A posh gin business run by Harry Potter actress Emma Watson and her brother Alex has gained financial backing from several big hitters of the food and drinks sector.
Renais, which crafts gin in Dorset using recycled grape skins from the Watson family’s vineyards in France, raised the funds ahead of a planned expansion in the US.
The business now counts among its shareholders former Diageo Europe boss Andrew Morgan; Jimmy Weir, the group chief financial officer of Laithwaites owner Direct Wines; Alexander Staartjes, a former marketing boss at Pernod Ricard; Jesse Estes of Tequila Ocho; Pete Higgins, a co-founder of Charles Tyrwhitt Shirts; and Ryan Kohn, a co-founder of Propercorn snacks.
Alex Watson, a former Diageo marketing manager who serves as chief executive of the company, said that Renais, unlike many other gins, could be enjoyed straight.
The Watsons’ association with the alcohol industry stretches back more than 30 years. Their father started planting vineyards and making wine in Chablis while working as a barrister in Paris. Renais gin is distilled in Dorset.
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Alex Watson described his sister’s role as “chief creative”, meaning she directs Renais’ advertising and marketing materials. “Emma and I have different skills, and creativity’s not one of mine,” he added. “She’s very creative and passionate, and very talented. It’s a little family dream team.”
The size of the Renais fundraise has not been disclosed. Investor Alexander Staartjes said: “Renais is a very compelling brand which occupies a unique territory within the gin category and is perfectly poised to scale globally.”
While Emma Watson made her name at a young age, starring as Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter film series, Alex Watson has worked in the hospitality sector since his teenage years. He started off as a barman at Café Pacifico in Covent Garden and went on to study hospitality management. He held marketing jobs at ETM Group, a restaurant and bar operator, and Diageo, before formulating the Renais business.
Emma Watson is one of several celebrities that have put their names to gin brands in recent years. Other examples include The Gardener gin, backed by Brad Pitt; Ramsay’s Gin, launched by Eden Mill Distillery and chef Gordon Ramsay; and Ozzy Osbourne’s The Ultimate Gin. In 2020, Aviation American Gin, a brand backed by actor Ryan Reynolds, was acquired by drinks giant Diageo in a deal worth up to $610 million.
