Aussie cricket legend Michael Clarke the first of many celebrities to promote Bevmart

A small Aussie distillery has ambitious plans to take on the world, and part of their strategy is enlisting the help of celebrities like Michael Clarke.

Cricket legend Michael Clarke is the first in a line up of celebrities a small Australian distillery hopes will help them take on the world.

Australian Boutique Spirits (ABS), a western Sydney family-owned distillery that develops, manufactures and exports Australian made spirits, launched a direct-to-consumer platform, Bevmart, earlier this year.

Clarke, 40, has joined Bevmart as an investor and ambassador - something he described as a “natural fit” for him given his western suburbs roots.

“I grew up in Liverpool which is not far away, so its good for me to spend a bit more time at home and close to where I grew up - that was a big factor.”

So too was being able to contribute to the recovery of the business sector in Sydney’s west that has been hammered by Covid lockdowns.

Australian cricket legend, Michael Clarke, is an equity partner and ambassador at Bevmart.

“With everything going on with business at the moment, this gives me a chance to support the economy and be part of making some changes.”

He gelled quickly with ABS founder Raj Beri and figured it was the “right time” to make a move.

“We have some very similar core values. Bevmart want to continue to grow and try and be the best they can be and I think I’ve probably I’ve always chased that dream, and I’m still chasing it now.”

Clarke said the “hustle and drive to be the best” would determine their success.

“I think there’s huge potential where this ends up.”

It was the right time for Mr Beri too - they were looking for a brand ambassador and were needing to raise $10 million capital.

“And now he’s a part owner, and, of course, is going to help with the brand ambassadorship promoting Bevmart,” Mr Beri said.

Australian Boutique Spirits founder Raj Beri and his wife Elizabath Cardillo. Picture: Supplied

Mr Beri said Bevmart would be turbocharged by “celebrity alcohol brands” and celebrities to promote them.

“For example, right now we have exclusively, Drake’s Virginia black whiskey. Next month we will have the Rock’s Teremana tequila. We’ve got a pipeline of celebrity brands that we will have on Bevmart ... so having an Australian celebrity attached to it, promoting it, that’s all going to gel into the whole overall strategy really well,” he said.

He was tight-lipped about who would join the celebrity roster spruiking Bevmart, but revealed everyone from well known actors to beauty queens were in the frame.

“We do have a pipeline of very famous people who have invested in our business, or looking to invest, and also ambassadors that will come on-board,” he said.

Mr Beri is the part owner of a US based production company, something he said gave him access to “A list celebrities”.

“A lot of them are looking at some opportunities I’m presenting in the alcohol space, it’s going to be a win-win for everyone. My wife was a former Miss Pennsylvania [and] competed at Miss USA, so through her network we’ve got access to a lot of the beauty queens and Miss USA contestants and winners,” Mr Beri said.

Clarke is the first of several celebrities to promote Bevmart.

“We’ve got a pretty big network out here. A lot of celebrities are looking at looking at our small little Australian company.”

They have already got their eyes on global expansion, from December 1, firstly in the United States and then into the Asia Pacific.

The partnership with Clarke will complement ABS’ current pre-IPO capital raise which is on track to raise $10 million in capital.

“We have raised seven of our $10 million. We’ve got strategic discussions happening with some prominent family offices and growth, private equity funds. So we’re leaving some space for them to come in, in the next month or so but ABS is looking to IPO on the ASX in the first quarter of 2022.”

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Originally published as Aussie cricket legend Michael Clarke the first of many celebrities to promote Bevmart