Two Australians turn beer coaster idea into $40m empire

Two Australian mates have turned a business idea on the back of a beer coaster into a $40 million travel company and a burgeoning empire.

Greg Carter and Chad Carey were having a pint at a pub in London when the two began talking about travelling through South America and whether it was most affordable to tour or backpack the continent.

‘He wanted to go to South America and he wasn’t sure whether to go with a tour or as a backpacker and I said I thought I could do a tour for half the price so we decided to start a business,’ Mr Carter told Fairfax. 

‘We had no idea what we were doing. Neither of us came from a business background.’

 

Greg Carter (right) and Chad Carey (left) were having a pint at a pub in London when the two began talking about travelling through South America

Greg Carter (right) and Chad Carey (left) were having a pint at a pub in London when the two began talking about travelling through South America

In the early 2000s treks through Peru, particularly the Inca trail, had only just been introduced online and the two began drawing up a plan to take advantage of the void in the market

In the early 2000s treks through Peru, particularly the Inca trail, had only just been introduced online and the two began drawing up a plan to take advantage of the void in the market

'We were still working our day jobs and working on the business at night. It was in 2006 that we discovered gold with the Google ads and from there it exploded,' Mr Carter said

‘We were still working our day jobs and working on the business at night. It was in 2006 that we discovered gold with the Google ads and from there it exploded,’ Mr Carter said

Mr Carter was working as a teacher in the English capital in 2004 and had just $30 to his name at the time. He and Mr Carey had met just a few years earlier working a ski season together in California.

In the early 2000s treks through Peru, particularly the Inca trail, had only just been introduced online and the two began drawing up a plan on the back of a coaster to take advantage of the void in the market. 

Chimu Adventures was founded that night. 

‘We were still working our day jobs and working on the business at night. It was in 2006 that we discovered gold with the Google ads and from there it exploded,’ Mr Carter said.

Traditionally people exploring the continent would go through travel agents, but the pair found they were ’embraced online heavily’ by tourists not wanting to go through the conventional means.

Since then Chimu Adventures has gone from strength to strength, expanding their original Peru package to now covering areas across Latin America including Argentina and Brazil

Since then Chimu Adventures has gone from strength to strength, expanding their original Peru package to now covering areas across Latin America including Argentina and Brazil

They also offer cruises to Antarctica where people can get up close and personal with the continent's unique wildlife

They also offer cruises to Antarctica where people can get up close and personal with the continent’s unique wildlife

Just last year Intrepid Travel, the world's largest small group travel company, purchased a 50 per cent stake in Chimu in a 'multi-million dollar' deal

Just last year Intrepid Travel, the world’s largest small group travel company, purchased a 50 per cent stake in Chimu in a ‘multi-million dollar’ deal

Since then Chimu Adventures has gone from strength to strength, expanding their original Peru package to now covering areas across Latin America including Argentina and Brazil.

They also offer cruises to Antarctica where people can get up close and personal with the continent’s unique wildlife. Andrew Denton is among the thousands to travel with the Australian-based company.

Chimu Adventures now employs 60 people, still a small number that Mr Carter and Mr Evans believe is a strength of the company. 

Just last year Intrepid Travel, the world’s largest small group travel company, purchased a 50 per cent stake in Chimu in a ‘multi-million dollar’ deal.

They partner with charities within Australia including Samuel and Connie Johnson’s Love Your Sister and the McGrath Foundation.   

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