AUSTIN, Texas, March 8, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Kimo Sabe, the new face of mezcal, has signed a three-year deal to become the official and exclusive mezcal sponsor of SXSW. The deal commences with this year's South By Southwest® Conference, where Kimo Sabe will hold numerous high-profile activations, including hosting numerous happy hour parties at the Trusted Friends Lounge inside the Austin Convention Center, a sampling exhibit at the Lady Bird Lake Outdoor Stage at live music events, as well as many other surprise pop-up activations throughout the festival. With mezcal being the fastest-growing spirit category in the world — and Kimo Sabe the fastest growing mezcal in the US — planting their flag at SXSW is another major step for Kimo Sabe in creating brand distinction in the burgeoning category. The deal was announced today by Jim Walsh, CEO and co-founder of Kimo Sabe, Ashely Walsh Kvamme, COO and co-founder of Kimo Sabe and Scott McNearney, Director of Global Sponsorship at SXSW.
To meet the growing demand for the spirit, a press conference with Kimo Sabe and the governor of Zacatecas, Mexico, announced last week a ground-breaking partnership that will create sustainable, organic ecosystems for the cultivation of varietal agaves, generating up to 100 new agave farms and creating over 1000 new jobs in the state. The move is part of Kimo Sabe's plan to build bridges with Mexico when others are suggesting walls.
Since its launch in 2015, Kimo Sabe — which translates to Trusted Friend in Sonoran Indian — has racked up a number of prestigious awards including becoming the first mezcal to win top American Distilling Institute (ADI) honor "Best In Class International Specialty Spirit" for 2016, which judged Kimo Sabe against all mezcals and tequilas.
Not only is mezcal the fastest growing spirits category, it is also the second most trending alcohol on social media, appealing to people who love tequila but who are seeking a superior alternative to call their own. Kimo Sabe's mission is to turn traditional tequila and whiskey drinkers onto the more refined and flavorful world of mezcals. SXSW attendees will have ample opportunity to take the taste test for themselves as the agreement calls for Kimo Sabe to have a major presence at SXSW with many activations.
The SXSW sponsorship agreement fits seamlessly into Kimo Sabe's bold and successful rollout strategy, which has set a bullseye on the top tequila markets in the US. In just a short time, Kimo Sabe has seen double-digit gains of tequila market share in California, Nevada, New Jersey and Arizona. Kimo Sabe has also recently launched in Texas, Minnesota, Colorado, and Tennessee, with plans to expand to Illinois, Florida, and New York this spring, and Wisconsin and Georgia this summer.
QUOTE FROM KIMO SABE
"SXSW celebrates the expression of passionate, creative talent, inside the biggest party of the year — a perfect place to experience Kimo Sabe Mezcal and keep the party going with Trusted Friends," said Jim Walsh and Ashley Walsh Kvamme.
QUOTE FROM SXSW
"Kimo Sabe's innovative spirit and passion for creative expression align extremely well with SXSW and its mission of helping creatives achieve their goals. The award-winning distinctive qualities of Kimo Sabe Mezcal are consistent with the high quality of events that SXSW has developed for 30+ years. SXSW is proud to have Kimo Sabe as a key promotional partner through SXSW 2019." Scott McNearney – Director of Global Sponsorship at SXSW
ABOUT KIMO SABE MEZCAL
Mezcal is the ceremonial Mexican spirit that captures the flavors of dozens of types of agave, whereas tequila uses only one type of agave. Although the two are often confused, mezcal offers more flavor and complexity. Kimo Sabe's Mezcals are proprietary blends resulting from the best traditional and contemporary production techniques, including innovative ultrasound technology and a rare copper third distillation that consistently achieves a perfectly balanced, refined flavor, unlike conventional mezcal's rustic taste. This progressive approach has yielded Kimo Sabe the lead in shaping the mezcal movement, and a transformative product that is sexy, fun and intriguing. Consumers no longer have to settle for tequila.
The company is led by Jim Walsh and Ashley Walsh Kvamme, the father-daughter team who are acknowledged chocolate and snack food category pioneers. Jim was the creator of the first ever chocolate and cocoa grown in the United States, the world's first vintage chocolate at Hawaiian Vintage Chocolate, and the pioneer of the 'better for you snack category' with Sobe, Solar Systems and Z Carb. The Walshes then began to grow cocoa in Mexico, which led them to the discovery of the mystic appeal and legend of mezcal. They have worked with the people of Mexico for over three years, combining their vision and flavor expertise with the Mexican art of distilling to create a category-leading agave spirit designed to compete worldwide with tequila. Ashley Walsh Kvamme was named one as the Top Women In Booze by Harper's Bazaar Magazine this past year, and one of California's top female entrepreneurs by Comerica Bank.
About SXSW Conference & Festivals
SXSW dedicates itself to helping creative people achieve their goals. Founded in 1987 in Austin, TX, SXSW is best known for its conference and festivals that celebrate the convergence of the interactive, film and music industries. The event, an essential destination for global professionals, features conference programming, showcases, screenings, exhibitions, and a variety of networking opportunities. SXSW proves that the most unexpected discoveries happen when diverse topics and people come together. SXSW 2017 will take place March 10-19, 2017.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT
Brad Turell
818-269-3048
brad@kimosabe.com
SOURCE Kimo Sabe
