Spritz demand drives latest Penrhos Oddbox gin

Award-winning Herefordshire craft gin brand Penrhos Spirits has reunited with mission-led food company Oddbox to launch a new limited-edition summer spirit, driven by overwhelming consumer demand and a booming market trend.

The new launch — a “Wonky Apple and Fennel Gin with a squeeze of Lemon” — marks the third collaboration between the food waste-fighting duo. It follows two consecutive sell-out variants: 2023’s Cucumber and Apple Gin, and last year’s viral Pear and Chilli Gin, which completely sold out within a week.

Capitalising on the spritz boom

A primary driver for this year’s release is the significant shift in drinking habits. According to industry data, the spritz has secured its position as the number one cocktail among Gen Z consumers for 2026, even overtaking champagne as Europe’s go-to social beverage.

Penrhos and Oddbox designed the new flavour profile from the ground up specifically to act as the ultimate ingredient for a sophisticated, quintessentially British summer spritz. The signature serve, “The Wonky Spritz,” combines the gin with English sparkling white wine, a splash of soda water, and fresh garnishes.

Creativity over compromise

The ongoing partnership relies on a shared mission to rethink food waste. Rather than allowing out-of-specification or surplus produce to go to waste, the collaboration rescues fruit and vegetables that fail to meet strict supermarket aesthetic standards. Each bottle gives a second life to wonky British apples, alongside imperfect lemons and surplus fennel.

Fennel, a botanical rarely seen in modern gin but boasting deep heritage in herbal medicine and Mediterranean cooking, was chosen to add a silky, aromatic sweetness and a mild, savoury twist, balancing the orchard sweetness of the apple and the bright notes of the citrus.

Harriet Evans, co-founder at Penrhos Spirits, explained the choice of flavours for this third edition: “After last year’s sell out ‘Pear & Chill’ gin, we wanted to create something that was even more unusual and unique in flavour – and this certainly does that. Fennel is an undiscovered flavour for the gin category and something we know our customers are going to love.

“As the gin is our summer edition this year, we wanted to create something specifically designed for the super popular spritz moment – and this unique flavour combination creates the perfect sophisticated spritz. The apple gives it a crisp sweetness, the fennel elevates the flavour in a subtle way, and the lemon adds the freshness on the top.”

Emilie Vanpoperinghe, CEO and co-founder of Oddbox, noted the alignment between sustainability and taste: “After two sell out collaborations, we are excited to extend our partnership with Penrhos and launch this new and completely unique flavour this spring. It proves that for our considered customers, flavour and sustainability go hand in hand.

“This summer edition is a brilliant example of what happens when you look at rescued produce with creativity rather than compromise. These wonky apples, odd fennel and imperfect lemons are packed with flavour, and together they make a genuinely delicious gin. It all helps to support growers and show what’s possible when we rethink food waste.”