Virtus Brands, the firm behind UK vodka brand Jatt Life, is seeking a £1m investment to fund the expansion of its international operation to meet increasing demand from overseas.

Founded by Baz and Sunny Kooner in 2020, vodka Jatt Life has experienced “rapid growth” over a four-year period and is now being sold across the UK and 18 countries worldwide.

The self-funded company is now looking for investors to support its further ambitions of breaking into new markets and continuing to grow its international footprint and penetrate new markets.

The success of Jatt Life vodka led the founders to grow their company to create a portfolio of independently owned drinks – Virtus Brands.

Virtus Brands works with entrepreneurs, music artists and influencers to create their own spirit brands from idea to production and finally distribution, and has a range of 18 drinks in its portfolio, ranging from vodka to Champagne and flavoured rums, including spirits from worldwide celebrity influencers.

It now employs 15 people at its HQ in Dudley, in the West Midlands, from where it has just despatched its latest container of Jatt Life vodka to the USA, where sales are thriving via bars, restaurants and the retail trade.

The company now wants to take things further into new territories, with the charge being led by Jatt Life, which is now available in five flavours including lime zest, vanilla bean and forest fruits and became available in Co-op stores nationwide as of July.

Baz Kooner said: “Our self-funding approach has served us incredibly well because it’s enabled us to where we want to be, which is a vertically integrated operation where we own and control virtually every step of the process.

“Now we’re ready to invite new investors on the exciting journey that lies ahead, by using capital to accelerate our international expansion, optimise operations and enhance our brand presence in key global markets.”