Ask the Collective
The questions independent drinks founders ask most — answered. Distilled from years of community knowledge so the good stuff never disappears in the feed again.
How can a founder find alternative tonic manufacturers to replace a discontinued supplier?
When a tonic supplier discontinues a product line, the most practical approach is to crowdsource leads within the Kindred network first. **Direct outreach to community members:** Ask the group for introductions to tonic producers within Kindred. Members have responded positively to public requests and indicated willingness to make introductions via DM. **Key contact leads mentioned:** - **Andy Mallows** — identified as a tonic maker in the group; worth reaching out directly - **New World Trading Company** — historically a tonic supplier, though leadership has changed (Kelly and Gary have left); members recommended finding out who currently leads the operation - **Lakes Distillery** — flagged as a potential contact; members offered to make introductions if you ask directly **Volume discussion:** Be prepared to discuss your annual volumes upfront when approaching new manufacturers, as this will inform their interest and pricing. **Next steps:** When you have preliminary proposals or partnership outlines sketched, members have shown willingness to help facilitate conversations. Start with direct messages to known contacts in the community rather than cold outreach.
How should you approach negotiating direct purchase agreements with major mixer brands for competitive pricing?
Members recommend going directly to mixer brands rather than through standard distributors when you're looking for volume deals. **Fever Tree** offers "partnership" deals where they negotiate pricing in exchange for marketing tie-ins and exclusivity commitments — they'll commit to using their tonic as your primary mixer. The trade-off is that brands use these agreements as marketing opportunities, so expect some marketing obligations in return for the discounted price. For specific negotiations, members suggest leveraging existing connections within the community — reach out to other founders in the Kindred Collective who own mixer brands, as they can often broker introductions or facilitate discussions. Going direct works best for large orders (e.g. trade shows or significant volume commitments) where you have genuine scale to offer the supplier.