Meet Catharine and Caroline: the duo behind a distillery where every bottle is a canvas

• Business name: Modern Art Distillery (M.A.D)

• Industry: Food and drink

• Founded in: 2023

• Top business product: Business credit card

• Key learning: “Concentrate on the core products. Don't run before you can walk!”

Every bottle from the Modern Art Distillery tells a story of dual artistry – where visual creativity meets the craft of distillation.

What began as a post-pandemic conversation between two long-time friends has grown into an award-winning spirits brand with a unique twist: every product features a limited edition label designed by a UK-based emerging artist.

For co-founders Catharine and Caroline, it was a chance to bring together their shared love of art and gin, while supporting the creative community and exploring a new business venture in their next chapter.

Here, they reflect on how the idea took shape and what it’s like building a brand from scratch.

What motivated you to set up your own business?

We’d both reached a point where we were looking for a new challenge and a new direction – our children had flown the nest, and the idea of building something together felt like a logical and exciting step. We both love gin and art, and came up with the idea of supporting and promoting emerging artists by using their artwork on our spirits bottle labels. That seed grew into what’s now Modern Art Distillery (M.A.D).

What were you doing before launching M.A.D?

Catharine worked as a Fleet Street journalist and later in higher education as a journalism lecturer. Caroline was an IT consultant and also ran her own publishing company. We’ve always kept in touch since our university days, and this just felt like the right project to bring our worlds together – a conviction we backed by self-funding the business with our own savings.

What do you love about what you do? 

As a small company we’re able to devise ideas and carry them through very quickly, without the often slow processes that can stifle larger organisations. The nature of our concept is inherently creative and we’re constantly exchanging thoughts about current and future possibilities. 

We have many more ideas than we can realistically implement, so we have to be clear-sighted about what can and can’t be achieved, but it keeps our brand fresh and exciting, and means it’s never at risk of standing still. 

How do customers typically engage with the creative side of your products? 

Customers love the artwork. It’s a great talking point when we meet people at the events we attend. Our bottle labels are individually numbered, and produced to a limited edition, so we always encourage customers to keep the bottle after drinking the contents. 

Customers like the idea that it’s not a throwaway bottle, and it’s always interesting to hear which label is their favourite, and see which one they will choose. For example, with our London Dry Gin bottles — which have the same spirit inside, but different designs on the labels — they have to make an active choice of which bottle label they want to buy.

What have been your biggest business challenges to date?

It was a very steep learning curve at the outset, going into an industry about which we knew very little. There is a lot of regulation in the alcohol spirits industry, which of course is necessary, but meant we had to navigate our way through a maze of forms and processes before we could get off the ground. We have found supply chain management especially difficult working remotely and with limited human, time and financial resources.

What about successes?

Having won several awards, including a Gold for our Watermelon & Thyme Vodka at the 2024 London Spirits Competition and being named Most Creative Spirits Brand for 2025, we know our products are hitting the spot. However, the number of returning customers who seek us out at events and the overall enthusiasm about our products would probably count as one of our greatest successes. We were also thrilled this year to be stocked at Elys department store in Wimbledon.

What financial products have helped you along the way?

Our Capital on Tap business credit card has been very useful as it helps us manage cash flow, especially during periods of uneven income due to seasonality or unexpected expenses. Plus, it connects to QuickBooks, so simplifies book-keeping and expense tracking. Its ‘bill pay’ feature allows us to pay suppliers even if they don’t accept cards and can help keep our payables on time if cash outflow is challenging.

What would you do differently next time around, or what advice would you give your past selves? 

It would have been good to have had a bit more time to plan for the future ahead of launching. However, having discovered a unique concept and creating a potential disruptor brand, we did not feel we had the space to move slowly. We would advise our past selves to make sure to concentrate on the core products and suppress our many new ideas so we don't run before we can walk!

What’s next for the business? 

We feel that M.A.D has the potential to become a household name. For the immediate future, we’re focusing on getting our products in front of more people across the UK. As well as events, we’re also getting into retail outlets, pubs and restaurants, and exploring bespoke and personalised products, such as short runs for weddings, corporate events and gifts. 

We see the business as something the younger members of our families might want to take on in the future, and our longer-term vision is to have our own distillery, combined with a retail outlet, exhibition space, and events venue.

What would you say to someone who’s considering launching a business in a similar space?

For us it’s been an amazing and very rewarding journey. The alcohol spirits sector is a competitive arena, but it’s still possible to find a niche and make it work. It’s important to find something you’re passionate about so it maintains your interest and creativity, then see how you can weave it into your business idea and go for it!

This case study is for informational purposes only and is not intended as financial or professional advice. The results described are specific to the individual's personal experience, so please consult with a qualified professional if you need financial advice.