Startups 100, the UK’s longest running index of disruptive new start-ups, run by Startups.co.uk, has released its 2024 companies to watch and Cask Trade, the cask whiskey marketplace, has made the index. Previous examples of successful companies that have made the list include Monzo, Deliveroo and HelloFresh.
The Startups 100 list assess UK-based businesses on five key areas of analysis: finance, external validation, size of opportunity, innovativeness of idea and strength of concept. Additionally, in order to make the index, all businesses must have launched within the last 5 years, be UK-based, and be privately owned (at the time of entering). The winners of the Startups 100 Index are chosen by a specialist panel of judges.
Managing Editor of Startups.co.uk, Richard Parris, commented: “The ingenuity and innovation of the brands featuring in our annual Startups 100 index never ceases to amaze, and this year is no exception. Despite the crises of the past couple of years, we’ve seen some incredible businesses from every corner of the UK in our rankings. They may be tackling different challenges to one another, but there’s a shared mood of opportunity and an optimism for the year ahead that’s invigorating to see as we begin 2024.”
Founded in 2018, Cask Trade has grown considerably and was even included in the Sunday Times Top 100 Business in Britain last year. Currently, the company has offices in the UK and Hong Kong, as well as agents in Australia, Singapore, the USA and India. Their wide-reaching operations have meant that since 2018 they have sold approximately 9000 casks to over 1800 private customers and around 150 independent bottlers spanning six continents. Furthermore, the casks they have sold cover 50 years’ worth of age statements from 1973 to 2023, with an astonishing 170 distilleries represented across the world of whisky and other spirits.
Cask Trade’s success has been built upon the honesty and transparency that goes into the purchasing and selling of casks on their platform. By owning the casks that Cask Trade sells, they have been able to offer their customers a 100% transactional guarantee.
Commenting on the achievement, Simon Aron, founder and CEO of Cask Trade says: “This is truly a pleasant and unexpected achievement to be 24 out of 100 start-ups, alongside so many fantastic companies. I’ve had the pleasure of turning my personal passion into a fast growing business, with success down to the hard work and dedication from co-directors and our fabulous team.”
Sources: https://www.whiskyintelligence.com/2024/01/cask-trade-named-among-uks-most-innovative-new-businesses-cask-whisky-news/
