Phreshly with Paul Owusu feature #12 of Together Talks
- KLS
- Mar 30, 2023
- 3 min read
Updated: Apr 14
"Together Talks" feature # 12: Phreshly presented by KLS, freight company.
Some Background on Phreshly Co
Phreshly is a canned craft cocktail company. It was founded by Paul Owusu in June 2020. He brought on his co-founder Ama Marfo as well. The company is bringing a vibrant, new take on cocktails with sophisticated flavors. Only all-natural ingredients are used in all of their gluten-free products while using locally sourced fruit and botanical blends. Their motto is simple:
Honest ingredients + premium spirits = cocktail perfection
Started with a Tweet...
In 2020 when Covid hit, Paul was laid off from his job. So was his wife, who is an attorney. One night sitting at home Paul was enjoying trying new cocktails. He proceeded to have a few and sent off a tweet. This one tweet would change everything.
Nearly 32K likes!!!
Paul sent this out on 6/3. Phreshly was founded on 6/7. Paul saw an opportunity to create premier cocktails for customers that could be delivered directly to their homes. No need to go to a liquor store or convenience store, but the convenience of having high-quality cocktails in the confines of your home.
The company is direct to shipper now. Their goal is to continue to grow and develop their brand and when the time is right scale it at the retail level. They believe in growing the right way and having the data to back up what makes their brand unique. Phreshly is currently in 1,000 stores. Mainly regionally in Georgia currently, but within the next two months, they are debuting in California, Florida, and Texas. Also in the next month or so, they are looking to secure deals to expand into New York and then Colorado.
Phreshly is focused on community building. They talk to each person who purchases and uses their product. To date they have only spent $985 on Instagram ads, while 64% of their customers come from Instagram. Within this year they are looking to increase their exposure through online ads and billboards as well.
Education for craft cocktails
When Phreshly launched in 2020 there were about 300 brands that existed in the space. As of today, it is over 1900. Saturation has been a major challenge, but also defining exactly what their product is. When someone hears "Craft Cocktail" they often think of wine in a can or one of the major players' recent marketing spins. Paul's goal is to provide education to clearly and distinctly differentiate not only their product but the entire niche of the industry. He wants not just Phreshly but all companies with similar products to be able to have market share and provide the consumer with exactly what they are looking for.
Part of what makes Phreshly unique is its commitment to the process. Everything is made in-house, including their own bitters, mixers, and syrup. The bourbon is distilled for 15 years and all other spirits are premium. Real ingredients were an absolute must when Paul set out on this venture.
They have been featured in multiple publications including Atlanta Magazine, Bevnet, Bevnet Review, Afrotech. The Hype Magazine, Hypepotamus, and the Atlantan Magazine. They also were featured on the Ready to Launch podcast.
Paul hopes to partner with other brands within this space to create transparency and education for the consumer. One challenge is getting consumers to not just think "seltzers" when hearing "Craft Cocktails". Paul knows there is so much more to offer the consumer in this space. Another challenge for that is obtaining shelf space. Being a Black-Owned business, Paul sees obstacles for not only his own company but other similar companies. There are more innovative companies and products out there, just need a chance to show their value to consumers. Paul believes if they work together and target markets such as Hotels, Social Clubs, and Airlines they can make an immediate impact.
In Closing
We asked Paul about his favorite moment so far in his nearly 3-year journey. He mentioned that in February 2022, the first day of production. They had been delayed three times because of Covid. They had thousands of pre-orders they were waiting to fill. He went out to Colorado to do a final taste and then watching the cans go through the line and be filled, he beamed with pride and joy.
KLS is proud to collaborate with Paul and feature Phreshly as this week's "Together Talks" campaign. Phreshly is everywhere, check them out via any of the below!
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