Helba

What Helba does

Helba is a privately held Italian producer of premium artisanal spirits and lifestyle products, founded in 2021 by Federico Figini and headquartered in Milan (Via Moretto da Brescia 23, 20133 Milano). The company is structured around a single brand narrative tied to the Island of Elba in the Tuscan Archipelago National Park, with its name (Helba, the medieval name of Elba) and product identity built around botanicals that grow spontaneously on the island.

The core product is a London Dry Gin distilled in small batches (200-liter custom copper pot still built by Frilli) at contract distiller Anonima Distillazioni in Gubbio, Umbria, using seven Elba-sourced botanicals (myrtle, wild mint, licorice root, juniper, dried chestnuts, coriander seeds, sea lettuce) and water from the Fonte Napoleone spring on Monte Capanne. The portfolio has been progressively extended to include a Tuscany Aperitivo (nine botanical ingredients), a 4.5-liter Bag-in-Box format, ready-to-drink cocktails co-developed with NIO Cocktails and mixologist Patrick Pistolesi, glassware, wine bundles with Acquabona winery's Aleatico dell'Elba, and a Helba Beachwear sub-brand of sustainable swimwear produced in partnership with fashion startup Edelvissa.

Commercially, Helba operates a hybrid go-to-market combining direct-to-consumer e-commerce (helba.it), B2B sales to bars and restaurants, distribution through Partesa (the On Trade division of Heineken Italy), RTD listings via NIO Cocktails, on-demand delivery through Winelivery, and per-country international distributors across 8+ markets (Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Albania, Kazakhstan, UK, France, Germany). Pricing spans €15-€185 for spirits and accessories and €95-€110 for fashion, and the company is actively building experiential marketing (Helba Summer Tour, Roma Bar Show, Mixology Experience, Venice Film Festival, bar takeovers, signature cocktails with brand ambassadors). Funding to date consists of a 2021 equity crowdfunding round described as the first in the Italian artisanal gin sector; revenue, headcount, and capital raised are not publicly disclosed.

Name

Helba

Legal name

HELBAGIN

Website

https://helba.it

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Helba is an Italian artisanal spirits and lifestyle brand founded in 2021, producing small-batch London Dry Gin and aperitivo from Elba Island-sourced Mediterranean botanicals, extended into RTD cocktails, wine bundles, and sustainable beachwear, sold via DTC e-commerce, B2B venue distribution, and partners across 8+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Milan

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Direct E-commerce Sales: Helba sells products directly to consumers through their online shop, offering beverages (gin, aperitivo, accessories) and fashion items (swimwear). Products are shipped to customers with various size formats available.
2. B2B Venue Distribution: Helba supplies bars, restaurants, and venues directly through their B2B contact channel. They offer their products for venues to add to their liquor cabinets and bars, with dedicated sales outreach.
3. Partnership and Licensing: Helba creates co-branded products with partners like Nio Cocktails and Acquabona winery, expanding their product portfolio through collaborations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Helba is an Italian artisanal distillery founded in 2021 on Elba Island that produces a London Dry Gin and a botanical aperitivo crafted exclusively from botanicals foraged and cultivated on Elba Island, with bottle formats of 70cl, 1.5L Magnum and a 10L bag-in-box for the on-trade. The company also markets a co-branded sustainable beachwear line (Helba Beachwear) developed in collaboration with Edelvissa, sold through the same direct-to-consumer channel.

Product overview

Helba is an artisanal spirits and beachwear brand celebrating the Island of Elba. The core beverage portfolio consists of London Dry Gin (in 70cl and 20cl formats, including gift box versions), Tuscany Aperitivo vermouth-style drink, and bulk Bag in Box format, complemented by co-branded ready-to-drink cocktails (NIO Cocktails) and curated tasting bundles featuring local Aleatico wine from Acquabona winery. The beachwear line (Helba Beachwear), developed through partnership with fashion startup Edelvissa, includes men's and women's swimsuits in two colorways (Fetovaia and Pomonte) made from recycled Italian fabrics. Glassware accessories round out the offerings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Helba Beachwear: A beachwear collection created through partnership with Edelvissa, featuring sustainable swimwear inspired by Elba's sea and sunsets, made from recycled plastic materials.

Products and services

• Helba London Dry Gin (70cl) Flagship artisanal London Dry Gin distilled from botanicals foraged and cultivated exclusively on Elba Island; sold in a 70cl bottle aimed at premium home and gift consumers as well as on-trade accounts.
• Helba London Dry Gin Magnum (1.5L) Limited-edition 1.5L Magnum bottle of the Helba London Dry Gin, positioned for celebrations, gifting and special-occasion occasions for premium spirits consumers.
• Helba Gin Bag-in-Box (10L) 10L refillable bag-in-box format of Helba London Dry Gin designed for bars, restaurants and hotels; reduces packaging waste and lowers per-serve cost for the on-trade channel.
• Helba Aperitivo Artisanal botanical aperitivo crafted from Elba Island botanicals; intended for home aperitivo rituals and for use by bars and restaurants in signature cocktails.
• Helba Beachwear Sustainable, premium beachwear line developed in collaboration with Edelvissa, sold through the Helba direct-to-consumer channel to extend the Elba lifestyle brand beyond the bottle.

Quantifiable outcome

• Successfully completed first equity crowdfunding in Italian artisanal gin sector
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Nio CocktailscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration for ready-to-drink cocktail products featuring Helba gin. Nio Cocktails creates products like Porto Azzurro that showcase Helba's Mediterranean character. Partnered with master mixologist Patrick Pistolesi for product development.
• Partesa (Heineken Group)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor distribution partnership for placing Helba products in venues across Italy. Partesa is the On Trade division of Heineken Italy, providing access to extensive bar and restaurant network.
• EdelvissamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFashion partnership creating Helba Beachwear collection featuring sustainable swimwear made from recycled Italian fabrics. Designer Elisabetta Bianco creates capsule collections inspired by Elba island colors (Fetovaia and Pomonte designs).
• Acquabona (Winery)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration creating bundled products combining Helba spirits with Acquabona wines. Products include Helba Gin & Aleatico Acquabona bundle and Helba Aperitivo & Aleatico Acquabona bundle featuring the winery's 2019 Aleatico dell'Elba.
• WineliveryminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDelivery partnership for reaching consumers through Winelivery's rapid delivery platform for wines and spirits.
• UglyBox FormenteraminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBeach venue partnership where the Helba Boxxx cocktail was created. Francesco Sassi created the signature drink at this Formentera establishment.
• Ritual Club Costa SmeraldaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPremium venue partnership in Sardinia's Costa Smeralda, bringing Helba to upscale Mediterranean nightlife.
• Jeantoneria PodcastminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPodcast sponsorship for Italian popular culture show, with live episode events featuring Helba cocktails at Ostello Bello Milano.
• VinhoodminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership for corporate events and experiential marketing, presenting Helba products at events like Vinhood Summer Taste at WAO Isola.
• Anonima DistillazionicoreTechnology or IntegrationContract distillery partner producing Helba gin in Gubbio, Umbria. Founded 2018, specializes in small-batch artisanal distillation using 200-liter custom copper still built by Frilli. Entire production process from distillation to packaging is handcrafted.
• Coming SoonminorGTM or Marketing PartnerItalian lifestyle and design retailer partnership for brand visibility and retail distribution.
• Hotel Villa OttonemajorGTM or Marketing PartnerFive-star hotel partnership where signature cocktails Helba Tonic and Helba Negroni were created. Venue serves as the birthplace of multiple Helba cocktail recipes by bartenders Paolino Stoppa and Matteo Mercaldo.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Campari: Italian aperitivo and spirits powerhouse. Comparable as an Italian cocktail/spirits brand with aperitivo-adjacent positioning and broader on-trade distribution scale.
• Bombay Sapphire: Global premium gin brand owned by Bacardi with distinctive botanical story and vapor-infusion production. Comparable as a mainstream competitor in the same premium gin shelf set.
• Hendrick's Gin: Major super-premium craft gin with apothecary-style branding and unusual botanical infusions. Comparable as a scaled craft gin competing for similar on-trade and gifting occasions.
• Tanqueray: Iconic mass-premium gin brand owned by Diageo. Comparable as a benchmark on-trade gin competing for the same bar listings and consumer occasions.
• Luxardo: Italian spirits and liqueur producer with strong on-trade presence. Comparable as a heritage Italian craft spirits brand operating in adjacent cocktail categories.

Direct peers

• Sipsmith: London-based craft London Dry Gin produced in small-batch copper pot stills. Comparable in artisanal production method and craft premium positioning.
• Monkey 47: Premium craft gin from Germany's Black Forest with regional botanical sourcing and storytelling. Comparable as a terroir-led craft gin at similar premium positioning.
• The Botanist: Islay-sourced craft gin with botanicals foraged exclusively on a single Scottish island. Closely comparable as a terroir-driven, single-origin botanical gin brand.
• Malfy Gin: Italian premium gin positioned on Mediterranean botanicals and lifestyle branding. Closely comparable as a craft Italian gin with terroir-driven storytelling and similar premium price points.
• Gin Mare: Mediterranean-inspired premium gin from Spain with regional botanical sourcing. Highly comparable in its terroir-led Mediterranean positioning and craft-distilled production.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@helbagin
• Facebookfacebook.com/helbagin
• Instagraminstagram.com/helbagin
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/helbagin

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Helba