SB meets… August Ullrich, O’Donnell Moonshine

The co-founder of award-winning O’Donnell Moonshine is on a mission to educate people about the drink, and change perceptions about what he sees as an exciting category with potential.

Tell us about the brand.

Philip Morsink and I created the brand right after university in 2014. Back then, we felt that there was space in the spirits industry for a fresh premium liqueur. Most liqueur brands were either super cheap or very old school in appearance, nothing you wanted to bring to a party as a gift. With O’Donnell Moonshine, we wanted to change that and create a premium liqueur brand that has an amazing look. The quality of its ingredients are top notch, and our range of flavours means we can cater to many tastes.

Where did the idea to create O’Donnell Moonshine come from?

With spirits in mind, we wanted to create a brand that would work in many different flavours. Knowing about moonshine and its heritage from trips to the US, we soon made the connection, and thought that this could be a good match. Moonshine is a word to describe many different types of alcohol, but also having a rich history, clear design language and contemporary feel was a great start. Then, after weeks of research we stumbled upon Edward ‘Spike’ O’Donnell, our namesake, the leader of the O’Donnell South Side Gang in Chicago. Not only was he a real bootlegger, but he also survived the Prohibition area.

What is your flagship product?

We have 10 flavours in our portfolio, and we’re constantly producing new ones. But our bestsellers, available year-round, are: Tough Nut, which won a Master award at The Liqueur Masters 2023, and Wild Berry, which not only won a Master award but was also named Taste Master.

How have you seen interest in moonshine change since you launched the brand?

When we launched, far fewer people than we thought knew about moonshine, and this is slowly changing now. We are slowly creating a new category in the premium liqueur segment called moonshine, and people seem to want to join our gang.

Which markets are you focusing on, and why?

We are directly active in four markets, with subsidiaries in Germany, UK, Austria, and the Netherlands, but indirectly we are available in 10 other countries. In 2024 we plan to expand in Europe, with the opening of a French branch. We are always looking for partners to enter new markets.

What have your sales been like this past year?

The market environment was not easy, but we are pleased with our year-over-year growth rate of 30%. Our forecast for next year is even more ambitious, at 40%-50%, but that’s because our company setup became much more professional in the past two years, and also because of the increased interest in the category.

Which new products are you working on?

We are always working on new products, and launch around three to four flavours each year, but many of them take quite some time to realise. In summer we are launching an elderflower liqueur that has been in development for two years. It has taken our suppliers this long to find enough farmers that harvest high-quality elderflowers and are willing to supply us.

What are your plans for O’Donnell Moonshine in 2024?

We want to come back to our growth trajectory, and continue to disrupt the liqueur industry. With our team of 130 full-time employees in Berlin and Manchester, we are more than ready to do so. We follow our mission statement and strive to make moonshine a household category in Europe, while staying rebels.