Hi Ryan and Joseph! Thanks so much for doing this with us! You guys have founded one of the most popular gins, Peddlers, coming out of China and is quickly expanding and taking over Asia. We’ve tasted your Salted Plum expression and we have to say, we are really big fans.

In this interview, we would love to find out more about the people behind the brand, your adventures starting Peddlers, the unique perspectives and insights from someone from outside China and how we should best think of Peddlers and how we can watch it grow.

Let’s get started!

For more, find Peddlers Gin here: Website | Instagram | Facebook 

88B: We all dream of a life that is filled with diverse experiences, but yours certainly takes the cake! Could you tell us alittle more about how you found yourself teaching golf and English in Shanghai, of all places?

Ryan McLeod (RM): Story starts from a cork board ad at university in Dunedin, NZ. A bunch of friends signed up for internships and I followed jumping into english teaching first then quickly realising the growing golfing scene in China and got a great opportunity to coach.

Ryan playing a round of golf at Shanghai's Lake Malaren course.

88B: What drew you to base yourself in Shanghai? Which golf course would you recommend in Shanghai and if you only have one iron to play an entire course, which would it be?

RM: Everyone was heading to London and we wanted something different. We had previously travelled SEA before and everyone we met on that trip raved about China. The opportunity arose and we jumped on it.

This is tough. Lake Malaren was a favorite but there are so many. Has the one club challenge been done before? I would have to take a 7 iron.

The Malaren Shanghai Golf Club. (Image Source: Planet Golf)

88B: You’re a man of several hobbies – golfing, fishing, surfing, photographing random sights on your travels, and of course, remarking about the weather. We’re going to ask you a few rapid-fire questions about each one of them.

Golfing – Who would you most love to play a course with?

RM: Tiger Woods

Fishing – Best tasting fish you’ve caught?

RM: Ghurnard

Surfing – Favorite spot to surf in Bali?

RM: Keramas

Amateur Photography – What makes you go “I should snap a picture of that”? 

RM: Angles; colors with an interesting subject.

Acute Noticing Of The Weather – Favorite weather?

RM: Sunshine near the beach

Hot Pot has a hold on your soul.

88B: What dish in Shanghai did you never think you’d come to love but now have a newfound appreciation for?

RM: HOT POT!

Understanding the marriage of weird and wonderful flavors and being open to trying everything.

88B: How does living in and travelling across Asia changed your palate over time?

RM: Understanding the marriage of weird and wonderful flavors and being open to trying everything.

88B: Before Peddlers Gin, you had Tuck Shop Pies - an NZ-style gourmet beef pie that was quite popular around Shanghai, and motivated by you missing a taste of New Zealand. While gins are, safe to say, very different, were there any learnings that you were able to bring over from your time running Tuck Shop Pies to Peddlers?

How did your foray with Tuck Shop Pies influence your views on starting and growing a business in China give you the confidence to kickstart Peddlers?

RM: Absolutely this was a project we were super passionate about and cannot put a quantity on the amount we learned from Tuck Shop Pies (TSP). From building a brand, manufacturing a product in the frozen food sector in China to entering into hundreds of supermarkets nationwide it was a wild ride. In business, brand and execution, learnings of course have been applied to Peddlers Gin and grateful for that experience with TSP at such a young age.

It was fast paced, challenging and most importantly, fun. We were immersed in this culture, this country, where opportunities feel endless and giving something a go seemed second nature. We just happened to get our heads together and see a space that no one was playing in at the time and went for it. On both occasions.

NZ-style Tuck Shop Pies were a real hit in Shanghai. (Image Source: Time Out Shanghai)

88B: Having had your fair hand at being an entrepreneur in Shanghai, have you ever thought of starting a business back in your native New Zealand, and if so what would it be?

RM: Always ideas brewing but more focused in Asia. So much more happening and far more exciting for me personally.

88B: What would you ultimately like to be known for, or as?

RM: Bringing fun, creative, positive energy into whatever business or venture I get the opportunity to be a part of growing or creating. When we decide to give it a go we go all in.

Delivering the goods on bike is the go-to mode for Ryan. (Image Source: Stuff.co.nz)

88B: Both of you have found yourself in Shanghai for different reasons, with your paths converging into starting a great gin brand. What is it about Shanghai that you both appreciate the most about?

Joseph Judd (JJ): There are many things I love about Shanghai, from its vibrant culture, delicious cuisine, bustling nightlife, and welcoming people. Overall, Shanghai is a fascinating and dynamic city with something for everyone to enjoy.

Shanghai's culture, cuisine, nightlight and people are a real draw for the team. (Image Source: China Briefing)

88B: Most incredible place in China you guys have been to?

JJ: Sichuan province.

The beauty of the Sichuan Province. (Image Source: PC Tours)

88B: When you guys were starting Peddler’s Gin, you’ve often remarked that the local consumers weren’t familiar with gin, whilst globally, the world was getting into a real gin fever.

How has that changed since Peddler’s first started and is there a local palate preference in terms of aroma or taste profile?

JJ: Since we started Peddlers the interest in gin and cocktail culture more broadly has certainly grown. We’re finding that people in China are increasingly looking for more adventurous flavours, including unique local botanicals, when it comes to gin. This has helped to provide inspiration for some of our recent product releases, such as our Salted Plum Gin, and our premium pre-mixed cocktail range.

"Cut the Negroni."

88B: What’s the funniest thing you’ve heard a local say about gin? 

JJ: Cut the Negroni.

88B: More than half a decade in and Peddler’s has become a bonafide international award-winning brand, yet in the early days, we’ve come across photos of you guys loading up your scooters with boxes of gin and delivering them yourself across Shanghai.

What was running through your mind those early months and were there other creative ways the team tried to expand the brand in the early days that you thought were the most ingenious but might have fallen flat?

JJ: When you’re a start-up trying to grow your brand on a small budget you do whatever you can to get noticed, including hosting house parties in lane houses! I wouldn’t say there were lots of cases of falling flat, but it did take us time to figure out which were the right kinds of events to be part of and who was the right audience for us.

88B: China is a vast country, and you guys have sought to weave into gin native botanicals, everything from Buddha’s hand to Sichuan peppers. Did you guys have a specific profile you were trying to achieve? Could you take us through that creative process as you experimented with different botanicals. 

JJ: We wanted to create a vibrant flavour-forward gin that was perfectly balanced yet distinct from other products on the market. First and foremost, our ingredients were chosen for their quality and flavour. The Buddha’s Hand we use is a citrus fruit native to China that smells like a cross between a lime and a rose, which replaces typical lemon and orange used in other gins. The Sichuan pepper provides bright floral and citrus notes.

Buddha's hand is a combination of lime and rose and should really be on your hit list. (Image Source: Murray Family Farms)

88B: Are there some botanicals that you would love to try but haven’t been able to get your hands on or some that you wish you could crack the code on getting into a gin?

JJ: Not really to be honest, we did a lot of experimentation!

88B: When scouting all across China for these local botanicals, could you share with us one of your fondest memories and some of the coolest places you’ve been to in search for a specific botanical?

JJ: Meeting the farmers at a small village in Hanyuan County who grow the world’s most prized Sichuan peppercorns.

Sichuan peppercorn farmers from Hanyuan County. (Image Source: Mosaic of China)

88B: The world is obsessed with Ma La (and Szechuan Peppers) right now, what is a local ingredient that you think we’re all sleeping on and should be ready to go mad over?

JJ: Buddha’s hand.

88B: China is known for its own local alcoholic beverages such as Baijiu. Do you enjoy Baijiu and what do you think of it? How has that informed you guys of what Asians enjoy drinking or drinking culture in Asia?

JJ: There is some great baijiu out there. There’s a ceremonial aspect to baijiu which I think can also be seen in Asia’s growing cocktail culture.

88B: What’s an interesting insight into China’s drinking culture from the lens of someone from outside of China?

JJ: It's common for drinks to be shared and passed around the table, with everyone taking turns to pour drinks for each other. This creates a sense of camaraderie and togetherness.

Peddlers' new Salted Plum Gin is making its way across Asia. 

88B: Your new Salted Plum Gin is being rolled out across Asia, what was the inspiration behind it?

JJ: The product was inspired by Northern Chinese summers, as the arrival of the plum blossom typically heralds the end of winter. Dating back to the Qing Dynasty, local suan mei ingredients were sold by street Peddlers in Beijing and used as thirst quenchers in the Imperial Kitchen.

88B: Is there a theme, common thread or philosophy behind Peddler’s and how you’re growing the range of gins offered?

JJ: We’re always looking to bring something new to the category, often showcasing more adventurous flavours and botanicals.

88B: What has been the highlight of the journey so far and what was a moment where you felt that it was all worthwhile?

JJ: Winning China’s bartender brand of the year award at the 2019 Drink Awards.

88B: A friend of yours is going to Shanghai for the weekend, where would you recommend them to visit? What are the top three bars they must hit up?

JJ: Union Trading Company, E.P.I.C., Shake.

88B: Thank you so much, Ryan and Judd, for your time and bringing us some really cool, adventurous flavors right out of China. It's fascinating to hear from you guys about the fast-evolving and rapidly developing drinks scene and palate in China.

It's definitely been a real journey for you guys, and we're incredibly proud of the great brand and gin you guys have built! We only wish we could have a Tuck Shop Pie as well!

For more, find Peddlers Gin here: Website | Instagram | Facebook 

Images courtesy of Ryan McLeod, Joseph Judd and Peddlers Gin. 

Kanpai!

@111hotpot