Capstone – Project
Evaluation of the BevAlc e-commerce competitive space
A Collaboration Between
The Current Challenge:
Over the last decade the online, DTC BevAlc business has been slowly plodding along with pockets of success in wine. This governor of growth has been largely due to regulation. But recently, in the last few years, with changes in the laws and COVID, the space has not only grown exponentially (with new entrants and revenue potential) but also a sifting out of top players, smaller participants with unique value propositions, specialties, etc. Growth and consolidation of the category will be part of the future. For ReserveBar to continue to grow and be a competitive leader in the space, we need to have a full understanding of all the category participants (across spirits, wine, beer, hard beverages, etc). Additionally there will be other entrants that are broader like Instacart, gopuff, Grocery Store enterprises and Big Box/Club retailers to consider.
Activities/Action Items Suggested by Industry Mentor:
-Research online BevAlc space Eg. Boucard Nesin from Rabobank
-Develop comprehensive competitive participant mapping
-Identify potential new entrants
-Identify potential strategic acquisitions or partnerships for ReserveBar
-Develop SWOT analysis among top competitors and ReserveBar
Goal/Project Success for Industry Partner:
Complete research documentation to understand where ReserveBar sits against competitors, potential ReserveBar opportunities for acquisitions and partnerships for continued growth.
Project Topics
Growth Strategy
Mergers & Acquisitions
Company Information
| Company | ReserveBar LLC |
| HQ | Connecticut |
| Revenue | Unlisted |
| Employees | 100-500 |
| Stage | High-Growth Startup |
| Hiring Potential | Follow-on Projects, Formal Internship, Entry Level Full-Time |
| Website | https://www.reservebar.com |
Company Overview
ReserveBar (www.reservebar.com) is the leading e-commerce platform for luxury spirits and champagne in the U.S. We enable consumers (as well as companies) to order the most esteemed bottles of alcohol in the world with the convenience of shipping across the United States for both self-consumption and gifting.
The delivered beverage alcohol segment of the industry is in the earliest stage of growth. Currently, 50% of all alcohol is sold off-premise, and only 1.8% of sales is fulfilled via e-commerce and delivery or shipment. By way of comparison, over 14% of retail sales involve e-commerce and delivery, and off-premise dining and flowers are well over 20%.
ReserveBar is close to closing an acquisition that will increase it's size significantly, while adding retail distribution with on-demand fulfillment ability (i.e. under and hour vs. shipment), and a more robust tech stack including an app.
This is truly an exciting category poised for explosive growth!
Experiential Learning Program Details
| School | Fordham University |
| Engagement Format | - |
| Course | MBA On the Spot Consulting Spring 2022 |
| Level |
|
| Students Enrolled | 80-100 |
| Meeting Day & Time | 3 Sessions on Wednesday 3/30, & 4/13 from 3:30 - 5:30 PM ET (https://fordham.zoom.us/j/6097637482) |
| Student Time Commitment | 4-7 Hours Per Week |
| Company Time Commitment | 2 Hours |
| Duration | 2 Weeks |
Program Timeline
Key Project Milestones
-
March 30, 2022 - Deep-dive Into ReserveBar Brand and Current Challenge; Develop Strategy for Successful Project
- What is the Company’s business model?
- How many different products or services does the company offer? How are they categorized and defined?
- What products are the best sellers? (What’s the product mix?)
- What are the different customer segments? What channels are used to earn those customers?
- What are the key drivers for customers to purchase their products?
- Who are the top competitors? What do their customers say about their brand and products?
- How would you describe the company’s supply chain? What are the implications for the customer experience?
- What are the current goals for the project? What information do you need from the company in addition to the resources you’ve already been provided? How will the outcomes of the project be used to drive business objectives?
Review the key objectives for the current project:
-Research online BevAlc space Eg. Boucard Nesin from Rabobank
-Develop comprehensive competitive participant mapping
-Identify potential new entrants
-Identify potential strategic acquisitions or partnerships for ReserveBar
-Develop SWOT analysis among top competitors and ReserveBar
Suggested Deliverable:
No deliverable required.
Suggested project resources to compile/organize/develop:
- Overview of the current challenge.
- A description of the company and its brand.
- High-level description of target audience, customer segments, competitors.
- Company’s needs and goals for the project and anticipated obstacles.
- Preliminary list of resources.
- Preliminary annotations on research findings, industry-related frameworks/practices, approaches, strategies, ideation, etc.
- Plan for successfully completing the project (major action steps/tasks).
-
April 6, 2022 - Analyse the Competitive Environment
- Research online BevAlc space Eg. Boucard Nesin from Rabobank
- Develop comprehensive competitive participant mapping
- Identify potential new entrants
- Identify potential strategic acquisitions or partnerships for ReserveBar
- Develop SWOT analysis among top competitors and ReserveBar
Suggested Deliverable:
- Research-driven report that provides a comprehensive, detailed perspective on ReserveBar’s position in the BevAlc space and in relation to competitors and identifies potential ReserveBar opportunities for acquisitions and partnerships for continued growth.
- 5-minute video presentation to company
Project Resources
There are no resources currently available
Industry Mentors
Academic Mentors
