Hidden Gems: Meet Edwige Ngouen of CocktailMenot LLC.

Today we’d like to introduce you to Edwige Ngouen

Hi Edwige, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My journey began in Cameroon, in Central Africa, where I grew up surrounded by the vibrant culture and flavors of my homeland. My name is Edwige Ngouen, and at the tender age of 17, I left my family and everything I knew to pursue a degree in Electrical Engineering at Ferris State University in Big Rapids, Michigan. The transition was anything but easy. I faced the daunting task of adapting to a new country, language, climate, and culture. I grappled with the gender, race, and ethnicity disparities in my program and weathered numerous job rejections due to my immigration status.
Yet, the most poignant struggle was the longing for the tropical flavors of home. This yearning stayed with me even after I graduated and moved to South Florida, where I finally reconnected with the rich tastes of my roots. This rekindled my passion for mixing cocktails and, combined with over 20 years of frustration at the lack of diversity in beverages, led to the creation of CocktailMenot. Our brand crafts unique, non-alcoholic cocktails that can be enjoyed straight from the can or paired with a spirit. We pride ourselves on using top-tier natural and organic ingredients, offering blends that tantalize the palate with flavors like Passion fruit, Pineapple, Coconut, Ginger, Lemongrass, Elderflower, and Black Currant.
Our journey began with offering signature cocktails at events, and we quickly realized our consumers were craving something different. We don’t replicate classic cocktails; instead, we create unique blends that stand out from the usual Margarita, Cosmopolitan, Moscow Mule, or Old Fashioned. Our daring approach has been met with enthusiastic approval, earning us five-star ratings on Google. Here are some of their comments:
“It’s great to see a brand of non-alcoholic cocktails that deliver quality without compromising the taste and flavor. All the flavors taste uniquely different and serve different parts of my palate. I love them all!! 5 stars!!!!!”
“I had this drink for the first time! It’s Amazing the taste I had Coconut taste organic delicious no sugars in the drink! I’ll be drinking these over the summer. What’s cool about them too! Is alcohol-free but it comes with recipes on the can. if you would like to add some in it, so it’s a win-win drink.”
“Definitely the best non-alcoholic beverage I’ve ever had. ‘Teal Bliss’ and ‘Ca Peak’ are my faves! I especially love that you can also mix them up with champagne, wine or liquor to create refreshing cocktails. Will definitely be purchasing again.”

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
My entrepreneurial spirit is a legacy from my parents, both trailblazers in their respective industries. Growing up, I witnessed the highs and lows of building a business firsthand. When my father walked me to the plane that would take me to the US, he told me there was no better feeling than running your own business and hoped I would one day follow in his footsteps.
With my family’s unwavering support, I embarked on this journey. However, like many entrepreneurs, I faced significant challenges, particularly financial support and work-life balance. The path to success is fraught with costly lessons, from deceptive partnerships to legal battles, the constant need to adapt to your consumers’ needs, and sometime start over. Bootstrapping has been our primary means of funding, which adds to the pressure.
Balancing work, life, and family is another major challenge. As a wife to Jean-Brice and mother of three young children—Mayan (8), Zarren (6.5), and Pipper (2)—the lines between these roles often blur. Integrity and perseverance are the backbones of my success, values I inherited from my parents.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Our first major breakthrough came when we sponsored a Black History Month event at United Airlines in Chicago in February 2020. My husband and I spent the entire night preparing over 300 servings. The event’s success was overwhelming, and the positive feedback we received was a testament to our product’s potential. My husband gave me an interesting ultimatum: pursue this as a hobby with his occasional support, or make it a business and have him as a full partner. We chose the latter, combining his passion for business strategy and entrepreneurship with my love for crafting unique cocktails. In 2020, he left his corporate job to perfect our journey on a full-time basis, and together we’ve developed over seven distinct recipes featuring trending ingredients without compromising on quality.
Our brand prides itself on offering beverages that are delicious straight from the can or paired with your favorite spirit.

So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
Crafting premium, alcohol-free, non-traditional flavors is intentional; we’re building the foundation for a liquid legacy. Our mission is to break the flavor status quo and reach a diverse community of consumers, all while celebrating our Cameroonian heritage and our US experience. We are open to collaborate with local, nation-wide and international organisations and communities with a simple goal in mind: transform every sip into a delectable journey. Please connect with us (www.tituncocktails.com/contact) at anytime for sponsorship opportunities and support our journey with the purchase of our delicacies now available online (www.tituncocktails.com) and on Walmart Marketplace. Remember, the accent is on YOU!

Pricing:

• * Our products are available on our website www.tituncocktails.com
• * Available on Walmart.com
• * Soon to be available on other popular platforms like Amazon and non-alcoholic online outlets
• * Find a store that carries our product on our website

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.tituncocktails.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tituncocktails
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cocktailmenot