Insights from Halli Segal and Shelby Sims, founders of Quincy

Quincy started with a niche obsession: dirty martinis.

Halli Segal and Shelby Sims were tired of draining olives for brine and crowding the fridge with empty jars. So they built the product they couldn’t find: dirty martini brine with olives.

The opportunity was bigger than a single cocktail. Martinis are popular at bars, but rarely made at home. And the mixer aisle hadn’t changed in decades.

Quincy stepped into that gap with one clear product and turned a personal obsession into a growing category play.

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For founders who are:

• Turning a niche obsession into a product with broader appeal
• Cracking retail without prior food and beverage experience
• Building brand momentum through community and in-person events </aside>

Spot the gap in categories

Some aisles haven’t changed in decades. Products are stale, overcomplicated, or missing what customers actually want. Meanwhile, consumers are finding their own fixes instead of a solution on the shelf. That’s a market opening.

Ask yourself:

• Is there a category that looks oversaturated but feels outdated?
• Where are consumers improvising with hacks instead of purchasing?
• Could a simple formula or flavor update make the whole category feel new again?