SLIQ Spirited Ice Appoints Industry Veterans Chad Wiltgen and Jodi Duncan to Its Sales Team to Support Nationwide Distribution Expansion Efforts
CHICAGO, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- SLIQ Spirited Ice (SLIQ), a premium frozen cocktail pop company launched by 21 Holdings LLC, a subsidiary of the world's leading freezer pop manufacturer, The Jel Sert Company (Jel Sert), announces today the appointment of Chad Wiltgen of Cooper Spirits/St Germain and Jane Street Vodka Soda to National Sales Manager and Jodi Duncan of the Wine Group and Zing Zang to Director of National Accounts.
Bringing more than 40 years of collective sales experience to SLIQ, Wiltgen and Duncan will lead general market and chain business relationships in the U.S., supporting the next phase of SLIQ's growth.
As SLIQ's National Sales Manager, Wiltgen will manage all sell-in at general market accounts nationwide, both on and off-premise. Wiltgen began his career in the ultra-competitive wine and spirits territory of Beverly Hills as a sales representative for Young's Market Company. After several years of service, he served as the Vice President of Sales for Cooper Spirits/St Germain, helping to grow the brand from zero to 100,000 9l cases, with an eventual sale to Bacardi USA. In 2014, he launched his own ready-to-drink brand, Jane Street Vodka Soda. After several successful years, he returned to the supplier side, helping run US sales for Suntory and Morrison Bowmore.
"I am beyond excited to be working for a legacy parent company like Jel Sert where the owners' passion and dedication to quality are evident from the moment you meet them and their commitment to their employees is second to none," says Wiltgen. "Jel Sert's focus on innovation is evident with the launch of 21 Holdings and SLIQ and I am thrilled to see what the future holds and to be able to play a part in it!"
As SLIQ's Director of National Accounts, Duncan will manage all sell-in at off-premise chain accounts both on a national and regional level. Duncan comes to 21 Holdings with over 18 years of beverage alcohol experience and a strong category management background. During her time with Diageo, she worked on beer, wine and spirits in both national and regional accounts, working closely with distributors around the country. She spent four years as the Senior Director of Sales at the Wine Group, running the SE. Most recently at Zing Zang, she worked with beverage-alcohol buyers at national accounts on and off-premise. Recognized by the National Association of Professional Women as a Woman of the Year in 2014, Duncan brings a wealth of knowledge across the board.
"Having the opportunity to be a leader in a new segment like 'Ready-To-Freeze' with SLIQ is an opportunity that I couldn't pass up," says Duncan. "More than the products, the culture and exceptional people at 21 Holdings and Jel Sert provide me with the competitive spirit and drive to jump out of bed in the morning and take on every day."
"We are extremely excited to enter this next phase of our 21 Holdings and SLIQ evolution with Jodi and Chad on board," says Matt Ingemi, VP of Business Development at 21 Holdings. "As an established, large-scale manufacturer with a completely filled-out national distributor footprint, our goal going into 2022 was to solidify our sales organization. Chad brings a unique and comprehensive background in pioneering new brands throughout the general market and Jodi brings extensive experience in selling national accounts in the alcohol beverage marketplace, with existing relationships across the board between our distributor and retail partners."
SLIQ launched in 2021 in 22 states alongside strong programs with retail giants Walmart & Albertsons, with plans to expand nationwide in 2022. To learn more and to find a SLIQ near you, visit sliqspiritedice.com and follow along at @sliqspiritedice.
About SLIQ Spirited Ice
SLIQ Spirited Ice is a diversified line of frozen cocktail pops that are crafted with elevated flavors to inspire good times only. It is the brainchild of the leading freezer pop manufacturer for the last half-century, The Jel Sert Company, through its new subsidiary, 21 Holdings LLC, that exclusively produces the company's 21+ items. The SLIQ brand leads a new frontier of alcohol that plays at the intersection of nostalgic classics and the modern, ready-to-drink cocktail & hard seltzer surge. With its three core variety pack offerings in Vodka, Agave, and Rum, SLIQ Spirited Ice infuses popular flavors with premium spirits. Each pop has fewer than 100 calories, 8% ABV, and offers just the right amount of sweetness in a portion-controlled & conveniently portable package. SLIQ Spirited Ice is naturally flavored with ingredients that are gluten-free, vegan and kosher. Retailing at $17.99/9-pack with three flavors per box, SLIQ is currently available at select retailers nationwide, including Albertsons, Walmart and more. Shipped shelf-stable, the pops are meant to be enjoyed frozen. To learn more and to find a SLIQ near you, visit sliqspiritedice.com and follow along at @sliqspiritedice.
SOURCE SLIQ Spirited Ice
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