The people behind 4x50

The company

4X50 is the brainchild of four fellows who wanted to create a product in celebration of friendship. Assessing their combined expertise, they decided to make rum. What spirit, they thought, is more sociable—or more in need of disruption? Enough about pirates and islands, they agreed.

This will be the world’s first social rum—contemporary but ageless, global yet placeless. Together, they formed a company, For Fellows GmbH, to challenge every outmoded assumption and innovate—at the level of product, brand, distribution, even community—a rum unlike any that had come before.

    The founders

    Hans Reisetbauer, Markus Meindl, Tom Wallmann. A master distiller, a seasoned entrepreneur, a brand guru. And the fourth fellow? He lives in the US and shuns the spotlight, but they couldn’t have done it without him.

    Together, these four have disrupted the world of rum with a new vision and a superior product. Whether it’s Hans’ unparalleled craftsmanship, Markus’ vision of sustainability or Tom’s passion for digitization and community building, each has helped liberate rum from the old clichés and reimagine it for a contemporary, cosmopolitan audience.

    THE 4X50 FEELING

    SUPPORTERS & ADVISORS

    Alex Marashian

    Copywriter and brand storytelling

    Berlin, Germany

    Alex works across media, disciplines, categories and cultures. Born and raised in Fresno, California, he studied philosophy at Harvard and communications at COLORS Magazine under mentors Oliviero Toscani and Tibor Kalman. At 25, he became Editor-in-Chief of COLORS and has been straddling the fields of journalism, advertising and branding ever since.

    Bernhard Ott

    Consultant: product and outstanding taste

    Feuersbrunn/Wagram, Austria

    Awarded ‘Winemaker of the Year’ by Austria’s Falstaff magazine, Bernhard has dedicated himself to creating a superior Grüner Veltliner, with roughly 90% of his production dedicated to the grape.

    Fassbinderei Paul Schneckenleitner

    Manufacturer: wooden casks

    Waidhofen an der Ybbs, Austria

    There are only a few coopers—those who make wine barrels by hand—left in Austria. Paul is one of them. Everything at Schneckenleitner’s is homegrown or homemade, from the tree trunks to the wine barrels.

    Lanza Metallwaren

    Manufacturer: bottle tops

    Vienna, Austria

    Founded by Wolfgang Lanza in 1970, Lanza Metallwaren is one of the world’s leading suppliers of precision-turned parts. Why? Because they are dedicated to the principle that quality is no coincidence.

    LOEWS GmbH

    Public Relations agency: Alois Loews, Daniela Wuebbeke, Julia Stenzer

    Munich, Germany

    An undisputed leader in its field, this Munich-based PR agency represents some of the most sought-after high fashion brands in the world, from Burberry to Calvin Klein, Prada to Versace.

    Markus Gerlitzki

    Consultant and architect of our Customer Relationship Management and campaigning tools

    Berlin, Germany

    The architect behind the 4X50 Customer Relationship Management and campaigning tools is also a consultant and strategist, and has supported companies with business intelligence for more than 10 years.

    Natalie Riedel

    Consultant: social media strategy, implementation, and community building

    Munich, Germany

    A natural storyteller, Natalie has worked in Social Media for over 10 years. She believes in the feeling of a moment rather than its motive, and placing authenticity at the heart of everything she creates.

    Stoelzle Oberglas

    Manufacturer: bottle production, Andreas Lackner

    Köflach, Austria

    From perfume containers to ointment jars, carafes to spirit bottles, Stoelzle Glass Group has enjoyed a reputation for manufacturing excellence since 1805.

    Slim brand interactive

    Digital creative agency, web design, web shop

    Hanover, Germany

    From their studios in Hanover, the award-winning digital design agency provides its customers, which include Marc O’Polo and Osram Continental, with boutique digital solutions ranging from web development to online marketing.     

    SCWP Schindhelm Saxinger, Chalupsky & Partner, Rechtsanwälte

    Legal advisors: Dr. Mittendorfer and Clemens Harsch

    Linz, Austria

    Our legal council, Saxinger, Chalupsky & Partner Rechtsanwälte GmbH (SCWP Schindhelm) is one of Austria’s leading CEE/SEE-operating law firms. Its roots stretch back to 1946, and the company’s 200+ lawyers are active in 27 locations across 13 countries.

    Our Creative Family

    • Alex WiederinBüro NY, Creative Director
    • Alex MarashianCopywriter and brand storytelling
    • Rainer HoschPhotographer, L.A.
    • Oliver HelbigPhotographer, Berlin
    • Günter ParthPhotographer, Vienna
    • Jork WeissmannPhotographer, Vienna
    • Andreas LeitnerIllustrator, Vienna

    Taste the world's first social rum.

    To the shop