“Our objective after we based Mijenta was not solely to craft a fantastic spirit,” says co-founder Mike Dolan. “From inception, Mijenta’s operations, procurement practices, sourcing, and packaging have been structured to be as environmentally accountable as doable whereas additionally delivering advantages to native communities.”
Working with Maestra Tequilera Ana María Romero, the Mijenta staff noticed tequila’s future clearly. It relied on two issues: transparency and custom.
“For us, it’s all about transparency,” expresses Dolan. “Greater than ever, customers need to know precisely what they’re shopping for and consuming.”
Thankfully, tequila and transparency go hand in hand. The beverage’s wealthy historic historical past and pure nature make it an trustworthy product, regardless of its apparent market stereotype. “Tequila has in some methods been the best-kept secret of the spirits world,” explains Dolan. “It’s flown underneath the radar, for my part, due to its notion as one thing faculty children simply do photographs of.” We ask Dolan to inform us extra about Mijenta and its dedication to doing good issues for the planet.
Discuss to us concerning the B-Corp Certification.
We launched Mijenta two years in the past and, with our Maestra Tequilera Ana María Romero, we’re proud to make a really distinctive, award-winning, and additive-free tequila. However our objective after we based Mijenta was not solely to craft a fantastic spirit. Simply as importantly, we got down to construct a fantastic model and a fantastic firm centered round a powerful ethos. At this time, I’m significantly thrilled that the main focus we’ve positioned from the outset on environmental sustainability and giving again to the group has been acknowledged by B Lab. We’re honored and excited to be the one tequila producer to obtain B Corp certification thus far. Via innovation, shut collaboration with native suppliers and partnerships with likeminded organizations, we’re working to create a constructive, lasting impression. And we’re excited to do much more as we proceed to develop.
Why is that this necessary to the ethos of the model?
Anybody can say they’re performing as company citizen. Nevertheless, the method to obtain this certification is extraordinarily rigorous and requires transparency about your enterprise. In different phrases, you’ve bought to be strolling the stroll. Receiving B Corp certification is unbelievable validation of how we run our enterprise. From inception, Mijenta’s operations, procurement practices, sourcing and packaging have been structured to be as environmentally accountable as doable whereas additionally delivering advantages to native communities.
Why is that this necessary for the tequila business?
From the outset, we’ve tried to show that it’s doable to make a fantastic product, be environmentally accountable and provides again to native communities–all whereas working a profitable enterprise. We’ve achieved an amazing quantity within the two years since we launched, in actual fact, greater than any of us ever hoped for. And that’s due to the best way each side of the model is resonating with folks. From the tequila itself, to the design components of the model to the ethos of the corporate, Mijenta has discovered a passionate group. We hope that this certification evokes different tequila producers to hitch us in placing social profit entrance and middle of their companies.
What connection do you see between the B Corp certification and being additive-free?
For us, it’s all about transparency. For B Corp certification, B Lab measured our social impression throughout classes together with company governance, the atmosphere, group, workers, and clients. For its Licensed Additive Free designation, Tequila Matchmaker conducts an intensive analysis course of that features assessment of sure manufacturing data, web site inspection on the distillery and sampling at key levels of manufacturing, together with comparability of a pattern taken straight from the nonetheless with a retail bottle. For us, being additive-free implies that the buyer can hint what goes into their tequila from the time the agave is harvested, by the manufacturing course of and into the bottle.
Why is being additive-free necessary?
Greater than ever, customers need to know precisely what they’re shopping for and consuming, which is why we’re clear about what goes into our tequila. On the identical time, there’s an enormous awakening taking place as customers are discovering tequila—lots of whom are “buying and selling up” to higher-quality, extra genuine manufacturers. For us, “no components” can also be a important part of high quality for premium tequila.
Discuss to us about premium tequila. What’s going on on this section?
Within the tequila business extra broadly, firms are transferring in certainly one of two instructions: a race to the underside or a race to the highest. Some try to compete on worth, promoting solely on promotion and abandoning no matter dedication they needed to branding. We’re clearly within the race to the highest: making increased high quality, extra unique spirits that retail at a better worth level. For us, no element is just too small to not get precisely proper, from the tequila itself, to the packaging, to the values on which we’re based.
And that ethos is absolutely aligned with what customers are in search of as they not solely get to know tequila higher however perceive what makes a good tequila.
Why was the time proper for folks to embrace tequila on this approach?
Tequila has in some methods been one of the best saved secret of the spirits world. It’s flown underneath the radar, for my part, due to its notion as one thing faculty children simply do photographs of. However crafting agave spirits is a really historic artwork that dates to early civilizations in Mexico. As customers have begun to find tequila en masse, they’ve uncovered a treasure trove. The tequila revolution we’re seeing is the buyer discovery of a wealthy world of tequila – genuine tequila – that compares extra to whiskey or cognac in its complexity. Over the previous couple of a long time, there had been comparable cultural moments with vodka, then gin, then whiskey. However with tequila, there’s a range of style profiles that replicate completely different terroir, there’s distinctive craftsmanship that has begun to convey a extra scientific method to conventional manufacturing strategies and there’s after all a fantastic cultural connection to Mexico. That mixture of components units it aside from different spirits.
How has Mijenta’s portfolio of expressions carried out amid the rising curiosity in tequila?
As I discussed, we launched two years in the past, and the reception has been unbelievable. Mijenta has caught on extra shortly than any of us might have imagined. However from a shopper perspective, one of many nice issues concerning the model is that everybody has their favourite, whether or not it’s the Blanco that highlights the pure agave taste, the Reposado that’s aged in hand-selected casks or the Añejo that’s extraordinarily refined and sophisticated, interesting for example, to drinkers of whisky, cognac, or rum.
Every stand by itself as a tequila you possibly can sip, and the Blanco and Reposado are nice for mixing in your favourite cocktail.
What’s subsequent for the tequila business?
It’s all about premiumization. For years, customers have been consuming much less however consuming increased high quality alcohol and spirits. And it’s no completely different with tequila. And as customers develop extra all in favour of tequila, bartenders are experimenting as effectively and incorporating the flavors of agave into each traditional and modern new cocktails. And this results in a virtuous circle, the place customers are inspired down their journey of discovery at their favourite bars and eating places.
