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Mermaid Gin has tapped former Moët Hennessy USA chief Jim Clerkin as CEO, aiming to accelerate the British premium gin brand’s growth in the US market.

The Isle of Wight-based gin producer, which marks its tenth anniversary this year, is targeting wider national distribution and deeper trade penetration in the US super-premium gin segment, supported by a newly signed master distribution agreement with Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits.

Clerkin, who brings more than four decades of global wine and spirits experience, previously held senior leadership roles at Guinness, Allied Domecq and The Jim Beam Company, before leading Moët Hennessy USA and later its North American business. He will also join Mermaid Gin’s board of directors.

The appointment comes as gin producers look to capitalise on renewed momentum in the premium end of the US market, where super-premium gin – priced between $30 and $45 – grew 57% between 2020 and 2024, according to IWSR data cited by the company. By comparison, growth in super-premium tequila over the same period was roughly half that rate, albeit from a larger base.

Mermaid Gin said the partnership brings together a group of global and US drinks industry executives and investors to support the brand’s next phase of growth, with a focus on expanding on- and off-premise distribution, strengthening relationships with bartenders and retailers, and building long-term brand equity.

As part of the expanded leadership team, Pierrick Bouquet has been appointed chief operating officer, US, overseeing commercial, marketing and operational execution in the market. Bouquet previously held senior roles at premium spirits brands including 21Seeds Tequila and Provence rosé brand Whispering Angel.

Investment backing for the expansion is led by Fourward Ventures founder Will Ward, who joins Mermaid Gin’s board as lead investor. Ward previously co-founded US wine brand Z Alexander Brown and has experience scaling consumer brands across beverage, entertainment and lifestyle categories.

Co-founders Xavier Baker and Conrad Gauntlett will remain actively involved in the day-to-day running of the business, with Baker focusing on brand stewardship and sustainability and Gauntlett on liquid development and production.

Founded in 2016, Mermaid Gin has built its brand around provenance, sustainability and design-led packaging, positioning itself within the premium London Dry gin segment. The brand is B Corp certified, packaged without plastic and uses ethically sourced botanicals, including wild-foraged rock samphire from the Isle of Wight coastline.

Its US portfolio includes three core expressions – Mermaid Gin, Mermaid Zest and Mermaid Pink – retailing at $34.99 and distributed across both the on-trade and off-trade.

The company said the Southern Glazer’s partnership would enable a phased national rollout across priority metropolitan markets.