Two Drifters secures £250,000 loan to meet rising demand
English rum distillery Two Drifters has secured a loan from the British Business Bank’s South West Investment Fund to enable it to increase production and further invest in UK and international sales.
The Devon-based producer crafts all of its spirit from scratch – fermenting, distilling, ageing and bottling on-site.
The distillery is all-electric, powered by 100% renewable energy, and applies a self-imposed internal carbon tax to guide procurement and operations toward the lowest-carbon options available. This framework positions the brand as one of the UK’s most sustainability-led rum producers.
The value of the loan is £250,000 (US$334,440), and will allow the distillery to scale production to meet rising demand from the on-trade and retailers, and support continued overseas expansion via increased marketing activities.
The brand hopes these efforts will boost its sales in the UK and abroad, including global travel retail and its export markets, where interest in British rum and sustainable production is said to be growing.
Co-founder Dr Russ Wakeham said: “This support comes at exactly the right moment. Demand for our rum is increasing in the UK and internationally, and this loan allows us to build stock, strengthen production and keep full control of the business as we grow. The South West Investment Fund understands the needs of manufacturers, which makes it an ideal fit for us.”
Co-founder Gemma Wakeham added: “We’ve always believed that British rum can stand alongside the best in the world — and that it can be made more sustainably. Running an all-electric distillery, using renewable energy, and applying our own internal carbon tax keeps us accountable to that. This funding will help us produce more, serve more customers, and build the Two Drifters brand across new markets.”
The South West Investment Fund seeks to drive sustainable economic growth by supporting innovation and creating local opportunity for new and growing businesses across the South West.
The carbon-negative rum producer landed the loan via The FSE Group, which provides high-growth SMEs with accessible market-gap funding.
Hannah Sprague, investment manager at The FSE Group, said: “Two Drifters is a great example of a South West business combining innovation with sustainability. Their approach to carbon-negative production and renewable energy is impressive, and we’re pleased to support their plans to grow both in the UK and overseas. It’s exciting to see businesses like this driving positive change in the drinks industry.”
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