How Kyneton-born business Capi became a global success story

When wine, bubbles and beer just won’t do on a night out, we welcome the humble spirit. There’s nothing worse than a sub-par soda or juice — and one Melbourne brand is changing the way we think about mixers, one bottle at a time.

Pitzy Folk is behind one of the country’s most popular water and soda brand’s Capi.

When wine, bubbles and beer just won’t do on a night out, we welcome the humble spirit.

Unless you’re after a stiff drink, a whisky, vodka or gin pairs perfectly with a mixer, but there’s nothing worse than a sub-par soda or juice.

Pitzy Folk knows this all too well.

The Melbourne businessman is behind one of the country’s most popular water and soda brand’s Capi.

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Pitzy loves Capi’s new native tonic water.

Pitzy’s been in the drinks industry for years, launching Map coffee and housing cafes in Country Road and Georges retail stores.

He was also behind the Observatory Cafe in the Botanic Gardens, now known as chef Shannon Bennett’s Jardin Tan.

Pitzy says what goes into his mixers are essential to the overall experience.

“The public is demanding a quality product, free of any nasties,” he says.

“We are literally water, sugar and fruits. We pasteurise everything, there’s no artificial flavours and when we say sugar free we aren’t even adding stevia.”

Capi began in 2012, helming from Kyneton in the state’s north. All of Capi’s mineral water is sourced in Lauriston, north of Kyneton.

Pitzy was first approached by a friend to buy into the business, but things went south after a production mishap.

“There was a hiccup in manufacturing … so we had to recall,” he said.

“Which is was a good thing, because you learn from your mistakes.”

After the setback, his partners sold their share of the business to Pitzy and he’s owned the company since.

Pitzy Folk at Capi HQ in Windsor. Picture: Josh Robenstone

“We have been very lucky and have grown brilliantly,” he says.

“I think Australia has enough confidence to believe in their own products now.”

Capi sells fruit sodas, mineral water and mixers, and a craft range including a native tonic water.

“I love the native tonic … to me it’s a drink that’s low in sugar and it’s clean,” he says.

Pitzy’s looking forward to growing the brand in Australia and overseas, but has come across some challenges with local eateries who choose to sell imported sparkling or mineral water.

“Fine dining restaurants like Grossi, any of Andrew McConnell’s restaurants, Movida — they believe in selling Australian water,” he says.

“The argument we have with Italian restaurants is that they insist on selling Italian water.

“Most of them will use an Italian mineral water. I ask, why do we have to buy water from Europe from multinationals?”

“Why would anyone drink water that’s been in your car for three months? All of those imported waters have been on boats for three months.”

Capi is now exported to Japan, Korea, China and the Middle East, with Pitzy promoting the brand to the United States later this year.

@Kara_Irving