Billionaire Patrón Tequila Founder Teams up With Southern Glazer’s Execs for Mysterious Spirits Launch
(Photo: Round 2 Spirits LLC)
John Paul DeJoria, the billionaire founder of Patrón Tequila, has assembled a crack team of industry veterans for an upcoming spirits venture.
Dubbed “Round 2 Spirits,” the executive board includes ex-Patrón CEO Ed Brown, ex-COO Dave Wilson, former Grey Goose CMO Lee Applbaum and former Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits COO Brad Vassar. Few details have been revealed about the Texas-based company, though its first product is expected to launch by the end of the year.
“We had an amazing run together, Ed Brown built a world-class team at Patrón and led that brand into the history books as one of the most successful spirits in the entire beverage alcohol industry,” said DeJoria in a sparsely detailed press release.
“Along the way, all of us became very close and trusted friends, and we just couldn’t pass up an opportunity to work together again, for a round two.”
Eloise DeJoria, left, and John Paul DeJoria arrive at the 2022 Baby2Baby Gala on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2022, at the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood, Calif. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
An agave spirits venture such as tequila or mezcal seems more than likely, particularly considering the company’s headquarters in Texas. Though the team stepped away from Patrón in 2018 after it was acquired by Bacardi, DeJoria recently collaborated with his daughters Alexis and Michaeline for the launch of Bandero Café, a coffee-based tequila liqueur.
In addition to creating Patrón Tequila, DeJoria co-founded John Paul Mitchel Systems (a hair product line) and the House of Blues Nightclub chain. Other investments range from diamond companies to Harley Davidson dealerships — in 2019, DeJoria even purchased the former McDonald’s Global Headquarters in Illinois.
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