BAILEYS®

THE STORY OF A SUPERBRAND

From Zero to Hero: How it all started

              Baileys® was conceived in 1970 by a talented group of business visionaries. The founding forefather of Baileys® was David Dand, who was the then Managing Director of Gilbeys of Ireland. Along with a small team of technical experts, Matt Gluckman, Tom Iago, Steve Wilson and Matt McPherson, he spotted the opportunity for a new drink brand and seized on it.

               A combination of ‘gut feel’ and consumer research told them that consumers wanted something unique, good tasting, low in alcohol, and made of natural ingredients. Significantly, it was also important that the raw ingredients for this new drink would be easily available and indigenous to Ireland.  Being Irish, David looked to his country’s great tradition of whiskey distilling and to the quality of its dairy produce for inspiration. Ireland’s temperate climate and rural landscape provides for cows to graze on lush, green grass all year around – resulting in some of the best quality cream in the world. The Irish were also the first to distil whiskey – even earlier than the Scots.

               “We wanted something that reflected the good things in Ireland,” Dand was later recorded as saying. “We thought agribusiness was good. Ireland was perceived as a pollution free, wholesome country. Then we thought about whiskey. The Irish were inventors of whiskey. We literally mixed them with a mixer that you would use in the kitchen. It tasted delicious.”

              But they had to figure out a way to make the whiskey and cream bond in a stable way. The problem proved almost insurmountable. It took them four years to crack the technical process that would combine whiskey and cream to make Baileys®. Getting these two ingredients to mix proved to be their greatest challenge and their greatest achievement. The answer came almost by accident to David during the course of a conversation with a colleague in the ice cream industry. The team applied the knowledge he’d gained to create a proprietary process unique to Baileys® and it was quickly patented. At last a perfect marriage of ingredients was possible.

fundamental reason for its success – and still continues to distinguish it from all other spirits and from the many imitators that were to follow.

Success breeds success

              R&A Bailey & Co was registered as the company that would market Baileys® worldwide. In its first year, Baileys® was test marketed in Ireland, Netherlands and UK and subsequently launched in these three countries with the addition of Denmark. Then came Australia. Baileys® was a huge success in Australia with the support of the Irish community. In the early 80’s Baileys entered the USA, now the single biggest market for the brand.

              By the mid 1980’s, Baileys was adapting to lifestyle changes and was beginning to attract a young and more affluent consumer in the 25 + age group with a fairly even female-male split.   The Baileys over Ice advertising campaign began. People were introduced to a whole new world of exciting ways and occasions to enjoy Baileys over ice. To reinforce the Baileys on ice theme, in 1994, the company signed a deal worth $8 million to sponsor the European and World figure ice-skating championships for five years.  In 1994, both championships were watched by 270 million viewers.

The company behind BAILEYS® Original Irish Cream Today

              The Irish company that David Dand headed up was eventually acquired by United Distillers & Vintners, the drinks division of Grand Met, which then went on to merge with Guinness Ireland to become Diageo Ireland. BAILEYS® Original Irish Cream is now owned by Diageo plc, the world’s leading premium drinks company. Diageo’s internationally acclaimed collection of drinks includes the J&B, Johnny Walker and Bushmills whiskeys as well as Guinness, Tanqueray Gin, Smirnoff Vodka, Captain Morgan Rum, Cuervo Tequila and a variety of fine wines. Diageo was established in December 1997 as a result of the merger between Grand Met and Guinness. The merger brought a vast wealth of brand heritage and consumer marketing expertise together into one organisation. Initially Diageo was a broad-based consumer goods company, with food and drink at its core. Since then, it has evolved to focus its business behind premium drinks and has strengthened its position further by the acquisition of Seagrams wines and spirits brands. Diageo trades in 180 markets and employs thousands of people.

Baileys today

enjoys more than 70% share of the total Irish Cream Liqueur Market worldwide.  The brand is the top selling liqueur in most of the countries where it is sold and shares are still growing in other countries. Baileys’ biggest markets today are the United States, Great Britain, Spain, Germany Australia and World duty-free. The most recent campaign, called ‘Serve Chilled’, conveys the perfect role that Baileys can play when chilling with friends on everyday, relaxed occasions and the fun you can have with Baileys and ice, such as ‘Blended Baileys’.  

For more information visit www.baileys.com ]

Footnote:

"You have quite a history with Baileys Irish Cream" Regina Sexton, Irish Food Historian commented to Noreen recently in Ireland.

In early 1975, David Dand, Managing Director of Gilbeys got in touch with Noreen.  He invited her  to lunch in Dublin, to discuss sponsorships for Noreen's ‘Culinary Tours', planned to start in Dublin at the Shelbourne Hotel soon after. Gilbeys had just launched their new liqueur, Baileys Irish Cream, and Keith McCarthy Morrough, the Marketing Director was also present. Noreen's husband Freddie accompanied her to the lunch.  David wanted Noreen to promote their drinks range including the new Baileys Irish Cream liqueur at her Culinary Tours across Ireland.   Noreen liked the new drink and said it would go very well in a Dessert. She told them she would create a new Dessert using Baileys Irish Cream.  Noreen arranged a pre tour Press night, with demonstrations and tastings. At the press reception held in the Shelbourne Hotel, organized by a colleague Carainne Childers Davies, daughter of Ireland's former President Erskine Childers, Noreen presented ‘The Jewel Box' - the first dessert to use Baileys Irish Cream. Lo and behold! The worst nightmare that can happen on such an occasion occurred. The piping bag burst at the seams while she was trying to complete the cream decoration. Theodora Fitzgibbon from the Irish Times, seated in the front row said: “Don't worry about finishing it.” However, Noreen smiled, held the bag together and completed the presentation. Dick Hill, Head of RTE TV Programs, and still keen on the idea of Noreen doing a TV cookery series, complimented her for keeping so cool under very difficult circumstances. It wasn't easy. 'The Jewel Box' was a great success and 31 years later, Noreen still gets requests to do the Dessert on special occasions. Gilbeys sponsored the Culinary Tours, and Keith did several Wine and liqueur presentations for the audiences. They also sponsored the Inaugural night of the Irish Gourmet Society held at Beamish & Crawford's in Cork City, and provided the drinks and wines for the event. Gilbeys however, was more interested in establishing the sales of their new drink, rather than have it perceived by the public as a flavor to go into desserts. Understandable? Yes!  It took another twenty years before Baileys finally produced a book on Desserts. By then, Baileys Irish Cream was well established across the globe as a very popular drink. 'The Jewel Box'  can be viewed in the Gallery on the New Irish Cuisine  web site.  Go to www.cordondorcuisine.com and click on the link for the New Irish Cuisine (lower left side).

Recently, Noreen took a group of Culinary Professionals to Ireland on an Irish Culinary Tour. They came from across the USA, Canada and the UK. Baileys Irish Cream was one of the major Sponsors of the tour, and the group spent a most enjoyable day at 'The Orchard' also known as Baileys "Vineyards" in Co. Wicklow. Peter O' Connor from Baileys, and Joe Hayden from The Orchard, both did presentations for the group, who sampled Baileys, and went outside to meet 'the Baileys Ladies' - the Cows, before they settled down to enjoy a delicious lunch.  Noreen accompanied the group with another purpose in mind. She was on the lookout for the Winner of 'The President's Award' in the  2006 Cordon d' Or - Gold Ribbon Annual International Culinary Academy Awards. She observed the incredible day spent with Baileys at The Orchard Farm, and noted the group's enthusiastic reactions and comments afterwards. She knew she had found the Winner for The President's Award.