24. Cask Trade

Founder: Simon Aron

Year founded: 2018
Website: casktrade.com

Simon Aron, the man who stands at the helm of Cask Trade, isn’t your typical entrepreneur. 

He’s a passionate whisky enthusiast whose journey into the realm of whisky investment was born out of his existing tech expertise and bad trading experiences. 

The victim of a number of unscrupulous whisky investment schemes,  Aron was stunned by how difficult it was to acquire basic legal ownership documentation on casks he had bought. Finding out he invested in a whisky cask that didn’t exist was the straw that broke the camel’s back

Determined to prove that whisky trading and investment could be done right, Cask Trade was born – promising to champion transparency, honesty, and expertise as its guiding values. 

The core of the Cask Trade platform is to educate investors and safeguard them from misleading market statements by providing accurate and reliable information. This premise has created a loyal customer base and contributed to the company’s considerable growth.

The Cask Trade crew consists of like-minded whisky enthusiasts with years of experience under their belts. They treat each cask like it’s their baby, keeping a close eye on every step of its journey. The comprehensive and trusted service  investors can rely on features matching clients’ requirements for investment, storage, insurance, bottling, labelling, and ensuring worldwide shipping.

Cask Trade’s commitment to excellence hasn’t gone unnoticed. In just five years, Cask Trade has grown from a small startup with a savvy founder to a leading player in the cask trading industry. With 24 dedicated staff members, a turnover exceeding £20 million, and a presence across six continents, the Startups judges believe the company is poised to continue on its growth trajectory over the next few years.

For the Startups 100 index, Cask Trade proves how a small business with a big heart can make a transformative impact while redefining whisky investment with a set of strong values and next-level potential. They aren’t just trading casks; they’re trading trust, one sip at a time. We’ll drink to that!