Make Oyays Legal
Donation protected
My name is Amseshem ‘Oyay’ Foluke, the proud originator of New York City’s infamous bottled beverage called Oyays. It all started with a dream at the age of 5 to be a toy store owner. By 16 I put all of my ambition to work when I joined a network marketing company Pre-Paid Legal, using my mother's name while lifeguarding during the summer. The drink hustle began my sophomore year in college when I recreated New York City’s most coveted street beverage, the nutcracker. Nutcrackers are the lifeline of any summer festivity. I started by selling them to my fellow colleagues and town locals. The need to generate income expanded beyond drinks to other items like jerseys, women belts, and t-shirts. I ran this business operation all while pursuing a degree in Marketing from SUNY New Paltz as a successful student athlete. Eager to begin my life after college as an entrepreneur, I started several businesses.
First, Star Status Entertainment, an event planning company specializing in events hosted by celebrities, while also producing photoshoots for up and coming models and artists. Since then I have helped start a popular hip hop blog attracting over 50k visitors a month with self created content featuring celebrities and socialites. I also ran social media for the only casino in New York City. Furthermore, I worked with over 100 NYC public schools and over 10,000 youth; running clinics and leagues for different sports, all while playing basketball in professional leagues and tournaments around the world. Now as a freelancer, I serve as a 1st assistant director in production working with brands like Facebook, Nike, Uninterrupted, Clorox, Coca Cola, Coach and artists like J Balvin, Teyanna Taylor, Lil Baby, A boogie, and Lauryn Hill.
By 2014 Oyays was created. I started by making them in my parents house and selling them in my neighborhood to friends. By the next summer I had created a Partnership program in which I would do multiple partnerships with my friends, giving them 50% commission on all their sales. Fast forward to 2019 being the best summer I have ever had with Oyays; vending at multiple big parades, festivals, events and more. After 2019, I realized that 2020 would be the last summer of me selling drinks on the street. Due to covid, 2020 has not been as promising, however Vice (video above), and the New York Times (links below), have boosted my business ,making the demand is too high for me to continue business. The demand for Oyays right now is Global and it's only been sold mainly in the streets of New York City.
2020 NY times article - https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/20/nyregion/coronavirus-nutcrackers-cocktails-nyc.html
2019 NY times article - https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/17/nyregion/banned-on-the-beach-its-still-nutcracker-summer.html
I am raising 1 million dollars to ensure we enter the market properly and become a leader in the Global RTD (Ready to drink) market. I will need funds to get the proper licenses, trademarks, flavor formulas, manufacturing, distribution ; nationally/internationally, and execution of a marketing strategy along with lawyer fees. This will put Oyays in a better position to acquire big investors and venture capitalist, to make Oyays the #1 Drink in the the world.
Oyays is the people's drink and I want the people to help dictate the future. During this process I will be letting you in and asking for your feedback as well. You will be introduced as I hire the Oyays team, and be asked for your honest opinion on the candidates I have chosen, along with the different partnerships that may arise. I will also update everything weekly with marketing plans, investment decks, flavor options and great content.
Oyays would enter the RTD (Ready to drink) market of the spirits industry. “RTD’s are currently enjoying soaring success in numerous global markets, especially the category’s largest, the US and Japan, and across ever widening demographics, showing that the work of producers to markedly change the category’s image is paying off.”
When it comes to generations, Nielsen said that young adults are moving towards RTD cocktails at social gathering and outdoor activities. Popular RTD occasions include outdoor picnics (32%), the beach/pool (28%) and while travelling or on holiday (23%).
RTD cocktails taps into consumer demand for convenience and provides drinkers “with something they’ve historically had to be at a bar or restaurant to enjoy”. These newer alcohol segments are “providing expansion opportunities” across the alcohol category, Nielsen claimed. This can be demonstrated in a number of ways including new entrepreneurial companies introducing their brands to the market, existing companies acquiring other brand(s), and existing brands in single alcohol segments extending their name recognition into newer segments to try and become a ‘power’ brand.
There are few winners in a Covid-19-era beverage purchasing landscape, but ready-to-drink (RTD) cocktails are certainly coming out on top. Though demand was already growing for pre-mixed, canned, or bottled cocktails, the category exploded after the U.S. began to feel the pandemic’s effect, seeing 90.4 percent year-over-year growth in Nielsen-measured off-premise channels for the pandemic-impacted period ending June 27. Before Covid hit, year-over-year growth was just 21.5 percent for the 52-week period ending Feb. 29.
Even as states have begun to reopen restaurants and bars, RTD cocktails lead growth across all spirits categories, with Nielsen reporting 91.8 percent growth from May 31 to June 27.
While big brands like Jack Daniels and Absolut have recently debuted canned cocktails, it’s been craft brewers and distillers or upstart businesses that have driven much of the premium RTD surge.
RTD cocktails have the potential to expand within the on-premise sector, particularly as restaurants and bars adapt to new restrictions and dining habits. “All indicators point to trends that suggest as the category expands socially, so, too, will it flourish in restaurants,” says Peterka.
While RTD sales have not overtaken beer sales just yet, Fitzsimmons thinks that they will by next summer — an ironic future for a brewery business. Though Covid-19 may have prompted the RTD cocktail boom, the category’s success is poised to outlast even a pandemic.
Oyays will be a leader in the Global RTD market, with your help!
First, Star Status Entertainment, an event planning company specializing in events hosted by celebrities, while also producing photoshoots for up and coming models and artists. Since then I have helped start a popular hip hop blog attracting over 50k visitors a month with self created content featuring celebrities and socialites. I also ran social media for the only casino in New York City. Furthermore, I worked with over 100 NYC public schools and over 10,000 youth; running clinics and leagues for different sports, all while playing basketball in professional leagues and tournaments around the world. Now as a freelancer, I serve as a 1st assistant director in production working with brands like Facebook, Nike, Uninterrupted, Clorox, Coca Cola, Coach and artists like J Balvin, Teyanna Taylor, Lil Baby, A boogie, and Lauryn Hill.
By 2014 Oyays was created. I started by making them in my parents house and selling them in my neighborhood to friends. By the next summer I had created a Partnership program in which I would do multiple partnerships with my friends, giving them 50% commission on all their sales. Fast forward to 2019 being the best summer I have ever had with Oyays; vending at multiple big parades, festivals, events and more. After 2019, I realized that 2020 would be the last summer of me selling drinks on the street. Due to covid, 2020 has not been as promising, however Vice (video above), and the New York Times (links below), have boosted my business ,making the demand is too high for me to continue business. The demand for Oyays right now is Global and it's only been sold mainly in the streets of New York City.
2020 NY times article - https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/20/nyregion/coronavirus-nutcrackers-cocktails-nyc.html
2019 NY times article - https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/17/nyregion/banned-on-the-beach-its-still-nutcracker-summer.html
I am raising 1 million dollars to ensure we enter the market properly and become a leader in the Global RTD (Ready to drink) market. I will need funds to get the proper licenses, trademarks, flavor formulas, manufacturing, distribution ; nationally/internationally, and execution of a marketing strategy along with lawyer fees. This will put Oyays in a better position to acquire big investors and venture capitalist, to make Oyays the #1 Drink in the the world.
Oyays is the people's drink and I want the people to help dictate the future. During this process I will be letting you in and asking for your feedback as well. You will be introduced as I hire the Oyays team, and be asked for your honest opinion on the candidates I have chosen, along with the different partnerships that may arise. I will also update everything weekly with marketing plans, investment decks, flavor options and great content.
Oyays would enter the RTD (Ready to drink) market of the spirits industry. “RTD’s are currently enjoying soaring success in numerous global markets, especially the category’s largest, the US and Japan, and across ever widening demographics, showing that the work of producers to markedly change the category’s image is paying off.”
When it comes to generations, Nielsen said that young adults are moving towards RTD cocktails at social gathering and outdoor activities. Popular RTD occasions include outdoor picnics (32%), the beach/pool (28%) and while travelling or on holiday (23%).
RTD cocktails taps into consumer demand for convenience and provides drinkers “with something they’ve historically had to be at a bar or restaurant to enjoy”. These newer alcohol segments are “providing expansion opportunities” across the alcohol category, Nielsen claimed. This can be demonstrated in a number of ways including new entrepreneurial companies introducing their brands to the market, existing companies acquiring other brand(s), and existing brands in single alcohol segments extending their name recognition into newer segments to try and become a ‘power’ brand.
There are few winners in a Covid-19-era beverage purchasing landscape, but ready-to-drink (RTD) cocktails are certainly coming out on top. Though demand was already growing for pre-mixed, canned, or bottled cocktails, the category exploded after the U.S. began to feel the pandemic’s effect, seeing 90.4 percent year-over-year growth in Nielsen-measured off-premise channels for the pandemic-impacted period ending June 27. Before Covid hit, year-over-year growth was just 21.5 percent for the 52-week period ending Feb. 29.
Even as states have begun to reopen restaurants and bars, RTD cocktails lead growth across all spirits categories, with Nielsen reporting 91.8 percent growth from May 31 to June 27.
While big brands like Jack Daniels and Absolut have recently debuted canned cocktails, it’s been craft brewers and distillers or upstart businesses that have driven much of the premium RTD surge.
RTD cocktails have the potential to expand within the on-premise sector, particularly as restaurants and bars adapt to new restrictions and dining habits. “All indicators point to trends that suggest as the category expands socially, so, too, will it flourish in restaurants,” says Peterka.
While RTD sales have not overtaken beer sales just yet, Fitzsimmons thinks that they will by next summer — an ironic future for a brewery business. Though Covid-19 may have prompted the RTD cocktail boom, the category’s success is poised to outlast even a pandemic.
Oyays will be a leader in the Global RTD market, with your help!
Organiser
Amseshem Foluke
Organiser
Jamaica, NY