What Craft Drink does

Craft Drink (legal: The Craft Drink Co. Ltd) is a UK B2B wholesale distributor of British craft beverages, founded in 2014 and headquartered in Bourton-on-the-Water, Gloucestershire. The company curates and supplies a portfolio of more than 170 producer brands spanning 1,500+ SKUs across twelve categories — beer, cider, mead, English wine, gin, whisky, vodka, rum, other spirits, pre-mixed cocktails, no & low, and soft drinks — to over 1,000 trade customers nationwide. Its go-to-market is sales-led, with a trade ordering portal for buyers and a hybrid distribution model combining an owned van fleet in its Cotswolds/heartland region with pallet and courier partners for broader UK coverage.

Name

Craft Drink

Legal name

The Craft Drink Co. Ltd

Website

https://craftdrink.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Craft Drink is a UK B2B wholesale distributor of British craft drinks, supplying 1,500+ products from 170+ brands to 1,000+ trade customers across hospitality and independent retail via a sales-led trade portal and owned-van-plus-courier logistics.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Beverage Wholesale Distribution

SIC

Wholesale-Beer, Wine & Distilled Alcoholic Beverages (5180)

akta.pro primary industry

Craft & Specialty Beverage Wholesale (Local/Artisanal) (AFAIAGAH)

Keywords

• Craft drink wholesale
• B2B beverage distribution
• British craft beer
• Trade drinks portal
• Hospitality drink supply

Headquarters

HQ city

Bourton on the Water, Gloucestershire

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. B2B Wholesale Distribution: Craft Drink generates revenue by purchasing drinks from artisan producers at wholesale prices and reselling to trade customers (retailers and hospitality businesses) with margin. They offer a single price list for all customers with monthly promotions. First orders are settled pro forma, with credit accounts available thereafter.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Craft Drink is a B2B wholesale distributor that aggregates over 1,500 drinks from approximately 170 British craft drink brands into a single trade ordering platform. The company supplies retailers and hospitality businesses across the UK with beers, ciders, spirits, wines, no & low options, and soft drinks, via a Trade Portal (online 24/7 ordering), dedicated account managers, and a zoned delivery network spanning own vans and pallet/courier partners.

Product overview

Craft Drink is a Cotswold-based drinks wholesaler serving as a one-stop B2B destination for trade purchasing of British craft drinks. The company operates primarily through its Trade Portal platform for online ordering, offering a portfolio spanning over 1,500 drinks from approximately 170 British craft brands. The product range includes distinct drink categories: Craft Beer (70+ breweries), Craft Cider (traditional West Country makers), Mead, English Wine, Craft Gin, British Whisky, Premium Vodka, British Rum, Other Spirits & Liqueurs, Pre-mixed Cocktails, No & Low (non-alcoholic options), and Soft Drinks. Key branded products from suppliers include Cotswolds Distillery (whisky and gin), Three Tuns Brewery, Lo Bros Kombucha, Dutch Barn Vodka, Bensons The Juicers, Cacto Drinks, Hullabaloos, Mydflower Wild Wine, Rich's Cider, Dillions Vineyard, DEYA Brewing Co., Monty's Brewery, and Nirvana Brewery. The company also provides delivery logistics (van, pallet, courier) and trade account management services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Craft Drink Trade Portal Online B2B ordering platform enabling trade customers to browse 1,500+ products from 170+ British craft drink brands, search by brand/category/county, view tasting notes and pricing, access promotions, manage favorites, and place orders 24/7.
• Craft Beer Portfolio of over 70 breweries offering heritage ales, craft beers, and lagers from British producers, sold through the Craft Drink Trade Portal to trade customers.
• Craft Cider Unrivalled portfolio of traditional West Country cider makers from Somerset and the three counties (Herefordshire, Gloucestershire, Worcestershire), offering classic ciders, perries, fruit ciders, and flagon scrumpy.
• Mead Traditional still meads joined by sparkling meads and meads infused with fruits or hops, adapted for modern drinking.
• English Wine Portfolio including three of England's largest wineries (Chapel Down, Three Choirs, Halfpenny Green) along with small regional vineyards from Central and Southern England.
• Craft Gin Portfolio of outstanding craft gins from leading distilleries including The Cotswolds Distillery, Ludlow Distillery, Salcombe Distillery, 6 O'clock Gin, The Oxford Distillery, Warners, and Winchester.
• British Whisky Internationally acclaimed whisky distilleries from England and Wales including The Cotswolds Distillery, The English Distillery from Norfolk, and Penderyn from South Wales.
• Premium Vodka Collection of outstanding premium English vodkas made from single estate and heritage grains, grape, potato and from cow and ewe's milk.
• British Rum Emerging UK distilleries producing home-grown rum combined with brands blending and finishing carefully selected Caribbean rums.
• Other Spirits & Liqueurs Aperitifs, digestifs, and spirits and liqueurs for cocktails and hipflasks, including British-made drinks for every occasion.
• Pre-mixed Cocktails Growing portfolio of ready-to-drink cocktails in can and bottle, offering premium versatile drink options, including the 2025 Dutch Barn RTD Cocktails range (Black Cherry Cola, British Raspberry Lemonade, Ginger Spiced Lime).
• No & Low Portfolio of low alcohol beers and ciders, 0% botanical spirits, and fermented teas reflecting the growing trend toward moderation.
• Soft Drinks Expanding range of British natural mineral and spirit waters, soft drinks, juices, cordials and mixers including classics (lemonades, ginger beers), natural fruit juices, and health drinks (kombuchas).
• Delivery Services Nationwide delivery by pallet, courier, and own vans across heartland areas. Free delivery thresholds: Zone 1 (£100), Zone 2 (£150), Zone 3 (£250). Minimum order value as low as £125 for free delivery.
• Trade Account Services Trade account application process for retailers and hospitality businesses, providing access to the full product range, pricing, monthly promotions, dedicated account management, and the Trade Portal.

Quantifiable outcome

• Weekly delivery to customers through own vans or partner network

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• The Cotswolds DistillerycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Cotswolds Distillery produces award-winning Single Malt Whisky and gins. Founded by Dan Szor with focus on 'Outstanding Natural Spirits' using locally sourced organic barley. Products include Cotswolds Dry Gin and Single Malt Whisky. Dan's goal was to make world-class artisanal spirits in small batches.
• DEYA Brewing Co.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndependent brewery in Cheltenham focused on hoppy beers, lagers, traditional UK styles and mixed fermentation ales. Renowned for New England IPAs. Flagship 'Steady Rolling Man' voted No.1 beer in the world at We Are Beer 2026 Awards. Committed to sustainability with carbon footprint audit via Zevero.
• Hawkstone LagercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRange of premium British beers and ciders created by Jeremy Clarkson in collaboration with Cotswold Brewery. Named after the Neolithic standing stone in the Cotswolds. Products include Hawkstone Lager (5% ABV), Session Lager (4%), 3.8 Pils, IPA, and Kaleb's Hawkstone Cider. Uses locally grown barley from UK farmers.
• Lo Bros KombuchacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrand founded with passion for transforming traditional fermentation into modern, health-conscious refreshment. Crafting living, unpasteurised kombucha with organic teas, raw sugar, and traditional SCOBY. Naturally low in sugar (less than 1g per 100ml), packed with live cultures. Net-zero plastic certified, removing ocean plastic with every bottle sold.
• Bensons The JuicerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFamily business established in 1999 making apple juice from old press found at National Trust Farm in Sherborne, 5 miles from Craft Drink. Premium range of juices crafted using British fruit with sustainability focus. Products in fully recyclable glass bottles and aluminium cans.
• Dutch Barn VodkacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHandcrafted in small batches in North Yorkshire from British apples with hint of potato spirit, distilled 70+ times. Founded by Chris Fraser; comedian Ricky Gervais became co-owner in late 2023. B Corp certified, Carbon Neutral from day one, committed to Net Zero by 2040.
• Nirvana BrewerycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUK's first-ever brewery dedicated entirely to alcohol-free brewing since 2016. Pioneering no-low revolution; most highly awarded No-Low brewery in market. Achieved B-Corp status in 2026. Family-run business crafting exceptional British beers without compromising flavour.
• Three Tuns BrewerycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBritain's oldest working brewery site in Bishop's Castle, Shropshire, with brewing licence dating back to 1642. Operating from Grade II listed property using rare miniature Victorian gravity tower. Known for traditional real ales and pioneering gluten-free options. Regular appearances at CAMRA's Great British Beer Festival.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• Cotswold Fayre: Distributor of fine and artisan food and drink to independent retail and hospitality, based in the Cotswolds. Highly comparable geography and customer base, with overlapping craft/artisan brand aggregation ethos, though wider into food categories.

Broad incumbents

• LWC Drinks: One of the UK's largest independent drinks wholesalers serving hospitality and retail nationwide. Comparable as a multi-category B2B beverage distributor, but at materially larger scale and broader (including mainstream brands) than Craft Drink's craft focus.
• Enotria Winecellars: Leading UK wine and spirits specialist distributor serving on-trade and off-trade. Comparable as a B2B beverage wholesaler with a curated portfolio approach, though weighted toward wine and at significantly larger scale than Craft Drink.
• Corney & Barrow: UK wine and spirits merchant established in 1780, supplying restaurants, hotels, and private customers. Comparable as a curated B2B supplier of premium and independent drinks to hospitality, with overlap in English and craft wine/spirits.
• Matthew Clark: Major UK on-trade drinks wholesaler part of the C&C Group, serving pubs, restaurants, and hotels nationwide. Comparable as a B2B drinks distributor to hospitality channels, though significantly larger and broader-range than Craft Drink's specialist craft positioning.
• Hallgarten & Novum Wines: UK specialist wine importer and distributor focused on premium and on-trade channels. Comparable in curating a portfolio of independent/quality producers for hospitality, overlapping with Craft Drink's wine and spirits categories.
• Bibendum Wine: UK wine and craft drinks distributor serving hospitality and retail with a focus on premium and independent producers. Comparable curated-distributor model with British craft overlap, though considerably larger and with stronger wine focus.
• The Wine Society: Long-established UK members' wine-buying cooperative with broad portfolio including English wines. Comparable in curating and distributing a quality-led portfolio, though operating a consumer membership model rather than B2B trade.

Emerging players

• Beer Hawk: UK craft beer specialist retailer and subscription business selling to consumers and trade. Comparable in the craft beer aggregation space, though positioned more toward consumers than Craft Drink's B2B trade focus.

Direct peers

• Originally Drinks: UK B2B aggregator of craft and special drinks for the on-trade, operating as a curated multi-brand wholesaler in a very similar model to Craft Drink. Closely comparable on customer base (independent hospitality), breadth of craft portfolio, and trade-portal distribution.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/TheCraftDrinkCo
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-craft-drink-company
• Instagraminstagram.com/craftdrinkco

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Craft Drink