I’ll be chatting with another one of my wonderful clients, Gemma and Russ, from Two Drifters Rum, this month as part of my Client’s Stories series, to explore the story behind their delicious rum and learn about why they started the business. Two Drifters rum make carbon negative rum in their distillery near Exeter Airport in Devon. Two Drifters mission is to capture 1% of the UK rum market by 2028 and to have 1% of the Global rum market by 2035. They aim to achieve this without harming the earth by producing all of their rum with a carbon negative footprint. After years of working together on product photoshoots and more it’s a pleasure to feature this husband-and-wife team and all they do on my blog.
Hi Gemma and Russ, when and why did you decide to start Two Drifters Rum?
It’s always been rum for us! Our very first date was a rum tasting, our honeymoon was in St. Lucia—so rum has been a big part of our journey together from the start. We absolutely love it. The idea of making our own rum from scratch in the UK was exactly the kind of challenge we thrive on, and that’s how Two Drifters Rum was born!
What’s your favourite rum in your range, and why?
Our favourite rum really depends on the time of year, time of day, what we’re drinking, and even the weather! That’s the beauty of our range—each rum has its own unique character and versatility. So picking just one favourite doesn’t make sense. Whether it’s a refreshing rum cocktail in the summer (like we captured together on our Lifestyle shoot pictured) or a rich, warming sip on a winter evening, there’s always a Two Drifters Rum to suit the moment!
Tell us more about how you’re carbon neutral.
We’re proud to say that we don’t just stop at being carbon neutral—we go one step further and are actually carbon negative. This means we remove more carbon from the atmosphere than we create.
A key part of this is our internal carbon tax, which pushes us to find carbon-free alternatives for every part of our process. Instead of just offsetting emissions, we focus on eliminating them wherever possible. For instance, our distillery is 100% electric and runs entirely on renewable energy. We also carefully consider our materials, packaging, and logistics to ensure every aspect of our production is as sustainable as possible. Any unavoidable emissions are permanently removed, making Two Drifters Rum truly carbon negative.
Sustainability is at the heart of everything we do, so every bottle of Two Drifters Rum is not just delicious, but also better for the planet!
What do you love most about running the business?
What we love most about running Two Drifters is the incredible flexibility and the fact that no two days are ever the same. One day we’re in the distillery crafting rum, the next we’re out sharing our story with customers. The highs and lows are so much more extreme compared to any other jobs we’ve had, which makes it both exhilarating and challenging. But that’s what keeps it exciting—we thrive on the adventure and the passion that comes with building something we truly believe in!
Where can we find your rum?
You can find Two Drifters Rum on our website, on Amazon, and in a growing number of places around the world! We’re proud to export to over 10 different countries, so whether you’re in the UK or beyond, there’s a good chance you can get your hands on a bottle. Check out our website for the full list of stockists and to order directly!
Where did your passion for rum originate from?
Russ has always loved rum—so much so that with every pay slip, he’d buy a different bottle to explore the vast world of this incredible spirit. Then he met me and shared his passion, proving that rum is so much more than just Bacardi! What makes rum so special is that it’s crafted 100% from sugar, giving it an amazing raw ingredient to work with. It’s a fun, vibrant, and incredibly diverse spirit, and that’s what drew us in and made us want to create our own
What’s been a highlight in your business journey together so far?
One of the biggest highlights of our journey so far was being featured on the last ever episode of The Hairy Bikers. The response was absolutely incredible—so extreme that it took us two months just to catch up! It was a real moment of validation for us, showing just how much people love seeing what we do and truly appreciate the hard work and passion that goes into every bottle of Two Drifters Rum. That experience was both overwhelming and inspiring, and it reminded us why we do what we do!
What does the next 12 months hold for Two Drifters?
The next 12 months for Two Drifters are all about more of more! More exporting, more rum production, more customers, and most importantly, getting our brand story and our rums in front of more people. We’re continuing to grow, sharing our passion for high-quality, sustainable rum with the world. If you’re going to drink rum, make it one that credibly protects the planet—and that’s exactly what we’re here to do!
You can find Two Drifters Rum on Instagram or shop their beautiful rums from their online shop.
