Ellie Goulding’s Served names new board execs

Hard seltzer brand Served, co-owned by singer Ellie Goulding, has appointed two drinks industry veterans as board members following a multi-million-pound investment.

Hector Gorosabel, former Asahi Group CEO, and Matt Tapper, previously managing director of Lion Beverages, have joined Served Drinks as senior board advisors. They join Justin King, former Sainsbury’s CEO, who sits on the board.

All three backed a recent multi-million-pound investment round.

Dean Ginsberg, co-founder and joint CEO of Served, commented: “It’s a hugely exciting time for the brand and the hard seltzer category more broadly. We have ambitions to lead the category, go the distance, and change the way the next generation drinks – and to do this, we need the very best people around us.

“Hector and Matt bring decades of experience scaling some of the world’s most successful premium alcohol brands and we look forward to working alongside them. We are just getting started.”

Served revenue in the off-trade is up by 1,304% year on year, and 960% in the on-trade.

The brand is due to launch with one of the ‘big four’ grocers in the UK later this summer.

Served is focused on the Gen Z and Millennial markets, and will remain committed to direct-to-consumer sales. The brand is on track to sell more than three million cans via its e-commerce website alone this year.

Tapper commented: “The brand has gained exceptional traction in a short period of time, and is already responsible for driving much of the premiumisation in the category.

“I look forward to supporting the business to accelerate its growth trajectory and cement its position as the leading premium hard seltzer in the UK and further afield.”

The hard seltzer recently unveiled its tree-planting initiative with bar group Darwin & Wallace and carbon-offsetting platform Ecologi.

In July this year, two Facebook posts from Served were banned by the UK’s advertising watchdog for making health claims.