Idaho Distiller To Double Or Triple Output

Distilled Resources of Rigby, ID, could use double or triple the potatoes it used in 2005 to make potato-derived vodka.

Last year the small company used four million pounds of locally grown potatoes to fill orders for several niche markets and buyers.

The company changed its business model in 1996 from manufacturing and selling its own brand of Silver Creek vodka to finding companies which want to develop niche markets for the alcohol.

At present the company has a contract to produce the ShotPak, a 50-milliter shot of flavored vodka packaged in a colorful plastic pouch. It is a peach-flavored vodka, blended with taurine and guarana for the Icon Brands, a New Hampshire company.

Blue Ice, another vodka, is made for 21st Century Spirts of San Francisco. Hideous, a liqueur designed to complete with Jaagermeister, is made for a client in New Orleans.

The Idaho company went to the custom-distilling method of making vodka because there were very few such businesses in the market.

The ShotPaks are made to hang from racks at check-out stands, to appeal to people on the go and their impulse-buying habits.

The ShotPak has already gone to market in Connecticut and the response has been extremely positive.

Originally made to produce ethanol in the 1970s, the plant will utilize $1.5 million for expansion to be able to handle additional independent orders.
 
Raw product needs could jump from 40,000 to 80,000 cwt or possibly 120,000 cwt in the next few years. Although the volume is "small potatoes" in the total Idaho potato picture, it is a unique contract growers have obtained to utilize additional potatoes.