Twist, Shake, Disrupt. How DRNXMYTH Is Redefining A Category.

This week, we’re joined by Brandon Schwartz and Lawrence Cisneros, the co-founders of DRNXMYTH, a brand of ready-to-pour fresh cocktails whose proprietary bottle and ultra-high quality ingredients have made its products among the most unique -- and sought after -- offerings in the spirits industry.

Amid a rapidly expanding market for ready-to-drink cocktails, DRNXMYTH has differentiated itself via an innovative package that keeps the spirit and a cold-pressed juice-based mixer separate until the time of consumption. A twist of the bottle and a quick shake and the result is a fresh craft cocktail. DRNXMYTH made its official debut in early 2020 and has since built a strong direct-to-consumer business among cocktail enthusiasts thirsting for high-quality offerings at a time when most bars around the country were shuttered. 

In an interview included in this episode, Schwartz and Cisneros spoke about the origins of the brand and how they navigated a complex web of alcohol regulation, supplier partnerships and packaging technology to achieve their vision for the products. They also discussed how the pandemic impacted their go to market strategy and how they surrounded themselves with investors that understood the impact of technology within an emerging category.

Show notes: 

0:52: Remembering A Legend. Ray’s New Love. And, A Spirited Chat About New Products. -- The episode opened with a chat about Jacqui’s passion for Gaelic football, high school athletic endeavors and a few updates to Taste Radio. The hosts also shared remembrances of industry icon and Odwalla and Califia Farms founder Greg Steltenpohl, who passed away earlier this month. Later, they spoke about a new line of indulgent ice cream bars, buzzy cocktails and Spindrift’s foray into hard seltzer.

20:44: Interview: Brandon Schwartz & Lawrence Cisneros, Co-Founders, DRNXMYTH -- BevNET CEO John Craven sat down with Schwartz and Cisneros, who discussed their backgrounds in law and consumer products, the inspiration for the brand and how they identified white space for a super-premium bottle cocktail. They also discussed the lengthy timeline for developing DRNXMYTH’s bottle and operational strategy, convincing investors to buy into the concept before the package was commercially ready and why they aligned with bartenders and mixologists to create the recipes for and market the cocktails. Later, Schwartz and Cisneros talked about their innovation strategy and how they crafted a consumer experience, building DRNXMYTH’s direct-to-consumer platform and how investors perceive the opportunity for ready-to-drink cocktails.

Brands in this episode: DRNXMYTH, Califia Farms, Odwalla, Nutpods, Kokomio, Van Leeuwen Ice Cream, Leilo, Deloce, Bomani, Intent Beverage, Mindright, Spirit & Co., Spindrift, Suja, Evolution Fresh