The Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS) yesterday announced its 2024 Export Promotion Plan supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Market Access Program.

The 2024 plan features upcoming trade promotion opportunities for U.S. distillers in Canada, Australia, India, the United Kingdom and Germany.  Under the USDA-funded program, products distilled in the United States from at least 51 percent of U.S. agricultural material are eligible to participate in the program.

“DISCUS has planned an exciting series of export promotions for this year aimed at providing American distillers with valuable resources and support to expand their reach in global markets,” Robert Maron, DISCUS Vice President of International Trade, said in a news release.  “By participating in these international events, U.S. distillers can take advantage of targeted promotion activities that aim to boost brand awareness and increase sales in key export markets.”

2024 MAP highlights include promotional events in Sydney and Melbourne, Australia (May 27-31); Montreal, Canada (May, 6); London and Manchester, UK (Sept. 2-6); Berlin, Germany, as part of the DISCUS-designed pavilion at Bar Convent Berlin, the largest trade show in the bar and spirits industry with 15k attendees (Oct. 14-16); Vancouver, Canada (early November); and participation in DISCUS’ annual campaign in India featuring in-store promotions, trade shows, targeted media outreach and hospitality training sessions.

DISCUS was granted $1,090,436 to promote American spirits in international markets in 2024 through its partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Market Access Program.

DISCUS’ partnership with USDA in the Market Access Program over the past 18 years has played an important role in the growth of the craft distilling movement in the United States by helping small distilleries expand into international markets.

DISCUS began participating in the program in 2006 and has conducted spirits promotions in cooperation with USDA in more than 20 foreign markets, including Australia, Austria, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Czech Republic, Germany, France, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Korea, Romania, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, Thailand, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, and Vietnam. Since that time, total U.S. spirits exports have increased by nearly 166 percent, from $831 million in 2006 to $2.2 billion in 2023.

Through its USDA supported export program, DISCUS promotes the U.S. spirits sector by educating the hospitality industry, adult consumers and media in key international markets on the taste, heritage and style of American distilled spirits.

DISCUS promotes the range of American spirits with a particular focus on the unique qualities of American Whiskeys, including Bourbon, Tennessee Whiskey, American Rye Whiskey and American Single Malt, which account for the majority of U.S. spirits exports worldwide.

For more information, visit https://www.distilledspirits.org/.