A drinks group has secured fresh financial backing of £6.5m amid its latest growth strategy.
Drinksology Kirker Greer (DKG) Group, which counts brands like Jawbox gin and Bowsaw among its brands, received the financial support package from Whiterock.
The £6.5m funding package includes a combination of equity investment from Whiterock’s recently launched Growth Capital Fund, debt provision, and expert consultancy aimed at accelerating the development of the DKG Group’s three core business units.
That includes Drinksology Creative, Kirker Greer Spirits, a premium spirits portfolio, Spiritly.com, a premium direct-to-consumer and business-to-business ecommerce platform.
Founded in Belfast by Richard Ryan and Steven Pattison, the DKG Group has grown into a trusted name in the premium spirits and hospitality design industries.
Over the past 18 months, the DKG Group has made substantial investments in both people and brands.
The group’s workforce has increased from 35 to 49 employees, and all business units are experiencing a period of significant growth.
Some of the latest brand investments include Ukiyo Spirits’ innovative London Underground advertising campaign and Born Irish Whiskey’s experiential marketing activations.
DKG Group was also recently awarded B Corp certification for all companies and brands within the group, highlighting their dedication to people and the planet.
The investment in the DKG Group is the first investment from the £75m Growth Capital Fund, which Whiterock launched earlier this year.
“We are excited to invest in the DKG Group, a business led by exceptional and visionary entrepreneurs,” Paul Millar, chief executive of Whiterock Capital, said.
“The company’s world-class executive team and staff have proven their ability to deliver and the trust they have garnered from some of the biggest brands globally is a testament to their expertise.
“The combination of DKG’s track record, the unique dual-market access Northern Ireland provides to both the UK and EU, and their ambitious growth plans made this a very attractive first investment for the Growth Capital Fund. The deal will be the first in a series of investments that we expect to be able to announce over the coming months.”
Steven Pattison, co-founder of the DKG Group, said: “We believe our business and brands have a bright future. Over the last 24 months, we have been strategically adding to our team, building out our long-term plans, and steadily moving into our next phase of execution. We are comfortable investing ahead of the curve, and this funding package provides us the firepower to keep doing so. It will allow us to leverage our strengths and continue making strategic investments that ensure our growth and success on the global stage.”