Tie-up between brands with shared passions
◆ Emma Newlands on a new partnership uniting artisanal firms linked by a love of the great outdoors and finding adventure
he bright early afternoon sun is glinting off the gently rippling surface of Loch Lomond in the background, while in the foreground in the shadow of a canopy of leaves a demonstration is taking place at Luss illuminating a new tie-up between Ben Lomond Gin and Borders-based female outdoor clothing brand Findra.
The brands say they share the values of celebrating Scotland's adventurous spirit and carving out your own path – with some overlap too in the colours of their products such as deep orange and purple seen in both some of their fruitflavoured spirits and high-end garments respectively.
Ben Lomond Gin says it takes its name from the peak named after the Celtic word “lumon” meaning “the beacon mountain”, and the firm – part of spirits giant Loch Lomond Group – launched its Adventurous Serves campaign last year to “celebrate individuals who embrace exploration in their everyday lives”.
The latter led to a collaboration with Walkerburn-based Findra, founded about a decade ago by Scottish fashion designer and outdoor enthusiast Alex Feechan. She has created two cocktails with the spirits brand, including The Pit Stop that mixes Ben Lomond Blood Orange & Pink Grapefruit Gin with honey and vanilla syrup. Feechan says the tie-up taps into a fond memory she has of one mountain bike ride where she and her fellow cyclists stopped off for a break where they had mulled wine, in what was “one of the loveliest experiences”.
The businesswoman launched her firm after perceiving that the existing market offering was out of touch with what female consumers were looking for, and she saw it to have been subjected to the “shrink it and pink it” approach often applied to products for women. She harnessed her experience working on knitwear for fashion houses such as Chanel, Calvin Klein and Escada to design “sustainable, stylish, versatile outdoor clothing for women” using breathable and sustainable Merino wool, and fostering a sense of community. Milestones since include securing funding of £200,000 from parties including Scottish angel syndicates Tricapital and Investing Women followed by a second round of £250,000; and Feechan becoming a Women’s Enterprise Scotland ambassador.
The business has now along with Ben Lomond Gin launched a limitededition neckwarmer made from sustainable fibres and branded with the spirits firm’s logo. Four colourways have been created to match the spirits brand’s three flavoured gins (which also comprise Raspberry & Elderflower and
The partnership naturally transpired through a shared passion for connecting people with nature
Blackberry & Gooseberry) and the Ben Lomond Original Scottish Gin, a blend of 11 botanicals including locally foraged rowan berries from Loch Lomond and the Trossachs.
Feechan, chief executive of Findra, who designed the neckwarmers, said: “It has been a joy to work with Ben Lomond Gin in our shared love of the great outdoors, and the philosophy of finding adventure on your own terms. I started Findra not only to provide stylish and sustainable outdoor wear specifically for women but with the hope of creating a space for women with busy lives to have the chance to embrace the outdoors, in whichever way suits them. Some of my best memories are from the adventures I have had with friends and the sense of community the outdoors inspires.”
She last year said she had embarked on an invigorated new chapter for Findra after undertaking a major review of its offering. That included a return to its original sole focus on womenswear, after having added a men’s range, and fostering key export markets in a bid to double turnover this year and again in 2025. “I've learned a huge amount about business, about building something from nothing, about the challenges – and about myself and about how you overcome the ups and downs,” the entrepreneur said at the time.
Ben Lomond Gin, which launched in 2019, is produced in Scotland by the Alexandria-based Loch Lomond Group, which also owns and operates whisky brands including Loch Lomond Whisky and Glen Scotia Single Malt Scotch
Whisky, as well as Glen’s Vodka. It says the original site of the Loch Lomond Distillery was established in 1814 near Tarbet towards the north-west end of Loch Lomond.
In 2019, its management team partnered with Asia-based investment manager Hillhouse Capital to acquire the group from Exponent Private Equity, which had implemented a fiveyear transformation programme to internationally expand the historic spirits business that was previously owned by the Bulloch family.
Last year, Ben Lomond Gin debuted The Explorer Series in collaboration with the John Muir Trust to support the conservation, protection, and restoration of the UK’S wild places. The first edition, The Schiehallion, was inspired by the “rich botanical life” of Perthshire, with a direct contribution from every purchase billed as helping fund the John Muir Trust’s Wild Woods Appeal.
While there have been fears that the UK’S burgeoning gin market has reached saturation point, it is expected to grow at a pace of 7.14 per cent compound annual growth by 2028 from total revenue across the on and off trades this year of the equivalent of $3.6 billion, according to market data specialist Statista.
John Grieveson, chief marketing officer at Loch Lomond Group, said: “We are thrilled to partner with Findra. The partnership naturally transpired through a shared passion for connecting people with nature and embracing everyday adventure. It’s truly been a collaborative project from the start.”