Challenger spirits brand DropWorks Rum is readying a £450k crowdfunding campaign to support its ambitions to expand into retail.
The brand, founded by Lewis Hayes in 2023 and headed up by former Diageo exec Graham Appleyard, is preparing to launch its equity campaign via Crowdcube next month.
Funds would be used to “scale, launch into premium retailers” and improve the brand’s on-site distillery experience, it said.
DropWorks claims to be the UK’s largest rum distillery, with its production site in Nottinghamshire’s Sherwood Forest spanning 17,000 sq ft.
Its rums are presently sold in over 400 venues, a third of the UK’s top 50 bars and several Michelin-starred restaurants including The Clove Club, Dorian, Moor Hall, Adam Handling and The Pig Hotels.
“Rum is a huge global category but most are mass-produced and heavily reliant on artificial flavourings,” said Hayes. “The global rum category is worth $20bn and is the last of the UK’s major spirits’ categories to premiumise, so the opportunity on the table here is so compelling and special.
“We’re uniquely positioned to capitalise on the rapid growth of premium rum and disrupt the category, offering our award-winning, high-quality, naturally full-flavoured, and crafted in Great Britain drops.”
Drop Works’ campaign is currently open for pre-registration, with early-stage investment being accepted from 1 September.
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