Hardy Sales & Marketing extends NI Boost distribution

Hardy Sales & Marketing extends NI Boost distribution
Gareth Hardy, managing director of County Antrim company Hardy Sales and Marketing Ltd (HSMNI), and Boost Energy founder and Managing Director Simon Gray put pen to paper on an exclusive five year distribution deal for Northern Ireland.

Antrim-based Hardy Sales & Marketing (HSMNI ) has signed an exclusive five year distribution deal with Boost having brought the best-selling drink to Northern Ireland 15 years ago.

HSMNI director, Gareth Hardy says it was his father who saw the potential in Boost all those years ago.

“We’ve come a long way in the last 15 years from when my father first spoke to Simon [Gray, Boost Energy founder]. He always had a great eye for a product and said Boost was always going to be a success, and now today we are the number one selling soft drink in Northern Ireland convenience.

“This new five year distribution reinforces Boost’s commitment to Northern Ireland. It’s fantastic news for wholesalers, retailers, and consumers who absolutely love the brand.”

As the distribution partner for Boost in Northern Ireland, HSMNI will provide warehousing, distribution, van sales, and key account management across all major symbol, cash & carry and delivered wholesales within the NI convenience and food service sector.

The contract will see a staggering 150 million cans and bottles of Boost, with a retail value of approximately £75 million distributed from HSMNI’s new 30,000sqft warehouse facility in Castledawson during the five year period.

Boost Energy founder and managing director Simon Gray exclusively markets the energy drink to the independent retail sector.

“Northern Ireland is a massive market for us and the public has really taken Boost to their hearts – making us the number one soft drink in the independent retail sector here,” he says. “This is really important to us as we exclusively sell Boost in local independent retail stores and not the big supermarket chains – and HSMNI has played a pivotal role in helping us do this.”

Boost Energy was established in 2001 after Gray saw the opportunity to offer consumers a high quality energy drink at a fraction of the price of other brands at that time.  Two years later, Boost Energy was launched in Northern Ireland.

“This five year agreement gives both parties security of supply, helps manage risk, and allows both companies to invest for the future,” Gray says.

Hardy believes that it is a combination of support from the trade and customer loyalty that contributes to Boost’s spectacular performance in Northern Ireland.

“The Northern Ireland consumer is very loyal to brands they love and Boost ticks all the boxes in terms of quality, taste and value,” he says.

“It was hard work back in the early days with a lot of hours and a lot of miles covered, but the support of all our trade customers was crucial to building the brand to its current position as the number one selling soft drink in Northern Ireland.”

Echoing this sentiment, retailer Michael Quinn, believes the product does so well in Northern Ireland thanks to its unique taste and selling point.

“It is a repeat performer for us, especially in our Belfast city centre stores.” he says. “Boost hits the spot in energy drinks and it’s our number one seller. It’s a good standard product, built up over a number of years, always at a very good price – we couldn’t not have it on the shelves.”