Twenty-seven years after launching with a notebook of recipes, this once-quiet Adelaide distillery has become the overnight success that took 27 years, now leading Australia’s limoncello spritz boom.

A humble South Australian limoncello distillery founded by a retired Italian restaurateur has exploded into Australia’s coolest liquor brand after decades of flying under the radar. Sales have soared 123% in the past 12 months under new leadership, turning a local favourite into a national sensation and giving South Australia’s lemon industry a major boost.

The reason why is simple. Ambra Spirits (pronounced Um-bra) has become the surprise star of Australia’s biggest 2025 drinks trend: the Limoncello Spritz — on track to take the crown from the Aperol Spritz in Australia’s coolest bars this summer. With 530,000 Spritzes sold in the past year alone, Ambra is now the #1 Australian limoncello by value and volume in the premium on-premise market, featured in 700+ restaurants, bars and venues nationwide.

And now for the first time, Ambra is inviting everyday Australians to own a stake in a brand with deep Italian heritage and South Australian roots through an equity crowdfunding campaign, now live on OnMarket.

“We have built this brand without external funding or hype, just real hospitality, loyal customers and a commitment to making a damn good spritz,” said Managing Director and Co-Owner Finn Healey. “Ambra began in 1998 with a little old Italian man, Libero De Luca, a retired Adelaide restaurateur who missed his favourite drink from the Amalfi Coast. He began handcrafting limoncello in Adelaide using South Australia’s superior lemons, long before it was fashionable. Libero has since passed away, but I think he would be having a big chuckle with the big guy upstairs right now, seeing his humble recipe, still known by only two people, become one of the most fashionable drinks in Australia. Even as we grow at a record pace, the same handcrafted care from those early days remains.”

Globally:

• Spirit-based apéritifs are growing at 19% CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) through to 2028
• Limoncello sales are up 14% worldwide
• Ambra’s Spritzes are now a must-have on the menus of
• Australia’s most fashionable bars and restaurants, and in home

In FY25, Ambra delivered:

• $3.15M in total revenue across venue, wholesale and online
• Tripled weekly average revenue to $30K p/w at its Distillery Bar and Restaurant
• Gold Medal at the 2025 London Spirits Competition (95 points) – the only Australian limoncello to win
• Bottle sales grew from 43K per annum to 78K

“We are not a start-up looking for validation. Ambra is a rapidly growing liquor brand at the centre of the hottest drinks trend in the world and it shows no sign of slowing down. We are inviting Australians to get on board now because we are going full throttle into massive expansion,” said Finance Director and Co-Owner Peppe Fusco. “This equity crowdfunding campaign on OnMarket will fuel our next chapter of growth. It will allow us to take Ambra to export markets including New Zealand, Europe, China and the US, expand our national field sales team, launch new products like Pink Limoncello and ready-to-serve Spritzes, upgrade our venue with a new rooftop bar and event capacity, and continue investing in brand marketing and trade activations.”

“Limoncello spritz is the flavour of summer,” said Jorge Porca, Assistant Manager at North Bondi Fish, the iconic eatery perched above Australia’s most famous beach. “Many of our customers escape Australia’s winter for the Amalfi Coast, and when they return, they want that same vibe to keep rolling. The Dolce Vita Spritz – one of our top-selling cocktails and a playful riff on the classic – captures that spirit, with Ambra Limoncello at its heart. Under co-owner Matt Moran, who champions local and seasonal produce, we’re proud to use the best Australian ingredients in everything we serve – and that includes Australian lemons in an Italian classic spirit style. Ten years ago you’d rarely find limoncello outside Italy; now it’s a global star and Australians are obsessed by it.”

That momentum is creating one of the most exciting growth stories in Australian liquor, and investors now have the chance to be part of it.

“Global demand for premium lemon aperitifs is exploding,” said Production Director and Co-Owner Nando Focareta. “Ambra is perfectly positioned to lead this movement not just in Australia, but on the world stage. Our Distillery Bar & Restaurant in Thebarton has tripled weekly average revenue in the past year and is booked out every Saturday until February 2026. With 6,000 new residents moving in next door and the $100M Adelaide Crows HQ in development, our rooftop bar and event space expansion will unlock even greater value from a venue already at full capacity. We might be the overnight success that took 27 years, but this category is on a steep upward trajectory and now is the time for Australians to invest in a brand with unstoppable momentum.”