The alt format, eco-friendly, Italian wine brand When in Rome has closed its latest round of investment, exceeding its fundraising target. The funds will be used to grow sales and continue building a leading sustainable beverage brand for an age of conscious consumption.
On a mission to decarbonise the wine industry When in Rome’s range of low carbon, paper bottle, canned and bag in box Italian craft wines deliver high quality craft Italian wine, which produce up to 10 times less carbon than a single-use glass wine bottle.
The campaign aimed to raise £400,000, however on completion, the crowdfunding campaign attracted support from over 240 investors, which along with an additional £70,000 of off platform investment, took the company sailing over their initial target.
Along with private investors, the campaign also attracted a significant investment from sustainable and low carbon VC fund Aircore, who invest in “game-changing sustainable and low carbon solutions, to save our tomorrow.”
“We are on a mission to bring premium wine to the UK in packaging that has a much lower impact than traditional single-use glass bottles,"said founder Rob Malin. “39 per cent of the wine industry’s CO2 emissions globally stem from an obsession with single-use glass bottles and we can change this.
“In the UK 90-95 per cent of all wine is consumed within one week of purchase and whilst single-use glass bottles are the prefect container for the small percentage of wines intended to be aged, there are more sustainable packaging innovations which provide a smarter solution for the majority of wine that is consumed immediately after purchase, and this is where our range of alt-format wines can help."
Speaking about the fundraising, he added: “The support for our campaign has been incredible and just shows the appetite for quality wine delivered in a more sustainable way. The investment is key for our next phase of growth both in the UK and internationally.
“We have proven there is a demand for the When in Rome alt format wines – we are now building on this with an ambitious growth strategy.”
Having launched in the UK, When in Rome is now listed across the globe including, Scandinavia, North America and the Far East. The 2023 figures are already supporting their initial forecasts and demand, with the investment marking the first step on a multi-year growth path planned by Rob and his team.
“The wine industry needs to improve if we are to responsibly deliver our product in a sustainable way – without compromising on a quality product. We’re the first wine brand globally to publish the climate footprint of each bottle, can and box on our packaging."
In April, When in Rome was recognised at the London Wine Competition, winning silver for their Primitivo wine and bronze for their Pinot Grigio.
When in Rome can be found in independent stockists throughout the UK.
For more information, visit www.wheninromewine.com
