In celebration of their 10-year anniversary, Rupert Holloway talks to Warren about Conker Distillery and the challenges they have faced after a decade in business. Rupert discusses the restlessness that led him to start his own business, the decision to bootstrap the business instead of seeking investment, and the impact of COVID-19 on the distillery industry.
Conker has evolved from being simply a gin brand to a spirit experience distillery brand, which has been driven by customer feedback and recognising that being the best at something doesn’t always guarantee success, which in their case, was gin.
The company has grown the brand by emphasising its genuine, local craft and the fact that it operates its own distillery, distinguishing it from white label brands. Conker Distillery has adopted a two-pronged strategy: owning the local market with its Dorset gin and targeting the national market with its coffee liqueur. With so many insights from one of the UK’s best distillery brands, you don’t want to miss this episode of the Evolve to Succeed Podcast.
Takeaways
Chapters
00:00 – Catching Up with Rupert
02:21 – 10 Years of Conker Distillery
08:03 – Lessons Learned
14:52 – COVID-19
18:40 – Memorable Experiences
25:25 – Conker Spirits
31:25 – White Label Brands
34:14 – Two-Pronged Strategy
41:00 – Sustainability
44:43 – Proudest Moment
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The programme has really kicked me to reflect and made me want this. The company is going to drive forward and not simply go with the flow.
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