CP | Can you tell us a bit about what you were doing before and how that influenced your journey as an entrepreneur/independent producer?
BF | I grew up in and around hospitality, working in bars and restaurants in my early 20s before sliding into the world of hospitality marketing and photography. I absolutely love the hospitality industry and the characters you find in every venue, and knew I wanted to be a part of that world but couldn’t quite workout where I fit. Photographing producers and growers was where I was happiest, so when COVID hit I thought why not, let’s make something. Growing up in the Yarra Valley I figured everyone’s making wine, gin and beers so why not make soft drinks and slide into a cheeky gap in the market? I’d never planned on expanding beyond Coldstream but Melbourne started ordering and then Sydney and it sort of just organically grew from there!
CP| Is there something you wish was more normal in the hospo world?
BF | Oh, there are plenty! One key thing is that I wish Australians could view hospitality as a career, and not just a means to an end. There are a myriad of incredible paths you can take within this diverse industry that I feel a lot of people, especially the younger generations, aren’t exposed to in terms of it being a fulfilling career choice.
