For years, Alexander Cheong was the man everyone wanted at their party—not just for the company, but for the bottle he brought. His homemade Sour Plum Vodka, a concoction rooted in the nostalgic Southeast Asian flavors of his youth, became an instant hit among social circles, leading to a recurring question from guests: “Can I gain a bottle of that?”
What began as a kitchen experiment to avoid the “cold, hard, and serious” nature of traditional alcohol has evolved into a commercial success story. By focusing on accessibility and cultural familiarity, the S’porean spirits brand Clumzy hit S$1M in cumulative revenue by 2025, achieving the milestone without a single cent of outside investment.
Founded by Cheong and friends Kenneth Tan and Daniel Lim, Clumzy positions itself as a “social lubricant” designed to strip away the pretension often associated with craft spirits. The brand’s growth reflects a broader shift in consumer behavior, where drinkers are moving away from standardized global brands in favor of novelty and a deeper connection to regional identity.
The trajectory from Instagram direct messages to a million-dollar business was not linear. In its first few years, the operation was a grueling exercise in manual labor. The trio initially produced the spirits in Tan’s kitchen, utilizing giant Cambro containers and a minor rented warehouse that cost S$200 per month. At the time, they were limited to producing roughly 180 bottles a month, physically lugging stock back and forth for every production run.
Clumzy is known for its signature Sour Plum Vodka./ Image Credit: Clumzy
Scaling through calculated risk
The transition from a side hustle to a legitimate enterprise required a significant financial leap. Operating from a home kitchen meant the founders could only sell directly to consumers; B2B opportunities were legally off the table without a licensed commercial facility. To scale, the team had to invest tens of thousands of dollars—roughly their entire annual revenue at the time—to secure a liquor license and build a dedicated production space.
If it didn’t operate out, we had nothing to fall back on.
Clumzy Sour
Daniel Lim, co-founder of Clumzy
This move enabled the brand to transition from manual preparation to automated mixing and bottling. The risk paid off. Today, Clumzy produces approximately 1,800 bottles per month and employs a team of eight. The business has diversified its revenue streams, with a current split of roughly 70% B2C and 30% B2B, stocking its products at 11 retail partners, including The Liquor Shop and Pat’s Music Pub.
The growth was further accelerated by a strategic focus on direct consumer engagement. The founders spent nearly every weekend hosting pop-up booths at events such as ArtBox and Boutiques Singapore. This “boots on the ground” approach allowed them to test products in real-time and build a loyal community. According to Lim, the demand was often overwhelming; during their first Boutiques Singapore appearance in 2022, the brand sold out on the first day, generating as much revenue in 24 hours as they typically would over several days at other events.
The psychology of the palate
A key driver of Clumzy’s success has been its ability to identify and serve an underserved demographic. Approximately 65% of the brand’s customers are women, a segment that traditional spirits brands—often marketed through a lens of “hard” masculinity or high-end exclusivity—have historically overlooked.
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The product line evolved based on this consumer feedback. Although the signature Sour Plum Vodka remains the flagship, the founders recognized that its polarizing taste was an acquired one. To broaden their appeal, they introduced the Chrysanthemum Lychee Gin for those seeking a softer profile, followed by the Coconut Pandan Rum to further cement their identity as a brand inspired by Southeast Asian flavors.
Clumzy launched with its Sour Plum Vodka, before the Chrysanthemum Lychee Gin and finally its Coconut Pandan Rum./ Image Credit: Clumzy
Clumzy Product Portfolio Overview
Product
Flavor Profile
Target Positioning
Sour Plum Vodka
Tart, Bold
Flagship / Polarizing
Chrysanthemum Lychee Gin
Floral, Sweet
Accessible / Soft
Coconut Pandan Rum
Tropical, Creamy
Cultural / Identity
Maintaining independence in a crowded market
As the brand grew, it attracted the attention of larger players. Around its first anniversary, the founders were approached with various offers, including equity investments and outright acquisitions. At the time, all three founders were still balancing the business with full-time day jobs, making the prospect of a buyout an attractive way to mitigate risk.
Cheong Clumzy
However, Cheong pushed for independence, fearing that an early exit would undervalue the brand’s core identity as a founder-led venture. By turning down these offers, the team maintained full control over their creative direction and equity.
“In hindsight, some of those offers really shortchanged us,” Cheong said. “I’m glad we trusted our gut in those decisions, and I’m glad we saw it all pay off eventually through our hard work.”
The trio believe strongly in what they’ve built and is looking to grow it organically./ Image Credit: Clumzy
The brand’s survival and eventual success are tied to what Lim describes as a “hunger for novelty.” As consumers become more intentional about their alcohol consumption—shifting away from the nightlife scene and toward home-based social gatherings—the demand for flavors that feel both familiar and fresh has increased. Clumzy’s strategy has been to fill this gap by offering a “healthier relationship with socializing” that doesn’t rely on the rigid standards of traditional mixology.
The next phase of expansion marks Clumzy’s transition into the mainstream. After months of negotiations, the brand is set to enter retail shelves at NTUC FairPrice, the largest supermarket chain in Singapore. Beyond domestic borders, the founders are planning entries into the Thai and Australian markets, driven by requests from the Singaporean diaspora abroad.
With its entry into mass retail and international markets, the brand’s next major checkpoint will be the scalability of its production to meet supermarket-level demand while maintaining the “small-batch” feel that defined its early success.
Do you think regional flavors are the future of the spirits industry? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
