When Elliott Martens and Lasse Rasmussen were still students at the University of Aberdeen, they hit on the idea of making wine from fruit after being concerned by the amount of soft fruit waste created by local businesses.
Soon after, they co-founded Two Racoons with the intention of making good wine while helping to reduce food waste. With Elliot graduating in 2020 with a BSc in Plant & Soil Sciences and Lasse graduating in 2022 with a BSc in Microbiology, their combined expertise and passion for sustainability set them up perfectly to create and grow their business.
Using surplus fruit from businesses across Aberdeenshire, Elliott and Lasse secured premises in Aberdeen to set up their winery with the intention of having as little waste as possible, with even the bi-product of fruit pulp being recycled.
The business has now expanded to Glasgow with Elliott and Lasse working with food businesses, food banks and other organisations across Scotland to repurpose their fruit surplus and turning it into delicious fruit wines.
Elliott and Lasse embody entrepreneurial thinking and show an exemplary dedication to sustainability. As young business owners, they’ve taken on the challenge of addressing the waste around surplus fruit, showcasing both environmental responsibility and creative problem-solving through their creation of Two Raccoons winery. While refusing to distribute internationally, due to the carbon emission implications, they have a vision of creating wineries around the world, each individually tackling food waste in the local area.
Elliott and Lasse also generously volunteer their time for the University, hosting alumni events and sharing their story with current students, inspiring them with their passionate vision for the future. Their leadership and commitment to sustainability and enterprise make them worthy joint recipients of Young Alum of the Year.
