Today we’d like to introduce you to Karl Ziegler.
Hi Karl, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I got started in the wine & spirits industry in Las Vegas after I graduated from UNLV. I had worked in restaurants and hotels while in school and soon realized that I didn’t want to work the hours that came with the hospitality industry. I did love the restaurant side in particular, and wanted to stay at least adjacent, so I pursued a role with Southern Wine and Spirits as a salesperson. In 2002, after six years at SWS and 12 in Las Vegas in total, I moved back to Los Angeles where I had grown up. I have been back at home in the South Bay ever since. I proceeded to work for wine and spirits companies for the next several years, gradually moving up the ladder in terms of responsibility, finally working as the National Sales Manager for a New Zealand winery called Mt. Beautiful. I was there when the pandemic lockdown hit and was subsequently furloughed. I took this opportunity to go out on my own once and for all. I set up a wine importing and wholesale company in CA back in 2016 and called in Concurrent Wines, as I was running it while working for another company. The time and resources the pandemic afforded me, gave me a chance to get the wine business ramped up, as well as pivot back to a project that I had first looked at in 2018, Roseade Spritzer.
Roseade was created by a very creative guy named Lee Smallman in Australia’s Mornington Peninsula. He had randomly started following me on Instagram and once I saw the lemon logo with the sunglasses, I was intrigued. I DM’d Lee and started to discuss the possibility of importing the product to the U.S. I soon realized that there was going to be a lot of time and energy needed to develop this project from both myself and my wife, Victoria Ash, an accomplished wine & spirits professional in her own right. The three of us decided to start a US-based company to house the IP, raise money, and grow the brand. We launched in the spring of 2021, which turned out to be both a perfect time and the worst time. Consumers were ready to bust out and regain their social lives after Covid Summer, and our sales of the first 1500 cases were brisk, running out in mid-June. The problem was that the shipping crisis was upon us, and even though we had shipped three more containers from Australia in May, they didn’t arrive until August. When the 2nd one landed, it was sold in less than a month.
After the shipping debacle, we decided to start producing Roseade in CA. In 2022, we did three production runs, 2 of which were successful. The first one, in February, failed and put us in a difficult situation financially. Right around the same time, Lee was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer and given six months to live. It was an incredibly challenging time, both personally and professionally.
We have worked through the initial bumps in the road and have production dialed in. We are confident in our capabilities and have secured chain placements at Safeway, Raley’s, Total Wine, and BevMo in CA as well as several chains in other states. We raised a portion of the funds that we need to continue our growth in 2024 this year, and are confident that we can secure the balance of what we need in our next raise.
Lee fought the good fight and for those who knew and loved him as we did, expected nothing less. He passed away peacefully last week, 18 months after he was given six months to live. Lee’s positive spirit and desire to “spread the good vibes” with Roseade will be carried on by Victoria, Lee’s family and I.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
In addition to the failed canning run and losing my friend and partner to cancer, there were a few more bumps in the road as is the norm with start-ups. Another reason we decided to move production to CA was that the Roseade coming from the facility in Australia was inconsistent. At that time, we were leaving the lemon pulp in the blend when we canned it. This was problematic as we couldn’t ensure the same amount of pulp in every can, resulting in some cans with none and some cans that were nearly all pulp. Another seriously problematic issue was that for some reason the canner in Australia decided on their own without consulting us, to put a “Best By” date on each can, This was a huge problem, as our shelf life is two years at minimum and they dated it a year after the canning. Even though the product tasted perfect, retailers were refusing or returning the product to our wholesalers in several states. We had to issue credits or compensate the wholesalers with products at no charge to keep them in our network. Needless to say, this hurt our sales in 2023.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Concurrent Wine & Spirits?
We are an importer, wholesaler, and retailer of wine in California. We are also an importer and wholesaler of spirits in California. Our retail DBA is Riviera Wine Co., www.rivierawineco.com, and all of our operations are based in Redondo Beach, CA. We have a portfolio of wines from California, Spain, Portugal, France, Australia, New Zealand and Argentina. We have spirits from the USA, Scotland, and Japan. We also own the majority stake in Roseade Spritzer.
With the help of my colleague, Craig Demko, we sell our products to wholesalers in 16 states as well as selling some directly to retailers like Costco, Raley’s, and other independents in CA.
Roseade is my main focus moving forward, as we see it as the brand with the greatest potential for growth.
The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you and any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
I learned that every situation can present an opportunity; you just have to find your way through.
Also, the climate of any market or business can change drastically in a short time, and you need to have contingencies in place so that you can pivot, rather than continue down the path that is no longer viable.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.roseadeusa.com
- Instagram: @roseadeusa
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/l-karl-ziegler-09b6756/
Image Credits
Shane O’Donnell Taylor Reeve
