Why our first investor is a competitor - and what that says about how BWS actually moves forward

Our first investor in Lateish Drinks is, on paper, a competitor.

That isn’t a provocation and it isn’t accidental. It reflects how we are choosing to build the business and how we see the industry operating in practice.

The conversation isn’t about territory or headcount. It’s about infrastructure - specifically, a SaaS platform that gives clearer visibility into what is actually happening in-market, and an operating model that allows us to support brands across states without pretending capacity is infinite.

What they are backing

The investment isn’t about us “winning” more ground. It’s about how we approach a problem most brands encounter as they scale: losing clarity.

We are an agency first. We are active in-market, working with buyers, distributors, and brand teams. We see where reporting breaks down, where information fragments, and where decisions start getting made without enough signal once a brand moves beyond its home market.

The SaaS platform exists because of that exposure. It is shaped by what fails in practice, not by what looks good in theory. That proximity is what makes it valuable - even to someone already operating in the same space.

Supporting distribution across states, without overstretching

Alongside the platform, we share a practical view on how brands should be supported as they expand across states.

No one has unlimited capacity. The idea that a single group can meaningfully support every good brand, everywhere, doesn’t hold up when you’re doing the work properly. When teams stretch too far, focus slips, standards drop, and brands feel it quickly.

Being able to support distribution across states means knowing where you can genuinely add value, where specialist partners are better placed, and how to keep accountability clear as a brand grows. When this is handled with discipline, brands move faster, partners stay focused, and expectations remain realistic.

Where competition still plays a role

This isn’t an argument against competition. Competition sharpens execution and forces discipline. We are category-exclusive in the markets we operate in for exactly that reason — focus matters if you’re serious about doing good work.

But exclusivity doesn’t require isolation.

The industry doesn’t improve when everyone tries to control the same ground. It improves when operators are clear about where they add value, where they don’t, and how working alongside others can raise the standard overall.

Our first investor understands that. They aren’t backing us to replace them. They are backing infrastructure that helps the system work better.

How this shapes the way we build

This relationship reinforces how we approach growth today.

We stay close to the market. We build tools that reflect reality. We support brands across states with clarity around capacity and accountability. We work alongside others when it leads to better outcomes, and we stay disciplined about where we focus our time and energy.

There is no shortage of ambition in this industry. The constraint is focus, signal, and execution. When those are treated honestly, progress follows.

That’s how we are building Lateish Drinks - not coalition as a slogan, but as a working model.