Au Vodka has recorded another year of healthy sales growth, driven by surging demand for its pre-mix cans and ready-to-drink cocktails.
Turnover at the Swansea-based supplier grew by 27.3% to £82.8m in the year to the end of April 2025, newly filed accounts at companies house showed.
Growth was “primarily driven by a significant increase in the volume of ready-to-drink cans sold throughout the year,” Au Vodka said. Last November, Au Vodka became the UK’s bestselling RTD brand in the off-trade, surpassing Gordon’s.
In the year ended 30 April 2025, volumes of Au’s RTD drinks climbed by 65.8% to more than 1.1 million nine-litre cases. There was also a more modest 27.4% uplift in sales of vodka bottles.
Sales momentum had “increased the company’s market share and strengthened brand awareness across key consumer segments,” Au Vodka noted.
While gross profit margins at the supplier eked up to 43.6% (from 39.1%), operating profits slid by over a quarter to £6.7m, driven by a £12.1m leap in administrative expenses to £25.6m. It means Au Vodka’s overheads have now climbed over 250% in the space of two years.
Profits before tax, meanwhile, increased by 31.3% to £6.7m, with Au having reported £3.9m in exceptional items in year prior. These included £3.7m attributed to “excess inventory provisioning in relation to excess stock levels”, the supplier said at the time.
“Throughout FY25, the strategy has centred on continuing to invest in the brand’s US presence helping to win key market share across this new market,” said Au Vodka co-founder Charlie Morgan.
Looking ahead, Au Vodka remained “focused on driving further increase in turnover while maintaining healthy margins”, Morgan continued. “International expansion will continue to be a key priority as the company builds on current momentum to strengthen its global presence and unlock new market opportunities.”
Au Vodka was founded by Morgan and childhood friend Jackson Quinn in 2015. In 2017, they sold a stake to DJ and then-Radio 1Xtra presenter Charlie Sloth, who helped get Au’s products promoted by musicians, celebrities and influencers.
In 2022, the brand extended into the RTD category with a Blue Raspberry flavoured pre-mixed vodka and soda in a 250ml can format.
Since then it has added a variety of flavours and formats, including 8% abv canned cocktails, 7% abv caffeinated cans under a sub-brand called Au Ultra, and – most recently – an alcohol-free Blue Raspberry variant.
In 2023, it sold a minority stake to private equity firm Metric Capital to support further expansion.
No comments yet