Today we’d like to introduce you to Dani and Mike Zig.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
We started smuggling coconuts in our luggage from El Salvador to MIA in 2013. After getting some initial interest from hotel groups such as SBE and Soho House who wanted to offer guests fresh coconut water poolside, we decided to double down and build out a proper supply chain. But first, we realized we needed to brand our product in order to avoid becoming a commodity and be able to build a following. Coconut Cartel was born, and we invented the “branded coconut”… a phenomenon we now see happening all over the world! The first year we would airship product in weekly and then personally sell and deliver every coconut from our cars. From there we moved on to shipping container loads of coconuts and distributing up the coast all the way to Montauk with food distributors such as Sysco foods. Today we continue to supply accounts in South Florida with new distribution partners so that we could focus on launching our newest product: Coconut Cartel Special: Guatemalan Dark Rum with Coconut Water – an ode to our favorite cocktail – a fresh coconut cartel coconut spiked with a shot of central American aged dark rum. We will begin distributing with Park Street Imports starting mid-October in Miami, NYC, and LA. It will be available at select accounts on-premise in these cities, but also online for nationwide shipping to 42 states on our website coconutcartel.co
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
The road has been anything but smooth. It’s been more like off-roading through a volcanic crater. We’ve survived a number of struggles ranging from warehouse fires, threats from Salvadoran gangsters, volcanic eruptions, and a few other near death experiences. As cliché as it sounds, each one of these struggles was a blessing in disguise. They taught us things you don’t learn in business school. I won’t be cheesy and say I feel grateful to have endured these battles because they were really painful, but I can tell you that they made us grow up quickly and be a lot more mindful of our actions moving forward.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about coconut cartel – what should we know?
We import luxury Latin American goods via the Port of Miami – goods we grew up enjoying throughout our lives having lived in Central America for many years. We are most known for our delicious fresh branded coconuts and our feed of gorgeous clients enjoying coconuts on Instagram. Our products are superior to that of new competitors because we don’t have to preserve the coconuts in any way using artificial preservatives such as sodium metabisulfite, and we never wrap them in plastic.
We are also really excited to bring our customers our new rum. We’ve been developing this product for over a year using premium Central American rums aged up to 12 years. Our first blend is from Guatemala, the country that welcomed our immigrant descendants over 100 years ago. We then infuse the rum with fresh coconut water to proof down to a 40% ABV spirit. What you get is a delicious tropical sipping rum with notes of vanilla and coconut. Best served on ice.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
The two people who deserve that loudest applause from us is our grandmother (Buby) and our mom. They have been by our side through thick and thin…risking it all for us to succeed.
Laurent Fraticelli, Arnaud Espineira and Stephanie Adams of LHMA group who gave us our first opportunity and have continued to support us over the last five years. Andrew and Leslie Merinoff who have guided us in developing the next phase of our spirits program. Levie Creative for helping our vision come to life. The cartel OGs: Lena Garrett, Moscow, and Rafael Trigueros.
And of course, everyone in the Miami food and beverage industry who welcomed us and encouraged the growth of a new generation of Miami brands.
Pricing:
- Coconut Cartel Special: Guatemalan Dark Rum with Coconut Water $34.99
- Coconuts $10.00-$12.00 at select properties
Contact Info:
- Website: coconutcartel.co
- Email: [email protected]
Image Credit:
Levie Creative and Fro Rojas
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