A Manchester-based spirit brand was left disappointed last night after being brutally rejected on the BBC show Dragon’s Den.
German-born Manchester resident Max Ruether, who runs his moonshine business O’Donnell Moonshine out of the Northern Quarter, faced up to the five business moguls on Thursday – asking them for a £200,000 investment in exchange for a 5% equity share.
At first, things seemed to be going well. Max appeared in his bootlegger garb – flat cap, white shirt and braces – alongside multiple mason jars filled with different flavours of moonshine and everyone, bar Touker Suleyman, happily got stuck into the sampling.
Peter Jones was so enthusiastic, in fact, he was chugging the stuff straight from the bottle.
But as the dragons started to dig into the figures, it soon became clear that all did not add up. The business was in debt to the tune of £870,000 and investment was only available in the UK arm of the company, not its more successful German parent.
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Commenting that the UK business had lost money over the past three years, Touker was the first to issue a brutal rejection – telling the Mancunian entrepreneur his valuation was “ridiculous” before asking “how much of that stuff have you drank?”
He continued, “I find amazing is that you come in here with a business that has a million euros in debt” before surmising it was overvalued, over-indebted, there were too many questions marks and too many doubts.
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Up next, Peter Jones called the business ‘deflating and unexciting’ before announcing he, too, was out. Admitting he could have been a potential investor, he ultimately slammed Max saying “even if I drank everything that’s on this table here I’d still come to the same conclusion.”
Steven Bartlett and Deborah Meaden were quick to follow suit, with Meaden explaining “You’re a tiny shareholder… you’ve made it impossible for me to invest”.
As for Sara Davies, it seemed there could be a glimmer of hope as she enthused about how ‘cool’ the concept was but, ultimately, she opted out too.
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After the show, Max Ruether said: “Whilst it was disappointing not to have received investment, it’s important to pick out the positives from my experience on The Den.
“The feedback was really encouraging and tells me that the brand and products are absolutely on the right track.
“It’s certainly not the last you’ll hear of O’Donnell Moonshine. For us it’s only the beginning.”
Founded in 2016, O’Donnell Moonshine takes its name from anti-hero Chicago bootlegger Edward ‘Spike’ O’Donnell – a bootlegger during the roaring twenties.
Inspired by the rebellion and inventiveness of the American prohibition era, where illegal alcohol was produced overnight by moonlight to avoid detection, O’Donnell Moonshine is sold in flavours including Tough Nut, Wild Berry, Sticky Toffee, and 72% ABV High Proof.
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Although none of the dragons invested in the business, they did seem impressed with the product.
In an additional comment following the show, Max Ruether said moonshine could overtake gin in popularity: “As consumers continue to grow more adventurous with their choice of spirit, we predict a Moonshine boom in the next three years, much like the gin boom. Moonshine really is the new gin!”
Feature image – O’Donnell Moonshine
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Manchester firefighter surprises partner with proposal during new recruits parade
Danny Jones
We’re a sucker for a wholesome little video as we know you are, which is exactly why we thought of you lot when we came across this video of a newly graduated Manchester firefighter surprising his partner with a heartwarming proposal.
Just the kind of heartwarming that usually sets us off after a long week at work.
The clip shared by Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) on Thursday, 25 April, shows Manc fireman James popping the question to his girlfriend sat unassumingly in the audience at a recent passing out ceremony.
Pass out ceremonies are when trainees go from recruits to fully qualified firefighters after completing their intensive operational training. It’s a long-standing tradition in the emergency services where friends and family gather to celebrate their achievements – it’s almost like it’s the perfect opportunity…
As you can see, since the graduates are usually the centre of attention, James couldn’t help but size his moment and instead of walking and lining up normally like everyone else, he decided to head straight over to his wife-to-be and get down on one knee.
You already know the rest.
Welling up immediately and barely able to remove her hands from her face, Melissa nods and says yes as the crowd cheers and the pair share a smooch.
Writing on social media, the GMFRS said: “We managed to capture a VERY special moment at our new recruits pass out parade today… Congratulations to James and Melissa!”, adding, “Certainly one way to start your new career”.
If we don’t see all the groomsmen dressed as firefighters on a random viral video sometime soon we’re going to be gutted.
All the best to the happy couple and if you’ve got any more lovely clips like this to send in so we can make ourselves cry (in a good way), you know what to do.
Featured Images — Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service
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Peter Kay’s statement in full as his Co-op Live gigs are postponed for SECOND time
Daisy Jackson
Peter Kay has issued a statement after his two gigs at Co-op Live were rescheduled – again.
The Bolton-born comedian was supposed to officially open the huge new Manchester venue last week, but ‘power supply issues’ forced it to be rescheduled.
He was then supposed to perform on Monday and Tuesday of next week instead, but these two shows have been pushed back even further.
Peter Kay has now issued a statement addressing the postponement, saying it’s ‘very disappointing’.
He also said: “I know, I can’t believe it either.”
He’s even amended his own tour poster to add the disclaimer: “(If they actually open the place).”
The star joked that he was now the ‘ninth artist in the world’ to play there.
The legendary comic wrote: “To everybody with tickets, my apologies once again but unfortunately the Co-op Live still isn’t ready and so, as yet, remains untested for a large-scale audience.
“Consequently, they are having to reschedule my two shows yet again (I know I can’t believe it either).
“The first available dates the shows can reschedule to are as follows: Mon 29th April to Thurs 23rd May, Tues 30th April to Frid 24th May.
“Tickets will be transferred, or refunds given if the new dates aren’t suitable.
“It’s very disappointing but your safety is important, and I won’t compromise that.”
Co-op Live said in a statement: “Since making the difficult decision to postpone the live shows at Co-op Live due to take place this week, we have been undertaking an extensive protocol of testing critical procedures to ensure all areas are ready for fans.”
They’ve also made the rather bold decision to once again assure fans that the next raft of shows now set to be their opening gigs – big dates from Boogie Wit Da Hoodie and Olivia Rodrigo – are still set to go ahead as scheduled.
Touch wood.
“To ensure that we can run all shows safely, regretfully we have now had to take the decision to reschedule the planned The Black Keys and Peter Kay shows.
“Both The Black Keys and Peter Kay have graciously agreed to reschedule their shows. The Black Keys will now perform on 15 May 2024, and Peter Kay will now perform on 23 and 24 May 2024.
“All tickets remain valid and ticket holders will be contacted by their point of purchase. Refunds will be available for those who can no longer attend.
“We deeply appreciate the impact this will have on excited fans, and sincerely apologise for the inconvenience that this change will undoubtedly cause. Rescheduling Peter Kay and The Black Keys will give us the extra time we need to continue testing enhanced emergency communications thoroughly.
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“This is vital to satisfy the rigorous set of guidelines and protocols that are necessary for a venue of this size to ensure that our fans, artists and staff have the safest experience possible.”