentioned in James Joyce’s Ulysses as such! Richard Moriarty commented “The modern word is “pivot”, but we can see through the last 200 years that Findlater pivoted bringing new trends and products to the market. In our modern guise as an Irish distributor and brand builder of wine, tea, and coffee we continue to do the same. We have brought new, on-trend wines to the market, such as 19 Crimes and Squealing Pig to the supermarket channel, we were the first company over a decade ago to bring Non-Alcoholic wines to the market with Natureo and we continue to innovate with the hospitality industry to bring exclusive on-trends wines to bars, restaurants, and hotels.” As well as these product trends Findlater continues to lead the market in sustainability with its sustainable coffee program and its Give Wine a Future sustainability message in wine.

Findlater 200

On September 26th, 2023, Findlater & Co celebrated this significant milestone with an event in Dublin RDS, with 200 guests from a mix of Findlater & Co colleagues, customers, suppliers, and the press. The theme of the night was again the Past and the Future and guests were encouraged to wear something with a ‘Vintage Twist’ to get into the swing. Richard Moriarty says, “When we started to plan this night, we all agreed that this has to be an event that is talked about for another 200 Years, so it had to be different to anything that we have ever done before.” This was certainly the case and the event centered around a purpose-built tasting area, where 100 wines were available to taste from the current portfolio. Richard Moriarty said “Wine had to be at the centre of the party, and this certainly was the case. We handpicked wines from our portfolio that really showcased what we are all about; world-famous wines that are revered across the globe, to new innovations around packaging and taste. The very best was on show that night.” Guests were fed from around the room in a street food style, which allowed guests to mingle and encourage conversation. The night was then punctuated later by an on-theme group of drummers who drummed in darkness, wearing LED suits.

Richard Moriarty commented, “If Alexander could see us now and how his company has developed, he would certainly be proud of us and I think that he would be certain that the Findlater name will continue to service the Irish trade well into the future”