Jesse Cordoma (29) has been named South Australian Young Entrepreneur of the Year at the SA Business Chambers SAYES entrepreneur program graduation held on Thursday night.
Mr Cordoma was recognised for his innovative drink system, ‘Qusion,’ which uses recyclable pods filled with unique ingredients to craft delicious cocktails in seconds.
Elisa Luck, General Manager of Programs and Consulting at the South Australian Business Chamber, praised Mr Cordoma for his exemplary participation in the SAYES program.
“Jesse has leveraged every part of the SAYES program to his advantage. From workshops and mentorships to business plan development, he’s approached everything with an open mind, demonstrating true entrepreneurial determination and enthusiasm,” said Ms Luck.
“He’s innovative, creative, and hard-working. The business plan he developed for Qusion is of the calibre of far more established businesses.”
Pictured — Jesse Cordoma (Left) and Elisa Luck, General Manager Programs and Consulting (Right)
Qusion, currently a minimum viable product (MVP) at the ‘advanced idea’ stage, is nearing its launch phase.
Cordoma is collaborating with local design, engineering, and commercialisation companies to finalise the design and is locking in partnerships with key local Adelaide liquor suppliers ahead of its launch.
The idea for Qusion was inspired by the costs, inconsistencies and inconvenience of traditional cocktail making.
Mr Cordoma conceived the idea after spending time and money preparing a batch of French Martinis for friends, which he described as “disappointing.”
“I invested a total of $134 on ingredients and equipment to make that single type of cocktail and followed a recipe that promised the perfect result. The outcome was disappointing; it was the worst French Martini I ever tasted,” he recalled. “To this day, the $64 bottle of Chambord Liquor remains in my cupboard.”
Qusion offers a convenient, engaging and affordable method for mixology, poised to revolutionise the industry.
Mr Cordoma, a University of Adelaide graduate with First Class Honours in Civil, Structural, and Environmental Engineering, has filed for provisional patents for Qusion. The product’s trademark and listing as a Private Listed Company have been secured with ASIC.
According to OPUS (On Premise User Study), 28% of Australians reported an increased interest in cocktails following COVID-19, aligning with global market research indicating a surge in demand for electric cocktail-making products.
Preliminary trials of Qusion’s capabilities were conducted at last year’s VAILO 500, where Mr Cordoma and a bartender used Qusion to serve over 250 cocktails at a rate of under one per minute.
Cordoma aims to complete the final testing phase of the MVP and make any necessary design adjustments this year, with an anticipated market launch in late 2025.
If you’re an Entrepreneur looking to make your business dream a reality, expressions of interest for our September course intake are now open here.
Celebrating its 26th year last night, the SAYES entrepreneur program is designed to nurture, grow, and scale start-up and early-stage South Australian businesses.
The South Australian Business Chamber thanks the Department for Industry, Innovation and Science for their generous support of this program, which has supported over 1000 South Australians over the last 26 years.
