Cocktail Keg Company secures £1.2M to fuel expansion

Belfast-based Cocktail Keg Company (CKC) has secured £1.2 million in investment to expand across the UK, Ireland, and into new markets in Europe and the Middle East.

Led by the Investment Fund for Northern Ireland (IFNI), managed by Clarendon Fund Managers, the funding includes £500,000 from IFNI and support from local investors such as Trevor Annon, founder of catering giant Mount Charles.

Established in 2017 by industry veterans Paul “Burnszy” Burns and Anthony “Soda” Farrell, CKC specialises in premium, freshly batched cocktails that can be served by non-trained staff. This innovation, using high-quality ingredients, caters to the on-trade, off-trade, and event sectors, filling a market gap for accessible, high-end cocktails. CKC recently signed a three-year distribution deal with Enotria & Coe, giving it a strong platform for further market penetration.

Anthony “Soda” Farrell expressed excitement about the company’s growth potential, saying, “We have over 20 years’ experience creating cocktail menus in bars across the world, and we formed CKC with the ambition of creating innovative serves that not only taste great but are also as sustainable as we can make them.” Farrell highlighted CKC’s unique positioning, adding, “We believe we have created a truly unique, premium product and we’re really delighted to have our new investors on board to go on the next phase of the journey with us.”

CKC’s range is known not only for bold flavours but also for sustainability. The company has developed a citrus ingredient alternative to replace imported limes and lemons, helping to reduce customers’ carbon footprint. Burnszy underscored CKC’s streamlined approach, saying, “Perfecting the art of mixology takes years, huge amounts of skill, and a fair bit of theatre. We’ve done all the hard work and put that in a bottle so all our customers have to do is shake, garnish, and serve.”

The investment will support CKC’s expansion, with plans to add at least six new roles over the next six months. Stuart Gaffikin from Clarendon Fund Managers praised CKC’s achievements: “CKC is a fantastic example of a really innovative company based in Northern Ireland, which has created an amazing product that is already reaching national and international customers.”

Mark Sterritt, Nations and Regions Investment Funds Director at the British Business Bank, added, “CKC has all the ingredients to be a great local success story… [they’ve] created unique, premium products that are clearly filling a gap in the market.”