Western Australia distiller Old Young’s raised A$1.419 million from 394 investors in its second equity crowdfunding campaign, which ran through Birchal in December 2024. The raise fell just short of the campaign’s A$1.6 million maximum, but its headline incentive—a two-week, business-class gin-education trip—was still to be awarded through a draw after nobody met the A$250,000 investment threshold.
How much did Old Young’s raise?
Food & Drink Business reported a final total of A$1.419 million from 394 investors in December 2024. PerthNow described the amount as just over A$1.4 million and reported a maximum campaign target of A$1.6 million. The raise therefore came in below the stated ceiling.
This was Old Young’s second equity crowdfunding campaign, managed through Birchal. In this model, members of the public could invest to become part owners of the business, according to Food & Drink Business. That is different from simply buying the company’s gin: investors were participating in a share offering.
Food & Drink Business calculated the average investment at A$3,602 and compared it with a “usual” Birchal campaign average of A$1,600. That comparison is the publication’s reported figure, not an independently verified platform-wide statistic.
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What was the unusual investor reward?
The campaign paired a high-value experience for a large investor with a chance for a smaller qualifying investor to receive the same trip. The 2024 coverage described the reward as a two-week “gin-ternship” or grand gin masterclass, with business-class flights and five-star hotels.
The A$250,000 threshold and the draw
The reported offer promised the experience to an investor contributing more than A$250,000. PerthNow reported that nobody invested that amount. The company said it would nevertheless offer the trip to one investor selected at random from those who had invested at least A$2,000. The qualifying draw threshold was therefore far lower than the investment level originally tied to the reward.
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The announced itinerary and gin-making experience
Reports named San Francisco, New York, London and Singapore on the two-week itinerary. Proposed visits included Bombay Sapphire in the UK and Singapore’s Tanglin Distillery. On returning to Swan Valley, participants were expected to make a signature gin under head distiller James Young’s guidance, with a custom label informed by Stranger & Stranger.
Food & Drink Business said 50 bottles of the participant-created gin would be retained and 50 intended for sale at the cellar door. These were campaign details reported in December 2024; the coverage does not establish whether the trip or gin production later took place.
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Old Young’s said the proceeds would contribute to a proposed A$30 million facility in Swan Valley. Food & Drink Business described the design, called the “Cathedral of Gin,” as a Cumulus Studio project inspired by the distiller’s original tin shed. The announced plan included a distillery, accommodation, immersive gin experiences, event spaces, dining and tasting rooms, and a secret bar.
That description is a 2024 proposal, not confirmation of a completed project. The reports establish the intended use of the raise and announced design, but not construction progress, an opening date or whether the facility is operating.
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What investors should take from the story
The campaign is a reminder that an eye-catching reward is not the same thing as an investment return. The trip was an incentive attached to a share offering; it did not guarantee a profit, liquidity or repayment. The reported coverage does not provide the share terms, valuation, investor rights or later financial performance, so it cannot support a judgment about whether the investment was suitable or successful.
James Young, identified by Food & Drink Business as Old Young’s head distiller, called the raise “an extraordinary achievement,” and said: “If I’d had this kind of intensive education when I started, I’d have been lightyears ahead.” PerthNow quoted founder James Young saying investor participation gave the business “great confidence that you’re doing the right thing.” Those remarks reflect the company’s perspective at the time, rather than evidence of subsequent performance.
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