Carpigiani adds cool twist to Manchester’s hottest neighbourhood: DieCast

There’s an exciting new neighbourhood being developed in Manchester – but it’s not the kind with matching doors and white picket fences. No, DieCast is the kind of place where you can enjoy a Sunday lunch as a live string quartet plays amongst candles or enjoy frozen cocktails in a retro trailer park – all under one roof.

Putting life – as well as a beer bus – back into a former factory from the 1870s, the creators of DieCast are building a community known as the “creative neighbourhood”. It’s a desirable location where original historic features mesh with everything from aerial performers and fire breathers to flea markets and corporate events. Indeed, this is fast becoming a hip and bustling postcode and one of its most popular residents to move in is the DREAM by V AIR – an award-winning frozen drinks machine supplied by Carpigiani UK.

In keeping with its innovative roots, when it came to the menus at DieCast this too had to be out of the ordinary – nothing short of fun and quirky. And with that, the team conceived a central bar dedicated to rum and rum-based cocktails: The House of Daiquiri. Like everything in DieCast the bar has a unique twist and includes 14 DREAM machines spinning seven different flavours of frozen Daiquiris. With the machine’s built-in vertical ventilation technology, the DREAM machines can sit front of house side-by-side, where customers can enjoy the theatrical elements of the mixer and multi-coloured LED lighting. Speaking of the concept behind the new venue, DieCast’s Brand Manager, Clem Gouy, says:

“Diecast is a fantastic venue – it’s got loads of stuff going on all the time. It’s been designed to be an immersive space, so we market it as a full experience. So, we’ve got amazing Sunday roasts, great pizzas, top burgers, and the House of Daiquiri in Leno Ex Machina. Then we’ve also got the Brooklyn Beer Hall which features live music, and our Brooklyn Beer bus. And we’re only using a small portion of the site, so there is a lot more exciting stuff coming up as well. The idea is to bring all the local communities together and make a space where everybody feels welcome. We saw this venue as a good opportunity for that as this area of Manchester hasn’t been developed as much, so we’re creating a new focal point and bringing people together with this exciting concept.”

Housed in the Leno Ex Machina part of the venue, the DREAM machines serve up to 49 frozen Daiquiri combinations for customers – from Mango and Passionfruit to the current favourite Spiced Banana Pandan Colada. As a drink the frozen Daiquiris provide the edge that DieCast were looking for, but the machines themselves also fit in perfectly with the venue’s theme and vibe.

Clem says: “So Margaritas are the key focus at one of our other sites, Ramona, and we wanted to do something similar that was fun and a bit different at Diecast, and our Beverage and Drinks Manager, Mike, settled on the frozen Daiquiris. It’s been very product-led and everyone is loving it – it adds a really fun and immersive element to the venue. It all came about very naturally. The machines tie in really well to the way the venue looks in the way they’re quite mechanical and industrial. And they are placed in the middle of the bar as a focal point and feature. To begin with one of the directors managed to snatch a couple of them from one of our other venues to trial and they’ve been a hit since. They look amazing – like a space age machine on the bar. The frozen cocktails are definitely one of the leading products, so it’s been a blessing to have them. From an operational point of view, they’ve been fantastic too.”

Clem is not only the Brand Manager for DieCast, but also its sister sites Ramona and The Firehouse. With 14 bars to oversee across the three sites, reliable equipment is a must-have. And with the Daiquiri mixes being made in-house, consistency is key.

He explains: “Earlier in the week the bar team prep and batch the cocktails, and we’re re-filling the machines up to three times a night. Since we opened in May 2023, we’ve sold about 200,000. We try to keep the shelf life as little as possible because it’s a fresh product, - as they’re syrup-based they tend to last two to three days - but we’re blessed with very high volume so it’s not an issue for us at the moment! The feedback from the bar teams has been great! With the DREAM you just turn it on and pour – it’s good to go. It’s very simple to use. I mean, for the volume we produce the DREAM machines have been incredibly reliable. We get everything from the DREAM – ease of use, consistency, speed, taste. But consistency is a big one because we know we’re going to get the same product every time.”

With a lot of moving parts within DieCast it’s vital that this former factory remains a well-oiled machine. A big part of Clem’s role is making sure all the cogs are turning as they should, which is why he says service and aftercare from suppliers is very important.

He adds: “The service from Carpigiani has been amazing. Any queries we’ve had they’ve been really speedy with their replies which is always appreciated. If we ever need parts, we’ll have an engineer on site within 24 hours. Carpigiani has been very helpful in following up on cases as well. I can’t fault the service.”

With two main event spaces, four bars, and a fully kitted kitchen, DieCast can accommodate a capacity of 5,000 guests, and whilst this is already a thriving neighbourhood, there are still big plans for the site to evolve and expand.  

Clem concludes: “The future is really exciting for DieCast – we’ve got loads going on and coming up! Definitely keep an eye on us. Frozen drinks are a great option to look into. There are so many flavours, you can make anything you want, plus you can also offer low ABVs and all that jazz. It’s an exciting drink to explore. I would one hundred per cent recommend the DREAM to other businesses. It’s reliable, looks ace, is really easy to use – they’re amazing!”

https://www.carpigiani.co.uk/client-stories/diecast