By: Mpho Shelile
Maseru – Founded in 2019, Ross Cocktails has become synonymous with festive celebrations and premium drinks in Lesotho’s event space. Yet, the journey of its founder, Thabelang Tlali, is a unique blend of inspiration, resilience, and strategic adaptation.
Thabelang’s story began with an unusual experience that many may find amusingly familiar, a family drama that sparked an idea with the potential to revolutionize social gatherings.
At family gatherings, it was not uncommon for alcohol to become a source of conflict. Thabelang witnessed these disputes first-hand, relatives would hide bottles or argue over how drinks were being consumed. It was during these moments that he identified an opportunity: Why not create a service that offers premium, professionally mixed drinks at events, ensuring enjoyment without the arguments? With this simple yet innovative thought, Ross Cocktails was born.
The concept was straightforward: take the hassle out of mixing drinks, elevate the social experience with quality cocktails, and allow hosts to relax and enjoy their events without worrying about drink supplies.
“I saw a gap,” Thabelang recalls. “People wanted good drinks, but they also wanted to avoid the stress and drama that comes with managing alcohol at parties. I thought, why not offer them something better?”
The timing of Ross Cocktails’ launch, however, could not have been more challenging. A few months into operation, the COVID-19 pandemic hit, bringing the hospitality and events industry to a standstill. With gatherings banned and social events postponed indefinitely, many businesses folded, but Thabelang was determined to weather the storm.
He used the downtime to refine his service model, experimenting with new recipes, sourcing high-quality ingredients, and building partnerships within the industry. As lockdown restrictions gradually eased, Ross Cocktails emerged stronger, ready to serve a market hungry for celebratory experiences.
“COVID-19 was tough, but it gave me time to sharpen the concept,” Thabelang explains. “We came out of it knowing exactly what people wanted, a seamless cocktail experience.”
The early stages of Ross Cocktails were not without their challenges. Thabelang recalls facing skepticism, as some people questioned the need for hiring professional bartenders when they could simply mix their own drinks at home.
“It took time to change people’s perceptions,” Thabelang admits. “At first, they did not understand the difference we brought. But as they experienced our service, they saw the value, how it elevated their events and made them more memorable.”
Through weddings, corporate functions, and private parties, Ross Cocktails steadily built a reputation for delivering exceptional service. Clients began to appreciate the convenience of having experienced bartenders manage their drinks, allowing them to focus on hosting and enjoying the moment.
Despite its growing success, Thabelang acknowledges that Ross Cocktails faces one major hurdle, it is heavily seasonal, with most events concentrated on weekends, festive periods, and the summer months. This seasonality limits the business’s operations, making it challenging to maintain consistent revenue throughout the year.
“We’re a festive-cantered business,” he explains. “The goal is to become a full-time operation that runs throughout the year by branching into other areas, like serving hotels, restaurants, and other hospitality establishments.”
Thabelang envisions Ross Cocktails expanding beyond private events to include contracted services for hospitality venues, allowing the business to operate sustainably regardless of the season.
Ross Cocktails is not just a thriving business, it is also a source of employment for the youth in Lesotho. Thabelang currently employs 15 people on a permanent basis, with additional workers on standby for larger events. His team comprises both bartenders and support staff, all trained to deliver top-tier customer service.
“Many young people struggle to find opportunities, and I am grateful that Ross Cocktails can provide jobs,” Thabelang shares. “I want to create even more opportunities for them as the business grows.”
The ripple effect of Ross Cocktails extends beyond its events, as the company empowers young people with skills in hospitality and offers them a livelihood.
Thabelang is deeply committed to uplifting his community in Khubetsoana, where he was raised. Beyond running a successful business, he has a vision to support aspiring entrepreneurs by offering mentorship and funding to help them launch their ventures.
“I want to see Khubetsoana without idle youth sitting on street corners (mablomara),” he says with passion. “It is my dream to see every young person empowered, pursuing meaningful careers and contributing to the growth of our community.”
Through Ross Cocktails, Thabelang hopes to inspire other entrepreneurs, demonstrating that even small ideas, like managing drinks at family gatherings, can grow into thriving businesses.
Looking ahead, Thabelang has ambitious plans for Ross Cocktails. Over the next five years, he aims to expand his services across Lesotho, building a nationwide presence. His long-term goal is to establish a cocktail training institute that will equip hospitality workers with the knowledge and skills to craft world-class cocktails.
“I want to build a place where hotel staff and hospitality workers can be trained properly,” he explains. “This will not only enhance our services but also contribute to Lesotho’s tourism sector.”
By improving the quality of services available in local hotels and restaurants, Thabelang hopes to attract more tourists and raise the profile of Lesotho as a hospitality destination.
As Thabelang continues to dream big, the clink of cocktail glasses at Ross Cocktails events will not just mark moments of celebration. It will signify the realization of a vision, one that brings joy to customers, transforms lives through employment, and uplifts a community in need.