Sudipta Dev – Mumbai
Patron Spirits Company was founded by 1989 by two entrepreneurs, John Paul DeJoria and Martin Crowley, who believed that there was a better way to make tequila. Today the company has created a niche in the ultra premium tequila market internationally with its 100 per cent agave tequila. “One of the fastest growing categories internationally is the 100 per cent agave led by Patron. We have a dominant market share,” said Dave Wilson, president international and global COO, Patron Spirits International. The entire tequila making process takes place at Hacienda Patron in Mexico.
The company will be investing in trade education and creating awareness about the brand among potential customers in India. “I think what is going to happen in India is what has happened internationally. The next generation is more experimental. It is an opportunity for us to introduce Patron to them,” stated Wilson, adding that there is hard work to do here in terms of education – of what tequila is, and within that make them understand ultra premium tequila and 100 per cent agave tequila. Acknowledging that it is an ongoing effort of many years, Wilson is sure of the great business here in years to come. “We have great confidence in our brand, our people and distributor network. Part of my challenge is to allocate resource and India will be a benefactor of that.”
Tequila outside a few markets is relatively unknown, pointed out Wilson, adding, “The APAC region is probably our least developed business internationally, but it is growing at a very fast pace.”
Elaborating on plans for the India market he said, “I have a great partner in Aspri. We have a good franchise in XO Cafe liquor and we are launching a new variant called Incendio which is very popular in other parts of the world. It is a chile chocolate as opposed to a coffee liquor. Our focus and emphasis is going to be the core line which is led by Patron Silver Tequila.”