Metro Detroit-based Black-owned tequila brand poised to grow

JAY DAVIS

A metro Detroit-based, Black woman-owned tequila company has earned a capital investment that will help it accelerate plans to scale up the business.

Anteel Tequila, whose base is in Canton Township, earlier this month received the investment from Pronghorn Co., which specializes in incubation, recruitment programs and capital investments into Black-owned liquor companies. e nancial investment comes along with consulting services, access to industry experts, and marketing and budgeting assistance.

Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

Nayana and Don Ferguson estab- lished their tequila company in 2017 as Teeq Tequila and rebranded as Anteel in 2020 after learning another business had been operating under the name Teeq. e company in 2022 posted sales of about $750,000 — a nearly 43 percent increase from 2021.

Don Ferguson, 50, said the partnership with Pronghorn will serve as a way for Anteel sales to continue to grow.

“ e thing about being an emerging brand is you run into a lot of potholes and closed doors,” he said. “(Pronghorn) is giving us the tools to open those doors.” ose doors include placement at events including Carnegie Hall in New York City and the 2022 BET Hip-Hop Awards. Anteel Tequila’s spirits were also o ered at the March 8 Uptown

Hollywood Honors event celebrating Black comedians. Anteel will also have a presence at next month’s Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America 2023 Access Live event in Orlando, Fla. “ at’s one of the biggest shows for spirits in the world,” Ferguson said. “It’s typically about $10,000 for a spot and we didn’t have to pay that much because of the partnership with Pronghorn. Your alcohol is featured for a four-hour block. at’s a pretty big deal for us.”

Detroit native Nayana Ferguson, who previously worked for more than 20 years as a nancial analyst in the auto industry, said partnering with Pronghorn will help their business remain authentic.