We didn’t grow up in the spirits business. We weren’t bartenders or brand reps. We were two longtime friends running a digital marketing agency in Chicago, selling pasta and building social tools for grocery brands.
And then somehow, we ended up importing some of the most honest, wild, and extraordinary agave spirits we’ve ever tasted.
If you want the full story, we shared it all on the Winebow Spirit Sessions podcast — it’s worth a listen. But here’s the short version.
It Started With a Phone Call
About 10 years ago, we got a call from an investor who’d been burned. He had the rights to G4 Tequila but no idea what to do with it. He asked if we could help with the marketing. We said yes — without knowing anything about the category.
Soon after, we were on a plane to Guadalajara, in a rental car headed for Jesús María, to meet Felipe Camarena. That meeting changed our lives.
We didn’t come in with credentials. But we showed up with respect, curiosity, and the instinct that something special was happening — and that maybe we could help tell that story.
Selling the First Bottle
One thing we’ve learned:
It’s our job to sell the first bottle. It’s the producer’s job to sell the second.
That idea has guided everything we do. We’re not here to push product. We’re here to create the conditions where someone wants to buy a second bottle — because they understand the story, the process, the people behind it.
That’s how we’ve grown G4 from two pallets in a warehouse to one of the fastest-growing tequila brands in the country.
Why We Only Work With Producer-Owned Brands
This became clear to us over time.
We’ve learned that contract brands don’t create long-term value for the communities that make them. Only when the producer owns the brand — when they control the name, the label, the destiny — does something transformative happen.
So we built our portfolio around three rules:
- Producer-Owned — Always.
- World-Class — No compromises.
- Transparent — If you ask, we’ll tell you everything.
If it has our name on it, you should feel confident that it meets those standards.
Agave Spirits Deserve Better Marketing
Most importers don’t do marketing. They handle logistics. Compliance. Paperwork.
We do all that — but our real focus is storytelling. We run video, photo, design, and digital marketing in-house, from our creative team based in León, Guanajuato. All Mexicans. All passionate. All in.
We believe in educating people — not selling to them. That’s how we found our tribe: bartenders, buyers, agave nerds, and curious drinkers who want to understand what they’re drinking, and why it matters.
They don’t just buy bottles. They become advocates. They teach their friends. They bring Raicilla to parties and proudly explain what it is. That’s the kind of momentum no billboard can buy.
The Best Thing We Ever Stumbled Into
We didn’t plan this. But we’re grateful every day that we found it — or maybe that it found us.
We’ve become part of something bigger than sales and spirits. We’ve watched communities grow. We’ve seen real jobs created. We’ve been welcomed by families who now trust us with their life’s work. And yes, one of us is even applying for Mexican citizenship.
So if you want the full story — how it all began, what we’ve learned, and where we’re headed — take a moment to listen to the podcast. It’s candid, it’s real, and it’s full of moments we’re proud to share.
Salud —
The PKGD Team
This article was structured with the assistance of artificial intelligence (ChatGPT). All content is based on human input and editorial oversight. For more details on how PKGD integrates AI responsibly, please refer to our AI Policy.
