Tequila with Friends

Tequila with Friends originated from a bond of lifelong friendship and a shared passion for tequila. The journey began with a blog in January 2018, where founders Brandon Scott, Roddrick West, and Curnelius Arnick started documenting their tequila tasting experiences. This venture was inspired by Scott's diabetes diagnosis in college; he learned that tequila was a better option for him, and his friends joined him in exploring the spirit. Realizing they could be telling their own story instead of others', the friends decided to create their own tequila brand. They traveled to Mexico to partner with a distiller, developing a specific flavor profile by blending lowland and highland agave to create a smooth product that doesn't need mixers.

The Dallas-based company was co-founded in 2018 by Brandon Scott (CEO), Roddrick West (Business Operations), and Curnelius Arnick (COO/CFO). Devin Woodson (Marketing) later joined the team in late 2019. The founders, all childhood friends from Oak Cliff, Texas, balance the demands of their spirits company with full-time jobs. Arnick, a University of Tulsa alumnus with degrees in business management and marketing, serves as a senior finance business partner at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. Their business model centers on producing and selling premium, 100% agave tequila directly to consumers and through retail partners. Their products first hit retail shelves in November 2020.

Tequila with Friends offers award-winning Tequila Blanco and Tequila Reposado, with plans to launch an Añejo. The Reposado is aged for 11 months to achieve a full-bodied, smooth profile. The company's sales channel is a direct-to-consumer model facilitated by third-party retailers through AccelPay, which handles order fulfillment and transactions. Initially launched in Texas, the brand has expanded its distribution to California, Washington D.C., and Maryland, with further plans to enter Louisiana, Arkansas, and Oklahoma. The company secured a seed funding round from Pronghorn on November 17, 2022, for an undisclosed amount.

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