A young beverage entrepreneur is reaping the rewards of perseverance and sacrifice less than six months after starting the business.
Stefan Di Benedetto, 27, from Melbourne was working full-time as a highly paid project manager in the construction industry when he and his best friend Darcy Holden launched Solbevi last August.
His life changed forever nine days later when they struck a distribution deal with retail giant Dan Murphy’s to stock 700ml limoncello liqueur bottles and Australia’s first limoncello spritz in a can in nine stores.
Five months later, Solbevi has sold 25,000 cans and 2,500 bottles and is on track to double these figures by the end of February.
The drinks are available nationally in 109 Dan Murphy’s stores, 30 independent bottle shops and 65 licensed venues, ranging from bars and pubs to racecourses.
Stefan Di Benedetto (pictured) has quit his job as a six-figure project manager to focus on the new business and changing the way Australians think about limonchello
Melbourne company Solbevi is behind Australia’s first limonchello spritzer in a can
Mr Di Benedetto has quit his job and is currently living off his savings, working up to 90 hours a week to grow the business, which entails major sacrifices.
“I don’t miss the construction industry one bit,” he told Daily Mail Australia.
‘I quit my job and stopped paying myself. I have since skipped meals and made significant lifestyle changes, such as not going out at the weekend.’
“I risked everything while learning about a completely new industry on the spot.”
His co-founder remains involved as a silent partner.
The early success exceeded the couple’s wildest dreams, but it wasn’t all plain sailing.
“We started in nine stores and after two months I begged Dan Murphy’s to supply another 30 stores,” Di Benedetto said.
“Because sales were so good, we got into another 109.”
‘The hardest part is the rejection, something I wasn’t used to in my old job.’
“But when I see the product in people’s hands, it just puts a big smile on my face.”
The original plan of Darcy Holden and Stefan Di Benedetto (right) was to run Solbevi as a hobby business. They are pictured with their first batch of limonchello
Solbevi is now available in almost 150 bottle stores across Australia (photo by Dan Murphy’s)
Mr. Di Benedetto is originally from Northern Italy and has been making homemade limonchello with his family for years.
He came up with the idea to make Australia’s first canned limonchello three years ago during Covid and spent the next two years figuring out how to produce it on a commercial scale and develop the brand.
The original plan was for it to be a hobby business, until a lunchtime conversation with an industry figure proved a turning point as Mr Di Benedetto realized it had the potential to go global.
“Our first thought was who buys limonchello since it is traditionally an after-dinner digestivo,” he recalls.
“But as soon as we came up with a spritzer in a can, things changed.”
“We decided to bring limonchello back to life by giving it a modern and trendy twist as a mixer for the younger crowd to change people’s mindset about the drink.”
‘We wanted to make limoncello accessible to everyone!
“You can get limoncello in bottles, served in bars, but we’ve made it easy for anyone to just go to the store, grab a can and enjoy it on the spot!”
‘Then you can simply recycle the can or exchange it for 10 cents. It’s a victory! This is how we have distinguished ourselves from our competitors.’
Stefan Di Benedetto is changing the way Australians think about limonchello, which was traditionally considered an after-dinner digestivo
Solbei has expanded to nearly 100 locations and events since August
Mr Di Benedetto hopes to see Solbevi in at least 500 locations by 2025.
BWS is currently investigating a possible distribution agreement.
Existing licensed venues include Melbourne’s Caufield Racecourse and Sydney’s Clovelly Hotel.
There are also big plans to get investors on board to expand operations abroad.
“After a big summer, we will focus on the restaurant side and turn our focus to the market in warmer states as winter approaches,” Mr Di Benedetto said.
‘We are looking at overseas markets in Asia and the US, where we have been in discussions about sponsorship deals.’
Mr. Di Benedetto had this advice for aspiring entrepreneurs
“Give it a try and give it your all,” he said
‘Taking a risk is the hardest thing there is.’
Stefan resigned last August after Dan Murphy agreed to stock Solbevi drinks in nine stores. Five months later, the range is now in 109 stores.