Edinburgh Whisky-Coffee Business Brewing Up A Storm

A local Edinburgh business is brewing up success with its unique coffee blend after accessing support from Business Gateway.

Georgia and Grant Fraser launched Cortino in August last year, blending their passions of coffee and Scottish whisky to create one-of-a-kind barrel aged coffee, delivering distinct and exciting flavours as they aim to change the traditional coffee experience.

Cortino’s coffee beans, which are sourced from Brazilian farms, rest in whisky barrels sourced from across Scotland, infusing them with a rich and smooth depth of flavour. The beans are then roasted locally in Edinburgh, with every batch of coffee offering a distinct profile.

With backgrounds in sustainable product design, Georgia and Grant are determined to ensure Cortino delivers environmentally conscious coffee, using sustainable packaging and partnering with responsible suppliers.

Throughout their start-up journey, local Business Gateway adviser, Lee Briggs, has supported Cortino, providing one-to-one support and advice across business planning, marketing insights and routes to funding. Lee has also introduced Georgia and Grant with local contacts, and signposted events and scaling opportunities.

Having enjoyed a successful launch last year, with Cortino’s coffee proving popular at a host of local markets and trade shows, Georgia and Grant now have their sights set on a year of growth in 2025, aiming to scale up the business and bring their unique brew to a new audience, with a number of exciting whisky collaborations in the works.

This has been made possible thanks to support from Business Gateway, which helped them to successfully apply for grant funding worth £4,000 which will be put towards marketing activities and trade show events as the pair gear up for a bumper year.

Georgia Fraser, co-founder, Cortino, said:

“Business Gateway has provided fantastic support that has allowed us to start Cortino on the best possible footing."

“Lee has been an invaluable resource for us. His insight and connections have enabled us to access funding and develop a robust strategy for scaling up this year. He has always been on hand to answer any questions or guide us to where we need to get to.”

Lee Briggs, Business Gateway adviser, said:

“Georgia and Grant’s passion to create a unique new product is a brilliant example to anyone looking to start up their own business. Their drive and determination to make their product the best it can be and deliver it sustainably by making the most of the local knowledge has seen their efforts rewarded greatly."

“We look forward to supporting the team as they gear up for an exciting year in 2025.”

To find out more about how Business Gateway can help your business, visit here.

To discover more about Cortino’s unique blends, visit here.