Famous entrepreneurs create multi-million dollar beverage company after vacationing in the US

A popular alcohol brand, owned by a group of famous entrepreneurs, began to develop in Queensland.

Gold Coast-based Hard Fizz was launched in 2020 in the midst of the Covid pandemic, co-founded by model and entrepreneur Chloe Fisher, 30, and her Grammy-nominated DJ husband Paul, 35. .

“When the pandemic first started, Paul and I were at home on the Gold Coast wondering what we were going to do,” Ms Fisher said.

“His concerts were cancelled, he couldn’t tour, and that’s when we came up with the idea of ​​a seltzer company.”

Celebrities such as DJ Tigerlily, TV presenter Brooke Evers, pro surfer Laura Enever and Australian chef Hayden Quinn also endorse the brand, which is now available in more than 3,000 outlets nationwide, including Dan Murphy’s and BWS.

Hard Fizz has become the third most popular seltzer in Australia after White Claw and Smirnoff.

After returning from the US, the Fishers discovered a gap in the Australian market for the popular vodka-based drink.

“After spending so much time in the States, we realized how huge hard seltzer is out there – it was an untapped market in Australia.” Ms. Fisher said.

“People were drinking it all over the States,” Mr. Fisher said.

The couple, who together have more than 1.6 million Instagram followers, tied the knot in 2020 ahead of the launch of their new brewery in the Gold Coast suburb of Miami.

The business, which generated more than $10 million in sales this year and $7.5 million in its first year, has a team that is 70 percent female.

“I am very proud to be part of a company with such a large and strong female contingent,” Ms. Fisher said.

“It was so amazing to see the company take shape with so many dominant women.”

Hard Fizz CEO Wade Tiller said in the 15 years he’s been in the industry, he’s never seen a more female-dominated workplace, with women in sales management, business development, activation, branding and marketing roles.

“Being in the industry over the years, I think my colleagues have been 80 percent male,” he said.

“I think drinking habits have changed and society is gradually changing for the better.”

Employee Sophia Pearson said she has bounced from promotion to promotion since joining the company.

“I was promoted twice in seven months, and both of them came to me.” she said.

“Honestly, it’s very refreshing.”

Australian Distilleries Association chief executive Paul McLealy told NCA NewsWire that distilleries in particular still have a “long way to go” when it comes to gender equality.

“(Women in the spirits industry) are still 25 percent, so yeah, there’s a long way to go,” he said.

“We support and encourage women in the industry and we have some extraordinary women distillers creating amazing products.”

Long-term trends in alcohol consumption show Australians are drinking higher quality products, with women leading the change in patterns.

“For example, gin has 85% female customers,” Mr McLealy said.

Almost three times as many Australian women choose spirits over beer, government figures show.

Although there are no official statistics showing how many women work in the alcohol industry, it is estimated that only 15 percent of all distillers are women.