Seeking High End Of Tequila Market

The three partners behind Tequila Gran Diamante know just what they want their liquor to be. It is a high quality, ultra-premium alcohol that is sipped in the traditional way of tequilas and not downed as a shot. 

“You don’t shoot it,” Rafi Hannouche, the lead partner, explained. “You don’t want to shoot an ultra-premium tequila.”

Hannouche, along with his partners Charles Harris and David Ayala, are all San Fernando Valley entrepreneurs. Hannouche also owns Beyond Image Graphics, a Glendale sign and print shop. The tequila company shares space with that business. 

Hannouche had done some marketing for the previous iteration of Gran Diamante, which later fell dormant. He decided to resurrect the business in 2016. Through his professional network he met Harris, who he brought on in November 2016, and later Ayala.

Ayala handles marketing, Hannouche is the business and investor side and Harris coordinates distribution and sales. 

The three have a distiller in Mexico, Compania Tequilera de Arandas, which was recommended by Harris, who has 10 years in the hospitality industry. Going with a master distiller meant that the company was not just going to slap a label on generic product. 

“We wanted our own custom tequila; we wanted our own flavor profile,” Hannouche said.

“We didn’t want it too sweet,” Harris added. “We wanted it to be more of a traditional taste to the tequila.” 

The company sells three different types of tequila – Plata, Reposado and Anejo. The Plata is aged in stainless steel casks, while the other two are aged in French oak barrels. All three are made from 100 percent blue agave plants grown in the state of Jalisco, Mexico. 

The Plata costs around $54 a bottle at retail, while the Reposado costs about $62 and the Anejo comes in at $95 a bottle, although Harris said he has seen it as high as $110. 

The pandemic had Gran Diamante switching gears for distribution. Originally it was going to be 80 percent in restaurants, bars and nightclubs and 20 percent in shops. But when restaurants and bars shut down, the partners switched to liquor stores only.

Within six months the company had its product in 190 store locations and sold 950 cases during that timeframe, Hannouche said. 

Harris said that as of mid-December, they were up to 280 accounts and will do anywhere from 12 to 16 reorders a month.