GLASS packaging specialist Croxsons has helped two former Royal Corps of Signals servicemen create the ideal look for a new rum being launched.
Veterans Dan Freeman and Rhys Williams, co-founders of start-up company Jerry Can Spirits, created Expedition Spiced, a deliberately small, numbered run, to capture the essence of a sipping rum rather than a mixer but wanted its bottle to reflect the attributes of the iconic jerry can – a piece of kit that accompanies soldiers on manoeuvres.
Croxsons’ solution was its 700ml QBIC bottle, revealing its ‘premium weight, look and feel’ met the brief.
“It carries a clean, utilitarian squared profile that fits our identity perfectly,” said Dan. “Our brand is built around the jerry can – the rugged, dependable kit that goes on every expedition – so the squared, purposeful look of the QBIC was ideal.”
Dan and Rhys had jointly notched up more than 17 years’ service with the Royal Signals before deciding to create a rum to share with friends and colleagues
“After more than a decade in the British Army, we decided to make the kind of rum we actually wanted to drink – no shortcuts, no gimmicks,” added Dan.
The result is a 40% ABV spiced craft rum described as balancing Caribbean rum with British craftsmanship. Pot-distilled in small batches of just 700 bottles a time, it delivers a Madagascan vanilla aroma coupled with cinnamon and bourbon oak tones for a flavour profile that is said to be naturally sweet, gently dry and warming.
Croxsons worked with Dan and Rhys to identify a bottle that would reflect the personality of the rum while ensuring strong shelf stand-out and consumer appeal.
“We’re a young brand still very much in our opening chapter. As a small veteran-owned business getting our first product to market, we needed a glass supplier we could trust to deliver consistently and support us properly as a new account, rather than just take an order,” explained Dan.
“Croxsons offered great reliability and service – and being a long-established UK supplier mattered to us. Working with a British partner and UK stock is very important to us and a key part of our sustainability goals, while the service and guidance we had through the process gave us the confidence that we’d made the right call.”
Josh Webster, head of brand at Croxsons, added, “We were delighted to collaborate with Dan and Rhys to help bring Expedition Spiced to market. It’s very important to us to work alongside start-up companies as well as the more established brands. We enjoy working with brands that are making a difference, and it’s great to be working with one that has a cause it is passionate about.”
