Justin Timberlake is widening the distribution of his tequila, with a re-launch with the help of Sauza Liquors.
The brand is owned by Beam Inc., one of the largest spirit manufacturers in the United States. It includes Jim Beam and Maker’s Mark.
Timberlake will be re-launching his own version of the tequila, with the name “Sauza 901,” named for Timberlake’s hometown area code in Memphis, Tennessee, and supposedly the time when parties really get going, reported Forbes.
Timberlake first launched the tequila in 2009. It’s been relatively small-scale, though it did win a gold medal from the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2012.
Timberlake’s reach should help sales of the re-launched liquor, with about 30 million followers on Facebook and Twitter, and millions more on Instagram.
Bill Newlands, president of the North America branch of Beam Inc., told Forbes that the brand is looking for top-notch people to partner with.
“We’re not interested in going out and doing a talking-head routine. We believe in finding a founder. Yes, he happens to be a celebrity and that has a lot of value,” said Newlands, “but he has a lot of passion for this.”
“First and foremost, I am excited about the quality of what’s in bottle,” said Newlands. “Second of all his ability to influence a lot of the people that follow him – that is a nice combination.”
The tequila is triple-distilled and 80-proof. It will be sold for around $30.
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