The father or mother firm of Jose Cuervo believes there’s a “false impression” about the usage of components within the Tequila business, claiming they’re “not dangerous”.
Over the previous 12 months, the conversations round components being utilized in Tequila have heightened, creating widespread debates throughout the business and past.
The class’s rules are enforced by the Consejo Regulador del Tequila (CRT). As stipulated by the CRT, Tequilas made solely from Blue Weber agave can embody as much as 1% of components (also referred to as abocantes) in manufacturing, however this doesn’t should be disclosed on the label. The 4 components legally allowed to be added to 100% agave Tequilas are: glycerin, caramel colouring, oak extract and sugar-based syrups (jarabes).
Many have commented on the additive-free conundrum in current months, and now the world’s greatest Tequila maker, Jose Cuervo, has added its voice to the additive-free concern within the business.
“I do know there’s been lots of noise round these points and we’ve been sort of within the again seat simply watching it, however I believe at this level we determined that it was time for us to essentially open up, not solely about what we do, but in addition what we take into consideration this entire additive-free motion,” says Lander Otegui, govt vice-president, advertising and innovation at Jose Cuervo father or mother firm Proximo Spirits.
He goes on to elucidate that the corporate is “totally supportive of client transparency”, including that it is a “long-term pattern that’s occurring throughout each single business, not solely in spirits or alcohol, however throughout the board, and customers are asking for this transparency”.
Otegui stated: “Transparency is the way in which to go, and we firmly imagine that it’s one thing that’s going to remain in relation to components.”
He famous there was “lots of noise across the additive scenario”, highlighting that components are “current throughout a number of industries, not solely Tequila”, pointing to the likes of Scotch, rum and Cognac.
“From a macro standpoint, I believe it’s a little bit bit unfair that this query [of using additives] is barely centred round Tequila and never different spirits classes,” he explains, including they’ve been “prevalent for a few years” and “are usually not dangerous”.
He explains: “They’re simply issues which might be used to standardise sure issues inside merchandise, whether or not it’s the color, the mouthfeel, the style and the flavour – it’s not a substitute, it’s simply an enhancer, one thing to stability it out.”
For his second level, Otegui additionally stresses that Proximo Spirits does produce additive-free Tequilas by its blanco choices.
“All of our blancos are made with solely three elements: agave, yeast and water. Within the case of [Jose Cuervo] Especial Silver, it’s a mixto Tequila. So it’s made with agave, different sugars for the opposite 49% after which water and yeast.
“So we’re able to taking part in that narrative. We simply don’t imagine it’s the correct narrative for Tequila proper now, and for the class to be constructed for the long run.”
CRT places a cease to ‘additive-free’ claims
The dispute over making additive-free claims within the Tequila business got here to a head final 12 months.
In August 2024, the CRT and Mexico’s federal client safety company, PROFECO (Workplace of the Federal Prosecutor for the Client), issued an announcement that stated the “certification of the time period ‘additive-free’ would trigger confusion amongst customers and controlled events and within the conformity evaluation actions” and “the usage of the phrase ‘additive-free’ as a part of the business data displayed on the labelling of ‘Tequila’, should be beforehand verified and never mislead relating to the traits and nature of such alcoholic beverage”.
As such, PROFECO said the time period ‘additive-free’ misleads and confuses customers on account of its inaccuracy, and is in violation of the Tequila NOM. The CRT issued a discover on 12 August to induce the business to keep away from utilizing the phrase.
The CRT has taken motion in opposition to a number of manufacturers which have promoted themselves as ‘additive-free’.
The regulatory physique requested Mijenta Tequila to take the time period off its labels, regardless of it being initially accredited, prompting the model to make use of stickers to cowl the phrases as a substitute of throwing away the labels.
In the meantime, Bacardi revealed final month that it was in “constructive conversations” with the CRT to deal with the subject of components transparently following a ban on Patrón exports for a number of days in February. The transfer was made in response to an additive-free marketing campaign by Patrón within the US.
Addressing the ‘false impression’
Otegui believes there’s a “false impression” relating to the usage of components in Tequila.
He explains: “They’re not an alternative to ageing, which is a few one thing that folks imagine. So you can’t name a Tequila an añejo Tequila by simply placing components into it. It needs to be three months for a reposado, over a 12 months for añejo, and greater than three years for additional añejo. So an additive shouldn’t be a substitution.”
He provides that the narrative round components getting used to “minimize corners” is “utterly incorrect and overstated”.
Utilizing color for instance, he says: “Whenever you use totally different charring in numerous barrels, otherwise you’re ending Tequila in numerous barrels, the color that these barrels produce shouldn’t be going to at all times be the identical. And for those who consider a client, take into consideration every other business, you need your product to look the identical on the shelf.”
Otegui stresses that in some circumstances when caramel colouring is utilized in Tequila manufacturing it’s “to not substitute a flavour”, including that caramel colouring has “zero flavour” and is used for standardisation.
He emphasises the significance of Tequilas showing the identical on cabinets to customers, notably in Mexico, the place “there’s lots of counterfeit Tequila being produced”.
The corporate makes use of caramel colouring in its Jose Cuervo Gold Tequila because of this.
Otegui continues: “I can’t communicate for the remainder of the business, however our agaves are totally mature, particularly if you speak about our tremendous, ultra-premium Tequila merchandise, we don’t minimize corners in that manner as this communication has been falsely attributed.
“We use totally mature agaves all the way in which to seven, eight years outdated, even nine-year-old agave in some circumstances.”
‘False narrative’
Otegui describes Proximo because the “most built-in Tequila firm in Mexico” with the agency planting the biggest quantity of agave within the business.
He stated: “We’re probably the most built-in from farm all the way in which to bottle. We pay farmers with long-term contracts, which may be very totally different from different firms which might be shopping for agave at spot costs [current market price], which may be very damaging to the agave growers, and most of these are the businesses which might be talking about additive free.
“So I believe there’s a false narrative in what’s actually essential for the business and for the way forward for the class that none of those firms are actually talking about.
“So if you take a look at how the farmers are being affected by these manufacturers which might be most likely internationally owned, folks which might be trying both to fill gaps of their portfolio or to make a fast turnaround, purchase, create a model, develop it for just a few years after which flip it and promote it to another person.
“They don’t actually care about what’s occurring in Mexico. They don’t actually care about what’s going to occur in seven years with these agave growers which might be planting agave at the moment. What’s going to occur with these households, what’s going to occur with that group? What’s going to occur with that distillery that’s making Tequila for all of those manufacturers? We do as a result of we’ve been in Tequila for over 250 years, and for us, it’s legacy.
“We care concerning the city, we care concerning the folks, and we care concerning the agave growers, and that’s why we now have long-term contracts with them. They earn a living from promoting agave for years, not simply when the agave costs are excessive, which is how some firms take benefit.”
Otegui believes it’s almost unimaginable to find out if components have been used.
He provides: “What’s essential to grasp is everytime you go from a blanco to an aged product, it’s just about unimaginable to inform if a product has components or not, since you are extracting issues from the barrel, proper?”
For example, he factors to Jose Cuervo Reserva De La Familia Tequila, which is completed in a Sherry cask.
“When you have been to check a product like that, you’re extracting lots of sugar from the Sherry cask,” he says. “So even when I made a decision to go and do a lab take a look at on that product, there’s going to be stuff within the liquid that was, in fact, not agave. After all, it’s not water and it’s not yeast. However that’s the entire level of utilizing a cask since you’re including flavours, and that flexibility permits for Tequilas to style totally different. If all people used the identical precise method, the identical precise foundation, then every thing would style just about the identical.”
After I ask Otegui why he believes components have develop into an enormous concern within the agave spirits business versus different spirits segments, he factors to Tequila being “the most well liked class proper now” with “a lot of client curiosity”.
He feels many customers are “searching for extra data” across the class, and provides that Tequila “has been constructed across the craft and the authenticity and the character of the way it’s being produced”.
Regarding the CRT’s stance on components and stopping manufacturers from labelling and advertising their merchandise with the time period, Otegui says the regulatory physique has “completed a very good job over time” to guard the class.
“I’m fairly certain that in the event that they made that call, it’s as a result of they imagine that it’s for the most effective of Tequila class as a result of some folks falsely declare that the CRT solely protects or it’s solely represented by ‘massive Tequila’, no matter which means. The CRT represents all the worth chain. They characterize the agave growers. They characterize small distilleries, massive distilleries, they characterize all people, and all people has the identical vote or the identical rights throughout the CRT. There’s no management of the CRT by anybody. So I believe that’s the very first thing that’s essential to grasp,” he explains.
‘No actual requirements’
In terms of promoting, Otegui says his perspective is “it’s very tough and harmful to promote one thing which you could’t actually truth verify”.
He continues: “The actual fact is that previously, the manufacturers that have been claiming to be additive-free didn’t have any actual assist from anyone that was like a sound lab take a look at, or anyone that was checking each single batch of the manufacturing to guarantee that their model or their product was really additive free. They have been simply utilizing the declare like if it was the Wild West. There was no actual normal. No person was going and checking each single batch, nobody was lab testing each single batch. So it was an overstated declare.
“I believe that had no actual validity or truth checking round it, and particularly since lots of these manufacturers are made in amenities that produce Tequilas with every kind of various issues. So it’s not like that they had full management of every thing that was occurring inside their Tequilas, but they have been claiming issues that that have been most likely probably not nicely examined and validated.
“So I believe if these firms need transparency, and so they need to provide customers one thing like that, they should guarantee that they’re having their merchandise being validated with the correct requirements, which they weren’t up to now.”
Otegui additionally claims that almost all progress within the class is “coming from the manufacturers that that aren’t claiming something round components”.
In line with figures (Nielsen XAOC and Liquor Open State and Conv/final 52 weeks to 19 April 2025) offered by Proximo, nearly 90% of the general progress within the Tequila class is pushed by manufacturers that aren’t taking part within the additive-free narrative.
Jose Cuervo reported a 9.9% web gross sales enhance within the first quarter of this 12 months, nevertheless quantity fell by 3.9%.
Otegui says producers claiming to be additive free are “shedding share to the manufacturers that aren’t taking part in that narrative”.
As such, he believes the conversations round components are “nonetheless very small and concentrated”.
He reiterated the significance of transparency, including that the dialog needs to be on the group and sustainability to assist the class in the long run.
“’Large Tequila’ are those which might be able to doing the large issues for the group, the large issues for the surroundings, the large issues for innovation, the large issues to guard the long run,” Otegui stresses.
“And that’s the explanation why the class is profitable at the moment. It’s not due to the small, craft Tequilas. It’s as a result of these massive firms have been placing lots of sources, funding and lots of focus into rising this class, and we’re those which might be defending the true long run of the business.”
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