Drinks Entrepreneur Podcast

In this episode of The Drinks Entrepreneur Podcast, I sit down with Sylvester Herman, founder of Island Slice Rum.From creating a Caribbean-inspired rum brand in Scotland to navigating the challenges of launching in a crowded drinks market, Sylvester shares the story behind Island Slice and the lessons he's learned along the way.We discuss:🍍 The rise of flavoured rum🥃 Building the Island Slice brand🌴 Bringing Caribbean heritage to the UK market📈 Growing a drinks business from scratch⚖️ Balancing quality, authenticity, and accessibilityA fascinating conversation with a founder whose journey is as unique as the brand he's building.🎧 Available now.

Is there still room to stand out in the crowded gin market?In this episode of The Drinks Entrepreneur Podcast, Alex sits down with the founder of Warwickshire Gin Company, Dave Blick, to explore how they’re building a distinctive craft spirits brand rooted in quality, provenance, and local identity.From starting small to scaling a premium gin business, this conversation dives into the realities of building in one of the UK’s most competitive categories.They cover:The origin story of Warwickshire Gin CompanyStanding out in an oversaturated gin marketThe role and importance of local identity and craft in brand buildingScaling from start-up to established brandLessons learned along the journeyWhether you're a drinks founder, brand builder, or gin enthusiast, this episode offers a grounded look at what it really takes to succeed in craft spirits today.

What does it take to build a premium rum brand in a category still fighting outdated perceptions?In this episode of The Drinks Entrepreneur Podcast, Alex sits down with the Dave Howarth, the founder behind House of Rum to explore how they’re reshaping the way consumers think about rum and building a brand to match. Dave also has a very interesting backstory before he entered the world of rum as well!From positioning and storytelling to the realities of launching in a competitive spirits market, this is a deep dive into what it really takes to create a modern premium drinks brand.They cover:The story behind House of RumWhy rum is misunderstood and how that’s changingBuilding a premium brand in a crowded spirits categoryThe importance of education and storytellingLessons from launching and growing a drinks businessAnd, a first for the podcast, tasting 3 fantastic rums, live on the recordingWhether you're a founder, brand builder, or spirits enthusiast, this episode offers a fresh perspective on one of the most exciting categories in drinks.

What does it take to reinvent one of the UK’s oldest drinks categories?In this episode of The Drinks Entrepreneur Podcast, Alex sits down with John Logue, founder of Chance Clean Cider, to unpack how he’s building a modern cider brand designed for today’s consumer.From early-stage challenges to standing out in a crowded market, John shares the realities of launching and scaling a drinks business—and why “clean” is more than just a buzzword.They cover:The origin story behind Chance Clean CiderWhat “clean” means in today’s drinks landscapeBreaking into the cider category as a challenger brandThe role of weather, seasonality, and consumer trendsLessons learned from building a drinks startupWhether you're a founder, operator, or just curious about the future of cider, this is a candid look at what it really takes to build a brand in today’s drinks industry.

What if wine could still feel like wine — just without the full-strength consequences?In this episode of The Drinks Entrepreneur Podcast, Alex Macintyre speaks with Russ Lamb, co-founder of 6Percent Wine: a brand built around a simple but powerful idea: creating genuinely good-tasting, mid-strength wine for people who still want the wine experience, but not the next-day fog.Russ shares how he and his wife, Gabi, went from loving wine and running wine tastings to spotting a clear gap in the market after becoming parents. Frustrated by the lack of quality lower-alcohol options, they decided to create their own, and ended up building an entirely new proposition in the process.From searching the world for the right partners, to spending two years developing the liquid in Bordeaux, to helping define the emerging mid-strength drinks category, this is a brilliant conversation about spotting an opportunity, backing your instincts, and building a challenger brand in a traditional industry.In this episode we discuss:• The story behind launching 6Percent Wine• Why parenthood changed Russ and Gabi’s relationship with wine• The gap between full-strength and alcohol-free drinks• How they developed a genuinely good-tasting 6% wine in Bordeaux• Why 6% became the sweet spot for flavour, balance and occasion• The creation of the Mid-Strength Collective• Building a new category in drinks rather than just a new product• Retail growth, subscriptions, supermarkets, and the next phase of expansionThis episode is perfect for:• Drinks founders and entrepreneurs• Anyone building a challenger brand• People interested in the future of alcohol consumption• Wine lovers looking for smarter ways to enjoy it

What do you do when you can’t find a drink you actually want to drink?In this episode of The Drinks Entrepreneur Podcast, Alex Macintyre speaks with Kerry and Amy, co-founders of Eufloria — a Norfolk-based functional drinks brand created to offer a genuinely enjoyable alternative to traditional soft drinks and alcohol.Frustrated by the lack of sophisticated, low-sugar, alcohol-free options, they decided to build their own. What followed was a journey of kitchen experiments, herbalists, production setbacks, crowdfunding, and a steep learning curve in an industry they had never worked in before.The result is Eufloria — a premium range of botanical drinks designed to give people more choice, without compromising on taste or experience.This is an honest and refreshing conversation about starting from scratch, figuring things out as you go, and building something meaningful in the drinks industry.In this episode we discuss:• The moment they decided to create their own drink • Building a drinks brand with no industry experience • Developing functional botanical flavours from scratch • Early production challenges, setbacks, and lessons learned • Funding the business through Kickstarter • Finding customers and getting onto retail shelves • Their plans for growth, including cans, new flavours, and expansionIf you’re interested in drinks startups, alcohol-free innovation, or the reality of building a brand from nothing, this is a brilliant episode.Follow Euphoria on social media to keep up with their journey.