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Park Street Insider Podcast
The Park Street Insider Podcast is a spirit industry-focused podcast dedicated to bringing you closer to the key brands, topics, and trends driving the drinks business. We host the spirits category's most influential leaders and entrepreneurs to uncover the business strategies, stories, and brand-building tips behind some of the biggest brands in the industry. Whether you're interested in Agave spirits, whiskey, read-to-drink, low & no, or any other category, our hosts will bring you closer to the heart of what's happening in each.
In each episode, hosts Emmett Strack and Andres Correa speak to spirits industry thought leaders to discuss the moves that shaped their careers, how they built some of the brands we all know and love, and some of the tools they can’t live without. They'll also zero in on the hottest subjects taking hold of beverage alcohol, keeping listeners up to date on the trends shaping spirits.
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Park Street Insider Podcast
Inside the Tequila Category with Fortaleza: Additive Free Tequila, Tariffs & Truck Heists
The tequila industry faces mounting regulatory and legal challenges with Mexico's Consejo Regulador del Tequila (CRT) restricting additive-free marketing claims while high-profile lawsuits are questioning major brands' "100% agave" labeling practices. These developments are reshaping how producers operate in an increasingly transparency-focused market.
The Park Street Insider Podcast welcomes back Billy Erickson, sales and marketing manager at Tequila Fortaleza and member of the brand's founding family, to examine these industry dynamics from a craft producer's perspective. Fortaleza, a premium family-owned brand with strong bartender loyalty and on-premise presence, offers unique insights into navigating regulatory restrictions while maintaining traditional production methods.
From CRT policy conflicts and class action litigation to tariff impacts and premiumization trends, we explore how these converging forces are affecting both established brands and craft producers. The conversation also covers some unexpected operational challenges—including literal product theft—that highlight the unique realities facing today's tequila industry. Whether you're tracking regulatory developments, assessing transparency trends, or understanding market shifts, this episode provides critical insights into the tequila category's evolving landscape.
Featured Guests:
Billy Erickson, Sales & Marketing Manager, Tequila Fortaleza
Mentioned in this episode:
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