Article
Champagne Characters – How do you preserve the character of a niche company amid loud marketing competition | Kassenzone
Key Insights
- 0:00:07 Welcome and introduction of Nicola Neumann and Champagne Characters0:02:11 Nicola talks about how she founded the company and how it has grown0:05:10 Nicola talks about current revenue and number of employees0:07:26 Pricing0:16:22 Addressing customers in a smart, not banal way0:18:14 Using social media as a channel to gain attention0:18:53 Successful market entry and growth in the champagne market0:21:30 Challenges in positioning and marketing strategy0:25:47 Setting up the newsletter and tools in-house
About Kassenzone
E-commerce is a topic close to the heart of Etribes managing director Karo Junker de Neui. That's why Kassenzone podcast host Alexander Graf didn't have to ask twice whether she would like to regularly take over individual episodes of the most successful German podcast on e-commerce and digitalization. Every week, CEOs from retailers, brands and manufacturers talk there about their unique business models and e-commerce strategies. In “Kassenzone mit Karo,” Karo wants to look to the future in particular and discuss upcoming macro trends and changes under the motto “E-Commerce 2030.”
Intro
The last episode of 2023 covers a particularly enjoyable topic. Co-host Karo Junker de Neui welcomes Nicola Neumann, founder of Champagne Characters. Almost ten years ago, she founded her specialist sparkling wine retailer and, without outside funding, built it into one of the most important suppliers of grower champagne.
However, grower champagne accounts for just 4% of the total champagne market in Germany, so Nicola operates in a niche for enthusiasts. Along with some great small-talk facts, Karo learns how Nicola holds her own as a small provider alongside the big players. Her company is currently growing sales by an impressive 20 percent a year, but Nicola believes there is room for more. She wins her customers almost exclusively through personal recommendations, which is why the two discuss further growth potential for Champagne Characters in the interview. The big goal is to make distinctive grower champagne better known and offer an alternative to the major brands that dominate the market.
Summary
- 0:00:07 Welcome and introduction of Nicola Neumann and Champagne Characters
- 0:02:11 Nicola talks about how she founded the company and how it has grown
- 0:05:10 Nicola talks about current revenue and number of employees
- 0:07:26 Pricing
- 0:16:22 Addressing customers in a smart, not banal way
- 0:18:14 Using social media as a channel to gain attention
- 0:18:53 Successful market entry and growth in the champagne market
- 0:21:30 Challenges in positioning and marketing strategy
- 0:25:47 Setting up the newsletter and tools in-house
