Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/748197
armel businessman and entrepreneur Ryan Sanchez is flying in some rarified air these days. He's joined the ranks of celebrities Justin Timberlake, George Clooney, Carlos Santana, Sean "Diddy" Combs and Sammy Hagar in creating his own tequila brand. And he's on track to see El Jefe tequila attain national distribution. Though he's not yet 40, Sanchez has racked up an impressive list of business successes. He joined his father Fermin and other family members in running two long-time Carmel institutions, Bruno's Market and Surf N Sand. Venturing on a solo flight, he opened the highly popular successful Corral de Tierra Market and Deli on Highway 68, and he also dabbles in real estate investments. As if those challenges—plus raising a family—weren't enough, "I wanted to push myself with different projects, and to build a brand," Sanchez says. A chance conversation with PR whiz Dick Weaver—who worked with Patron tequila founder Martin Crowley on launching the wildly successful and first of the "boutique" brands to hit the US market—planted the seed that grew into El Jefe tequila. "I wasn't a tequila drinker," Sanchez says, "but I hosted a few tequila tastings at Surf N Sand and Baja Cantina in Carmel Valley. I saw there was a market there and how others like Sammy Hagar had built big brand names around tequila. After a search, he found that the name El Jefe was available and applied for a trademark. "I felt that the name had strong marketing value," Sanchez asserts. And he was right: shortly after attaining the trademark, he was approached by another businessman interest- ed in purchasing the name. "It was an attractive offer, but I turned it down." Now he had a name. Then he needed a product. So he journeyed to the birthplace of tequila, Jalisco, Mexico, to tour distilleries. While visiting the huge Herradura plant in Amatitán, Sanchez saw people carrying jugs of what he thought was water. Curious, he asked his guide what they were doing. "The locals get their tequila at the small distillery across the street," he said. Without skipping a beat, Sanchez replied: "Take me there." That distillery is Tequilera Las Juntas. "The facility is cutting edge, but still small," Sanchez says. "They had the right equipment and the right chef." The company had previously pro- duced private labels but weren't doing so at the time, so he struck a deal. "I gave direction as to how to craft a recipe that would sell well in the United States. We found a good blend of the traditional style that's popular in Mexico but softened a little for the American palette." Ryan Sanchez Launches El Jefe B Y M I C H A E L C H AT F I E L D armel businessman and entrepreneur Ryan Sanchez is flying in some rarified air these days. He's joined the ranks of celebrities Justin Timberlake, George Clooney, Carlos Santana, Sean "Diddy" Combs and Sammy Hagar in creating his own tequila brand. And he's on track to see El Jefe tequila attain national distribution. Though he's not yet 40, Sanchez has racked up an impressive list of business successes. He joined his father Fermin and other family members in running two long-time Carmel institutions, Bruno's Market and Surf N Sand. Venturing on a solo flight, he opened the highly C Ryan Sanchez Launches El Jefe Carmel's Tequila Boss C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • H O L I D A Y 2 0 1 6 163