Today we’d like to introduce you to Nigel Walwyn
Hi Nigel, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
From spreading news to now selling booze, I became a Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) entrepreneur following an Emmy award-winning career in television. I’m now embarking on a new path of professional excellence after founding Caribbean Smooth Beverages in 2014 to bring a REAL Taste of the Islands to America. The audacity of a regular guy with no spirits industry experience to bring his island backyard invention to market and create a proven concept shows I have what it takes to impact the spirits industry. As a beverage alcohol entrepreneur, I now focus on the creation, marketing, and distribution of our premium Ready to Drink/Serve (RTD) cocktail brand. My sense of creativity in the environment where I exist stimulates innovation in that space. Whether it’s developing award-winning television programs or inventing an authentic Caribbean experience in a bottle, my background and current experience in the industry puts me in an advantageous position to excel. My career transition required a comprehensive understanding of the beverage industry, including market trends, consumer preferences, and regulatory frameworks. I explored various aspects of the industry, such as crafting unique formulations first at home and later with our distillery partner, sourcing high-quality ingredients, developing branding/packaging strategies, and establishing relationships inside distribution channels.
But there was another transition that forced me to be where I am now. My first products, Ou Oui! Premium Liqueurs rolled into stores in Georgia, Alabama, US Virgin Islands and Bermuda between 2017 and 2019. I immediately faced challenges associated with start ups, such as securing funding, building a network of industry contacts, and navigating the legal and logistical requirements of the highly regulated beverage alcohol industry. Adaptability, creativity, and possessing a passion for enhancing customers’ experiences played crucial roles in overcoming these hurdles and establishing a presence in the market. Then the pandemic arrived and our access to capital needed for the next production to scale the company evaporated and brought me to the edge of financial ruin.
Starting over or filing bankruptcy were my only choices. I chose the former and did what I needed to do to keep the company solvent. I spent each day exploring opportunities to resurrect my brand and finally decided the best path back was to pivot inside the industry with a new brand and a plan to self-fund the project. That second transition produced RumShaker which is now available on the market in two states, Georgia and Florida.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The beverage alcohol industry is a very tough business. It’s significantly tougher for startups and minority owners because of the generational structure of the industry over decades prior to and after Prohibition. As a former corporate employee for most of my adult life, I faced my first set of challenges when I became an entrepreneur. I had to learn how to operate a business on a shoestring budget and operate inside a government-regulated industry.
The next obstacles were financially related, which again became significant because the beverage alcohol space is capital intensive. Due to the high risk of failure in the industry, getting access to funding via traditional institutions is almost non-existent. Non-traditional routes are personally risky and rife with scams and unscrupulous actors who would lead you down rabbit holes just to line their own pockets under the pretense that they are helping you. I wasted months and even years chasing some of these dead-end leads and even lost money and damaged my credit before deciding it would be up to me and me alone to restart operations. I’m now assembling a small team to help me overcome other obstacles that come with the industry.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Caribbean Smooth Beverages?
Caribbean Smooth Beverages is dedicated to bringing a REAL taste of the Caribbean directly to your occasions, bars and restaurants with our new RumShaker Premium Cocktail line. We specialize in using tropical fruits, natural ingredients and the official spirit of the Caribbean, RUM. Whether it’s Ou Oui! Liqueurs or RumShaker cocktails, our products are designed to transport you to a vacation state of mind. Our beverages are handcrafted with the female consumer in mind, offering a refreshing, comfortable and delightful experience in a convenient package. Whether you’re looking to unwind after a long day or celebrate a special occasion, our cocktails are the perfect choice. We take pride in the quality of our products and strive to provide excellent customer service and satisfaction. RumShaker allows customers quick access to delicious, mixologist-quality cocktails at an affordable price.
We offer two handcrafted signature cocktails in large format recyclable bottles. The Island Sunset is a Caribbean Sangria that combines the flavors of exotic tropical fruits and Virgin Islands Rum, finished with a red muscadine wine from South Georgia vineyards. The Island Passion is a delightful blend of passion fruit, mango, and other fruits with a big splash of Virgin Islands Rum that will transport you to a secluded island paradise. Our cocktails use real, natural ingredients and no artificial flavors or preservatives. Best served cold and poured directly over ice. You can also keep it simple with a chase of sparkling water or lemonade. Get adventurous by adding your favorite spirit like tequila or vodka. The light rum formulation allows it to blend easily with other categories, including sparkling wine for mimosas. We keep our production small, under 500 gallons per flavor to keep the fruity experience fresh for our customers.
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?
My company is still recovering from the fallout of the pandemic. I managed to keep the business on life support when inventory and cash dried up in 2020. The biggest lesson I learned when the world shut down is to not be afraid of changing course, even when the thought of doing so scares you. I also learned how to tap into my inner-self during adversity and be open to what my soul reveals. In my case I found a resilience that I was unaware of, and a drive that prevented me from giving up.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.rumshaker.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rumshaker_/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rumshakercocktails
