Sam Naparstek stayed in dozens of rental apartments during his time leading product development at Away, the luggage company. One problem kept standing out: wine fridges were everywhere, but they were bulky, noisy, and stuck out awkwardly in living rooms. They all looked about the same—industrial designs that had not changed in decades. Sam began thinking about a better option, something that felt more like furniture but could still chill drinks. He hired an Italian designer to start sketching ideas.
At the same time, Alyse Borkan was working in home renovation and property rentals. She noticed something similar. Most home appliances felt like afterthoughts. She thought there was room to build a brand around everyday home items that people actually liked having in their space. Alyse and Sam met through a mutual connection and started talking about how little innovation there had been in the small appliance category. Sam had been leaning toward redesigning a wine fridge. Alyse did not even drink alcohol. They agreed to go broader and focus on drinks of all kinds—wine, cocktails, water, soft drinks, anything. That idea became Rocco.
They wanted Rocco to fit seamlessly into a home without looking like a traditional appliance. They worked with an industrial designer in Milan to create the first prototypes. The fridge would have a slim 15-inch depth so it could sit alongside a bar cart or end table. The compressor had to be nearly silent. A raised edge and custom tray on the top turned it into a dual-purpose surface where people could store or serve drinks. Inside, the shelving would be adjustable for different bottle and can sizes, and temperature zones could be customized. They also wanted to add a technology layer: an internal camera linked to a smartphone app so owners could see what was inside without opening the door. The app would also let users adjust settings remotely.
Rocco was not designed to be cheap. Sam and Alyse chose a heavy steel frame thicker than standard mini-fridges and committed to a 10-year warranty. The goal was to create something people would live with for a long time, not replace every few years.
The first Rocco fridges shipped in fall 2023. At a price of around $1,500, it was a premium product, but the demand surprised them. The first batch sold out in about two weeks. Over the next few months, they restocked five separate times and sold out each time. Media outlets picked up the story, and Rocco began showing up on social media feeds alongside photos of home bars and living rooms.
Bon Appétit ran a feature in late 2024 about Rocco’s rapid rise. Customers talked about how they used it not just for wine but also for cocktails, seltzers, and even sparkling water. The design allowed it to sit next to a sofa without looking out of place. Some used the top tray for glasses and bottles. Others turned it into a self-serve drink station for guests. The app feature—the ability to see inside without opening the door—became a talking point, even among users who did not expect to care about it.
By early 2025, Sam and Alyse were scaling production to meet backorders. They continued handling most of the work themselves, staying close to the direct-to-consumer model they had chosen from the beginning. They also started exploring new variations and accessories that could extend the Rocco brand beyond the first fridge.
Sam’s early frustration with outdated wine coolers and Alyse’s instinct for everyday design had combined into a business that grew quickly by focusing on what had been overlooked: people wanted better-looking, better-functioning drink storage for their homes. Rocco was their answer.
