Arrowtown secures backing following 300% growth
Ready-to-drink (RTD) vodka soda brand Arrowtown Drinks has landed £400,000 (US$538,000) of investment to support expansion across retail, festivals and the on-trade.
Arrowtown Drinks, which is described as a ‘better-for-you’ vodka soda brand, was founded by brothers Rob and James Smith who sought to ‘make a drink that’s fit for the 21st century’.
The brand boasts a portfolio of naturally flavoured vodka sodas, which includes Lime & Elderflower, Peach & Raspberry, Black Cherry & Apple, and Mango & Pineapple expressions, all of which contain no sweeteners, preservatives or artificial ingredients.
Arrowtown also has a social mission to help stop ocean-bound plastic bottles from completing their journey.
Via a partnership with Ocean Co, the brand has pledged to fund the collection of at least 3,600 kilograms of ocean-bound plastic this year. So far, Arrowtown has collected more than 300,000 ocean-bound plastic bottles.
Now, the duo has attracted the backing of Mark Philip-Sorensen of Sorven Capital – an early investor in Wild, Mindful Chef and Method – along with strategic angel investors, including seasoned consumer brand founders, senior FMCG executives, and a former non-executive director of Co-op.
In addition to £400,000 in funding, these investors are said to bring with them deep expertise and commercial networks to support Arrowtown’s next stage of growth.
Philip-Sorensen said: “At Sorven Capital, we look for founders with vision and purpose and Arrowtown ticks the box. This is more than just a great-looking brand; it’s a business built on values that matter: sustainability, authenticity, and bold creativity.
“The UK RTD market is ripe for disruption, and we believe Arrowtown has the team, product, and energy to become a category-defining challenger. We’re proud to back a company that not only understands where the market is going, but also what consumers are truly looking for.”
The funding will be used to scale Arrowtown’s presence across retail, on-trade and major events, as well as to grow its team to support demand.
The raise comes during a breakout year for the brand, which is on track to grow by more than 300% this year.
In addition, the brand has launched with six new wholesale partners and secured listings in various channels, including Anfield stadium and various flagship independent retailers. It is also stocked in Midcounties Co-ops.
Arrowtown has also had presence at various summer events. At Radio 1’s Big Weekend, the brand beat its forecast sales by 56% and posted a 36% year-on-year increase in units sold.
Co-founder Rob Smith said: “We started Arrowtown with a simple mission: to make drinks fit for the 21st century – clean, light, and refreshing, with real flavour and none of the rubbish.
“Having bootstrapped the brand for three years, this investment comes at a pivotal moment as we build momentum across retail, wholesale, and festivals. It will allow us to grow the team and scale the business as we continue to take the fight to the big boys.”
Earlier this year, we looked at what is driving the success of RTDs.
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