It's Maria's MutS and Stuff. What a great idea on iHeartRadio. Welcome to
Maria's Mutts and Stuff and with me, I am so excited to talk to
and find out so much about him. It is founder and CEO of Alma
del Jaguar McAuley Williams. So McCauley, thanks for taking the time out.
I have to tell you I tasted Almadel Jaguar at north Shore Animal Leagu's gala
with Joe who works for you, and I don't often drink tequila, but
it was one of the smoothest and finest tequila. Is that. I'll drink
tequila now because of you, So so thank you for that. But let's
go. Let's go back because I know you're an attorney, you've made bourbon.
Tell me all about how did Almadel Jaguar begin? Well, thanks for
the kind Rhodes, and thanks for chatting with me today. Sure. Yeah,
we have a really cool we have a really cool brand story that really
starts with my uncle thirty years ago when he founded the Northern Jaguar Project in
Mexico. So he was a wildlife photographer and conservationist who got into wild jaguar
conservation, moved to Mexico and really dedicated his life to it. It's kind
of kind of crazy, but suffice it to say that jaguars are native to
the US Mexico borderlands are actually native to our country in the United States.
And they founded this amazing wildlife refuge, just protected land, no fences or
anything, in the Sierra Madre Mountains of Sonora, Mexico. And he's been
doing that most of my life. And I live in Tennessee and I'm an
attorney and entrepreneur and ended up leaving the practice of wall seven or eight years
ago to get into the craft beverage space. I started a bourbon brand called
Blue Note Bourbon here in Memphis, Tennessee. We grew that successfully, and
unfortunately I brought in the wrong partners to that business, and I was ultimately
forced out of my own company two years ago. And learned a lot of
valuable life leasons along the way. And when doing soul searching after that,
as one you know could imagine you do in that situation, I started thinking
about what I wanted to do next. I started thinking about tequila, and
I started to think about my uncle and his work with jaguars, and a
light bulb went off of well, what if we could tie my skill set
of building craft spirit brands to his conservation work, and Alma del Haguar or
Alma del Jaguar in English was born. And we're the first tequila brand with
a mission or an environmental calls like this. And the premise is simple that
through tequila or through you know, alcohol, we can open up doors and
conversation about our content servation mission, raise awareness for what he and his team
are doing and other great folks along the US Mexico borderland are doing for wild
buff conservation. And then we can also use the sales of our tequila to
generate donations to raise money for them as well. It's win win, really,
that's that's the idea, right And and you know, when you start
bringing up things like conservation, it can get really academic, and you bring
up things like the US Mexico border, it can get really political, of
course, and we found that tequila is the great icebreaker and gets people talking
about it that would otherwise feel uncomfortable speaking of for asking questions. Sure,
and and it also gets people talking about it in settings like the bar,
restaurant or a party settings you wouldn't otherwise be talking about this kind of thing,
right, No, it's genius. And I love the fact that your
quote is Jaguar is our cause, not mascot, which I think explains it
all. I love that because it's true. I mean, it's just it's
such a unique idea. I don't mean unless I'm wrong, but I don't.
I can't think of another alcohol that does the same thing, you know
what I mean, like has a purpose as your brand does. So,
you know, kudos to you, congratulations with coming up with this brainstorm.
To you, Well, it's true because they always say when one door closes,
another one opens, and it seems like the one that opened for you.
You know, I'm sure it was awful to be kicked out of your
own company, but you know, there's always like a reason, and this
was the reason because look what you're doing now. Thank you so much.
I've definitely you know, I'm religious and have come to believe that that that
is, this is what I was meant to do. And yeah, you
know, some every life event offers a educational experience. Some are just a
little more expensive and hurt a little bit more than others. But right right
now, this is amazing. And I'm sure your uncle Rick, right,
is that Uncle Rick? Am I correct on that? That's right? Yeah,
William, I'm sure he was, like he probably was so thrilled and
surprised that you had this idea. He that he was kind of rejuvenated in
the project. You know, after living on in the in the mountains of
Mexico more or less for the last twenty years. You know, he's in
his mid seventies. The project has really grown and this has rejuvenated his enthusiasm
for it, which is exciting. We've raised about twenty five thousand dollars for
Jaguar conservation to his group as well as some other groups in the United States,
which is amazing because I mean you're a very you know, you're like
an infant company and an infant alcohol So that's pretty amazing. Twenty five grand
thank you. Yeah, no, absolutely, well, we hope we're not
going to stop there. We keep going. And so a lot of brands
do good and donate a you know, a small percentage of theirselves. Our
goal is to donate ten percent of our profits towards this cause. So a
higher commitment and then a more specific commitment as opposed to just one percent for
the planet kind of thing, right, And we also produce our tequila entirely
sustainably on a fifth generation of Gave ranch in partnership with the Vivanco Fly.
And we're also the first brand in the alcohol beverage space that I'm aware of.
I don't know this beature, but I'm pretty sure we are the first
brand to ever bottle our product in entirely recycled material, So it bottled and
recycled glass like Jave fiber labels, repurposed quirk stoppers, and it ships in
a one hundred percent recycled cardboard box. Yeah, and I was going to
ask you about that because I do recalled when Joe was introducing me to the
tequila and he was talking about that, like everything about the brand about it
is green, which is so important, especially in today's day, and the
fact that you took the time to do that. No, absolutely, I
mean, you know, I feel like you are going to be a trendsetter
because I feel that that's the way to go these days, and I feel
like other people who come up with ideas should follow the same path that you
are on and that you began. Actually, you're like a pioneer. Thank
you. And you know what the cool the coolest thing about it is is
we don't we do it because we want to walk the walk and not just
talk the talk. Sure, but we've also found a lot of positive business
synergies around us. So we source all those materials for a packaging with that's
all made with local manufacturers in Julisco, Mexico. And we found that while
it's more expensive to produce the recycled you know, labels and bottles, we
make up for it on a lot of our supply chain due to freight by
partnering with local manufacturers. So what's really cool is that there's a business case
for it too that we have others will adopt that not only is it good
for the environment, but it also can be it can make sense if you
do your homework to the bottom line. And that's that's what we want to
see it more people looking at like the since and of the real business opportunity
to go greener and more local. Yeah, and that's and that's key to
the fact that you've gone local, because that's like a big thing. You
know, everything is always oh it's not it's not local, it's but local
is. I just think it's very important and you know you really did the
right thing. So tell me how did you find the Vivanco family you went
around to. I mean, I'm sure you you did your homework because that
you are that type of guy, But how did you decide on them,
like find them and to sign on them? So, uh, the journey
started as I bought a one way ticket to Halusco, Mexico, flew in
the Guadalajara, had my uncle meet me there, and we rented a car
and drove to every tequila distillery that would see us wow. And we went
to all different size to distilleries. Some some distilleries, you know, were
mega factories that are industrial mega plants. And we just randomly were introduced to
the Vivancos at a bar, kind of licking our wounds, trying to figure
out where to go next, dissatisfied with all the people we've met with,
and then they said you should go check out mister Vivanco's operation, and we
just instantly fell in love with Sergio Vivanco or Sergio Ivanco is that his name,
fell love with him, his master distiller, Sodio Cruz, and their
family and their legacy and their care for the land, and we chose to
go with them. So they were the only producer we met that talked about
not using chemicals in the fields, suring for the land, family legacy,
how this has been in their family for five generations and that to them,
and they just seemed like the clear partner. But it ultimately the light bulb
went off and we actually tasted their product and they offered to work with us
to craft our own unique recipe, and we just fell in love with the
family, the liquid story, everything about it. Sure. Yeah, And
they've been great partners. You know, it takes a lot of a leap
of faith to do business with people in different countries, in different languages,
wiring, you know, large sums of money to get going, and they
have been just upstanding, amazing business people and just humans through and through,
and it seems like, you know, you found you found people who were
cut from the same cloth as you are. So I think that's really important
to make it work, that's right. Yeah, they're stewards of the land
as we as we say, Oh I like that all yeah, yeah,
yeah, no, that's great, it's great. I mean I just think
it's a very unique. I think it's just a unique thing that you did
and that you're doing. So I mean, kudos to you. I know
I told you that, but I just feel like, no, but seriously,
because you know, many people get into things because especially like coming up
with an alcohol and they come in they decide because they like the alcohol and
they want to be you know, to say like, oh I started this
alcohol. Okay, great, and maybe I'll give some to charity. Okay
great. But you are like the real deal, you know, and probably
influence obviously growing up with your uncle that influenced you as well. I mean
growing up, did you visit your uncle many times? You know? With
the Jacks, I haven't went on a lot of journey. So a lot
of our deep appreciation from nature comes from our families, from a farm that's
been in our family for since it was actually I'm named after a gentleman who
served in the Revolutionary War who got our farm as a land grant for a
service and our family's been there ever since. Oh wow. I grew up
with a deep appreciation of nature from our family farm and then going on adventures
with my dad and uncle like fishing trips to Canada or out West, and
that's something of how we actually market our brand. In terms of the branding,
you know, we of course, they're all about our cause, sustainability,
in our product quality. We're winning a lot of awards just in blind
tastings for how good it iss turns out. If you don't cut corners and
do things the right way, you make a superior product. You know who
do right? Yeah? Teasing there, right, you know we should all
know this, But yet business folks want to cut corners often most times they
do, of course. I mean that seems to be their own detriments,
right, which is the ultimate irony of it. Well, yeah, I
mean I hate to say it, but that's like the American way. You
know, let's cut corners and let's charge a lot of money. But wait,
but not you, Yeah, not you, mccar. What I was
going to say is the way we've branded our brand. If you go to
our website and social media, we show our tequila being consumed outside is we
feel like people that like to go on a hike or sit on their patio
or deck, or get out in nature or go canoeing, kayaking, fishing,
that kind of activity develop a deeper appreciation from other nature. And so
whereas most tequila brands are showing their product consumed at the nightclub or with celebrities
on a red carpet or what I would consider a vapid sort of cultural experience,
we want to show our product with people in nature, which is where
our product comes from, from nature for nature. So just our overall branding
is really different too, and we've kind of denounced the celebrity backing and kind
of the big the big corporate backing, and you're showing this totally different way
of life. We call that our wildly Free campaign because our tequila is all
about wild jaguars. It's made from wild, natural, wild yeast, and
we are additive free. So the other dirty secret is most tequilas not only
are not made sustainably, but they actually add chemical manipulance called additives to them.
Around ninety four percent of tequilas on the shelves today have chemical manipulence blended
in to cover up all the corners that that producer cut. They add things
like glycerine and coloring agents, and they don't have to disclose it on the
label, which is the real travesty. To me what you want, But
whose it on the label. Why don't you have to do FDA regulations?
You don't have to do in spirits? Wow, and then the Mexican regulations
around tequila. But we are confirmed additive free by a third party auditing source
that has done lab analysis and we're number probably number three on that list.
And there's about seventy wallcraft brands that are now on the confirmed additive free lift
and nice. We just want to show people, but you can do it
the right way. Sure, I cut corners. You can have a cause,
and you can be different in your branding and succeed. And hopefully we
can encourage other people to do that because we were really inspired by brands like
Patagonia the closing company, and their amazing product quality but also their environmental,
environmental first mission and that you can build a for profit company that's also for
good. Sure we want the others follow that puts following not only our footsteps,
but the much larger companies like Patagania that have blazed the trail for us.
All. Yeah, I think you're doing it. I think you're on
your way. I mean, you know there's I don't I don't see any
negative to what you're doing and what your goal and what your dream about it
is. So I mean, obviously you're brand new, so it takes time.
But the fact that you've already won awards and that you're number three on
that list that has something you know, that says something about you, and
of course the tequila and what and how you're doing it and what you're doing,
I tho, right, well, thank you. It takes, you
know, to build a brand. It's one bottle, one taste, you
know, one handstake or one interview at a time, and so it takes
folks like you that hear our story and are inspired by it to spread the
word. So honestly, I can't thank you enough for to give me the
opportunity to come here and speak with you and tell our story. Oh absolutely,
I mean I was real, Like I said, I was very excited.
And it's interesting because at this north Shore Animal League gala, their veterinarian
came over to me and we were talking and he was like, oh,
you should go taste that tequila and I was like, yeah, I don't
really drink tequila too much, and he goes, yeah, but it's for
Jaguar rescue, and I'm like, what so of course I made like a
bee line over to the table and Joe was there and he was just so
accommodate, and he was Joe and his wife and they were talking to me
and he's like, you have to taste it. I was like, okay,
And honestly, it was just so very so booth and very tasteful,
and honestly, it's probably why I haven't been drinking tequila because of the chemicals,
because it just was a different taste Yours was just so it was just
it was very delicious. And he made me a drink and I had that
and I was like And then we were talking and I was like, oh
my god, you'd be on my podcast, so, you know, because
it's animal rescue and it's just and he was telling me about the packaging and
now everything's sustainable, and I was like, oh my god, this product
is just so perfect. So, you know, again, like I said
about the thing with you with two years ago, but everything happens for a
reason, you know, running into Joe and talking about it and he was
like, we're brand new, and I'm like, what, it's amazing.
It doesn't feel like it's brand new. So my point is you are so
on the very right path, I believe, and I just think it's just
amount of time, you know, before everybody knows about the tequila. Are
you available and in all the states? Or is just a few states at
a time? Like how does that work? So alcohol distribution in our country
is a challenge. You're in sixteen states and spreading. So whom you reference,
you know as our VP of sales. He's based in the New York
metro area. But right now as we speak, as it is being recorded,
we are launching New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, and Massachusetts,
really expanding our northeastern footprints, which is really exciting. But we're also available
in Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, soon to be Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas,
Texas, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois amazing. Then we look for Oklahoma
too, we're launching, and then we're looking to expand westward. So you
know, you can look at the Electoral College votes in a presidential election and
get the idea of where most people live in this country. Right you see
a lot of votes out of California, Texas, New York, Illinois,
Florida. Those are the big states. There's the big five for us too,
and so now we have four of the Big five and we're looking to
move into California next and nice just continue to spread the word and awareness for
our product, our calls and hopefully inspire more people like you. But but
since since we you met Joe at gala, we're actually now going to be
distributed in the New York in New Jersey metro area, which is really exciting
because we hadn't had that. We hadn't had that yet. And it's critical
not only just because it's a large population base. There's a lot of growing
tequila enthusiasts there, but it's really important for our brand because it's New York's
the kind of the lighthouse market of trends and writers and reviewers, and getting
our brand in front of them is what's going to hopefully allow us to grow
and spread spread the word even faster. Absolutely, and we're really excited for
twenty four. Yeah, no, for sure. And I mean I'm in
New York City and I have many friends who are drinkers and who drink tequila,
so you know, word of mouth helps as well. You know,
New York's the coin capital of the country, right, so there's a lot
of great tequilla, a lot of great restaurants, and it's a huge opportunity
for us. So our interview can be heard nationally. If someone if a
state, if someone is in a state that doesn't have Alma del Jaguar,
can they go into like their favorite liquor store and say, hey, hey,
could you get this brand? Can they do that? That always is
really helpful. And then there's a growing online sales. So you can go
to our website almadel Jaguar dot com and you can click the buy now button
and we can shift to pretty much any state from that website. I think
we can shipped a forty four of the fifty states. Oh that's great from
our website, which is fulfilled through kind of third party retailers. Right,
that actually did the back end of it. But that's really exciting to watch
kind of our archaic alcohol systems slowly develop into the realities of you know,
twenty twenty four. Sure, crazy, how backwards some of these laws are.
I know, well, there are many laws in this country that are
pretty backwards. But that's another story, another conversation, another podcast altogether.
Right, yeah, exactly, Macaulay Williams, thank you so much for your
time, good luck, Almadeljaguar dot com. For my listeners who want to
check it out, they can read about Jaguar rescue and so much more.
I wish you all the best. I'm very excited because of you and your
I will drink tequila now. So thank you for doing this and just for
your passion, and I just wish you nothing but the best. It's really
it's a really wonderful thing that you're doing. And like I said before,
you I really believe that you are the trendsetter and I hope others follow you
in your past. Well, Maria, thank you so much and as we
say, salute or cheers to that