EP 270 A Black Owned Handcrafted Artisanal Liqueur Brand

Startup Life Show with Ande Lyons

He had zero experience in the liquor industry. He didn’t have a background as a food scientist. He knew no one, had no connections, and had never worked in a bar, restaurant, or distillery.
What our guest, Jackie Summers, did have was an abundance of audacity, passion, and the ideal Mentor, who helped him quickly build the social capital and liquor industry knowledge he needed to launch a liqueur brand from Brooklyn, NY!
After 623 failed attempts, Jackie was able to create the first-ever shelf stable version of a 500-year-old beverage he called Sorel: an Hibiscus flavored, Caribbean classic, handcrafted artisanal liqueur.
In 2016 Jackie was unable to keep up with demand and had to close down Jack From Brooklyn. But he never lost sight of his dream, and relaunched the brand in 2021, partnering with America’s oldest distiller, Laird & Company, where he can produce thousands of bottles of Sorel.
Jackie is a James Beard Finalist, a seasoned public speaker, and has many accolades to his credit, including being ranked among the world’s “100 Most Influential Bar Industry Figures” by Drinks International Magazine for 4 years in a row and being named one of The 50 Most Influential People in Brooklyn Food.
To learn more about Sorel, please visit: https://sorelofficial.com/
Follow Jackie and Sorel on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/theliquortarian/
https://www.instagram.com/sorelofficial/
Thank you for carving out time to improve your Founder Game - when you do better, your startup will do better - cheers!
Ande ♥
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