Kliro Capital Partners Unveils Fortitude Spirits Group: A New Force in the Spirits Industry

Kliro Capital Partners, following their acquisition of ICB in June 2023, are excited to announce the official launch of Fortitude Spirits Group on Monday, 14th October 2024. This exciting new venture marks a significant step towards creating one of the UK’s leading independent spirits companies, building on ICB’s 30+ years of innovation in the spirits industry.

ICB has been at the forefront of bold, creative spirit production, offering a full range of services from liquid development to distillation, bottling and third-party production from its production facility in Middlesbrough. Kliro supported a recent ￡2.5 million investment enhancing and expanding ICB’s production capabilities and capacity. Fortitude Spirits Group represents the next phase in the journey, as the group strives to become a world-class producer, brand builder and distributor of exceptional spirits.

Fortitude Spirits Group will operate through three distinct divisions, each designed to drive value and foster growth across production, brand development and distribution:

1. Fortitude Spirits: Dedicated to creating and scaling unique, culturally disruptive spirits brands with global consumer appeal.
2. Fortitude Drinks UK: Responsible for distributing Fortitude Spirits brands alongside third-party brands across all UK channels. Leveraging over 35 years of industry expertise, this division will expand its sales, marketing and distribution reach to grow both premium and value brands across various price points and occasions.?
3. ICB Distillers: With a 35-year legacy of excellence, ICB Distillers will develop further its production capabilities to distil, blend and bottle brands for Fortitude Spirits Group, as well as private label and third-party products.

Leadership Team

Fortitude Spirits Group benefits from the leadership of experienced industry veterans:

• Warren Scott, Chairman of Kliro Capital Partners and Fortitude Spirits Group, brings over 25 years of experience in investment banking and as the Founder and former CEO of Quintessential Brands Group, a leading independent spirits company in the UK and Ireland.
• Nick England, Managing Director of Fortitude Drinks UK, has held senior sales roles at Carlsberg UK and Mars, with extensive experience in wine and spirits from his time at Treasury Wine Estate and William Grant & Sons.
• ?Paul Cornell, Brands Director of Fortitude Spirits, has a track record of leading internationally recognised premium brands at Molson Coors, Asahi and Diageo, driving significant growth and securing numerous industry awards.

Kliro Capital Partners will soon announce the appointment of a new CEO for Fortitude Spirits Group to lead the company’s next phase of growth.

Statements from Leadership?

Warren Scott, Chairman of Fortitude Spirits Group, commented:?

“Fortitude Spirits Group is poised to offer a unique proposition to customers, brand owners and consumers. The business will aim to drive category growth across all price points, push boundaries in product innovation and be a pioneering partner in guiding customers and brand owners towards shared success.”

Nick England, Managing Director of Fortitude Drinks UK, added:

“Building a distribution and brand-building company on such solid foundations is a rare opportunity. ICB has earned a stellar reputation for delivering high-quality value brands and private label products. Fortitude Drinks UK will build on these strong relationships, expanding our portfolio and channel expertise to nurture and scale exceptional brands.?

Paul Cornell, Brands Director of Fortitude Spirits, noted:

“To create premium brands that can scale, we need a combination of high-quality liquids, compelling brand stories and a disruptive appearance that resonates with culture. Our new launches—Rozél Rosé Vodka, Café Solo and Hawksbill Rum—embody these principles and the response from the market has been fantastic. We look forward to collaborating with partners to bring more exciting, disruptive brands to market.”

Key Highlights of Fortitude Spirits Group

• A BRC-accredited production facility in Middlesbrough with the capacity to deliver 6 million cases per year.
• Production of over 400 SKUs annually, catering to a wide range of bottle shapes and sizes.
• A spirits business selling over 2.5m cases per annum.
• Strong distribution relationships across all UK Supermarkets, Wholesalers, Cash & Carry outlets and Managed Pub groups.
• Key brands within Fortitude Spirits Group include: Rozél Rosé Vodka, Café Solo, Hawksbill Rum, Cactus Jack’s Schnapps, Veroni Amaretto, Angels Peach Schnapps, Cococariba, Bella Apertini and Carthy’s Country Cream.

This launch marks the start of an exciting journey for Fortitude Spirits Group as the group aims to redefine the spirits landscape with innovation, quality and collaboration at the core of our strategy.