President's corner

Cheers, April, 2004 by Jim Clerkin

As I write this, I am going in to my eighth month at Allied Domecq, having experienced first-hand the people, partnerships and products that have contributed to the increasing success of our company within the industry. Like you, we focused a great deal of effort on the holiday selling season in 2003, driving profitable programs through the line in hopes of achieving stellar results and consumer satisfaction for you and us.

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And I'm pleased to say--we did it. According to AC Nielsen, the spirits industry enjoyed a robust holiday season with 1.2% growth during the most important sales period of the year. The Allied Domecq portfolio enjoyed a 6.5% increase over the same period last year, and we couldn't have done it without the dedication and support from our on-premise and distributor partners--thank you.

Allied Domecq, like the industry, has gone through a tremendous amount of change over the past year. As a company, we renewed our commitment and redoubled our efforts towards building mutually beneficial partnerships throughout our business, while responding to consumer demands, distributor realignment and new government regulations. Yet through it all, we've managed to move the needle, delivering growth and setting a standard for the way we do business just in time for this year's hot summer selling season.

From our perspective, a focus on regional and control state markets as a result of last year's "Move to Market" effort has enabled us to work with our partners more closely. We've been able to increase bottom-up planning, listen to what the trade wants and offer a premium portfolio of products--all while delivering great margins. This is what being your First Choice Supplier is all about.

Allied Domecq's philosophy and operating approach to the business is building a solid foundation for many years of strong performance and growth. We look forward to a successful summer with you!

Best regards,

Jim Clerkin

President, Allied Domecq Spirits, North America

Call Allied Domecq at 1-866-467-8654 for more information

Please enjoy our products responsibly.

Allied Domecq Spirits, North America, Inc., Westport, CT 06880