42 Below
42 Below was the premium New Zealand vodka brand Geoff Ross and Justine Troy built from a Wellington garage and sold to Bacardi for NZ$138 million.
- Founded:
- 1999
- Location:
- Wellington, New Zealand
- Website:
- 42below.com
- Sold for:
- NZ$138 million (2006)
- Acquired by:
- Bacardi
- What they made:
- Premium New Zealand vodka
42 Below
42 Below was the premium New Zealand vodka brand Geoff Ross and Justine Troy built from a Wellington garage and sold to Bacardi for NZ$138 million.
42 Below was a premium vodka brand founded by Geoff Ross and Justine Troy in Wellington in 1999. The company built its identity on provocative marketing and a distinctly New Zealand character, distilling vodka from local ingredients and exporting it to markets the brand had no business reaching from a country with no spirits tradition.
Bacardi acquired 42 Below in 2006 for a reported NZ$138 million. The brand remains in production under Bacardi's ownership.
Why Noteworthy
42 Below was one of the first New Zealand consumer brands to sell to a global multinational at scale. The exit remains a reference point for NZ founders thinking about what it means to sell a brand you built, and what happens to it after you leave.
About this profile
This profile was researched and written by Noteworthy using publicly available sources. If something here is out of date or incorrect, let us know and we’ll review it.
