The Bottlegreen Drinks Company hit on the idea for its flagship product by happy accident.
The business was founded in 1989 by husband and wife team Kit and Shireen Morris, who met while working at a vineyard. After deciding to strike out alone and create English elderflower wine, they hit upon a snag wine takes a long time to develop, and cash flow at the fledgling business was incredibly tight.
To ease the financial pressure they made an elderflower cordial in their kitchen that they sold to local delis and farm shops. The cordial was an instant hit and attracted the attention of Waitrose. Today Bottlegreen boasts a range of flavours and has listings in most multiples.
Cordial sales are up 8% year-on-year, according to Bottlegreen MD Simon Spear, who predicts further growth following the launch of Squeezy Squash a triple-strength cordial in a squeezy bottle (rsp: £1.79 for 430ml).
"This is a completely new innovation," he says.
"We are literally turning the way of dispensing the product on its head. It is recyclable, it is lighter, takes up less space, delivers great taste, and is more environmentally friendly, saving road food miles and carbon footprint." A new 330ml still range will be backed by a major PR campaign, says Spear, who promises further moves in the months ahead.
"We will be making minor adjustments to our ranges replacing lines with products that will meet consumer tastes better. An example of this is the removal of Summer Fruits from our cordial range and replacement with Strawberry & Elderflower."
Focus On Soft Drinks
The business was founded in 1989 by husband and wife team Kit and Shireen Morris, who met while working at a vineyard. After deciding to strike out alone and create English elderflower wine, they hit upon a snag wine takes a long time to develop, and cash flow at the fledgling business was incredibly tight.
To ease the financial pressure they made an elderflower cordial in their kitchen that they sold to local delis and farm shops. The cordial was an instant hit and attracted the attention of Waitrose. Today Bottlegreen boasts a range of flavours and has listings in most multiples.
Cordial sales are up 8% year-on-year, according to Bottlegreen MD Simon Spear, who predicts further growth following the launch of Squeezy Squash a triple-strength cordial in a squeezy bottle (rsp: £1.79 for 430ml).
"This is a completely new innovation," he says.
"We are literally turning the way of dispensing the product on its head. It is recyclable, it is lighter, takes up less space, delivers great taste, and is more environmentally friendly, saving road food miles and carbon footprint." A new 330ml still range will be backed by a major PR campaign, says Spear, who promises further moves in the months ahead.
"We will be making minor adjustments to our ranges replacing lines with products that will meet consumer tastes better. An example of this is the removal of Summer Fruits from our cordial range and replacement with Strawberry & Elderflower."
Focus On Soft Drinks
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