Paola Cipollina first became an entrepreneur in the late 80s , when she founded Esse Moda, the first fashion design school franchise with over thirteen branches in Italy and three abroad. Paola has since opened Rosso & Wine in December 2022 and Rosso & Wine PRONTO in June 2023 at the Penn Central Mall in Oskaloosa.
Paola permanently moved to the US in 2011, with Los Angeles, California as her original destination, where there is a strong Italian food and dining presence.. After moving to the Midwest, Paola took notice of the lack of authentic Italian products in Iowa and wanted to bring an amazing culinary alternative to Oskaloosa. Rosso & Wine imports all the most excellent Italian food products, and Rosso & Wine PRONTO provides upscale “fast-food” based on Italian recipes and made only with original Italian products. Paola only takes advice from the best experts when choosing which items belong in her inventory. The biggest surprise of Rosso & Wine has been the overwhelming support from recurring customers and other local institutions.
“Coming from a ‘cut-throat’ brutally competitive environment such as the Californian one, it has been a truly refreshing surprise to see so much love and unconditional support,” Paola stated.
Paola said her best day ever involved her husband Max, who made an extra-virgin olive oil seminar. Afterwards, all the participants rushed to buy the healthiest and best tasting option for their table. Witnessing such passion and enthusiasm of an approach to a new cultural food was exhilarating for the couple!
Making surveys to get a grasp of which Italian products would do best in the American market was the most challenging for Rosso & Wine. Gathering responses and information is not only time consuming, but also extremely challenging. However, Paola heavily recommends them when looking to start your own business. A solid business plan is also necessary to understand potential costs, projections, and revenues.
“I received the precious and extremely useful information and professional support from Darrell Sarmento of America’s SBDC Iowa,” Paola provided. “I warmly suggest and highly recommend the SBDC to all the ones who are willing to start a new business in Iowa. Their help and support can make visions and dreams come true.”
Rosso & Wine has helped enrich the local cultural heritage by bringing something unique and authentic. It also helped revitalize the local mall, which had been greatly affected by the pandemic. Future plans for Rosso & Wine involve online sales and a potential location at the Des Moines Airport. Be on the lookout, as Rosso & Wine looks to create a franchise with other branches under their name.
Learn more about Rosso & Wine here:
Website: http://www.rossoandwine.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RossoandWine
Instagram: @rossoandwine