The Next Big Shot: Karate Cowboy Rounds-Up Chicago
Oct. 26, 2015
There’s a new shot in town and it’s preparing to give the category a big kick. Karate Cowboy is a Honey Wasabi shot brand with a balance of sweet and spice that offers your customers an experience like no other.
Karate Cowboy is the first spirit innovation to be released from Revolution Experiment, a spirits company devoted to pursing innovative concepts.
“Everybody knows that shots are great,” said Mark Tinus, President and Co-Founder of Revolution Experiment. “It’s a category that has grown 16% YOY in the last three years. In that space, even though it’s becoming more competitive, it’s not becoming differentiated.”
After spending years working for global, big brands in the alcoholic beverage industry, Tinus set-out on his own path last year. Karate Cowboy is his first creation but not his first rodeo. “I’ve always loved experiences over all else,” said Tinus. “So being able to envision a product that would break through mundane experiences made this pursuit a no-brainer.”
By his own account, Tinus describes Karate Cowboy as a brand that angles the craft movement in a more accessible way. “It’s a fusion that goes off the reservation,” said Tinus. “The combination of honey and wasabi plays off this idea of east meets west.”
Karate Cowboy is bottled, blended, and labeled in Louisville, Kentucky. Tinus himself traveled to Japan in November of last year to select the Japanese sake-liquid. “By nature, the ingredient stream is global,” said Tinus. “There’s a huge opportunity for small brands like us to cater to the masses without specifically targeting them. We talk a lot about being universal and hyper-social. Karate Cowboy is super fun.”
Tinus set his sights on the Midwest as he prepared to introduce Karate Cowboy to the world; Chicago is Revolution Experiment’s primary launch effort. “This is a market where not a lot of large players are starting,” said Tinus. “It allows us to connect with the atmosphere, the diversity of neighborhoods, that’s core to the Midwest. The city of Chicago is prime for that, there’s a mass amount of diversity but also segmentation. We can really take the opportunity to listen to the consumer.”
Where does one place a first-of-its-kind, fusion brand like Karate Cowboy on their shelves? Tinus, who also has experience on the distributor side of the business, offered his insight for both bars and retail accounts. “For the On Premise, we designed the bottle to be short and easy to handle, so it speaks that Tokyo-style, modern whiskey bottle language but it stands out amongst the vodkas, too. If we’re positioned on the front of either side, we light up. We’ve got a short swagger on the vodka side and we’re clear and bright on the brown liquor side.”
Support the launch of a Midwest-made spirit on the rise by welcoming Karate Cowboy into your establishment. Contact your Wirtz Beverage Illinois Sales Consultant to make your order, and round ‘em up!