Producing English whisky and cold-distilled gin, Cooper King Distillery is an award-winning, independent distillery based in Sutton-on-the-Forest, North Yorkshire. Founded in 2016 by Dr Abbie Neilson and Chris Jaume, the business was self-built and crowdfunded, with sustainability embedded at its heart.
Located in a rural village, the distillery plays an important role in the local economy – supporting skilled employment, attracting visitors, and acting as a valued social hub for the community.
The Challenge
Distilling is a highly energy-intensive process, and the business operates on an all-electric site. As the distillery approached the end of a fixed-price renewable energy contract, it faced a potential doubling of energy costs and the risk of moving to a non-renewable supplier.
This created significant challenges:
Rising costs and energy volatility threatened business resilience
Potential loss of renewable supply risked undermining business sustainability credentials
The Solution:
Cooper King Distillery worked with Business North Yorkshire (BNY), initially engaging through the UKSPF Small Business Grant Scheme, which enabled the distillery to successfully extend and enhance its capacity for tours, tastings, and events. This early support built valuable relationships and helped build confidence in accessing public funding.
Building on this relationship, BNY Business Advisor Joanna supported the business to access further funding through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund Business Sustainability Programme. This included:
Guidance through the application process
Aligning the project with regional climate priorities
Unlocking funding to make the project viable
BNY support also helped the business explore wider growth opportunities, including entering national awards and accessing further programmes.
The Impact:
With BNY support, the distillery delivered a combined sustainability and growth project, including:
- Installation of a 40kW rooftop solar PV system
- Installation of 30kWh battery storage
- Installation of two EV charging points
- Development of a covered outdoor visitor space with seating and event infrastructure
This has delivered strong economic, environmental and community benefits:
- Around 76% of electricity is now generated onsite
- Approx. 28,595 kWh produced annually, saving over 6 tonnes of CO2e annually
- Two publicly accessible EV charging points
- Visitor capacity increased from 10 to up to 55 guests at one time
- Turnover increased by over 20%
- Increased financial stability and resilience in a challenging economic climate
- New part-time roles created
The improvements have positioned Cooper King Distillery for continued growth and business resilience.
The distillery has also gained national recognition, winning a top award at the 2025 Green Growth Awards and continuing to lead the way in sustainable spirits production.
Image source: Cooper King
