Founded six years ago by actor-turned-bartender Alex Wolpert in a disused glue factory bordering east London’s Victoria Park (a hotspot for looking chic and enjoying boozy picnics and takeaway drinks now things are opening up), East London Liquor Company is an independent distillery all about great quality spirits for accessible prices – and its slew of industry awards suggests it is nailing the brief.

To mark 12 April, a day that sees the hospitality industry starting to reopen, East London Liquor Co has today launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise £750,000, setting its sights on an expansion project that hopes to take its ‘Drink East’ spirit even further.

What started as a team of five delivering 1,000 bottles of gin a month to east London bars and restaurants, has blossomed into a much bigger operation. It is now producing enough gin to serve more than 43.7 million G&Ts a year and, since 2014, has broadened its offering, to import vodka, rum, whisky and other gins, and distributing these award-winning spirits throughout the UK and internationally.

Despite a global pandemic, the distillery has managed to keep up momentum, and in the past three years has released seven whiskies, launched into select UK Waitrose, Tesco, and Co-Op stores, and, in 2020, joined forces with Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew to create a series of iconic products, using botanicals directly from the historic gardens.

Not a newcomer to crowdfunding, in 2018, East London Liquor Co launched London’s first rye whisky in over a century, crowdfunding over £1m in 36 hours to make it happen. This success allowed it to quadruple its whisky production and bring its drinks to new markets, including New York and California.

The new raised capital will be used to focus on growth across five key areas: increased production, an expanded eCommerce platform, increased footfall and experiences, new products, and working to get its products enjoyed by more people, both nationally and internationally.

Founder Alex Wolpert says, ‘It feels only right to launch our crowdfunding campaign on one of the most exciting days of the year for everyone: the day hospitality begins to re-open and friends and family can finally be together again. Using the capital that we secure from this next round, we will continue to invest in our key export markets and our home turf, lay down 250 casks of whisky each year by 2023, and launch exciting new products, including delicious new collaborations with London’s Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Join us as we continue to grow!’

To find out more, visit crowdcube.com/eastlondonliquorcompany

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