How a Tequila Startup Found 'Blessings in Disguise' as Quarantine Derailed Its 2020 Plans

YaVe's founder says bar closures led them to put more effort into ecommerce, partnerships and community building

When the year began, YaVe Tequila founder Joe Cruz Jr. and his team were ready to take on the world of premium spirits.

The scrappy, small-batch tequila brand had just inked a deal with Empire Merchants and Allied Beverage, the two largest distributors in New York and New Jersey respectively, ending YaVe’s two-year reliance on self-distribution.

The brand was, Cruz told Adweek earlier this year, “on pace to really create a big presence in bars, restaurants and liquor stores across both states, starting [in] April with the distribution launch and making some big noise through the summer.”

Then the Covid-19 pandemic struck, bringing everything to a screeching halt.

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