Seedlip hires ex-Belvedere head for portfolio expansion

Seedlip has recruited Belvedere Vodka’s former head of spirit creation, Claire Smith-Warner, as it prepares to expand its portfolio of non-alcoholic spirits.

Claire Smith-Warner will work closely with Seedlip founder Ben Branson (both pictured above)

Smith-Warner was most recently director of spirits education within the wine and spirits sector at LVMH, Moët Hennessy.

In her new position with Seedlip, she will work closely with brand founder Ben Branson on the development and launch of new brands, which will form part of Seedlip’s non-alcoholic portfolio of products.

Seedlip has grown year-on-year since its creation in 2015, and now boasts a 40-strong staff roster globally. In May 2016, Seedlip unveiled its second product, called Seedlip Garden 108.

Branson said: “At Seedlip, we are committed to leading this nascent category and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in this space.

“Having the support of the most prominent bartenders, chefs and industry influencers has been fantastic and to have one such as Claire joining is testament to what we have achieved at Seedlip to date.

“I am very much looking forward to working with Claire to expand our portfolio with exciting new propositions relevant to tomorrow’s drinker.”

Diageo announced its investment in Seedlip in 2016 through the group’s accelerator programme Distell Ventures.