Eureka: How Whitebox Cocktails Turned a Negroni into a Global Business

Podcast: The Entrepreneurs – Eureka (Monocle Radio)
Host: Tom Edwards
Guest: Pietro Collina, Co-founder of Whitebox Cocktails
Date: October 3, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode of Eureka delves into the story behind Whitebox Cocktails, a young Edinburgh-based company that has fundamentally reimagined how bar-quality cocktails can be enjoyed at home or on the go. Co-founder Pietro Collina shares how a humble lockdown project blossomed into an international business selling millions of cans. The conversation covers early inspirations, product development, branding, challenges of scaling, and the bold vision that distinguishes Whitebox in a rapidly expanding market.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Origins in Lockdown

• Lockdown Spark: The company’s roots trace to a pandemic lockdown when co-founders started sending Negronis to friends to foster connection virtually.
• First Experiment: Pietro recounts receiving a plain package (a humble white box with a sticker) containing a Negroni, made with basic tools and packaging from the hospitality trade.
• Quote:

  “It was a weird time, lockdown... you had to have like drinks on Zoom with people and all that kind of stuff.”
  — Pietro Collina (01:21)

2. Professional Background and Market Insight

• Deep Hospitality Roots: Pietro and his partners are seasoned hospitality and bar professionals, with experience in renowned establishments in New York and London.
• Evolution of Beverage Interest: Originally intent on becoming a chef, Pietro instead fell in love with wine and bartending, running high-profile bar programs, and eventually shifting toward beverages in general.
• Quote:

  “A lot of people think as a server, you're just serving plates and food and drinks, but you’re doing so many more steps... you start learning a language about how to actually engage with people.”
  — Pietro Collina (06:35)

• Knowing the Industry: Decades of pitching and being pitched to by spirits brands gave the founders a sharp sense for storytelling, branding, and market dynamics.

3. Approaching Canned Cocktails Differently

• Authenticity First: Whitebox was determined to deliver true bar-quality experiences — with proper strength and ritual.
• Product Specifics:
  • Cocktails like margaritas are full strength (up to 20% ABV), defying the trend in lower-alcohol RTDs (ready-to-drink).
  • The serving ritual is encouraged (pouring over ice, rimming glasses, garnishing), not just cracking a can and drinking.
• Quote:

  “Our ABV is high... it’s what you would expect from a bar experience. And you pour it into a glass with ice, you rim the glass, you garnish it. It becomes a kind of a ritual.”
  — Pietro Collina (08:15)

4. Development Challenges: Sourcing & Flavour

• Creating Campari’s Twin: Since it wasn’t financially feasible to use real Campari, extensive R&D went into replicating the signature flavors (and those of other key ingredients).
• Hands-On R&D: Developing and testing recipes in-house, leveraging bartender skills.
• Scaling Up:

  “This is the perfect cocktail. Okay, well now, how do we do 100,000 of these?”
  — Pietro Collina (09:02)

5. Branding—A Disruptive, Whimsical Approach

• Breaking Convention: Rather than uniform or pastel color schemes common to RTDs, each Whitebox can boasts whimsical, eye-catching graphics and its own personality.
• Design as Differentiator:
  • Early industry feedback pushed for a more standard range look, but the team doubled down on individuality, creating strong shelf appeal.
  • The can design includes not only art, but practical instructions for optimal serving right on the can.
• Quote:

  “Right from the beginning we’re like, we don’t want to do that. We want to be completely disruptive. We want to have this kind of more kind of whimsical branding and personality.”
  — Pietro Collina (09:41)

6. Business Growth & Vision

• Trajectory:
  • Year 1: 200 independent retailers in the UK and Scotland.
  • Year 2: Doubled to 400.
  • Year 3: 1,000+ distribution points and international expansion.
  • Surpassing 1 million cans sold; expecting 2-3 million for the current year.
• Global Reach: Now present in the UK, Canada, UAE, China, Norway, Ireland, France, Denmark, and growing.
• Iterative Expansion: The team is eyeing collaborative event opportunities and custom cocktails for festivals, arenas, and corporate partners.
• Quote:

  “Right now, the expectation is kind of outperforming everything we ever imagined, to be honest.”
  — Pietro Collina (09:56)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Lockdown Realities:

  “I got one sent in the mail and it was just a plain white box, very generic but with a sticker on it and it had the Negroni character on this box. I opened up, it was just a plastic bag... poured myself a Negroni and it was delicious. But I was very obsessed with this character.”
  — Pietro Collina (01:36)

• Learning From Hospitality:

  “You sit every single week with people who would just have new products... I understand the storytelling, I understand the brands. And specifically, as you mature into the industry... you start looking at more of the financing... and how it develops.”
  — Pietro Collina (06:57)

• Fun with Branding:

  “The Negroni to begin with has the Negroni man on it. Really, really kind of fun and it pops off of the shelf.”
  — Pietro Collina (09:46)

• Moment of Milestone:

  “I think last year we were so proud. We hit our one millionth cocktail sold and it was a huge moment for us. And we were like, wow, this is really picking up. It’s absolutely crazy.”
  — Pietro Collina (10:05)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 01:13 – Pietro Collina describes how Whitebox Cocktails began during lockdown.
• 02:30 - 05:45 – Background in hospitality and the shift from chef to bartender.
• 05:50 - 07:40 – Insights on industry experience, branding, and sales.
• 08:00 – Discussion on strength and authenticity of Whitebox cocktails.
• 08:55 – R&D process behind flavor replication and scaling up production.
• 09:35 - 10:10 – Unconventional branding and design choices.
• 10:00 – Celebrating reaching one million cocktails sold, and ambitious global expansion plans.

Conclusion

Pietro Collina’s journey with Whitebox Cocktails is a testament to how professional expertise, creative vision, and a willingness to break category conventions can transform a simple idea—sending a Negroni in the mail—into a dynamic, international business. Their commitment to authentic flavor, engaging branding, and continuous innovation positions Whitebox Cocktails as a leader in the premium ready-to-drink space.

Want to learn more? Visit whiteboxcocktails.com for details on their products and story.
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