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

This episode of Evolve to Succeed covers…

o Starting a business by setting big goals and taking risks.

o The risks and rewards of bootstrapping a business.

o Building a strong team for long-term success.

o Adapting to global challenges, such as conflict and pandemics.

o Creating memorable experiences for customers and focusing on consumer preferences to drive change.

o How Conker operates its own distillery, distinguishing it from white label brands.

o Sustainability and how Conker aims to be a positive contributor by 2030.

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