Drinks Retailing Business

3 Drinks Retailing Business Success Stories [2024]

Pat Walls

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Updated: October 8th, 2024

In this list, you'll find real-world drinks retailing business success stories and very profitable examples of starting a drinks retailing business that makes money.

1. Drake’s Organic Spirits ($10.8M/year)

Mark Anderson, the CEO and Founder of Drake's Organic Spirits, came up with the idea for his business after realizing that many popular spirit brands were made from genetically modified corn ethanol. With his background in organic farming and experience as the largest importer of non-GMO verified, organic cane sugar, he wanted to create a spirit with the purest, freshest, and most sustainable ingredients. Thus, Drake's Organic Spirits was born, offering certified USDA Organic, Gluten Free, Non-GMO Project Verified, Vegan, and Kosher spirits, mixers, and ready-to-serve cocktails.

How much money it makes: $10.8M/year
How much did it cost to start: $320K
How many people on the team: 20

From Farming To Creating A $10.8M/Year Organic Spirits Brand

Drake's Organic Spirits, the largest organic alcohol company in the US and the first to achieve all five certifications, has achieved success through producing sustainable spirits that are good for both consumers and the environment, and has experienced rapid growth, with a 2020 sales of 40,000 9L cases and projected sales of over 100,000 for 2021.

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2. Brine Brothers ($120K/year)

Harris Derner came up with the idea for Brine Brothers when he realized that drinking pickle juice cured his hangovers in 2015. Unable to find a drinkable pickle brine on the market, Harris and his friend Michael Belicose decided to start their own business. With a total investment of $11,000 in 2016, they now generate over $10,000 per month and have recently won an investment from Barstool and Jon Taffer, determined to make Brine Brothers a million-dollar beverage company.

How much money it makes: $120K/year
How much did it cost to start: $-2
How many people on the team: 0

How We Launched A Viral Pickle Juice To Cure Our Hangovers

Brine Brothers sells all-natural pickle brine (pickle juice), generating over $10,000/month and winning an investment from Barstool and Jon Taffer, and is determined to become a million-dollar beverage company.

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3. Drink Shrub ($54K/year)

Aaron Weast, the founder of Drink Shrub, came up with the idea for his business after going through treatment for alcohol addiction. He realized that there was a lack of sophisticated zero-proof beverages available for those who didn't drink alcohol. Using his background in product development and innovation, he created Small Barrel Shrub, an all-natural balsamic beverage that serves as a "mocktail in a bottle." Through networking and crowdfunding, Drink Shrub has grown its customer base and secured funding to expand its business.

How much money it makes: $54K/year
How many people on the team: 1

How I Conquered My Alcoholism And Built A Non-Alcoholic Beverage Brand

A former alcoholic and Nike product developer created a sophisticated zero-proof beverage called Small Barrel Shrub, which has seen tripling sales growth since a rebranding and recipe overhaul in May 2018, and has raised the majority of start-up funding via crowdfunding platform Pie Shell.

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