Las Olas founder to debut Hackey Marsh functional tonic brand

Las Olas Rum founder Samuel Williams has unveiled Hackney Marsh, a new-to-market functional tonic brand.

Hackney Marsh will launch at the end of this month with two SKUs: a classic Indian tonic water with magnesium and B vitamins, and a lion’s mane and ginger tonic.

Williams, a former electrical engineer turned entrepreneur, told The Grocer he was currently of winding down Las Olas, following the decision by Diageo to mothball its Distill Ventures incubator, which backed the brand, last year.

“Luckily for me, whatever happened with Diageo happened, and it was probably perfect timing for myself,” he said. “We’re in the process of selling the last 3,000 bottles and then I’ll be fully focused on Hackney Marsh.”

The inspiration for Hackney Marsh came from his own interest in tonic water and its historical use as a medicinal drink, Williams said.

“I’ve stopped drinking and as I train a lot I drink tonic water like an adult alternative beverage,” he said. “So when I started to look at the history of tonic water and discovered that it used to be used to cure malaria, I started to ask myself ‘why have we lost that functional element?’

“Nowadays tonic is just seen as a mixer. But in creating one SKU with magnesium and one with lion’s mane we are bringing back the function into tonic.”

While Hackey Marsh could be drunk mixed with spirits, Williams said he was pitching the drink to be consumed on its own as an alternative to alcohol.

“I’m pitching it standalone first and foremost, but of course people are going to mix it,” he said. “I’ve tried it mixed with various different things, and it tastes great.

“But by adding function, the hope is that we will appeal to more people that are willing to try tonic water and stick with it because it adds to their routine.”

Williams also revealed that proceeds from the sale of Hackey Marsh would be invested in community projects in east London.

“I used to spend time in spend times spend time in schools in Hackney running workshops, and I want to do as much as I can to do tangible things and change people’s lives,” he said. “I want to do things like build playgrounds, build venues where kids can learn about our hospitality industry, ingredients, and train the next generation of bartenders.

“As the brand is growing it will start from with very small things. The first thing we are going to do is buy a school some new books from day one. Then as we start making money we will start thinking bigger, like taking some kids on a school trip.

“One of my big goals again is to own a farm so that we can teach people about plants and about growing their own food. That’s everything I didn’t have as a kid.”

Initially Hackney Marsh will be sold in bars, restaurants and delis in London, with the brand also launching via DTC and targeting independent convenience outlets ahead of a possible push into mainstream retail.

“Eventually we would love to be in M&S or in Waitrose,” said Williams. “These are places that I shop and would love to see Hackney Marsh stocked in.”