Endless West

Endless West operates at the intersection of technology and consumer goods, specifically within the beverage alcohol market. Founded in 2015 by scientists Alec Lee and Mardonn Chua, the company bypasses traditional, resource-intensive methods of spirit production. The initial concept arose when the founders questioned the logic of prohibitively expensive wines and sought to recreate them scientifically, which evolved into the broader mission of reimagining spirit manufacturing. Both founders are University of British Columbia biotechnology graduates; Lee later attended Harvard Business School before leaving to co-found the company.

The company's core business involves a proprietary "note-by-note" production process. This entails first mapping the molecular profile of a target beverage to identify the key flavor and aroma compounds. Subsequently, these molecules are sourced directly from more efficient natural resources like plants, fruits, and yeasts, and then blended with a grain-neutral spirit base. This method circumvents the need for agricultural inputs like grapes or grains and eliminates the lengthy barrel-aging process, resulting in significant environmental savings. For its molecular whiskey, the company reports using 94% less water, 92% less land, and emitting 87% less CO2 compared to conventional production.

Endless West maintains a dual revenue stream. The first is through its direct-to-consumer (D2C) brands, which began with the 2018 launch of Glyph, a molecular spirit inspired by whiskey. The product portfolio has since expanded to include other expressions like Glyph Spice and spirits inspired by Moscato wine and saké. The second, and increasingly primary, business focus is its B2B platform, Blank Collective. This division offers a suite of services to other beverage companies, including the manufacturing of private label beverages, bulk spirits, and alcoholic concentrates. Blank Collective leverages Endless West's technology to help clients improve margins, enhance scalability, and launch new products with a significantly shorter time to market.

Keywords: molecular spirits, beverage technology, sustainable alcohol, B2B spirits, note-by-note production, private label alcohol, Glyph, Blank Collective, food tech, alcohol manufacturing