Легенда «Астон Виллы» Дион Дюблен стал совладельцем британского производителя спиртных напитков 52North

Aston Villa legend joins 52North Drinks as co-owner Former England footballer Dion Dublin has become a co-owner of British spirits producer 52North Drinks. Dublin made four appearances for England in his international career and is known for his time in the Premier League playing for teams such as Aston Villa and Coventry. He also played for Celtic in the Scottish Premiership. Today, he is a TV presenter, pundit and businessman. He said: “What attracted me to 52North was the ambition behind it. They have built something really exciting, and I could see the potential straight away. “This isn’t about putting my name on a bottle. I’m becoming part of the business because I believe in the brand, the products and where we can take it. We’ve got big ambitions and I’m looking forward to getting stuck in.” As co-owner, Dublin will hope his profile and network from the worlds of sports and broadcasting can help the brand as it enters its next phase of growth. 52 North Drinks launched in 2024 and is based in Surrey, England. It produces No.08 Spiced Rum, as well as its Yuzu Lime and Chocolate Caramel rum liqueurs. The spiced rum is triple-distilled and features a blend of eight citrus and Eastern spices. It is bottled at 40% ABV. Of getting Dublin on board, the brand’s co-founder, Gemma Taylor, said: “We’ve always wanted to build 52North for the long term. We’ve worked incredibly hard to get the brand to where it is today, and bringing Dion on board gives us an opportunity to take that ambition even further. “Dion and I bring very different experiences to the table, which is exactly why we make a great partnership. He genuinely believes in what we’re building, and I’m really excited about what we can achieve together.” The company said it was gaining interest in the UK’s hospitality scene and is looking to expand its reach. It currently operates across the UK through business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C) channels. “We deliberately kept that approach whilst we’ve been growing, which has allowed us to build a genuine relationship with our customers and maintain the quality and service we want 52North to be known for,” Taylor added. “That said, we’re now at the stage where we’re looking for the right distribution partner to help us take that next step and make 52North more widely available across the UK. “It’s important to us that any partner shares our passion for the brand and our ambitions for where 52North can go.” Related news Sustainability of people: the key to long-term success