DrinkWell, the low-calorie alcohol retailer, has secured £1M investment from a private investor to fuel its ambitious expansion plans.
The funding will enable the Manchester-based eCommerce retailer to scale, growing its team, while investing in product development including the launch of two new brands, Lean Brew IPA and Traces Wine. In addition, DrinkWell has plans to add several new features to its retail business, expand into the European market and invest in marketing to further build its brand, plus drive recruitment, creating jobs across various areas of the business.
Over the last decade DrinkWell founder, Tom Bell, has been disrupting the alcohol market with several product launches in the low-calorie alcohol space and more recently, the launch of the dedicated eCommerce store to cater to increasingly health-conscious consumers.
Recent Mintel data has suggested scrutiny of the alcohol space has highlighted the need for brands across the sector to improve their credentials. The research also solidified the growing trend for low-calorie alcohol products, uncovering 33% of drinkers pay close attention to the number of calories in drinks.[i] Furthermore, earlier this year, the Alcohol Health Alliance found it’s possible to reach the NHS’ recommended daily sugar limit by drinking just two medium-sized glasses of wine.[ii]
To add to this, according to the National Institute for Health and Care Research, obesity is one of the leading risk factors in ill health and death amongst working aged adults in England, costing the NHS £6.1 billion every year. The government research body also recognises alcohol calories are potential contributing factors to weight gain and obesity. As, amongst those who consume alcohol, its consumption is estimated to account for 7% of female calorie intake and 8% of males, which many are unaware of. While every year, 3.5 million adults consume an additional days’ worth of calories each week, amounting to almost an additional two months of food each year.[iii]
Tom Bell, founder of DrinkWell, comments: “For the last few years I’ve made it my life’s work to bring healthier alternatives to the masses, working tirelessly to help UK consumers who enjoy drinking alcohol, but are becoming increasingly concerned about the impact it can have on their health, to find better alternatives to the products they previously had access to.
“The lifestyle drinks market is booming with innovation and more importantly, consumer demand, and DrinkWell is the home of both. We’re now seeing phenomenal demand for cleaner, lighter, and healthier alternatives that don’t compromise on ABV. For this very reason, I created a marketplace for exactly that.”
DrinkWell prides itself on giving consumers the facts to make an informed decision when it comes to their drink of choice. There is no ambiguity on the dietary information of its products, with everything from calories, sugar, ABV (alcohol by volume) and carbohydrates displayed for every product across the board – something the company has lobbied for the industry to follow suit on.
“The shift in consumer demand for lifestyle and healthier options is relentlessly accelerating. We are seeing so much growth in this space and thankfully we have solidified our position as the retailer and now wholesaler of choice for those brands.
“Thanks to the investment we have received, we are also progressing our wholesale proposition directly into the trade – offering a one-stop shop to offer a ‘better for you’ drinks category. Plus, we have several more of our own label products launching over the coming months,” concludes Tom.
