East Lothian sustainable drinks firm Buck & Birch launches new drinks range

Sustainable drinks firm Buck & Birch has launched a range of drinks, “Wild Scottish Exotic”, uniquely formulated from local, foraged ingredients.

Article Source: Buck & Birch
Last Updated: 27 April 2023 13:17

East Lothian sustainable drinks firm Buck & Birch launches new “Wild Scottish Exotic” drinks range

• Environmental approach and business model which sees company supporting woodland regeneration winning over customers in trade and consumer markets

• Buck & Birch signs latest distribution deal with Base Spirits Collective

• Co-founders Tom Chisholm and Rupert Waites say the pioneering use of plant extracts like birch sap allow the company to deliver flavours which provide alternatives to traditional spirits and liqueurs, at a time when some consumers are experiencing what has been described as ‘gin fatigue’

TRANENT, East Lothian, 27 April 2023 - Sustainable drinks firm Buck & Birch has launched a range of drinks, “Wild Scottish Exotic”, uniquely formulated from local, foraged ingredients, including many from close to its East Lothian headquarters, with a commitment to never use artificial flavours or synthetic sweeteners. This environmental approach, combined with a business model which sees the company supporting woodland regeneration, has been winning over customers in both trade and consumer markets.

Using pure unprocessed plant content from wild Scottish herbs, fruits, and trees, including birch sap from which Buck & Birch takes its name, the range comprises spirits and liqueurs which can be drunk on their own, with mixers, or as a base for cocktails - with Buck & Birch drinks already used by many of the country’s top bartenders, at some of the country’s leading bars including Panda & Sons, Nauticus, Gleneagles, Virgin Hotel Group and the Johnnie Walker Experience.

Buck & Birch is seeing high demand from the hospitality industry and consumers, via in person and online stores, and has just signed its latest distribution deal with Base Spirits Collective. Co-founders Tom Chisholm and Rupert Waites say the pioneering use of plant extracts like birch sap allow the company to deliver flavours which provide alternatives to traditional spirits and liqueurs, at a time when some consumers are experiencing what Chisholm describes as ‘gin fatigue’.

Tom Chisholm, co-founder of Buck & Birch, said: “We have found a gap in the market for drinks that are a departure from the norm, and when people find out about how we forage these ingredients on our doorstep, and how the model puts cash back into woodlands projects, we have struck a chord both in terms of sustainability and community.”

Buck & Birch has developed partnerships with community-owned and private woodlands. Birch sap is carefully tapped from birch trees as the sap rises in spring, with no long-term harm done to the tree, and the community owners benefitting from income which supports more woodland regeneration.

Buck & Birch co-founder Rupert Waites adds: “Brought up in the west highlands of Scotland, I was lucky enough to have a family that loved to forage for food. I was inspired to introduce the wonders of our natural vegetation to a range of drinks that would be different from the run-of-the-mill spirits. Tom and I are proud to have created something which is indeed wild, Scottish and exotic!”

Waites, who is also a trained chef, added: “We think the range defies convention and categorisation, while delivering extraordinary flavours which provide alternatives to traditional spirits and liqueurs. The ethos of Buck & Birch is around supporting the consumption of local foods and drinks, while encouraging countryside activity which will protect woodlands and meadows while sustainably commercialising the harvesting of indigenous plants.”

Buck & Birch has spent the last few years creating the range and complimenting the drinks with foraged food at many of their tasting events around Scotland. The drinks range – BIRCH, ANA, Rum&Cake, AMAROSA, and AELDER – comprise natural, unprocessed ingredients, with bestseller spirit BIRCH (39.6% ABV) being made up of over 60 per cent birch sap.

Roo Hardy, Chair of the Gifford Community Woodland Trust, says: “It’s been enormous fun for the people in our small rural community to tap sap from our birch trees. The income from B&B helps us fund our management plans for our woods to further improve the biodiversity of our environment and provide a beautiful place for us all to enjoy. A win-win!”

Ian Melville, Portfolio Director Base Spirits Collective said: “Delighted to have the Buck & Birch range as part of our growing portfolio of premium spirits. We've seen a real surge in demand for quality, natural flavours with provenance and sustainability at their heart and Buck & Birch definitely fit the bill”

In 2022, Scottish entrepreneur George Mackintosh, Director of historic farm redevelopment Papple Steading near Haddington in East Lothian, became a major investor in Buck & Birch and now chairs the business.

About Buck & Birch [B&B]

Buck & Birch is based in East Lothian, Scotland. Founders Tom and Rupert had previously worked in the Scottish hospitality industry, Tom in a front-of-house management role and Rupert as a chef. Tom spent some of his childhood in Norway, Rupert in the Scottish Highlands. Both love nature and producing food and drinks to delight. After initially organising dining events, the founding pair began matching wild foraged food with drinks. Now concentrating on drinks, their events still combine both food and drink and are in great demand, staged at select venues including Papple Steading, Hendrick’s Gin Palace, Edinburgh Castle and the Scottish Sea Bird Centre. They also host weekly drinks tasting events at their own mixing room in East Lothian.

Image: Tom Chisholm & Rupert Waites - co-founders of Buck & Birch

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