How We Quit Our 6-Figure Jobs to Start a Multimillion-Dollar Hard Seltzer Business

Summary

Sea Row, co-founder of Lunar Seltzer, shares the journey of creating a craft seltzer brand inspired by Asian fruits. With flavors like Korean Plum and Yuzu, Lunar fills a gap in the market between domestic beers and imports. Sea and co-founder Kevin Wong's passion for business and representation led to a successful launch during COVID-19. Their grassroots approach, including direct engagement with retailers and consumers, resulted in rapid growth and a million-dollar milestone, showcasing the power of authenticity and relationship-building in business.

Takeaways

• 😊 Ci Ro is a 33-year-old co-founder of Lunar Hard Seltzer, a local craft hard seltzer made with real Asian fruits.
• 🍑 Lunar offers flavors like Korean Plum, Yuzu, Lychee, and Passion Fruit, available at retailers like Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, and Target.
• 🏫 Ci Ro and his co-founder Kevin Wong met at the University of Virginia and have backgrounds in tech startups and investment banking.
• 💡 They were inspired to create a business reflecting their Asian-American identities amidst growing representation in media and arts.
• 🍹 The idea for Lunar was conceived in early 2019 during a conversation over drinks, recognizing a market gap between domestic beers and imports.
• 🛠️ The development of Lunar involved extensive R&D, home brewing in their apartment, and sourcing authentic flavors from their cultural backgrounds.
• 🌍 They conducted taste tests and surveys with friends and colleagues to refine their product and ensure it was scalable and authentic.
• 🚀 Lunar's initial batches sold out quickly online, and their popularity on social media signaled a strong market demand.
• 🏢 During the COVID-19 pandemic, they personally promoted Lunar by visiting local Asian-American restaurants and retailers in New York.
• 📈 The success of Lunar was bolstered by building personal relationships with retailers, leading to quick placements in stores like Trader Joe's.
• 🎄 The Korean Plum flavor was refined with the help of Ci Ro's mother, ensuring it met their high standards and cultural authenticity.

Q & A

Who is Sea Row and what is his role in Lunar Seltzer?

Sea Row is the co-founder of Lunar Seltzer, a local craft seltzer brand that uses real Asian fruits to create flavors like Korean Plum, Yuzu, and passion fruit.

What is unique about Lunar Seltzer's flavors?

Lunar Seltzer's flavors are unique because they are inspired by real Asian fruits, which makes them sweet but not overly sweet, reflecting the founders' Asian-American identities.

Where can Lunar Seltzer be found for purchase?

Lunar Seltzer can be found at retailers such as Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, Target, and online retailers like 99 Ranch and Hmart, primarily in Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York.

How did Sea Row and Kevin Wong meet?

Sea Row and Kevin Wong first met on the first day of college at the University of Virginia, where they were both out-of-state students.

What career paths did Sea Row and Kevin Wong initially take before starting Lunar Seltzer?

Kevin started his career in investment banking in New York, while Sea Row took a detour to grad school and later joined tech startups in New York.

What motivated Sea Row and Kevin Wong to start their own business?

They both had a desire to be their own bosses and to have control over their own destinies. They were looking for opportunities to create a business that reflected their identities as Asian-Americans.

How did the idea for Lunar Seltzer come about?

The idea for Lunar Seltzer came about during a conversation over drinks, where they noticed a gap in the market between domestic beers and imported seltzers, and decided to fill that space with a product that represented their Asian-American heritage.

What was the initial investment to start Lunar Seltzer?

Sea Row and Kevin Wong bootstrapped the initial investment of approximately $150,000 to start Lunar Seltzer.

How did Sea Row and Kevin Wong develop the flavors for Lunar Seltzer?

They developed the flavors by sourcing fruits and ingredients from grocery stores and trips to Asia, then experimenting with different formulations every two weeks, assessing taste, authenticity, and scalability.

What was the process like for Sea Row and Kevin Wong in terms of market research and product testing?

They hosted tasting parties with close friends, colleagues, and acquaintances, and conducted surveys to gather feedback on the flavors, asking participants to guess the flavor, rate it, and provide recommendations.

How did Lunar Seltzer achieve its first million in sales?

They achieved their first million in sales by pounding the pavement in New York during the COVID-19 pandemic, visiting local Asian-American restaurants, tastemakers, chefs, and retailers, building relationships and getting their product on the shelves.

What role did Sea Row's mother play in finalizing the Korean Plum flavor?

Sea Row's mother played a critical role in finalizing the Korean Plum flavor by taste-testing different variations and choosing the one that she thought was the best, which is the formulation they still use today.

How did the encounter at Long Island City Trader Joe's contribute to Lunar Seltzer's success?

The encounter at Long Island City Trader Joe's, where Kevin overheard staff members praising Lunar Seltzer, led to an immediate introduction to the manager and a quick decision to carry the product, showcasing the importance of building relationships and personal connections.