[OPINION]
BUSINESS BUILDING A BRAND
ONE
BOTTLE AT A TIME Timothy Maurice took a chance on himself and started a world class tequila brand as a result. By Wes Jackson
W
hen most kids are in school and asked what they want to become when they grow up, very few, if any, say that they want to start their own tequila company. But that is exactly what Timothy Maurice did. The year-old company is now sold in over 80 bars and restaurants and is quickly becoming the brand of choice among tequila drinkers. Back in college, the marketing and branding specialist decided he wanted to own his own company. After working and designing for others, like the rapper Akon and the Sean John clothing line, Tim decided to take a trip to Mexico to learn more about the art of making tequila. Upon the manufacturer educating him on the product and theories behind such a special opportunity, Timothy decided to become one of the few black -owned tequila brands in the world. 46 SPRING ISSUE / CODE M
“When I started the process of launching my tequila company 8 years ago, I didn’t have the funds to do so. So, I worked and saved and did whatever I had to do to make sure that my dream became a reality. And I knew that if I was going to do this, that I had to do it right,” Maurice said. Doing it right meant only using the plants that grow in the fields of Mexico to develop the smooth taste of Real Azul. The name tequila can only be used if the ingredients are from the blue agave plant grown around the city of Tequila, northwest of Guadalajara, and in the Jaliscan Highlands (Los Altos de
The brilliant Real Azul bottle is made in France and shipped to Mexico and hand-signed by Timothy himself.
Jalisco) of the central western Mexican state of Jalisco. Doing it right also meant creating brilliant packaging and branding that compliments the amazing taste of the tequila.
