Rick Astley has taken a stake in Dorset vodka brand Black Cow.
The English singer is to become a co-owner in the brand, which was founded in 2012 by fifth-generation dairy farmer Jason Barber and Paul and Helen Archard.
The exact size of the stake taken by Astley in the business has not been disclosed.
Black Cow’s flagship vodka is made entirely from milk left over from the production of cheese. It is produced at Childhay Manor, near Beaminster in west Dorset, and sold in retailers including Sainsbury’s, Ocado and Majestic.
“If Black Cow could choose to be any person, it would have to be Rick,” said Helen Archard, co-founder of Black Cow. “He’s warm, funny, humble and kind. He’s Mr Feel Good, and that’s exactly what we want Black Cow to be.”
Astley had discovered Black Cow whilst touring, with the tipple becoming his “favourite vodka” to enjoy before a show, the brand said.
Subsequently, Astley had sent the brand some musical sketches he had written for the brand, prompting Black Cow to invite him to see where the product was made.
“We were really inspired,” said Archard. “It felt like the start of a real creative friendship, so we invited Rick down to Dorset.”
Astley added: “There is something magical about the anticipation just before you step onto the stage. The stories, the laughter and a very special bond with the people around me. A ritual to bring us all into the moment of now. And that demands a special tipple, something worthy of the occasion. For me, it’s Black Cow.”
To promote the partnership, Black Cow has created a series of films starring Astley and Dexi, a black cow from Dorset.
The first film, directed by Emmy-winning and Grammy-nominated director Jake Scott, features Astley duetting with Dexi in a barn before sipping on a martini made with Black Cow vodka.
The three-part series would “paint a picture of Dorset, where land and sea are rich with invention, food, drink and inspiration”, said Black Cow.
Astley is not the only celebrity to assume part-ownership of a vodka brand in recent years. In 2023, comedian Ricky Gervais became co-owner of Dutch Barn Orchard Vodka, after taking a stake in Ellers Farm Distillery.
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