A Cornish tonic water hits the shelves today (Feb 21) to complement the growing number of Cornish gins on the market.
The brainchild of Cornwall Chamber chief executive Kim Conchie and former FugroSeacore MD, Marcus Rampley, Navas Tonic is being distributed exclusively through St Austell Brewery.
The pair hit upon the idea after a quiet drink in a local pub. Surveying the back bar, they questioned why with all the wonderful Cornish gins, there wasn’t a Cornish tonic.
Sketching out the bones of a business plan there and then, the concept of a Cornish tonic was committed to a beer mat.
Searching for a way to get the company going, last year they met Nick Marsh (a former barman and entrepreneur returning to Cornwall). The business plan started to take shape, and together they founded Navas Drinks Co Ltd.
“The name Navas was chosen to reflect our shared connection to the Helford River and the small creek village, Port Navas,” explained Conchie. “Working with Kingdom & Sparrow (the design agency in Falmouth) we developed a brand and packaging to mirror the Serpentine rock of the Lizard Peninsula and add subtle nods to a Cornish heritage.
“We founded Navas to create delicious drinks made from natural botanicals of the best provenance and Cornish Spring Water, delicious on their own and paired with the choicest spirits. We have a core focus on building a sustainable business that promotes Cornish values and quality.”
