Women-powered Feddie Ocean Distillery launches new trailblazing whisky.
Design partner, Contagious, created Feddie’s brand world and sustainable packaging.

Fedje Island, Norway – What began as one woman’s dream to craft world-class whisky on a remote island off Norway’s west coast has grown into a powerful movement. Today, over 1,100 women proudly stand behind Feddie Ocean Distillery – a spirits brand born to challenge tradition and champion change.

Founded in 2019 by a bold group of women on the rugged, windswept island of Fedje, Feddie Ocean Distillery set out with a mission: to lead positive transformation of the spirits industry and close the gender gap in investment. With men still owning around 80% of the global stock market’s value, Feddie inspires women to invest, take risks, and own a greater stake in the future.

Powered by Women – Made for Progress – Born of Fedje Island
Contagious – who works exclusively with brands in the drinks industry – delivered a complete brand for Feddie, including:
• Strategy
• Brand World
• Packaging
• Communications

Feddie Ocean Distillery aims to upend conventional norms and expectations – bringing gin, aquavit, and ultimately, a single malt whisky, to a wider, more forward-looking audience. Gone are the tired tropes of whisky branding. Instead, Feddie embraces a clean, bold design inspired by the raw beauty of Fedje Island.

The Feddie single malt whisky bottle captures the spirit of the island and its community. Each bottle features 521 embossed dashes, representing Fedje’s residents, and 750 dots – one for each of the distillery’s investors at the time of glass production. As Feddie grows, so too will the number of marks on future bottles, a tactile reminder of the distillery’s evolving story.

Flying boldly in the face of premium spirits conventions, Feddie’s whisky bottle – with its label and cap – weighs just 450g, 25% lighter than the industry norm. The glass used has an average 52% recycled content and features an unexpected screw cap closure that weighs 84% less than the standard T-bar corks. Such consideration doesn’t end at the point of production. It follows every Feddie bottle to its final destination – through careful identifying and planning of the most sustainable transportation routes possible. By going to such lengths, cargo miles and emissions have been massively slashed.

Record Breaking Launch
When the first batch of Feddie single malt hit shelves, it made history. Each bottle carried the name of a different investor or distillery worker, creating instant collectability. Within weeks of going on sale, Feddie single malt whisky had sold out, and remarkably, it became the best-selling malt whisky in the shops across the Norwegian monopoly that November – an unprecedented feat.

Building a Stronger, More Equal Future
Feddie’s mission extends beyond spirits. Investors enjoy access to beginner courses in investing, networking events, bar visits, tastings, festivals and exclusive weekends on Fedje – a powerful network designed to help women thrive in business and beyond.

While Feddie remains 100% women-invested, the distillery embraces co-ownership among its employees, both women and men, with 96% of shareholders currently being women. The articles of association state that only women can invest in Feddie – and this rule will only change when women own as many shares in the stock market as men.

Anne Koppang, the founder of Feddie Ocean Distillery, on working with Contagious:

“The work Contagious has done to create our brand portfolio is absolutely critical for our business and the future of our spirits. Creating the brand portfolio with a fantastic holistic design that truly captures the heart of our story has given Feddie a solid foundation for growth and development”.

Contagious’ founder, Matt Chapman, reflects on the relationship between Feddie and Contagious:

“Brand authenticity often comes down to the bound between client and agency and the importance of this relationship is so often overlooked…the Feddie brand certainly wouldn’t be able to reflect the values, drive and emotion of the ambitious team on Fedje Island so authentically without that bond.”