He spotted an opportunity around two years ago. He left for France, went looking for the best grapes, found three suitable wine growers and now owns a rosé wine label together with two friends: Luc Rosé. It sounds like a pipedream, but it is actually the story of Hotel and Event Management student Daan van der Velden. “It is wonderful to see the concept take off. We are exceeding our own expectations!”
Gap in the market
Daan van der Velden is the co-founder and -owner of Luc Rosé. “This is a quality rosé wine with an affordable price,” Daan explains excitedly. “More than a year ago, I and two friends of mine, Aran Derks and Jim van den Brink, noticed that it is hard to find an affordable quality rosé wine in supermarkets. You had to go to a restaurant to get it. We set out to fill that gap in the market.”
Not long after, the three started their own company and Luc Rosé was born. “Our first (wine) season just ended. It was a fantastic season,” Daan says with satisfaction. “We exceeded our own expectations. We initially targeted students, but the quality of the rosé wine was so good that we also attracted a more mature audience. People are loving our wine, just like we hoped they would!”
Best way to learn
Daan manages to combine his business with the Hotel and Event Management programme at Tio Amsterdam. Besides the catering subjects, he can also put courses such as (business) communication and marketing into practice right away. “Within the organisation, I am responsible for marketing and sales,” Daan explains. “Part of the reason our first year was such a success is because we handled our marketing well.”
“The roles within the company are divided well,” Daan continues. “We each have our own responsibilities. That makes it easier to combine business with study. I would definitely advise other Tio students with business plans of their own to make their move. Having your own business is tremendously educational!”
Lofty ambitions
“It is a great experience to set up your own business. You learn a lot from it. It is fun to watch your business take off. The fact that we share final responsibility makes it even more special. There is no one above us. That is awesome. I hope Luc Rosé will grow into a major organisation,” Daan concludes. “We want to make our concept a success throughout the Netherlands. Our ambitions for the upcoming season are lofty. We are on the right path!”
Follow Daan on LinkedIn.