East Sussex brothers’ vodka soda secures nationwide listing with Sainsbury’s

Heathfield-based Rob and James Smith, who grew up in the town and attended Heathfield Community College, are the co-founders of Arrowtown Drinks.

Two of their full-flavour variants – Mango and Pineapple and Black Cherry and Apple – are set to be stocked in 285 Sainsbury’s stores.

Arrowtown co-founder James said: “Securing a nationwide listing with Sainsbury’s is a massive milestone for us. We started Arrowtown to prove that you don’t need to compromise on flavour to make a lighter, cleaner drink. Partnering with one of the UK’s major supermarkets allows us to take that mission nationwide, making it easier than ever for consumers to find a premium, low-sugar alternative on the shelves.”

James spoke to this newspaper in April after Arrowtown secured a retail listing into a selection of Southern Co-op stores across the South of England. He explained that he and Rob launched their brand during the Covid pandemic while they were in their early twenties. James said Rob got the idea during his gap year after he had attended the University of Leeds. Rob had found himself in a ‘little place called Arrowtown in New Zealand’ and while he was there he enjoyed some low sugar spirit mixers.

The brothers’ brand is made with triple-distilled vodka, sparkling soda and 100 per cent natural ingredients. Each can contains about 109 calories and avoids artificial sweeteners with the aim of offering a lighter alternative to traditional alcoholic drinks.

James added: “The world of alcohol consumption is changing. Consumers want transparency, sustainable authenticity, and great taste without the artificial ingredients. We wanted to make a drink that keeps the good times flowing but aligns with a modern, balanced lifestyle.”