Chris Hunter

We were trying to approach everything in an aligned fashion, but it didn't always happen. And so our communication was, could have been better while we got through it.

We were trying to approach everything in an aligned fashion, but it didn't always happen. And so our communication was, could have been better while we got through it.

Yeah. So I started to look at what assets we had as a company, right? And it's very easy to understand that you have the brand with the revenue and the distribution. That's clearly an asset that most people look at and understand. We had another asset, which was we had roughly 325 distributors across the country and some in other countries that touched every retail location in their territory.

Yeah. So I started to look at what assets we had as a company, right? And it's very easy to understand that you have the brand with the revenue and the distribution. That's clearly an asset that most people look at and understand. We had another asset, which was we had roughly 325 distributors across the country and some in other countries that touched every retail location in their territory.

So we had a distribution network. I'm not saying we owned it, but we had access, right? And so as I was thinking about, we had this big company, relatively big company and big brand or relatively big brand that was almost taken away from us at the whim of a change of government regulations. how do we diversify? So innovation and diversifying was really important.

So we had a distribution network. I'm not saying we owned it, but we had access, right? And so as I was thinking about, we had this big company, relatively big company and big brand or relatively big brand that was almost taken away from us at the whim of a change of government regulations. how do we diversify? So innovation and diversifying was really important.

And then the second is how do we use our assets? And so for me at that time, craft beer was the hottest thing in the world, right? Everyone was launching craft beers, but there were a lot of the same. There were unique stories. Oh, this one's from Chicago. This one's from San Diego, but the product itself was not really that different.

And then the second is how do we use our assets? And so for me at that time, craft beer was the hottest thing in the world, right? Everyone was launching craft beers, but there were a lot of the same. There were unique stories. Oh, this one's from Chicago. This one's from San Diego, but the product itself was not really that different.

And so we were really lucky that we were introduced to one of our Uh, relationships to a guy named, um, Tim Kovac, who is this like kind of mad scientist brewer. And he had come up with this alcoholic root beer. It had no name. It had no real. And, and he was in the Chicagoland area. And when I tried this stuff, I, it was this, like the light bulb went off.

And so we were really lucky that we were introduced to one of our Uh, relationships to a guy named, um, Tim Kovac, who is this like kind of mad scientist brewer. And he had come up with this alcoholic root beer. It had no name. It had no real. And, and he was in the Chicagoland area. And when I tried this stuff, I, it was this, like the light bulb went off.

It was this immediate realization of this is unique. It's in the craft beer space, which is popular. This is unique. No one else is doing this right now. And it's in our wheelhouse because what we really did with For Loco was around flavoring, right? And so for me, that was exciting. It was something new, as I mentioned earlier, like creating something new. And so this was really exciting.

It was this immediate realization of this is unique. It's in the craft beer space, which is popular. This is unique. No one else is doing this right now. And it's in our wheelhouse because what we really did with For Loco was around flavoring, right? And so for me, that was exciting. It was something new, as I mentioned earlier, like creating something new. And so this was really exciting.

So there was also some internal turmoil developing, as I mentioned, about partnerships and lack of clarity of roles. And so I said, I'm going to dive into this. And I dove into that. And when we brought that thing to life, it was one of the most exciting things I had ever seen.

So there was also some internal turmoil developing, as I mentioned, about partnerships and lack of clarity of roles. And so I said, I'm going to dive into this. And I dove into that. And when we brought that thing to life, it was one of the most exciting things I had ever seen.

We took it from non-existent to uniquely branded and to being the fastest growing craft beer in the country in a matter of 18 months. And then we ended up selling it to Pabst. The other thing that was exciting to me about that is, as I mentioned, I like to work on things I'm aligned with at whatever phase of life I'm in. I was 25 when we started 4Loco. Caffeine and alcohol didn't seem crazy.

We took it from non-existent to uniquely branded and to being the fastest growing craft beer in the country in a matter of 18 months. And then we ended up selling it to Pabst. The other thing that was exciting to me about that is, as I mentioned, I like to work on things I'm aligned with at whatever phase of life I'm in. I was 25 when we started 4Loco. Caffeine and alcohol didn't seem crazy.

It was part of our weekends. At this point, I was early 30s and craft beer was much more my speed. So that was kind of an exciting evolution. And then again, realizing where I was in life and circumstances got me into a place where better for you and healthy products were really important to me.

It was part of our weekends. At this point, I was early 30s and craft beer was much more my speed. So that was kind of an exciting evolution. And then again, realizing where I was in life and circumstances got me into a place where better for you and healthy products were really important to me.

Yes. Yeah.

Yes. Yeah.