Firm Overview:
LIQS combines premium spirits with innovative, bartender inspired recipes that are sold in packs of three high quality plastic reusable shot glasses perfect for convenient, portable consumption. LIQS is priced at an impulse purchase price of $7.99 per 3-pack (150 ML) and sold in liquor stores, hotels and nightclubs. LIQS is the next generation of ready-to-drink cocktail. Consumers continue to seek more premium spirits and a variety of unique flavors to meet their at home or on the go consumption needs. The RTD cocktail market is a large and high growth segment driven by innovation in convenience, flavors and packaging. RTD Cocktails are extremely popular in international markets, with this global trend just becoming popularized here in the US (US reps 2% of global RTD sales).
Opportunity:
LIQS core demographic are millennials, which by 2016, will reach the 21 – 34 age range and will make up 50% of the drinking population. LIQS are ideal for house parties, girls night out, pool/boat/beach, tailgating, musical festivals and all other places where making a quality shot is either difficult or inconvenient.
LIQS officially launched in South Florida in October 2013 with Southern Wine and Spirits, the largest liquor distributor in the country. After a successful six month test in 50 retailers in Miami and Ft. Lauderdale, the company rolled out statewide and landed Winn Dixie (146 locations) as its first chain account. Our success in Florida was further built upon by expanding into Massachusetts and Texas, aligning ourselves with the top distributor in both market.
LIQS is selling 20% of the company to raise $1.2m, which will be used for market development and growth. Independent liquor brands are usually acquired for a 5x-10x multiple of their revenue. To date, we have raised $700,000 of the $1.2m we seek.
Executive Bios:
Harley Bauer: Mr. Bauer served as the West Coast Partner/Chief Development Officer for Crumbs Bake Shop from 2007 to 2012. As CDO, Mr. Bauer developed 47 stores in the Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston and Washington D.C. markets. Additionally, he co-managed national PR and social media efforts. Mr. Bauer spent the majority of his childhood growing up in the beer/beverage industry, working every summer for his father who owned Tri-County Beverage, one of the largest distributorships in the New York market.
Michael Glickman: Mr. Glickman served as a partner from 2011 to 2013 at Fueled, a NYC based mobile app development and marketing agency working with such clients as Porsche, Urban Daddy and Gilt City. Prior to joining Fueled, Mr. Glickman worked at Moet Hennessy to launch brands such as Hennessy Black, Belvedere IX and Belvedere Macerated. Additional marketing experience included owning an award-winning below-the-line experiential marketing agency, specializing in on and off-premise activation for consumer brands in all 50 US states.
Jason Bauer: A lifetime entrepreneur and co-founder of Crumbs Bakeshop. Founded in 2003 with his wife, Mia & Jason grew Crumbs from a local mom & pop shop with one location on the upper west side of Manhattan to a fast growing chain of 50+ stores covering nine states. Mia & Jason, with Crumbs are credited with creating a new category in the food industry and their introduction of gourmet cupcakes in 2003 have since become the industry standard.
Victor Bauer: Upon graduating NYU, Vic became a NYC school teacher for Special Ed children. While teaching , he opened a wholesale beer &soda distributorship in Staten Island, which he sold in 1985. He then graduated to his own wholesale beer distributorship in Brooklyn, which became the largest shipper of beer in the NYC area with revenue in excess of $165,000,000.00. In 1990 Vic became the exclusive wholesaler for the Heilman &Stroh Breweries for the Nassau, Suffolk and Queens markets. In 1991, he also became the bottler for the RC/Diet Rite Brands for the entire New York market. In 1995, Vic sold the distributorships as well as the bottling agreement to Tri Arc Beverage (Nelson Peltz and Peter May). In 1995 Vic became the NY distributor for Dippin Dot Ice Cream and within 1 year became the largest distributor in the Dippin Dots company. In 2003, Vic co-founded Crumbs Bake Shop, which is now the largest retailer of cupcakes in the world.
Key Advisors:
Britt West: Britt spent 5 1/2 years in a variety of roles within the marketing and brand management department of Bacardi USA. Part of the acquisition and integration team for Grey Goose Vodka he went on to become the Brand Director of Grey Goose, managing a $59 million marketing budget and guiding the brand through a 100% volume increase over 3 years. In June of 2007, Britt left Bacardi to start Plus Consulting Corp, a brand development and consulting business that focuses on the premium + consumer. In 2011, Britt co-founded the Eppa Wine Company which was sold to Deutsch Family Wine & Spirits in 2013.
Raul Marmol: Raul has over 30 years’ experience in the Distilled Spirits industry. He spent 14 years at Allied-Domecq working across multiple categories and brands including Courvoisier, Makers Mark and Kahlua before joining Bacardi USA, where he spent 16 years as their Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer. Raul was responsible for Bacardi USA’s 3-year Corporate Strategic Plan and over $2.0 Billion in annual sales revenue. He led their marketing and the Global Steering Committee for key brands Bacardi rum, Grey Goose vodka, Dewar’s scotch and Bombay Sapphire gin. In addition Raul was a Co-Founder and Managing Partner for the Eppa Wine Company, which launched the first premium sangria into the market and was sold after just 18 months to Deutsch Family Wine & Spirits.
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