Madre Mezcal Secures $3 Million Series A Round to Grow Top Mezcal Brand

Madre Mezcal, one of the fastest growing mezcal brands in America, recently raised $3,000,000 to apply to the brand’s growth strategy to new products and new markets. The Series A round was led by Room 9, a NYC-based venture capital studio that specializes in investing in the consumer sector.

Amid an increasingly competitive mezcal category, Madre has found success through a grassroots strategy aimed at introducing new consumers to the mezcal category. With the additional funding, Madre is being poised to expand its word-of-mouth campaign, largely driven by in-person activations and online engagement. The priorities of the funded Madre brand will be to expand its product range to target new consumption occasions, while also expanding its distribution and marketing efforts in new countries, US states, and online.

Beyond a great-tasting, easy-to-drink mezcal, Madre’s success has been a result of working closely with the communities that have driven word-of-mouth for the brand,” says Chris Stephenson, CEO of Madre. “For us to expand while continuing this successful path, we needed a partner that recognizes the cultural authenticity that fuels our approach. With Room 9, we’ve found a partner that understands the growth opportunities through product, geography and digital expansion, and encourages the brand development through cultural engagement.”

Room 9 is an early-stage venture capital studio whose selective portfolio spans across the consumer, food, beverage and technology sectors and includes Jot Coffee, Los Sundays Tequila and Cleancult. Room 9 Founder, Anish Bhatia previously led fundraising efforts for Los Sundays, an award-winning tequila brand based out of Orange County, CA, and currently sits on their Advisory Board.

About Madre
Distilled with both the newcomer and the seasoned consumer in mind, Madre is a ‘gateway mezcal that offers beautifully well-balanced flavor with smooth finish. With less smoke than most mezcals, Madre opens palates to a new market of consumers thanks to its signature blend of espadin and cuishe. Madre is a certified artisanal product from Mexico, hand made by mezcaleros in open air palanques located in the rural hills of Oaxaca. Using local water and natural airborne yeast, Madre’s flavor is directly tied to the earth it comes from. https://www.madremezcal.com/

About Room 9
Room Nine is not your typical early-stage VC. Our Creative Agency + Venture Studio model is for the misfits who create, deviants who innovate and dreamers who dare tell their stories. Our generation craves authenticity more than ever and at Room Nine we celebrate their fearless pursuit of design and culture. Room Nine’s portfolio spans across consumer, food, beverage and technology sectors. Our mission is to discover, partner with and fund authentic brands and founders.

MUSIC VIDEO: Dua Lipa – Levitating Featuring DaBaby

About Dua Lipa:
Born and raised in London to Kosovar-Albanian parents Dua Lipa signed to Warner Records in 2015, releasing her self titled debut in 2017 which featured the hit singles, ‘Be The One’, ‘IDGAF’, ‘Hotter Than Hell’ & her first UK #1 hit ‘New Rules’.

Critical success soon followed as Dua Lipa picked up Brit Awards for ‘Best Female Solo Artist’ and ‘Best British Breakthrough Act’ as well as Grammy Awards for ‘Best New Artist’ and ‘Best Dance Recording’ for the track ‘Electricity’ in collaboration with Silk City.

Her second internationally acclaimed studio album ‘Future Nostalgia’ was released in 2020 and included the hit singles ‘Don’t Start Now, ‘Break My Heart’, ‘Hallucinate’ and ‘Levitating’, with the remix album ‘Club Future Nostalgia’ following shortly after featuring guest appearances from ‘Blackpink’, ‘Missy Elliott’, ‘Madonna’ and ‘Gwen Stefani’.

The Best: This Month’s Top Chocolate Photos on Instagram

TasteTV editors love to find great food & drink, and of course love great photos. Instagram not only feeds our passion, it fuels the tastes of millions!

With the help of the International Chocolate Salon, here are some our picks for This Month’ Best Chocolate Photos on Instagram.

 

 

 

 

Watch the 2021 TASTE AWARDS Show HERE


WATCH THE 2021 TASTE AWARDS

The TASTE AWARDS Show is coming to a screen near you, and viewable on Facebook and on the TASTE AWARDS website**.

Come watch it and see who wins, celebrate some of the most exciting and creative food, fashion and lifestyle programs, videos, films, series, podcasts and radio.

This year’s TASTE AWARDS all digital and all virtual awards show features a star-studded lineup of food and fashion TV, Film and Video celebrities, including winners, nominees and presenters. Some participating Celebrity awards presenters include Michelle Harris (Alive and Well TV), Kim Estes (Emmy nominated actor), Jernard Wells (Food Network, Cleo TV), Mickela Mallozzi (PBS, CreateTV), Danielle Nottingham (NBC), Margaret McSweeney (Kitchen Chat), Chris Knight (Gusto TV), Andrea Feczko, Joanne Weir, Jazz and Jake Smollett, the Food Nanny (IG).

WHEN: April 12, 5:30 PM Pacific Time (LA/SF Time Zone)
WHERE: On the Awards Site and Facebook
HOW: Go to www.TheTasteAwards.com and www.facebook.com/tastyawards

** As with most awards shows this year (Critics Choice, SAG, WGA, the Gothams, Emmys, Grammys, BET, Music Video Awards, etc), the 2021 TASTE AWARDS in Beverly Hills will also be virtual this year.

The TASTE AWARDS in Hollywood & Beverly Hills are the premier awards celebrating the year’s best in Food, Fashion, Health, Travel, and Lifestyle programs in Film, Television, Online & Streaming Video, Podcasts, Radio and Photography.


 

MUSIC VIDEO: Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone – Daryl’s House with Train

Oh yes, the classic R&B song “Papa was a Rollin’ Stone” reinterpreted by crooner Daryl Hall and Train. If you don’t have a little groove in your step after listening to this old school jam, you might need to get more sleep.

Performed live in studio with crooner Daryl Hall, on his television series, “Live from Daryl’s House,” for cable channel AXS TV.