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Tag: Beverage Businesses

  • Michael Bublé Discusses the Launch of Fraser & Thompson Whiskey | Entrepreneur

    Michael Bublé Discusses the Launch of Fraser & Thompson Whiskey | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Michael Bublé has achieved the upper echelon of success in the music world thanks to his smooth and distinctive voice. And now the singer is looking to mirror that success in the spirits world with the launch of his smooth and distinctive whiskey Fraser & Thompson. “It’s not uncommon for me to have a whiskey on the rocks after a show,” he told Entrepreneur. “There’s just something about the ritual of winding down and hanging with the band to reflect on the show. How exciting that now it will be my very own whiskey in my glass!” Here the Grammy-winning, multiplatinum artist shares his brand’s origin story and his future plans for what he calls his ultimate passion project.

    Can you tell us about the inspiration for your whiskey brand’s name?

    We honestly went through a lot of names. Nothing sounded right to me, everything felt a bit forced, but when I came up with Fraser & Thompson, I immediately had that feeling like – ‘this is it’ – this is the one. My grandfather grew up taking me fishing on the Fraser and Thompson Rivers in British Columbia. He said sometimes the greatest things can happen when two unexpected things meet, like the Fraser and Thompson Rivers. This whiskey is for my Grandpa, I miss him every day.

    Photo credit: Fraser & Thompson

    Describe the collaboration between you and Master Distiller and Blender Paul Cirka.

    Paul Cirka is a longtime friend and award-winning master distiller. He is the reason I got involved with the project. It took over three years, but with his expertise and knowledge, we developed an incredible whiskey. Paul owns the Cirka Distilleries in Montreal, so he knows his whiskey. There’s no one else I would have wanted to work with on this project.

    Related: How Country Superstar Eric Church and Entrepreneur Raj Alva Distilled Whiskey Success

    When Fraser & Thompson becomes the biggest whiskey in the world, which I fully intend, it’ll be thanks to Paul and his blending expertise. For F&T, he created a blend of whiskeys from various grains, ages, and barrel types sourced from three different distilleries. The final product is a blend of Canadian Whiskey and Kentucky Bourbon, blended and bottled by Heaven Hill in Bardstown, KY under Paul’s guidance.

    What sets it apart from other whiskeys in the market?

    F&T is flavorful and really smooth. It’s not intimidating because it doesn’t take itself too seriously. There’s no burn or polarizing taste, it’s just truly delicious and will appeal to the whiskey lover and the whiskey novice alike. The flavor profile is sweet fig and blood orange on the nose with a subtle finish of caramel, vanilla and a hint of spice. You don’t need to be a spirits expert to enjoy Fraser & Thompson — it’s a whiskey for everyone.

    If you could share a glass of whiskey with anyone dead or alive who would it be?

    My grandfather. As I mentioned, he was a whiskey enthusiast in his own right. He was my biggest supporter and, despite his obvious bias towards his grandson, I know he would have genuinely loved Fraser & Thompson.

    Related: How Success Happened for Emilia Fazzalari, Co-Founder and CEO of Cincoro Tequila

    Talk to us about the challenges of marketing in such a crowded market like whiskey.

    It doesn’t matter how good your marketing is — if the product isn’t good, it’s never going to work. Fraser & Thompson is a genuine passion project. We spent over three years developing the perfect liquid. It’s sophisticated and elegant while remaining approachable and accessible. I love that I’m able to be so involved in the marketing and thrilled at the chance to showcase a different side of me. I could talk about it for days, but I know success will come if I am able to convince people to try it because it’s really that good! While we continue to increase distribution Fraser & Thompson is available for delivery through ReserveBar now. It makes the perfect Christmas gift and an even better stocking stuffer. A bottle would fill their entire stocking– just think of all the money you’ll save! And if you’re lucky, they’ll pour you a glass.

    Related: From Rock God to Master Rosé Winemaker: a Conversation With Jon Bon Jovi

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    Kennadi MCcoy

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  • Man Sues Wellness Beverage For Causing Sobriety Relapse | Entrepreneur

    Man Sues Wellness Beverage For Causing Sobriety Relapse | Entrepreneur

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    Botanic Tonics, a Santa Monica-based beverage company, is facing a class-action lawsuit after a man claimed that one of its drinks caused him to relapse after seven years of sobriety. The lawsuit alleges the tonic contains a powerful ingredient that has similar effects on the brain to opioids.

    Romulo Torres, a recovering alcoholic, began receiving targeted ads for Botanic Tonics’ Feel Free Wellness Tonic in 2020. It was advertised as a beverage featuring kava and “other ancient plants” to aid productivity, focus and relaxation.

    However, the drink upended Torres’ life and sobriety after he purchased Feel Free at a 7-Eleven in December 2021. Within three months, Torres developed a “strong addiction” to the product, drinking 10 Feel Free Tonics a day and spending $3,000 a month on the drink, the lawsuit states. After attempting to quit the beverage, Torres experienced severe withdrawal symptoms and began drinking alcohol again in 2022 to ease the worsening effects of Feel Free’s withdrawal.

    Related: Instagram Is Being Sued for Allegedly Promoting Eating Disorders, Mental Health Issues

    Over the course of his Feel Free consumption, Torres was also admitted to the emergency room after experiencing symptoms associated with opioid use, including vomiting, lapses in consciousness, psychosis and delirium.

    “His symptoms were attributed to the ingredients in Feel Free,” the lawsuit claims.

    Although Botanic Tonics markets Feel Free as a kava-based beverage, the lawsuit alleges that the main ingredient is actually kratom, a plant that can have similar effects on brain receptors to opioids and “appears to have properties that expose users to the risks of addiction, abuse, and dependence,” according to a 2022 FDA warning.

    “There are no FDA-approved uses for kratom, and the agency has received concerning reports about the safety of kratom,” the warning states.

    The lawsuit claims that Botanic Tonics manipulated its formula of Feel Free to enhance the effects of kratom and ignite a long-lasting and magnified “high.”

    In a statement to the Los Angeles Times, Botanic Tonics’ attorney Brett Schuman refuted the claims and said that the brand intends to defend its product in court.

    “Botanic Tonics products are safe and manufactured, marketed and distributed to the highest industry standards,” Schuman told the outlet.

    Related: Two Families are Suing the Owners of a $10,000 Luxury Hamptons Rental Home After Claiming the Owners Prevented Them From Adjusting the Cooling System by Two Degrees

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    Madeline Garfinkle

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  • Has Dry January Really Lifted Non-Alcoholic Beverage Makers’ Spirits?

    Has Dry January Really Lifted Non-Alcoholic Beverage Makers’ Spirits?

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    Dry January is just about wrapped, but for the non-alcoholic-beverage industry, returns have been anything but sobering. In recent years, a bumper crop of near-beer manufacturers, booze-agnostic distilleries and boutique-seltzer brands — among other similar upstarts — has reaped the rewards of folks generally looking to dry out or augment their consumption. And as we get deeper into this pandemic, there’s even more of a clamoring for cleaner alternatives that still approach the sensation of an intoxicating pint or snifter.


    Courtesy of BrewDog

    Entrepreneur spoke with representatives from four companies who went into 2021 with a vested interest in appealing to both passingly sober-curious and resolutely reformed consumers about marketing around Dry January with an eye on long-term customer retention. The bottom line? Their glasses are definitely more than half-full.

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    Kenny Herzog

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