Among the fun parts of Susan Lambert Kopstad's work is her annual trip to Australia, where she helps harvest the grapes that go into the wine she sells in Manatee and Sarasota counties.
Kopstad is president of Stanley Lambert Wines, which are made in Australia at her brother's winery.
"It's fun to talk about wines; a lot of the wines are named after family members," Kopstad said. "We go there once a year to pick grapes during the harvest. It's just an amazing experience."
The business was among those honored recently with a Small Business of the Year award from the Manatee Chamber of Commerce.
The company only sells wholesale to restaurants and retailers with a beverage license, she said. The wine is distributed by an affiliate company, Sea Breeze Wines, and carries a retail price of $10 to $24 per bottle. The varieties include everything from Chardonnays and Shiraz to Riesling and Sauvignon.
Kopstad got into the business through another company, Sea Breeze Coffee & Tea Inc., which she operates with her husband, Todd Kopstad. That company is a distributor of coffee and tea.
With a roster of 350 restaurant customers, the couple thought it was a logical step to begin marketing wine as well to their established customers.
"It was a natural for us because we already had a customer base," Kopstad said.
The company's biggest obstacle to success was that the wine was virtually unknown in Florida and the Kopstads had to compete against much bigger and more established distributors.
Kopstad countered by becoming involved in community events, networking like crazy and organizing her own wine events. In 2007, the firm increased sales by 200 percent, and Kopstad expects sales to increase another 80 percent this year.
"God has really blessed us with our entrepreneurial spirit, we're doing wonderful," she said.
Once a year, she makes the 42-hour trip to her brother's Australian vineyard, where she helps to hand-pick some of the 14 varieties of grapes that are used to make the wines. She usually stays a week or so, although the harvest can last for up to a month.
Occasionally, Jim Lambert visits Bradenton as well. When the winemaker is here, Kopstad treats her clients to tastings and other events, said Terry Price, a sales associate at Vino 100, 5222 S.R. 64 E.
"I think they're aggressive, friendly, they provide outstanding service, from the driver to her and her husband. They're very pleasant people, professional, they would do anything for you," said Price, whose store began stocking the company's wines 15 months ago. Of its 150 or so wine varieties, it offers seven Stanley Lambert Wines.
"People love the wines, the quality and value are great," said Price. "They're good wines for the money. We have a lot of repeat customers that come in for them."
The Kopstads have lived in Florida since 1996. Susan Kopstad hails originally from Wisconsin, but moved here from Houston.
"We wanted to be in Florida, wanted to live in a small community where we could raise our daughter," Kopstad said, referring to Katy, who is now 16.
Kopstad, 57, had always harbored entrepreneurial ambitions. Earlier in her career, she was a furniture saleswoman but hoped one day to own her own business.
When she married Todd, she was glad to pitch in and help with his coffee and tea business and that's how she found her dream job.
"It just lets you be really creative, I love it," Kopstad said.
Her future ambitions include acquainting all Floridians with her wines and continuing to grow the brand. Another hope is to continue to meet new friends and wine lovers.
Her outlook might be summed up in the company motto: "Life's too short to drink bad wine."
Stanley Lambert Wines
Location: 6602 26th Court E.
Founded: 2005
Owners: Todd and Susan Kopstad
Employees: Three full-time, four part-time
Information: (941) 758-1249, www.stanleylambertwine.com
herald wathco Stanley Lambert Wines' president heads down under for her grapes
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