A pair of gin entrepreneurs told by Dragons' Den bosses they were on the "tail-end of the comet" three years ago have reported a record £3m year - with sales up by over 1,000% since appearing on the BBC show.
Didsbury Gin, led by Mark Smallwood and Liam Manton, and which won investment from former Dragon Jenny Campbell back in 2018, has reported a 152% year-on-year rise in sales to the year ending January 31, 2021.
That saw the figure go from £1.339m in 2019 to £3.375m in 2020, with online business sales soaring by 600%.
When appearing on the show back in 2018, Dragon Deborah Meaden told the pair they were on the "tail-end of the comet" - and that they should not have been learning lessons from other businesses who had "got in" three years earlier.
Ms Meaden said she viewed the industry as a marketplace that was set to "slow right down".
They eventually received an investment of £75,000 from Ms Campbell in return for a 33% stake in the business, turning down an identical offer from Tej Lalvani.
However Ms Meaden's prediction looks to have been off the mark, with the firm reporting a 1,295% increase since landing the investment.
Co-founder Manton said they're in a 'fantastic position' as trade begins to open back up, with new products in development.
He told the MEN: "Our company is founded on a love of gin and mission to challenge what's out there.
"We've proven over the past year that building a consumer-first, multi-channel retail brand works if you do it with honesty, integrity, transparency, and community."
He continued: "It's exciting to be coming out of this financial year on such a high.
"It's been a year like no other, but our ability to move with great agility, accelerate our business plans and invest and innovate at great pace to offer consumers the luxuriously luscious gins and rums they want, has allowed us to not just survive this last year but to actually thrive.
"We're in a fantastic position as the on-trade begins to open back up. We have no intention of shifting down a gear at this point.
"We have ambitious plans for the coming year with exciting new product development and distribution plans in the pipeline to help us continue to be bold, daring and different."
During the pandemic, the co-founders chose to switch production at their distillery to produce hand sanitiser, managing to capitalise on the demand for at-home cocktails and gin and tonics.
As people were forced to stay indoors during lockdown, Didsbury's direct-to-consumer online business sales increased 600 per cent.
To ramp up its online offering, Didsbury Gin launched a brand-new look website, subscription service and bespoke boxes in partnership with Snaffling Pig to cater for those looking to recreate the bar experience at home.
The business has also created bartender-quality ready-to-drink (RTD) products - securing listings in Co-op, Booths and WHSmith, as well as selling direct to consumers.
Former Dragon, Jenny Campbell, who is from Didsbury and continues to be a shareholder in the business said: "Didsbury Gin has always been a no-nonsense kind of brand. Just sumptuous, deliciously vibrant gin.
"This is what caught my eye initially, as well as the strong capabilities of the co-founders, and why I was so keen to invest.
"The team has shown great tenacity throughout this past year, and together we have built something truly special that cuts through the noise in what is undeniably a highly saturated market."
Alderman's Drinks, parent company to Didsbury Gin, has also expanded its portfolio in 2020 with the launch of ARLU Rum - timed perfectly amid an increase in demand for the dark spirit as rum was crowned the 'drink of lockdown'.
The selection of Caribbean born, Manchester made spirits have already been hailed by the likes of Esquire as 'a brilliant example of a spiced rum' and landed listings in Co-op and Booths.
