Books can teach you a lot ABOUT planning, product development, how to elaborate a Business Plan. All these tools are very useful help you to organize ideas, to stay focused. I've learned a lot ABOUT these tools, both in Brazilian and European business schools; I applied them in my professional career, both as a consultant and as a business executive.
But this is not the only way that products and companies could born; the trigger can also be an ideal, or your passion for something. So, ABOUT was born in that way… more as result of inspiration, perspiration and passion, less as result of theories. Of course, that the whole experience that I and Elliot have had in our career guide us …. without this baggage, turn our dream into reality would be much more difficult.
I always liked cachaça. As I use to say, I already appreciated it at a time when cachaça was still a sidelined product, that even the waiter made a face if you asked him for. Whenever I visited a place, I tried to find some local producer, I always liked to experiment new tastes, flavors. It was a time of good surprises … and some not so good …….
There are aroud 5,000 different brands of cachaça. Annual production is around 1.5 billion liters.
Over the years the cachaça market has evolved, producers have invested to produce a high-quality product. Some organizations have been created to aimed at strengthening the producers, especially AMPAQ (Association of Quality Cachaça Producers, State of Minas Gerais), an organization that has promoted our “branquinha” (as cachaça is also affectionately called).
Already in Switzerland, after a time for adaptation, Elliot and I started to talk ABOUT do business of our own … We wanted something genuinely Brazilian, of artisanal process (to help small entrepreneurs). Gradually (maybe between one drink and another), the idea of create a business to sell cachaça had been refined – a unique and genuinely Brazilian product, much appreciated both in Brazil and abroad, mainly through its most famous drink, CAIPIRINHA.
As well as quality products, we work hard on choosing the brand name. After a lot of talk, a lot of ideas (some interesting ones, some hilarious), Elliot commented on a Sunday afternoon: "Guys, my friends always talked a lot ABOUT my surname, “Aboutboul” … and they dealt with the English word "ABOUT", saying that I should have some business or product using that word ….. "
Voilá! A brand was born! With an easy pronunciation in any language, a versatile word, as we would say in Brazil, with "ginga"
[Ginga – a Portuguese word, meaning loosely, an art of moving that is personal and individual; your rhythm, your style; something creative, fluid, exuberant and graceful]
The concept of ABOUT Brazil Organic Cachaça Silver started from a trip to France …. When I parked the car on the street, I ended up stopping near by a liquor store (coincidence?). Looking at the window (it was already night, store was closed), I came across a bottle of cachaça. Most surprised I was when I noticed it was organic, something we considered very important for our products!! The next week we contacted his producer, Marcos. A lover of nature and, like every engineer, a perfectionist in everything he does. After several conversations, we scheduled a visit to Brazil, towards Rio de Contas! And this is an adventure that deserves to be told in a next post!
ABOUT Brazil Artizanal Cachaça Gold was born after much research and visits. Many tastings too! We prioritize the region of Minas Gerais, famous for the quality and flavor of its artisanal cachaças. During one of those visits that I heard something that never came out of my mind: "Sugar cane is a sacred plant" – from it nothing is lost: the leaves serve as food for cattle, from the juice you make sugarcane or cachaça, the bagasse is used as natural fertilizer or fuel for the boiler used in the distillation.
Enjoy the ABOUT Spirit!
Ready to our first travel! Wait for the next post!!