MYXD, a home-delivery drinks service in Inverness, is celebrating a milestone after selling more than 75,000 cocktails since launching last June.
With members of the public confined to their homes throughout the various lockdowns in Scotland, brothers Grant and Scott Murray, alongside fellow business director Ken Loades, decided to take matters into their own hands.
Forming part of the team at Cru Holdings, which operates an award-winning group of bars and restaurants based in the Highlands, Grant, Scott and Ken began developing a business concept that would provide steady income while their establishments were unable to open.
And after three months of careful planning, MYXD, based on Tomnahurich Street, began fully trading. The brand offers a wide selection of pre-made cocktail pouches for delivery across the UK to bring bar-quality tipples to people’s homes.
75,000 cocktails
Their core range consists of 20 concoctions featuring old favourites and unique spins on classics, such as a blood orange negroni, candy floss cosmo, rhubarb gin fizz, raspberry ripple martini and pink gin.
However, Grant and Scott consistently add a variety of specials to their offering, as well.
Grant, 35, says the business has come a long way since its inception. “Having bars and restaurants which like everyone else were unable to trade for a very long time, MYXD was a no-brainer,” he added.
“It was a great way to diversify and ensure some continued revenue. Now, however, it’s a stand-alone business itself.
“Inspired by our cocktail bars in the Highlands and recognising how much people were missing proper bar-style drinks during the Covid pandemic, we spent months reformulating some of our most popular libations, optimising them for quality, freshness and convenience.
“When this started, we were hand delivering cocktails in our local area. I had no idea that it would get to where it is today and certainly not as fast as it did. We have sold over 75,000 cocktails to happy customers all over the UK.
I think our ‘no nonsense’ approach to creating cocktails is what people enjoy the most about us.”
Grant Murray.
“I feel proud of the achievement and am extremely thankful to everyone who has supported us, from colleagues to customers to suppliers, I really couldn’t have asked for anything more.
“I think our ‘no nonsense’ approach to creating cocktails is what people enjoy the most about us. That’s what we have to thank for our success.”
Keeping things fresh
Despite bars reopening in recent months, the co-owner is determined to see the brand continue to succeed.
While the journey hasn’t been plain sailing, the co-owner has high aspirations of becoming the number one cocktail delivery company in the UK.
“Developing our product so quickly and having to adapt to a changing market, while still operating the business successfully, has been a real challenge,” Grant said.
“Another big challenge has been the supply chain, which I know I’m not alone in, but getting the products we need – from cardboard boxes to vodka – seems to have been affected in one way or another throughout our journey.
“Sales this year are slightly lower than this time last year as we don’t have the benefit of bars being closed. However, we aim to be the number one cocktail delivery company in the UK, as well as the go-to solution for small and medium businesses looking to offer high-end cocktails without the faff.”