Award-Winning Premium Tequila - Mandala Tequila (Full Episode)
Channel: Startup to Storefront
Date: 2021-03-02

The tequila industry is booming.  According to IWSR, volumes of agave-based spirits (tequila) increased by 11.4% between 2016, and 2019.  This was then reaffirmed by Miguel Ángel Domínguez Morales, President of the Tequila Regulatory Council when he said they had their biggest production in 2019.  The demand for tequila is bleeding beyond the bounds of Mexico, and the rest of the world is loving it.  Tequila is in its golden age.

However, as the demand has skyrocketed, so has the competition.  There has been a huge influx in celebrity-owned tequila companies, and the big tequila players are doing everything in their power to hold onto control of the market.  From artificially inflating the world's agave prices to creating legislation that sets arbitrary standards on what you can call tequila.  The cards are stacked against startups from developing a foothold in the tequila market.
   
Understanding these immense challenges we decided to interview the co-founders of Mandala Tequila, Humberto Ibarra, and Craig Cartozian.  Mandala tequila is a handcrafted, award-winning small-batch premium tequila.  We wanted to hear what it was like going against the industry giants, the challenges that come with getting a restaurant to stock your product, and why they released their extra añejo first.  It's a gripping startup story you won't want to miss.

#entrepreneurship #businessinterview #tequila #mandala #alcohol #drinks #drink #mexicantequila

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Mandala Tequila Social Media:
Mandala Tequila Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tequilamandala/
Mandala Tequila Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Tequilamandala
Mandala Tequila Website: https://tequilamandala.com/

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Startup to Storefront Social Media:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startuptostorefront/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/startuptostorefront
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/startup-to-storefront/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/startuptostore
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/67EyhF5DGLPucswOrS7LhK?si=IUPguzApRm6nnhlIHUBJxQ
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/startup-to-storefront/id1477095646 
Website: https://www.startuptostorefront.com/

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Our Team:
Diego Torres-Palma: https://www.instagram.com/diego_ventures/
Nick Conrad: https://www.instagram.com/nickgconrad/
Natalya Cappellini: https://www.instagram.com/natalya_curato/
Lexi Jameson: https://www.instagram.com/lexijamesonyt/
Owen Cappellini: https://www.instagram.com/owencapp/

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Our Music:
https://www.instagram.com/doubletouchofficial/

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Timecodes:
00:00 Hook
00:47 Intro to Mandala Tequila
2:27 About Mandala Tequila
3:56 Mandala Tequila's ingenious marketing tactic
5:53 Why Mandala Tequila launched with Tequila Mandala Extra Añejo
8:11 Timing all the tequila releases
9:34 Did you target directly to consumer or retail locations?
10:42 Crazy restaurant owner story
13:28 Was it hard to start the company in November of 2016 given the political climate?
15:33 Are there any advantages with attacking the premium market?
16:36 How Mandala Tequila executes social media marketing
18:00 Do tequila companies have to become lifelong brands to survive?
19:39 The best way to drink Mandala Tequila
21:56 There is a world shortage of agave
24:53 Did you raise capital to start Mandala Tequila?
29:57 The x-factor of entrepreneurship
33:16 What is the next step for Mandala Tequila following the covid pandemic?
35:16 Does the climate impact your customer base?
36:58 Why do you age Tequila Mandala Extra Añejo for 7 years?
40:56 Mandala Tequila social media