EP166 - How the passion for spirits combined with strategic execution made this cocktail vinegars brand a hit

The Food Startups Podcast

Don Morton is a bartender, WSET trained wine nerd, cocktail geek, fermentation enthusiast, and an eager host. After 10 years of working in public policy, Don founded Shrub District to bring a little more happiness into the world. Today, their cocktail vinegars (aka shrubs) and 'built cocktails' (A “built” cocktail is a cocktail you build in the same glass in which you serve it) are available online, restaurants and bars across the North East.

With a keen focus on quality and sometimes, seasonal ingredients, Don is determined to provide an exceptional experience while making it convenient for consumers to make a cocktail.

Some key takeaways from the interview:

1. test the product after you have nailed down the formulation with real customers
2. make sure that you have variety for folks otherwise you will leave money on the table
3. finding partners that meet distribution challenges
4. innovating in a category that's quite hot while not over extending on capacity and production

For more information, visit:

www.shrubdistrict.com