Matteo, Dany and Pedro founded “Cinq et demi”, a 100% Friborg gin brand. © Gaetan Meyer
Published on 13.06.2022
Estimated reading time: 2 minutes
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Heart stroke ” Three young people from Friborg founded “Cinq et demi”, a brand of gin made with local craftsmen.
Designing an exclusively Friborg gin brand seemed like an impossible challenge. Three young people from the canton succeeded in raising it by founding, almost two years ago, “Cinq et demi”. Matteo Imbriani, 23, Dany Da Silva Ferreira, 27, and Pedro Graça, 34, recount the launch: “Initially, we wanted to create a label allowing Friborg merchants to come together and launch a common event”, begins Matteo.
But before being able to concretize this project, it was necessary to create an identity, explains Dany. An identity that was going to go through gin: making Friborg gin was obvious for the group of friends. “Pedro and I have always been very fond of gin. Ultimately, creating a local brand allowed us to collaborate with merchants and bind two projects into one,” recalls Matteo.
Create your own brand involves thinking about the entire manufacturing process and defining what it is possible to do yourself: “The bulk of the ingredients come from shops around Fribourg. If it sometimes turns out to be more expensive, the quality of the final product turns out to be much better”, enthuses Matteo. Dany explains that the distillation is not carried out by them but by a specialist, in Cheyres: “When he does this step, we are always at his side to support the entire production”, continues Matteo. The group of friends, on the other hand, takes care of labeling, numbering and sending the bottles of gin on their own.
The particularity of “Cinq et demi” lies in the importance that tea takes on in the recipe. The brand’s flagship drink has nine kinds: “The production is more complex because it is complicated to find the perfect balance,” adds Dany. The three friends also forge partnerships with local companies to develop limited editions: “This allows us to lay the foundations of our initial project and to make us better known,” smiles Matteo.
The bottles of “Cinq et demi” can be purchased on the brand’s Instagram page or consumed at the Old Station in Fribourg.
Franck Descloux
Instagram: @fiveanddemi_spiritueux