Meet the founders

Hey, we’re Rob and James, the two brothers behind Arrowtown. We were tired of all the large, faceless corporations in the drinks industry, so vowed to do things differently. So, true to our word we want you to get to know us. In return, we want to get to know you so drop us a line here and let’s chat.

Quick fire questions

Names and age:

Rob, 24, and James, 22.

Favourite flavour?

Rob: I generally switch between them depending on the occasion but I am swaying towards red berries currently.

James: Red berries for a day session. Lime & Elderflower for the evening.

Favourite place to drink it?

Rob: On the South Downs with mates.

James: The beach.

Favourite animal?

Rob: Golden snub-nosed monkeys. Google them, you won’t be disappointed.

James: Penguins. Watching them waddle is good for the soul.

Outside of work, what’s your favourite thing to do?

Rob: Socialising with mates at the pub, or hitting Verdansk during lockdown.

James: Getting out on my bike or hitting a ball around - be that football, cricket or golf.

Song recommendation?

Rob: Sthlm Sunset by Ehrling. Perfect for those summer evenings.

James: Pearly Eyes by Cody Ray or Patiently by Josh Seabrook.

Why is our charitable mission so important to us?

Rob: Having graduated from university with a degree in Environment & Business, it was important to me to build a business that could be used as a force for good. We wanted to place this at the core of our business. The idea was that people could do their bit by doing something as simple as switching their drinks.

As a family we had been on a safari in Sri Lanka and got to see magnificent elephants up close, but also learn of the terrible figures relating to poaching. This naturally hit us hard and it only seemed right to partner with Tusk, who do truly amazing work.

When I was in New Zealand, I also was fortunate enough to have followed a pod of Orca which was awe-inspiring. However, again I was in disbelief that there were people out there illegally poaching these creatures. Sea Shepherd are an incredible charity who directly tackle illegal whale poaching across the globe, so we are delighted to partner with them.

James: As Rob alluded to, we really liked the idea of using daily consumption habits as a force for change. Having been inspired by companies like innocent and Toms that set the standard for social purpose, we knew this was something we wanted to emulate.

When it came to choosing what our purpose would be, we drew upon experiences from our holidays and our childhood. Having grown up in the sticks in Sussex, our childhoods were spent outside so we naturally had a strong affinity to nature. With an awareness of the state of wildlife conservation, we thought it would be great if we could do our bit to support them in some capacity.

Highs and lows of Arrowtown so far?

Rob: We have certainly had our ups and downs. There was a period of about six months in the run up to our launch which seemed to be a never ending run of covid delays. However, we remained patient and have had many highs since. The first production day for me was the most special moment. That was when it all became real. Watching thousands of our fully branded cans come rolling off the production line after an idea in New Zealand in 2018 was very surreal.

James: Like any start-up, we’ve had our share of issues and low moments. However, the saying the obstacle is the way really rung true for us, as what seemed like issues at the time have put us in a stronger position now. I’m sure we’ll have plenty more lows but hopefully they too work out for the best.

Personally, holding and drinking that finished product for the first time was great. Having something tangible was a proud moment. I also think our launch day was very special. Seeing the buzz on social media and locally was amazing and the support we received from everyone was very humbling.

Where do we see Arrowtown in five years?

Rob: Hopefully Arrowtown will be a household name within the UK (who knows maybe even global!) whilst leaving a positive mark on the planet & working with some more brilliant charities.

James: Whilst we try to remain realistic, I think you have to aim high with your goals. We’d love to be available nationwide in five years, as well as exporting to other countries. We also hope to be making a real difference to our charity partners and be in a position to take more steps to reduce our impact on the planet by becoming B-Corp certified.