Women-Led Innovation: How 21SEEDS Found Its Place in the Tequila Boom

(Photos: 21SEEDS)

Tequila has become a dominant force in the U.S. spirits market. However, just a few years ago, the category was rigid, especially when it came to flavored varieties. That is when a group of women saw an opportunity to change the way people experience the spirit by creating their own infused tequilas. Founded in 2019, 21SEEDS set out to make tequila more approachable, versatile and easy to enjoy.

The journey began in a home kitchen, where Kat Hantas started experimenting with different infusion combinations. What started as a passion project for entertaining family and friends quickly grew into something much bigger. Recognizing a gap in the market, she teamed up with her sister, Nicole Hantas-Emanuel, and their close friend, Sarika Singh, to bring 21SEEDS to life.

Infused Tequila: A New Take on a Classic Spirit

21SEEDS was created with a simple goal: to make infused tequila that simplified cocktail making.

“We wanted to create something that could both be used in classic tequila cocktails while offering versatility,” Hantas-Emanuel said. “Our core three varietals – Valencia Orange, Cucumber Jalapeño, and Grapefruit Hibiscus – allow for effortless cocktail-making with only one or two additional ingredients.”

According to the brand, 21SEEDS infuses real fruit juice into its tequila, reducing the need for excessive mixers and sweeteners. 

A Vision Turned Reality

Taking a homegrown infusion process and scaling it to a commercial level was no easy feat. Singh, with her background in food and engineering, played a key role in transitioning the small-batch concept into large-scale production. She developed an infusion system that maintained the integrity and quality of the original recipes.

“It was a challenge because infusions hadn’t been done at scale in the tequila category,” Hantas-Emanuel explained. “Sarika had to create an infrastructure that maintained the natural flavors and quality we wanted while making it consistent across every batch.”

Finding an Audience

From the outset, 21SEEDS had a clear vision of whom its tequila was for. 

“Our initial target consumer was ourselves – moms,” Hantas-Emanuel said. “We built our strategy by understanding her habits – where she shopped, what she drank, how she discovered brands – and tailored our retail and marketing efforts accordingly.”

By initially focusing on the retail space rather than bars and restaurants, the brand gained popularity – particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic which shut down bars and forced consumers to create their own craft cocktails at home. 

Making Their Mark in a Competitive Market

The tequila category is crowded, but 21SEEDS carved out a space of its own.

“There was a white space in the market,” Hantas-Emanuel explained. “We saw women ordering tequila with soda and a splash of fruit juice, but no one was offering a tequila that already had those flavors infused.”

As the brand gained traction, the founders made the strategic decision to sell 21SEEDS to Diageo in 2022, marking one of the biggest acquisitions of a female-founded spirits brand in history. The decision was driven by a desire to expand into bars and restaurants, a space that required the resources and distribution power that Diageo could provide.

“Selling 21SEEDS allowed the brand to grow beyond what we could do on our own,” Hantas-Emanuel said. “Now, we can bring our infused tequila into more bars and restaurants, giving even more people a chance to experience it.”

Empowering Women in Spirits

As a female-founded brand and shot callers in the industry, 21SEEDS hopes to lead by example and show the power of women in the spirits industry. The founders frequently attend and speak at industry events to share their journey and insights.

“We’re incredibly proud of what we’ve built,” Hantas-Emanuel said. “If you can dream it, you should do it.” 

This year, in celebration of Women’s History Month, 21SEEDS has partnered with E! and NBC media personality Danielle Robay to launch the Shot Callers game inspired by Robay’s popular Question Everything game. 

“My whole career is based on harnessing the power of conversation through intriguing questions and elevating women in business,” Robay said. “I’ve long loved 21SEEDS as a female-founded brand created to enjoy with friends. It was a no-brainer to partner on a game together to bring laughter, discussion, and fun to a night with effortless cocktails.”

Find out more about the 21SEEDS x Question Everything Shot Callers game or 21SEEDS Infused Tequila at 21SEEDS.com.