Hey {{first_name}} ,
This week we sat down with Louis Brannan, founder of Brink, the non-alcoholic cocktail brand that lost all of its new stock, in a warehouse fire just a few weeks ago. We get into what this means for a solo, self-funded founder Louis, and why he's already plotting the comeback.
Elsewhere, Kendall Jenner just became a shareholder and global ambassador for TRIP, Revibed closed their Dragon's Den deal, and Collider became the first indie functional alcohol-free beer to land in UK grocery.
Let's get into it 👇
📱 From the Feed
What we posted on our socials last week
📍 3 challenger brands going big on OOH: Living Things Soda took over 100s of billboards, tube stations and buses across London for "Refresh Your Inner Thing," a nudge to reach for a soda as summer ends and routines kick back in. ManiLife went full seduction with slow-mo drip and unhinged indulgence for their first ever TV ad, now live on ITV2, ITV3 and ITVX. Bold Bean Co did their first ever OOH too, upside down jar and logo, no CTA, with bean fanatics from their community Facebook groups instead of models.
🍺 Collider becomes the first indie functional alcohol-free beer in Morrisons: Collider is now on shelf in 284 Morrisons stores with its Lager and Session IPA, the first time an independent functional beer has made it into UK grocery. Lion's mane mushroom and ashwagandha sit alongside the alcohol-free brewing process, giving the category a reason to reach for a can beyond just cutting out the alcohol. Launched DTC in 2024, Collider built up through listings at Dishoom, The Hoxton, Six Senses and Planet Organic before making the retail jump.
💰 £325,000+ was up for grabs at The Beverage Forum's Pitch Slam: 10 emerging drinks brands got 60 seconds each on stage at Abbey Road Studios to pitch for a prize package covering US market entry, formulation, category insights and strategic advisory. Applications closed on 10 September, with judges including Jac Ross (Sprouts Farmers Market), Ananda Roy (Circana) and Launa Humphreys (Holland & Barrett). Winners will be announced live at the event on 1 October.
💬 Last week's interview: OOM lands The Salad Project, Daylesford and Fortnum & Mason: OOM, the alcohol-free functional drinks brand built by siblings Ellie and Will Womersley who we interviewed last week, has landed a dream listing across all The Salad Project locations plus Daylesford Organic and Fortnum & Mason. The brand grew out of the pair's lockdown obsession with lion's mane mushroom and a gap they couldn't find filled, a great-tasting functional drink with no caffeine or artificial sweeteners.
👀 ICYMI: Brand Moves
Things you might’ve missed last week
🐉 Revibed closes Dragon's Den deal: Revibed's Dragon's Den episode aired, with founder and her Dad securing an offer from Steven Bartlett. Described as an emotional full circle moment, coming after one of the most difficult years for the family and across the business.
🚀 Punchy brings on its co-packer Belvoir Farm as an investor: Punchy has brought Belvoir Farm, its manufacturing partner of three years, into its latest funding round. The hydration brand is now stocked in Sainsbury's, Waitrose, Boots, Holland & Barrett, Whole Foods and Planet Organic, with a growing list of export markets.
💰 Btomorrow Ventures backs Feisty: Btomorrow Ventures, BAT's venture arm, has added Feisty to its portfolio as part of a wider wellness push. The round also included new investment into Caliwater and follow-on funding into Moment, AWAKE Chocolate and Mais Mu.
✌️ Kendall Jenner joins TRIP as shareholder and global ambassador: TRIP has brought on Kendall Jenner as both a shareholder and global ambassador, one of the highest-profile examples yet of public figures moving from campaign fees into equity. It follows a run of similar US deals, including Alix Earle's stakes in Poppi and SipMARGS, and Kendall, Alix and Hailey Bieber's involvement in Cymbiotika.
💬 5 Minutes With: Brink
Weekly interview series
The startup that burned down overnight.
Louis built Brink to prove non-alcoholic drinks don't have to be an afterthought. Stocked in Selfridges and independents across the country. A few weeks ago, a warehouse fire wiped out all of Brink's new stock: 7,000 cans, along with the sales and funding that stock would have unlocked for the next stage of the business. He talked to us about what that actually costs a solo, self-funded founder, and why he's already planning the comeback.
You lost 7,000 cans in a warehouse fire. What did that mean for the business?
“Every Brink production run pays for the next, so losing 7,000 cans meant losing the money that would have funded the next stage of the business. I chose to keep Brink independent so it could grow sustainably, without the pressure of outside investment, and remain focused on the consumer. The downside is that this structure offers less protection when something completely unexpected happens, which has temporarily put the brakes on what we are able to supply.”
What does an experience like that feel like as a solo, self-funded founder?
“It taught me that independence comes with unseen challenges, as well as the obvious ones. Capital helps businesses grow faster, but it also gives them more room when something unexpected happens. When you are self-funded, you are limited by whatever disposable income is left from your salary each month, without a wider pool of capital sitting behind the business. When things go well, people see the independence as part of the story and it works in your favour. When they do not, the full weight sits on your shoulders, particularly when you are a solo founder.”
Has it changed your view on if you can build a successful independent F&B brand?
“Yes, definitely. After two and a half years of building Brink, and after the fire, I am much less certain that an independent brand can succeed by simply following the traditional F&B route and hoping limited budgets and resources stretch far enough. Independence cannot stop at owning the company. It has to shape how you make the product, reach your audience and run the business. There are real benefits to being self-funded because people can see the passion, dedication and intentionality behind what you are building. For me, the fire taught me that we need to build our own lane operationally, not just through our brand and how we go to market.”
Given all of that, why are you determined to come back, and what happens next?
“There is a real urgency to bring Brink back. Since sharing what happened, people have offered to pre-order, asked about investing and reached out wanting to support the business, while customers still ask every week when the products will return. It made me realise that pausing Brink does not only affect me, there are people who feel part of the brand and want it to continue. I am still working through whether what comes next is Brink, Brink 2.0 or something broader, and nothing has been decided. What I do know is that it cannot simply be the same business restarted. It needs to keep what people loved and use everything I have learned to build something bigger and better, with the goal of becoming the most exciting and creative drinks brand.”
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Got something worth sharing with FMCG brands, buyers and investors?
📅 FSI Expo, 29-30 Sept, ExCeL London: the Food Service Industry Expo brings together buyers, investors and food service experts across drinks, hospitality and retail. Register through our partner link.
📅 The Beverage Forum, 1 October, Abbey Road Studios, London: Europe's drinks industry gathering returns for its second year, bringing together retailers, investors and operators for a day of insight, category strategy and high-value networking. Register here.
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‘Til next week
