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