Melbourne-based ready-to-serve cocktail company Curatif has secured $2.5 million in seed funding, and extended its nationwide ranging with Endeavour Group.
From September, Curatif’s full suite of premium canned cocktails will be available to consumers across the country from selected Dan Murphy’s and BWS stores, helping to meet the growing demand for bar-quality cocktails at home.
“We are expecting premium canned cocktails to be one of this spring and summer’s biggest drinks trends,” said Endeavour Group’s Premix Category Manager, Lance Friedman.
“Customers got into the spirit of making cocktails and discovering exciting flavours during lockdown, and canned cocktails are a continuation of that trend but are making the art of enjoying cocktails a lot more convenient, while not compromising on quality.”
The $2.5 million in seed funding was provided by a consortium of private investors led by Brodie Arnhold, who also has significant investments in Aussie companies including Shaver Shop, Endota Spa, and Industry Beans.
“Our consortium loves that this is a founder-led business in a new category that has the ability to be the fastest-growing beverage category globally,” said Arnhold.
“The prestigious international awards their cocktails consistently win are a testament to their strong product differentiation and genuine IP around quality and shelf life.”
In the last 12 months, Curatif has won seven awards in the San Francisco World Spirits Competition including a Double Gold, four of the top gongs at the World Premix Awards including World’s Best Classic and Contemporary Cocktails, and three Gold Medals at the prestigious SIP Awards.
Arnhold continued, “Curatif is re-imagining how and where people experience a perfectly made, bar-quality cocktail, while also creating an incredible brand platform for their spirits partners. Through their world-class cocktails, Curatif introduces consumers to artisan, locally produced spirits while also bringing storied global brands into their lives and homes in a fun new way.
The company has also been innovating in e-commerce, with their cocktail subscription Club model, through which they curate and deliver four exclusive new cocktails to subscribers every month. Curatif really gets their customers and understands that they want to order world-class cocktails off their phones and enjoy the surprise and experience of discovering new drinks on their doorstep every month. This connection they have with their consumers is unique and powerful, and certainly piqued our interest in terms of the company’s long-term growth potential.”
The investment funds will be used to expand Curatif’s manufacturing capacity, grow its team in Victoria, and continue to build its digital presence and brand, both at home in Australia and internationally.
“To hit this milestone, both financially and in our distribution footprint, is a huge step forward for us,” says Curatif Co-Founder Matt Sanger.
“It will allow us to continue delivering drinks experiences that Aussies have previously only found at the bar to their home, in the convenience of a can. It will see us continuing to support the world’s best brands and bars through unique collaborations and, importantly, it will see more people drinking better cocktails.”
Demand for canned cocktails is accelerating at pace, with the global canned cocktail market forecast to grow more than sixfold over the next 10 years, from US $25B in 2020 to US $155B in 2030[1].
Canned cocktails are a sub-segment of the premixed drinks category, which grew by 30.2 per cent in 2019/20 in Australia[2] and is expected to see continued growth in 2021 and beyond.
Curatif’s cocktails are available from www.curatif.com and leading retailers.
[1] FactMR, 2020, “Canned Cocktails Forecast, Trend, Analysis & Competition Tracking – Global Market Insights 2020 to 2030
[2] IRI market research, 2019/20