Nicholson
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1736
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
Nicholson firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Nicholson
- Legal name
- J&W Nicholson & Co Ltd
- Website
- https://drinknicholson.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1736
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Nicholson industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Premium Spirits & Bottled Cocktails
- NAICS
- Distilleries (312140), Beverage Manufacturing (3121)
- SIC
- Beverages (2080)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Spirits Distilling & Brands (CRADAIAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Ready-to-Drink (RTD) Alcoholic Beverage Production (Canned Cocktails, Hard Seltzer) (AFAFAAAE), Spirits/Cocktail Bars Operated by Producers (THAFALAJ)
Keywords
Where Nicholson is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
Nicholson business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Consumer Product Sales: Direct-to-consumer sales of bottled cocktails, canned RTD cocktails, and spirits through e-commerce platform. Revenue generated from individual product purchases, bundle deals, and gift sets with pricing ranging from £14.75 to £91 per item.
- On-Tap Venue Solutions: B2B on-tap cocktail dispensing solutions for bars, restaurants, hotels, and stadiums. KeyKeg format (20L) distributed to UK, Europe and Caribbean venues with installation and ongoing supply.
- Trade Accounts: B2B trade accounts for hospitality venues, offering wholesale pricing and dedicated account management for ongoing cocktail supply.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Single Bottle - Bottled Cocktails |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Half Bottle - Taster Sizes |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Spirits - Gin & Vodka |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Ready-to-Drink Cans |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Bundles & Gift Sets |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Nicholson product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Nicholson distills and sells premium spirits (London Dry Gin, Blood Orange Gin, English Wheat Vodka) and uses those house-distilled spirits as the base for a range of pre-batched bottled cocktails (Espresso Martini, Tommy's Margarita, Negroni, Mojito) and ready-to-drink canned cocktails. The company also distributes cocktails on tap in 20L KeyKeg format to bars, restaurants, hotels, and stadiums across the UK, Europe, and the Caribbean. Products are sold direct-to-consumer via an owned e-commerce site and to hospitality venues through trade accounts and on-tap installation partnerships.
Product overview
Nicholson is a London-based spirits and bottled cocktail company founded in 1736, making it Britain's oldest gin brand. The product portfolio centers on three main categories: (1) Bottled Cocktails including Espresso Martini, Tommy's Margarita, Negroni, and Mojito in 70cl bottles; (2) Premium Spirits including Original London Dry Gin, Blood Orange Gin, and English Wheat Vodka; (3) Ready-to-Drink Cans including Margarita, Espresso Martini, Pomelo Spritz, and Paloma in 200ml format. The company also offers bundled products like The Cocktail House Selection (8-pack of canned cocktails) and The Bottled Cocktail Selection (3-bottle discovery set). For commercial venues, Nicholson provides On Tap solutions in 20L KeyKeg format. All cocktails use Nicholson's own distilled spirits as their base, giving the range distinctive depth and quality control from grain to glass.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Quantifiable outcome
- 270% increase in cocktail sales
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Nicholson
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Nicholson technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Nicholson partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.
- Chelsea Football ClubflagshipOfficial cocktail supplier partnership with Chelsea FC. Nicholson provides cocktails on tap and canned RTD products for the stadium, with branded activations and match-day promotions. The Club Collection product line features Chelsea-branded packaging.
- GlassettecoreCollaboration with leading homeware marketplace Glassette for curated lifestyle pairings and gifting recommendations.
- Shaquille-Aaron KeithcoreArtist in residence program with multi-disciplinary artist Shaquille-Aaron Keith creating limited edition labels for London Dry Gin and Blood Orange Gin. Afro-surrealist artwork celebrating British/Caribbean heritage with original poetry included in gift boxes.
- Lucky SevenminorMerchandise collaboration producing branded apparel including caps and t-shirts under the Lucky Seven x Nicholson line.
- Blue WaterscoreHotel partner delivering world-class cocktails, enhanced service and experience through Nicholson's on-tap cocktail solution.
- Lusty GlazecoreCornwall beach bar achieving 270% boost in cocktail sales using Nicholson's on-tap solution.
- Rocks GroupcoreAntigua's premier restaurants achieving 69% enhancement in cocktail sales across the venue group.
- Maurel FrèresminorLunar Collection premier rosé on-tap partnership introduced for the first time in the Caribbean market.
- West Indies Cricket / T20 World CupminorSports event partnership achieving 500% increase in cocktail sales during the T20 World Cup.
- UP BarflagshipFlagship cocktail bar operated by Nicholson in Antigua, Caribbean. Focuses on creatives, cocktail lovers, and like-minded brands.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves1 record
Nicholson competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Funkin Cocktails: UK-based pre-mixed and bottled cocktail company selling to both retail and on-premise venues. Closest direct peer by product format (bottled cocktails), target customers (home entertaining + hospitality), and UK-centric distribution model.
- Sipsmith: London-based gin distillery with a strong craft/heritage narrative and on-premise focus. Comparable as a London premium gin producer competing for the same bartender and venue accounts Nicholson targets with its house-distilled London Dry Gin.
- MOTH Drinks: Premium canned cocktail brand founded by the team behind the Michelin-starred Lyle's, offering a curated range of classic cocktails in cans. Direct competitor in the premium RTD/canned cocktail shelf space Nicholson targets.
- Tails Cocktails: Premium bottled cocktail brand offering bar-quality serves for at-home entertaining. Directly competes with Nicholson's bottled cocktail range on the same DTC and gifting occasions.
- Portobello Road Gin: London craft gin distillery with a heritage/Prohibition-era brand story and direct-to-consumer focus. Comparable as a London craft gin competing on shelf, in venues, and on DTC against Nicholson's Original London Dry Gin.
Broad incumbents
- Bacardi: Global spirits major with broad RTD and bottled cocktail offerings (e.g., Mojito-style serves). Represents the kind of well-capitalised, multi-market competitor Nicholson must differentiate against in on-premise and DTC channels.
- Campari Group: Owner of Aperol, Campari and other aperitivo brands that anchor the Negroni/Aperol Spritz occasions Nicholson targets with bottled and canned cocktails. A key incumbent shaping the premium bitter/cocktail moment Nicholson competes within.
- Diageo: Global spirits giant whose portfolio (including Tanqueray, Captain Morgan, Smirnoff, Bulleit) competes across Nicholson's gin, vodka, and pre-mixed cocktail categories. Defines the scale and marketing benchmark Nicholson must match in the RTD and premium gin spaces.
- Beefeater: Mass-market London Dry Gin owned by Pernod Ricard, sold globally through established on-premise and off-premise distribution. Competes with Nicholson's London Dry Gin on the same bottle shelves and bar back bars, but at significantly larger scale.
- Tanqueray: Iconic London Dry Gin owned by Diageo with global distribution and strong bartender brand recognition. Competes with Nicholson for premium gin occasions and is a key shelf and back-bar incumbent.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Nicholson social profiles
Digital presenceNicholson financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Nicholson leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Nicholson funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Nicholson M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Nicholson
What does Nicholson do?
Nicholson distills and sells premium spirits (London Dry Gin, Blood Orange Gin, English Wheat Vodka) and uses those house-distilled spirits as the base for a range of pre-batched bottled cocktails (Espresso Martini, Tommy's Margarita, Negroni, Mojito) and ready-to-drink canned cocktails. The company also distributes cocktails on tap in 20L KeyKeg format to bars, restaurants, hotels, and stadiums across the UK, Europe, and the Caribbean. Products are sold direct-to-consumer via an owned e-commerce site and to hospitality venues through trade accounts and on-tap installation partnerships.
Is Nicholson a public or private company?
Nicholson is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Nicholson founded?
Nicholson was founded in 1736. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Nicholson based?
Nicholson is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Nicholson make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Consumer Product Sales are the primary driver. The others are on-Tap Venue Solutions and trade Accounts.
Who are Nicholson's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Funkin Cocktails, Sipsmith, MOTH Drinks, Tails Cocktails and Portobello Road Gin. Broad incumbents are Bacardi, Campari Group, Diageo, Beefeater and Tanqueray.
Does Nicholson have an API?
No public API is recorded for Nicholson.
What industry is Nicholson in?
Nicholson's product category is Premium Spirits & Bottled Cocktails. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRADAIAC, Spirits Distilling & Brands, with a secondary code of AFAFAAAE, Ready-to-Drink (RTD) Alcoholic Beverage Production (Canned Cocktails, Hard Seltzer). Its NAICS code is 312140 and its SIC code is 2080.