# Founder Feature: Ranwei Chiang of Abstinence Spirits

- Show: [The Startup CPG Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast)
- Published: 2025-03-07
- Length: 34m
- Episode: 129
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2025-03-07-founder-feature-ranwei-chiang-of-abstinence-spirits
- Listen: https://share.transistor.fm/s/322502da

## Summary

Ranwei Chiang, CEO of Abstinence Spirits, discusses building a botanical-inspired non-alcoholic spirit brand rooted in South Africa's Cape Floral Kingdom. She details the product line, including the Cape Floral gin, Cape Malt, and the hero Blood Orange Aperitif, which won a 2024 Shelfie Award. Chiang explains the company's e-commerce-first strategy, grassroots marketing through tastings, and the recent pivot to in-house warehousing to maintain flexibility and customer experience. The episode covers their current crowdfunding campaign on Funder, team structure, and the financial discipline required to scale in the emerging NA category.

## Outline

1. Introduction: Ranwei Chiang and Abstinence Spirits Origin
2. Product Line: Cape Floral Gin, Cape Malt, and Blood Orange Aperitif
3. Marketing Strategy: Grassroots Tastings and On-Premise Engagement
4. Retail and E-commerce: Online-First Approach and Partner Selection
5. Funding and Crowdfunding: Funder Campaign and Financial Discipline
6. Operations: Pivoting from 3PL to In-House Warehousing
7. Leadership: Team Size, Outsourcing Decisions, and Founder Wellbeing

## Topics

- [Direct-to-consumer & e-commerce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/direct-to-consumer)
- [Marketing & brand](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/marketing-and-brand)
- [Crowdfunding & preorders](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/crowdfunding)
- [Retail, wholesale & distribution](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/retail-and-distribution)
- [Factory operations & automation](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/factory-operations)
- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Abstinence Spirits (product)
- Cape Floral (product)
- Cape Malt (product)
- Cape Spice (product)
- Blood Orange Aperitif (product)
- Lemon Aperitif (product)
- Funder (other)
- Wallace Dry Goods (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Athletic Brewing Company: Bill Shufelt](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-11-18-athletic-brewing-company-bill-shufelt) (How I Built This)
- [Aden + Anais: Raegan Moya-Jones (2019)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-08-26-aden-anais-raegan-moya-jones-2019) (How I Built This)
- [Advice Line with Steve Ells of Chipotle](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2026-04-09-advice-line-with-steve-ells-of-chipotle) (How I Built This)
- [Spindrift: Bill Creelman](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2020-01-13-spindrift-bill-creelman) (How I Built This)
- [259 - It's definitely NOT beer with Not Beer founder Dillon Dandurand](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2024-05-01-259-its-definitely-not-beer-with-not-beer-founder-dillon-dandurand) (People of Packaging)

## Citing this page

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