Hendrick's in brief
- Rank: #71 of 100 in UK's Most Powerful 100 Brands 2026; #6 of 8 in Drinks & Spirits.
- WCRC Power Score: 63.48 out of 100.
- Founded: 1999, by Created by Lesley Gracie at William Grant & Sons.
- Owner: William Grant & Sons Holdings Limited, Girvan, Scotland.
- Leadership: Graeme Jenkins (CFO) and Doug Bagley (CCO), leading William Grant & Sons since CEO Søren Hagh resigned in October 2025; Lesley Gracie is master distiller.
- Latest revenue: £1.8bn revenue (FY2025, year to Dec 2025, -3.8%), group revenue of William Grant & Sons, as per company filings.
What makes Hendrick's powerful
Hendrick's played a large part in the rise of modern premium gin. When William Grant & Sons launched it in 1999, gin was seen as old-fashioned; Hendrick's offered an apothecary-style bottle, quirky marketing and a recipe finished with cucumber and rose that stood apart from traditional London dry gins. It became a bartender favourite and a staple of cocktail menus worldwide.
The brand's creator, master distiller Lesley Gracie, has kept the range fresh with releases such as the limited-edition Neptunia and the travel-retail Sunspell without diluting its identity. It is distilled at William Grant's Girvan site using two contrasting stills. Its owner William Grant & Sons, which reported turnover of about £1.76 billion in 2025, gives the brand the backing of a large Scottish distiller.
Hendrick's final blend includes cucumber and rose petal essences, a step that defines its taste.
Why Hendrick's ranks #71
Hendrick's is 71st with a WCRC Power Score of 63.48, just behind easyJet and ahead of Marmite. Trust is its best pillar at 66, and Positioning & recall and Product & innovation both score 64, reflecting its distinctive cucumber and rose style. Sustainability & governance and Digital & financial, both at 60, hold it back, the latter reflecting lower sales and profit at owner William Grant & Sons in 2025.
The Achilles' heel
The gin boom that lifted Hendrick's has faded, and premium spirits are suffering a wider slowdown. William Grant & Sons' sales fell 3.8% and profit before tax fell 13% to £337 million in 2025. Leadership change at the parent, where the business has been run by its finance and commercial chiefs since chief executive Søren Hagh resigned, adds uncertainty about strategy.
The 2026 story
William Grant & Sons, owner of Hendrick's, reported in September 2026 that sales fell 3.8% to about £1.76 billion in 2025 and profit before tax fell 13% to £337 million, its second year of decline. The company gave a confident outlook despite the fall. Chief executive Søren Hagh resigned in October 2025, less than two years into the role, and finance chief Graeme Jenkins and commercial chief Doug Bagley now lead the business. Hendrick's continues to release limited editions alongside its core gin.
Pillar profile
Provisional desk scores out of 100, for the WCRC Business Intelligence Unit to validate.
Versus its nearest rivals
Questions people ask
What rank is Hendrick's in WCRC's UK's Most Powerful Brands 2026?
Hendrick's ranks #71 of 100 in WCRC's UK's Most Powerful 100 Brands 2026, with a WCRC Power Score of 63.48 out of 100.
What makes Hendrick's powerful?
A distinctive, playful brand identity and an unusual cucumber-and-rose recipe helped it stand out in premium gin.
What is Hendrick's's revenue?
£1.8bn revenue (FY2025, year to Dec 2025, -3.8%), group revenue of William Grant & Sons, as per company filings.
Who founded and owns Hendrick's?
Hendrick's was founded in 1999 by Created by Lesley Gracie at William Grant & Sons. It is owned by William Grant & Sons Holdings Limited and based in Girvan, Scotland.
Who leads Hendrick's?
Graeme Jenkins (CFO) and Doug Bagley (CCO), leading William Grant & Sons since CEO Søren Hagh resigned in October 2025; Lesley Gracie is master distiller.
What is Hendrick's's biggest challenge?
Gin demand has cooled and its owner's sales and profits have fallen two years running.
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Key facts
| Brand | Hendrick's |
|---|---|
| Company / owner | William Grant & Sons Holdings Limited |
| Headquarters | Girvan, Scotland, United Kingdom |
| Founded | 1999 |
| Founder(s) | Created by Lesley Gracie at William Grant & Sons |
| Leadership | Graeme Jenkins (CFO) and Doug Bagley (CCO), leading William Grant & Sons since CEO Søren Hagh resigned in October 2025; Lesley Gracie is master distiller |
| Latest revenue | £1.8bn revenue (FY2025, year to Dec 2025, -3.8%), group revenue of William Grant & Sons, as per company filings |
| Sector | Drinks & Spirits |
| Website | hendricksgin.com |
| Home country | United Kingdom |
Sources
- Annual report and published financial results of William Grant & Sons Holdings Limited
- Company website, official announcements and press releases
- Published interviews and statements by the leadership
- WCRC Business Intelligence Unit research: consumer sentiment, ratings and reviews, search demand, media and social data
