More than a crazy idea?: This Swiss man wants to supply half of Europe with hard liquor

Sales of 600 million francs

Curiger estimates the market for spirits ordered online in Switzerland at between 500 and 600 million francs, but hard data is scarce. Coop, one of Drinks.ch’s well-known competitors, is a very large company when it comes to alcohol transportation but is mainly active in the wine business. Although Galaxus and Brack have a wide range of souls, they are considered smaller players in terms of volume.

Curiger, 35, first studied business at the University of Zurich and then graduated in business administration at HWZ. He also founded his company in the last decade. In addition to selling spirits from other producers, Curiger is now going one step further. In June, it launched its own products: four types of tonic water under the “Match” brand. It not only sells them through its online store, but also promotes them at the “Bar Monastery” in Berlin, Europe’s largest spirits fair.

Fivefold increase in sales

Curiger says the square bottles with crown caps have attracted great interest and various importers are looking to include the tonics in their product range. One of the customers is Spain’s El Corte Inglés, Europe’s largest department store chain. Curiger stated that the target for the first year is “15 million bottle sales volume, sales will start simultaneously in 15 European countries, the USA, Canada and Australia” and said that the tonics should be available for sale in 40 countries by the end of 2024. . Next year, Curiger wants to sell European and Japanese spirits produced by distinguished producers under its own brand. He founded a second company, Curius, for his own spirits.

The business plan is ambitious: Within three years, Curiger expects its sales to increase fivefold, to the triple-digit million range. But going public is not an option for him. If he needed additional capital, “I would prefer private debt investments.” So: loans from private lenders.