News Americas, New York, NY, July 18, 2024: A Caribbean distilled and the world’s first award-winning Island Vodka handcrafted from breadfruit, has so far raised over USD800,000 in a crowdfunding equity raise on the platform Start Engine.
Mutiny Island Vodka, the world’s first award-winning vodka handcrafted from breadfruit, has successfully has secured $855,507.81 from 499 investors, with a minimum investment of $495.60 or $4.72 per share raised as of July 17, 2024.
Founded in 2017 by American-born Chef Todd Manley, Mutiny Island Vodka operates out of the 20,000 sq. ft. solar-powered Sion Farm distillery on St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The company is committed to zero waste production and also offers ginger and turmeric-infused vodka, hot pepper-infused vodka, and Puerto Rican coffee-infused vodka. To date, the company has reported $5 million in sales.
Mutiny Island Vodka takes its name from the historic Mutiny on the Bounty. According to the company, they combined breadfruit with purified Caribbean rainwater to create the unique vodka. Manley, a graduate and former graduate student at Virginia Commonwealth University, previously ran multiple restaurants with average revenues of $1.4M per year each. After relocating to the U.S. Virgin Islands, he opened several successful businesses and was honored by the local Chamber of Commerce as “Business Man of the Year” in 2015. He also received the U.S. Congressional Award for his contributions to the community of St. Croix.
In recognition of his work with breadfruit, Manley was honored at the Global Breadfruit Summit in Hawaii in 2018 and 2022. Mutiny Island Vodka has also received endorsement from the Trees That Feed Foundation for using breadfruit as a substrate, encouraging the planting of breadfruit trees. The vodka has also been featured in Forbes, further cementing its reputation.
The history of breadfruit in the Caribbean dates back to the late 18th century, when it was introduced by the British as a cheap food source for slaves. Today, breadfruit is valued for its versatility, nutritional benefits, and climate resilience. A new study published in the journal Current Biology highlights the crop’s potential to improve food security and sovereignty in tropical regions.
Breadfruit trees are low-maintenance and can produce fruit for decades, sequestering carbon and requiring fewer resources than annual staple crops. “It should fare better than some major crops under climate change scenarios and can be utilized in a variety of ways,” said Nyree Zerega of Northwestern University.
Mutiny Island Vodka’s success in raising capital underscores the growing interest in sustainable and innovative food and beverage products. The vodka can be purchased at mutinyislandvodka.com.