By Jaya Pathak
The rapid growth of start-ups is fuelled by venture capital but there is one exception- Rockaway Soda. It was founded by Bridget Firtle, a former hedge fund analyst turned into beverage entrepreneur.
The soda success story: 500 stores with zero outside investment
It is a brand of healthier sodas with awesome flavours made from real fruit and only 7g of organic cane sugar. Rockaway soda is the lifestyle which is born in a special place in the New York City. The cans of Rockaway sodas are cast with sea salt and 1% of all sales for the ocean. This company is proudly independent owned and operated company.
The Rockaway soda was inspired by its founder love for her birthplace in the New York City. The name rockaway soda is itself inspired by the Rockaway beach in Queens where the streets meet the beach and the pursuit of her balance- working hard, living hard and staying healthy all defined by her own rules. This brand is causing disruption in the liquor business.
The vision of the owner was to tackle the non alcoholic beverage by creating a solution to the big health problem caused by a conventional soda. It offers health conscious options that is made up of real ingredients where you do not have to sacrifice. You can find such sodas on the New York City streets easily and consume it as it is made-up of real ingredients.
Rockaway soda has expanded to 500 stores with zero outside investment. This is vision of the owner and it also depicts marketing from grassroots level and the unwavering commitment to the quality of product.
How the journey began?
Bridget Firtle’s journey began as a financial analyst in a hedge fund. Hedge funds are the large investment funds which manages billions of dollars on the behalf of investors. The hedge fund was managing $4 billion which shows that it was a major player in the business world. This experience provided her a clear understanding of market dynamics and the loophole of every overvalued brands. She wanted to create a company of her own. So, she stablished Owney’s Rum in 2012. Afterwards, she successfully exited from that business in 2017. This experience paved the way for her next allure of entrepreneurship: Rockaway Soda.
As discussed earlier, she was inspired by the hometown Rockaway beach, Queens. She wanted to establish a soda brand which has the blend of coastal charm and the urban grid of the area. She also envisioned to offer a healthier alternative to the conventional soda without compromising taste and authenticity.
About the product
The product itself is promising in simplicity and quality. This soda drink contains real fruit juice, organic cane sugar and a touch of sea salt. All these ingredients make the beverage both flavourful and health conscious. One can contains 30 calories. It is different from the traditional soda which is filled with artificial sweeteners and high sugar content.
It is offered in four different flavors namely, Berry hibiscus, lemon lemongrass, watermelon guava and pineapple ginger. All such distinct flavors cater to the needs of different people and also reflect the commitment of Bridget to innovation and natural ingredients. Moreover, Rockaway soda donates 1% of its total sale to the ocean conservation efforts which aligns the brand with environmentally conscious consumers.
The old school method: Grassroot Marketing
It is quite interesting that in the age which is dominated by digital marketing and influencer partnerships, the growth strategy of this soda brand is traditional. Bridget emphasized personal connections. She attended various events where she promoted the product and directly engaged with consumers. All such efforts made the brand where consumers seek the need of sodas while performing surfing, art gallery openings or skate competitions.
The effort of Bridget has yielded impressive results. In the present time, Rockaway soda boasts 86% repeat purchase rate among the retailers which shows the quality of the product and the strength of direct relationship with consumers. This brand is focusing on the genuine interactions rather than digital marketing or advertising of the product. All such things have made the brand to cultivate a loyal customer base.
No external funding
It is quite astonishing aspect that Rockaway soda has achieved such huge milestone without any external investment. When Bridget Firtle begins her journey as a financial analysis at the hedge fund, she was able to manage the resources efficiently and reinvest the profits strategically. She has understood all the concepts at the grassroot level by herself.
This allowed her to build the brand to grow organically and maintain a control over its vision and operation. The decision of Bridget to not look for any external fund is based on a strong belief in sustainable growth. She completely avoided the pressure of a rapid scaling imposed by investors and focused on building a solid foundation to ensure the quality of the product and nurturing customer relationships.
Rockaway soda is not a profitable brand but we can learn something about its trajectory. Bridget’s vision was to create a legacy of the brand which can be passed down to her children. It shows the longevity over quick returns. This approach of patience is rare in the fast world of business environment but it shows the commitment of the brand towards authenticity and sustainability. The brand has stayed true to its roots and value and is making a long lasting impact in the beverage industry.
Conclusion
Rockaway soda has assented to 500 stores without any external investment, which is a compelling narrative of entrepreneurship, resilience and strategic foresight. The journey of Bridget from Wall Street to Rockaway beach depicts the power of aligning business practices with personal values. Rockaway soda is a brand which do not compromise with quality, authenticity and community engagement.
The success of this brand is due to its resonation with the value and lifestyle of its consumers. Rockaway Soda’s success story is a reminder that in the fast-paced world, there is still a chance to build a brand through the old school approach and without taking any external investment.
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