Tag Archives: Ross Sklar

Cardi B Celebrates Vodka-Infused Whipshots Sales Milestone

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Cardi B is whipping things up in the alcohol business…

The 30-year-old half-Dominican American Grammy-winning rap superstar’s voda-infused whipped cream Whipshots has sold more than 2 million cans and expanded into new markets, the brand has announced.

Whipshots by Cardi B“We just went double platinum! We’re not playing around when we say Whipshots is the best,” Cardi said in a statement. “Boozy and beautiful since day one, and two million cans later, there is no slowing us down. I love the fans supporting our brand – let’s keep this party going!”

Cardi B partnered with Starco Brands to release the boozy, non-dairy whipped cream, which sold its first million cans in just 10 months and went on to sell another million cans four months later.

Whipshots retail for $5.99 for the smaller, 50-milliliter can, while the larger, 200-milliliter can is $14.99.

“The overwhelming demand for Whipshots across the U.S. has been astounding and is a true testament to what’s possible when you have an incredible product and best-in-class retail partners,” noted Starco Brands CEO Ross Sklar.

Cardi B and Starco launched Whipshots in December 2021 with vanilla, mocha and caramel flavors. A limited-edition peppermint flavor was released around the holidays last year.

In addition to reaching a sales milestone, Whipshots has expanded into 26 markets around the U.S. including new states such as Delaware, Georgia, New Jersey and Tennessee.

The brand picked up new retail partners as well, including Meijer, Albertsons, Walmart, Vons, Rouses, Woodman’s and Giant Eagle.

Whipshots are also available online at Total Wine & More and through delivery apps such as Instacart, Door Dash, Drizzly and GoPuff.

Although she’s not the only recording artist to sell booze, Cardi opened up about her vision for Whipshots in an interview with Complex last year.

“I feel like if it was just mediocre, people would just be like, ‘Ah, whatever.’ Things are always going to sell when you have hard-core fans, but I wanted this to be big,” she said at the time. “Like, bigger than life, and that is always the goal. So I believe in my product. I love my product. It’s delicious and it’s very strong. And I feel like everybody keeps giving me positive feedback.”

Cardi B Launches Line of Vodka-Infused Whipped Cream, “Whipshots”

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Cardi B is officially whipping up a new business venture…

The 29-year-old half-Dominican American rap superstar has launched Whipshots, her line of vodka-infused whipped cream.

Whipshots by Cardi B Whipshots by Cardi and Starco brands are available on Whipshots.com in 500-can-per-day Whip Drops, and the three launch flavors — vanilla, caramel and mocha — have been selling out in under four minutes daily since December 1.

“I’m not really a hardcore liquor-drinking person. And I like things that are sexy and tasty. It’s going to be a party in every can,” Cardi B tells Billboard.

On December 4, Cardi B debuted Whipshots with a sweets-themed party at Pharrell and David Grutman’s The Goodtime Hotel in Miami.

Parading into the party with an entourage of music heavyweights including Offset, Mary J. Bilge and Timbaland, record producer Tainy, actor Winston Duke and football player Dale Moss, she popped a few cans, removing the plastic wrap with her teeth and shot the cream into the mouths of party guests. It was served in cones, cocktails and on desserts throughout the event, with chief mixology officer and Las Vegas bartender Rob Floyd putting some flair in the cocktail making.

The Whipshots suggested application is to “enjoy on cocktails, desserts, lovers or solo as a shot.” But Cardi says her current favorite way is on eggnog — just in time for the holidays.

“This is eggnog right here,” Cardi says. “The vanilla one I’ve been eating for a week. We are going to have different flavors next year.”

Starco Brands CEO Ross Sklar says that Cardi was the perfect partner for Whipshots because her fun, playful personality perfectly matches the ethos of the product. Sklar believes they have created the perfect trifecta: highly appealing flavors, plus creative direction and celebrity/influencer strategy.

“We commercialize products and technologies that are meant to be behavior changing,” he says.

And while other companies have tried to release similar products over the years, what makes this one unique is it 10 percent alcohol by volume (ABV), does not require refrigeration and is non-dairy, made of oat milk and coconut milk, different sugars, flavorings and distilled vodka. Sklar says it is ideal for espresso martinis, or with vodka and soda water, spray on a dollop and mix it in to give a creamy texture. It even works with rum and coke.

“We look at all the sectors that we play in spirits, and food was really lacking innovation,” Sklar says. “We saw this tried in like 2005 and it didn’t work because the product life had issues. From a technology standpoint, and from a formulary vantage point, it’s very hard because the alcohol depresses the foam. You really have to balance it until you find a sort of utopia. And then dialing in packaging, the back end and the automation and supply. It’s a huge enigma to solve. We’ve been working on it for just over four years. It’s an innovation in the celebratory category.”

And then, just add Cardi.

“You’ve got to find somebody that has a personality that is transparent, super fun, super playful. Someone who doesn’t mind being flirty, but above all, is herself. The product delivers and the personality delivers … That authenticity delivers credibility,” Sklar says.

Outside of the daily Whip Drops, Whipshots will hit stores early next year and is priced at $5.99 for 50 mL, $13.99 for 200 mL and $19.99 for 375 mL bottles, respectively.