Partner Article

Salford’s Ten Locks announces first hires

Ten Locks, Salford’s new premium drinks company, has welcomed the first additions to the team since it launched in August.

The company, which was created as a sister firm to Kingsland Drinks, is headed by industry stalwart Becky Davies, who sits at the helm of Ten Locks as head of commercial.

Sinéad Lowe, joins the business as agency brand development manager, while Penelope McMylor has been appointed as sales manager for the start-up dedicated to creating and curating global drinks brands with purpose.

Sinéad Lowe has 20 years’ experience in the drinks industry, most recently in marketing at Signature Brands, part of LWC Drinks. Sinéad has also worked across import, distribution and marketing for spirits firm, Love Drinks.

At Ten Locks, Sinéad will use her industry expertise to lead the development of marketing strategies for the company’s portfolio. The firm has recently announced a series of compelling, purpose-led brands with a range of stories to tell and quality credentials, and Sinéad will focus on multi-channel campaigns, which bring the brands to life for the UK drinks trade and consumers.

Formerly North West sales manager for Mangrove Global, Penelope McMylor joins Ten Locks as sales manager. Penelope will be responsible for Ten Locks’ portfolio in the bar, restaurant and premium and specialist retail sectors, asserting the company as a go-to for premium, authentic and credible brands.

Like every member of the Ten Locks team, Penelope brings years of behind-the-bar experience to the role, having worked for some of Manchester’s top cocktail bars and venues. During her time in hospitality, Penelope developed an unrivalled passion for spirits, going on to participate in several nationwide cocktail competitions before she was head-hunted to work on the other side of the bar in the world of drinks.

Becky Davies comments: “We work in an industry that has people at its heart – it’s what makes it so special – and so welcoming Penelope and Sinéad to the team is a real highlightfor me. Not least because they bring bags of incredible experience and energy, but also because – much like Ten Locks – they want to be a force for positive change in an industry capable of great things.

“Sinéad’s well-rounded and strategic approach to brand building - from sales and marketing to distribution and wholesale - makes her a powerful cornerstone of the team. Our portfolio is designed to unleash untapped trends and innovative products, inspire the trade and lead consumers to new drinks and flavours. With boundless enthusiasm - which is really quite contagious – and long-standing experience, she’s perfectly placed to amplify what we’re bringing to the UK drinks scene.”

Becky continues: “With a similar background to my own, Penelope has years of on trade spirits and hospitality experience. Her drive, creativity and passion, along with a knack of seeing blind spots from both sides of the bar, means she joins Ten Locks with second-to-none relationships and ready to play a critical role in embedding Ten Locks in the industry.

“We launched Ten Locks in one of the most challenging years in history; the addition of Sinéad and Penelope can be considered a sign of our confidence in the UK drinks economy in the long term, despite the difficult times being endured right now by so many.”

“Additionally, Ten Locks plans to expand its team in early 2021 and will be recruiting for a variety of roles in the New Year – more positive news for the industry after such a tough year.”

Since launching in August, Ten Locks has worked to create and curate a powerful portfolio of compelling global brands including Nusa Caña, West Cork Irish Whiskey, Applewood Gin, Salford Rum, Banhez Mezcal, Diablesse Rumand ElTequileño - with more additions to the portfolio set to be announced soon. All brands are available to the UK on and off trade now.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Francesca Gaffey .