Canned cocktail company raise £350,000 in funding

Canned cocktail

Canned cocktail company Whitebox has raised £350,000 in funding to support the establishment of a production site in Edinburgh.

The company is the brainchild of city-centre bar owner Ben Iravani, who co-founded the business alongside Alex Lawrence, Pietro Collina, Roman Shabodalov and Jack Wareing.

They launched the business after they sold more than 60,000 cans of negroni, a popular Italian-style cocktail.

Mr Lawrence said: “We basically just dipped our toes in the water with the initial negroni can product and were pretty surprised at how well it went.

“We quickly realised that with some of the world’s best bartenders in our team, along with in-house production and design capabilities we could do something pretty unique on a much bigger scale.”

The Whitebox production site in Sighthill in Edinburgh will be where the products are mixed, blended and canned. 

The team was assisted in funding round by accountancy firm Johnston Carmichael.

Mr Iravani said: “Wherever you are, take a look in your nearest store, you’ll see formulaic brands doing cocktails by numbers.

“We are doing the opposite. Each cocktail is unique and excellent, and the passion we have for making excellent drinks comes through in every detail.

“With Whitebox we’re not going to take the traditional approach of branded line extensions. We’re just going to make the best possible canned negroni.

“If you like it, try our other drinks. It is refreshingly simple, and an enjoyable way to create our products.”

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