Pitch Slam Volume 10 - Winner Interview

Speaker 1 [00:06] Uh, we're going to get right to it and announce the winner of Nash's pitch slam 10 competition. They're going to receive this trophy and a $10,000 prize package. The winner of the competition is. Cosina 54, congratulations to the brand and congratulations to the founder and CEO Cecilia Penicelli, who is with us now. Cecilia, congratulations.

Speaker 2 [00:32] Hello. Hi, how are you?

Speaker 1 [00:34] I'm doing great. How are you?

Speaker 2 [00:36] I am so excited.

Speaker 1 [00:39] Well, very well done. Congratulations. I heard you're at the, I heard you're at the airport.

Speaker 2 [00:45] I know. I'm sorry. I'm sorry I. I know, I, yeah, it was like, oh my gosh, like you guys were like you run a little bit late. That's why I was like, OK, no, no, if they announced it, I will be on the air. So I'm excited. Thank you so much. I'm literally about to board a plane to go to Cincinnati for my first business trip. So, uh, since COVID, so super excited for, for everything.

Speaker 1 [01:07] Well, we'll try to make this quick because, uh, you're live on the air and now you're about to get in the air. So, uh, I totally understand, um. Once again, uh, amazing job during the competition. Uh, felt like, uh, the judges had such great feedback for you. We're really impressed with the way that you've developed this brand. Um, I know you kind of outlined this in your, uh, in your pitch, in your presentation. Um, but what does the second half of the year look like for Cosina? Uh, you know, what are you planning to do to build on the success, to build on the momentum that you currently have?

Speaker 2 [01:39] Yeah, well, we, we, we really want to make sure that we are ramping up with the partners that we have. We launched at Target in Florida, so everyone that is in around Florida, please go get your empanadas at Target, uh, and, uh, we really wanna make sure that we, we win that account. We think that going nationwide with Target will be an amazing opportunity for our brand. So we are working really close with their diversity console. They are working with them. Paer buyer, uh, to, to get the product out there, to get, uh, increase our awareness. Uh, we have incredible partners also with HEB with Wegmans, uh, which we really wanna make sure that we continue to grow with within those accounts. We are expanding with new accounts, um, but, uh, we, we really, because we are a self-funded brand, we really want to make sure that we can, uh, continue to grow.

Speaker 1 [02:32] You, you're a self-funded brand, but uh I'd assume like most folks in the industry, you're going to be needing to raise money soon. Um, are you planning to raise money in 2021 or is that something that we might start seeing, you, we might see in the next year in 2022?

Speaker 2 [02:47] No, I'm calling all investors right now. We are raising money, so, uh, definitely we'll be interested in talking to anyone that would love to, uh, be part of this amazing journey, to be part of an uh incredible team of talented individuals that we have, uh, with lots of passion, very scrappy, um, and, uh, and, uh, and really wanting to bring a product that is better for you and it shares our history.

Speaker 1 [03:10] And a profitable brand at that. And I know you only have about a minute left. How, how have you been able to achieve profitability just so early into the brand's development?

Speaker 2 [03:20] Uh, that's not the pretty side of the story because like, honestly, it's like, uh, it, it, it is, uh, really like being very scrappy, not having an office for a long time, being the merchandiser and the CEO at the same time, um, working our moms and our sisters and everyone is, uh, just having to chip in and make sure that the company, uh, grows, but, but honestly we I have, uh, enough experience in the, in the industry to know like certain things and where to go and where to be scrappy and where not to be scrappy as well.

Speaker 1 [03:55] Yeah, basically, you have to hustle, uh, clip every coupon, save every penny to really achieve profitability this early on, but you've done it, and you've also done it when it comes to this competition. You're the winner of Nosh Pitch Slam 10. Congratulations once again. Cecilia, can we do this, uh, interview, uh, in a little bit of a longer format session at Nosh Live winter 2021 in Santa Monica?

Speaker 2 [04:19] I would love to.

Speaker 1 [04:21] Outstanding. Let's make that happen for sure. Uh, in the meantime, uh, get on that plane. Uh, enjoy your flight. I hope you're on cloud nine literally and figuratively because, uh, this is a big accomplishment. Congratulations again.

Speaker 2 [04:33] Thank you. Thank you, thank you so much for everyone, to the judges and for Nosh for this amazing opportunity. All

Speaker 1 [04:40] right, thank you once again.