Exeter alumni becomes drinks trade entrepreneur

A former University of Exeter master’s student is celebrating after successfully launching their Two Brooks brand into the UK’s emerging Hard Seltzer market, establishing them as one of the youngest drinks brand owners in the country.

Fabio Bruni, aged 28, who attended the University from 2014-2015, has defied the odds and launched his business alongside his sister Francesca (aged 25) during an unprecedented pandemic – a big enough task in normal market conditions.

Two Brooks is a range of alcoholic sparkling waters that’s produced in Britain, made with 100% natural ingredients, low alcohol, low calorie, low in sugar, vegan and gluten free, and in an ever-increasing health-conscious society, offers broad appeal as the perfect ready-to-drink partner for consumers looking for a more balanced lifestyle.

As a passionate fan of sparkling water, the young entrepreneur – now based in London – left his influential job in the M&A insurance industry after seeing the growing interest in the category during business trips made to the US; the emergence of the category was the perfect opportunity for him to create a business around a product he loves. With the US hard seltzer (alcoholic sparkling water) market expected to reach $2.5bn in value in 2021[1], attention has quickly turned to the potential of the UK market to follow suit.

Fabio, who completed his master’s degree in Corporate Finance and Portfolio Management, felt his career in M&A Insurance was never going to satisfy his desire to be his own boss. He comments: “After my last trip to the US with work, and seeing how popular hard seltzers had become, the decision to write a business plan for an alcoholic sparkling water began in mid-2019.

“I was intending to go it alone, until I learned over a family dinner that Francesca was thinking of moving jobs and the decision to join forces was quickly landed on – Francesca’s creative mind was the perfect complement to my analytical skill set and the rest is history.”

With only the founders as decision makers, progress was swift and Loon Water, the holding company, was incorporated in November 2019 and less than six months after, the Two Brooks range was developed and more than 25,000 cans produced.

Fabio says he owes a lot to his time at the University of Exeter. He comments: “My time at university really instilled a sense of determination and self-awareness in my own capabilities, and that was always encouraged by my tutors and peers. I’d love to come back and chat to the current students about my experience and maybe inspire some to take a leap themselves.”

And on their radical new drinks brand, Fabio adds: “While it might raise a few eyebrows as any new alcohol category can, alcoholic sparkling water fills a gap in the market for spirit/mixer drinkers who want to venture beyond their usual drink and try something new. Plus, with the rise of cocktail culture, flavour innovation in the gin category, and the premiumisation of canned alcohol driven by craft beer, alcoholic sparkling water has the perfect launchpad in the UK.”