Startup/Vital Signs of a Young Regional Company

The Oregonian

December 20, 2008,  Business Section, Page E1

Chinese Rice Wine LLC, Founded November 2007

The Product: An alcoholic beverage made from fermented whole rice, imported from China.

What stage? The company received its first shipment of 4000 bottles in August and is distributing to 15 stores and restaurants in Oregon and Washington and selling on the Internet.

Suggested retail price? From $15 for a bottle of 5-year-old rice wine to $29.25 for a 10-year-old bottle.

The founder: Scott J. Thurman, 46, president, has a bachelor’s in marketing from the University of Utah in Salt Lake City and a master’s in international management from the American Graduate School of International Management in Arizona. He spent eight years in Asia working in advertising sales and for Intel.

Employees: Just Thurman; his wife, Jackie Thurman, helps administer the business, and a friend in Shanghai is a buyer.Where he works: Thurman works out of his West Hills home: the wine is stored in his garage.

The idea source: Thurman was in a restaurant in Shanghai with colleagues in November 2006 when he first noticed the ceramic bottles of locally brewed rice wine. When he couldn’t find any in Portland the following year – he was hoping to serve it during a Chinese New Year’s party – he decided to become an importer.

The taste: A robust nutty flavor like old port or percent or higher. (Note: this was incorrectly reported.  CRW’s alcohol content is 16 percent.

Served: In small tea or sake cups, traditionally warm.

The money: $50,000 from Thurman’s savings.

Thurman’s dream: To distribute nationwide and expand product line to include rice wines from different countries, sake and fruit wines.

The goal: To be making money by the end of 2009 and have imported 1 million bottles in five years.

Web site: www.chinesericewine.com

- Jonathan Brinckman