Distill Ventures

#Spotlight on Kikori Whiskey 🇯🇵 Kikori is truly one of a kind. Crafted from 100% rice and produced in Japan, it brings a distinctive, memorable taste to every bottle. What makes it exceptional is the visionary behind it: Ann Soh Woods. As one of the first Asian-American women to create her own whiskey brand, she’s reshaping the industry and sparking meaningful change. We had the pleasure of working alongside Ann until 2018, when her vision caught the attention of Diageo, who acquired the brand, amplifying its presence and influence. Here's the story of Kikori Whiskey 👉 #DistillVentures #KikoriWhiskey #JapaneseWhisky #DrinksIndustry #WomenInWhisky

Distill Ventures goes Vogue ✨ Vogue writer Micaela English curated a brilliant feature on the “best bars for non-alcoholic drinks in NYC” and asked our CEO Heidi Annalia Dillon to share what’s driving the rise of “zero proof” cocktails and opening up a world of exciting flavours and endless possibilities. So much more than a trend; it’s transforming consumer culture. We think it’s great to see the recognition of non-alc reach the heights of Vogue, what do you think? You can see the full article linked in the comments 🔗 #DistillVentures #Vogue #DrinksTrends #NonAlcoholicDrinks #DrinksIndustry

Working alongside drinks founders gives us a unique insight into their daily challenges. The distribution strategy will always top the list at all stages. Navigating budgets, resources, future prospects, what happens if X or Y goes wrong and most importantly - landing on that gut feeling that you’ve made the *right* choice. If you missed the Route-To-Market Strategies panel discussion, a collaboration between Distill Ventures, Diageo and Food ‘n’ Bev Connect, here are some of the most useful tips shared by our speakers and the founders who could join us in NYC. 📅 Scott Rosenbaum and Jennie Leuzarder are busy planning the next event in April. Until then, you can revisit the highlights from the RTM panel on the DV Hub (find it linked in the comments). #DistillVentures #Founders #DrinksIndustry #BeverageInsights #Beverages #Community #Spirits

Non-alcoholic drinks should be part of the experience, not an afterthought 🍸. Inclusivity matters — non-drinkers deserve the same high-quality experience as those enjoying alcohol. This approach resonates with customers and taps into the growing trends shaping the market. 👉 But it's not just about meeting expectations; it's about embracing originality and taking pride in your craft. 👉 Don’t settle for shortcuts; stand behind what you create and do it with purpose. 👉 Be bold and innovative, and your customers will notice. Few understand this better than Miranda Breedlove, National Director of Bars and Wine Programs for Lifestyle Operations at Hyatt. With over 15 years in the bartending industry, she shares why embracing diverse drinking preferences matters and how businesses can craft exceptional drinks for every guest 💡 #DistillVentures #NoAndLow #DrinksIndustry #NonAlcoholicDrinks #DrinksMenu #Inclusivity #InclusiveDrinking #MenuDesign #OnTrade #OnPremise

Help us shape the next event in our Quarterly Series ✏️ There’s another chance for founders to join an expert panel at Diageo HQ in NYC on the horizon. As Scott Rosenbaum and Jennie Leuzarder from the DV team get busy planning the next event, we'd like to what topics and themes you need to see on the agenda. Got a minute? You can find the single-question survey here: 👉 https://lnkd.in/ecHQsSYg 📸 Krishanthi Puwanarajah #DistillVentures #DrinksIndustry #Founder #PanelDiscussion #NYC #Diageo #Beverages

DV’s New World Whisky portfolio strikes gold 🥇 - multiple times! At this year's iconic World Whiskies Awards, we were delighted to see Kanosuke Distillery, Starward Whisky, Stauning Whisky and Fielden Whisky scoop Gold, Icons of Whisky Winner, Category Winner and Bronze accolades for their creativity, innovation and dedication to quality as they continue to blaze trails across the whisky world. 👏Kanosuke Hioki Pot Still 👏Kanosuke Double Distillery 👏Kanosuke Single Malt Distillery Exclusive #010 👏Kanosuke’s Takuma Kamimae won Icons of Whisky ROW Warehouse Manager 👏Kanosuke won Icons of Whisky ROW Brand Innovator 👏Starward Whisky Two-Fold 👏Stauning Rye Amontillado Cask Finish 👏Stauning Rye Hardcore Edition 👏Stauning Smoked Rye Virgin Cask 👏Fielden Rye 👏Fielden Hedgerow Huge congratulations to the teams! 👏 #WorldWhisky #NewWorldWhisky #Founders #DrinksIndustry #WorldWhiskiesAwrds2025 #DistillVentures

"You are not alone. Dive into these events, take into these opportunities to mix and mingle, and network with these groups of individuals who have years of experience launching new brands. They’ve seen every challenge that a new brand has.” 🍸 Michael Winters, Founder of Quintaliza Tequila

"Stay focused on the fundamentals [...] it’s easy to get caught up in trends or flashy branding, but the best brands solve real consumer problems." Just a taster from Dry Atlas’ insightful sit down with our CEO, Heidi Annalia Dillon, on the next generation of beverage brands. For entrepreneurs entering the non-alc space, this is an *essential read* that maps out the real opportunities in the consumer shift towards holistic wellness, the key to brand longevity in a rapidly changing space, a candid take on how DV works with rising No & Low founders - and much more. This is a brilliant and timely read on the heels of Dry Jan; thank you, Victoria W. 👏. The full interview is linked in the comments below. #DistillVentures #DryAtlas #BeverageBrands #NonAlc #AlcoholFree #LowAlc #DrinksIndustry #Founders

💡Dry January was just the beginning. To truly resonate with consumers, brands must get beyond the one-month mindset and delve into storytelling that makes moderation aspirational and attainable *all year long*. Non-alcoholic drinks are a huge part of the larger wellness trend - one that is leading the conversation on moderation. IWSR recently shared new insights that Gen-Z consumers are keenly adopting mindful drinking, pointing non-alcoholic and low-alcohol beverage brands to an opportunity: to stay relevant *beyond* January 🍹. Brands like Botivo Drinks | B corp, Ritual Zero Proof and Seedlip Drinks are already paving the way with products and campaigns that speak to everyday occasions—not just as alternatives but as an intentional cultural move toward balance and well-being. To revisit the Beyond Dry January webinar with Derek Brown, Heidi Annalia Dillon, Sarah Pretorius,  Marcos Salazar 🍺🍷🥃 and Anika Sawni - find it linked in the comments 👇 #DryJanuary #WellnessTrends #MindfulDrinking #NonAlcoholic #BrandStrategy #Innovation

How best to spend an afternoon in NYC as a drinks founder? IOO 1. Getting stuck into your real-world challenges when building Route-To-Market strategies. 2. Receiving the practical guidance you need to overcome them from the *best* industry experts qualified to do so. A huge thank you to everyone who RSVP’d to our RTM panel discussion -  and to those who couldn’t make it but maxed out the waitlist in just 48 hours 🤯. The conversations were candid and impactful. This meant that founders left the session with real solutions and actionable insights they could immediately put to work. To our brilliant panel and co-hosts (Diageo and Food N'Bev Connect - Growing Brands), thank you for bringing your time, knowledge and passion for the industry to help us curate a discussion that resonated deeply. We heard from: 🎤John Oliver, Sr. Director, Business Development, Breakthru Beverage Group 🎤Nicolas Palazzi, Owner, PM Spirits 🎤Bridgette Taylor, Founder, Harridan Vodka, Inc. 🎤Joshua Morton, Founder, Barrow's Intense Ginger Liqueur 🎤Paige Flori, Owner, Boutique Wine & Spirit 🎤David Porter, Director of Ventures, Diageo North America 🔊 Sound on to hear the incredible feedback from the day! 👏 Team credits: Jennie Leuzarder, Kamuti Kiteme, Scott Rosenbaum #RTM #Strategies #Networking #DistillVentures #Diageo #Founders #DrinksIndustry