Viral gin firm's success that led to bitter fall-out

Details of lengthy legal battle revealed after personal friendship' between business associates turned sour

- DAMON WILKINSON

IT was the kind of overnight success story every small business owner dreams of.

Aaron Darke set up Salford-based Zymurgorium gin company shortly after leaving university in 2012.

But a fall-out, leading to a lengthy and bitter court battle that has taken years to resolve, would be triggered by a friend secretly exploring the idea of starting his own range - and a deal Mr Darke's company struck with pub chain Wetherspoons.

Aaron Darke was studying microbiology at university when he began experimenting with brewing alcohol in the shed of his family home in Northern Moor.

With his nascent company specialising in new and playful flavours like sweet violet, Turkish delight, cherry bakewell and a marshmallow gin called 'Realm of the Unicorn, Darke began marketing his gin around Greater Manchester.

To begin with, business was slow. During the first 11 months of 2015 there were only 42 sales to eight customers.

Eager to expand his business, in mid-November 2015, Mr Darke set up a meeting with Jonathan Hammond, managing director of long-established drinks wholesaler Hammonds.

The two men got on well. Impressed by the brand and its founder, Mr Hammond initially agreed to take a dozen bottles of each of the eight flavours Zymurgorium produced.