Carnivo Unlimited Inc., a Los Angeles based Corporation founded by three young African American brothers will be the first African American owned Corporation to import Cognac into the United States.
Their story is one about economic empowerment and inclusion. For years African Americans were responsible for the consumption of over 50% of all Cognac sold in the U. S. When the rap industry started making songs about the French drink African American consumption shot up to well over 90% of all Cognac consumption.
The companies that market Cognac recognized this fact and began spending much more money on getting blacks to drink their brands. However they neglected to share any of that wealth with the very folks who make them wealthy.
Carnivo Unlimited seeks to rectify this lack of inclusion in an industry, which survives solely from African American patronage.
“It simple to me, if we are the ones that keep an industry alive, we should share in some of the money that is generated, it is the only way we can insure that some of that money gets back to the community” says Robert Pierce. “We are doing it with music and clothing, now we are going to do it with Cognac.
Carnivo Unlimited will enter the market this February with its first signature drink Carnivo XO. Carnivo XO is a tropical blending of superior XO quality Cognac, Fine French Vodka and Exotic Natural fruit juices. Closely resembling the latest club-drink Hpnotiq. Carnivo stands out due its signature light green color, distinctive frosted bottle and the use of XO Quality Cognac from the Grand Champagne region of Cognac, France.
“All of our Cognac is from the Grande Champagne region of Cognac France, on my last visit to our supplier it was made clear to me that for years companies like Hennessey, Remy Martin and Courvoisier were selling us the leftovers of other wise good Cognac. It is just like with beer, they get Michelob and Heineken and put Old English and Colt 45 on us.” Says Kelvin Love “We are bringing only superior Cognac to the US. I would challenge anyone to go into a liquor store in the hood and ask for Cognac from the Grand Champagne region, they don’t have it, it has been easier to bring the garbage over, put it in fancy bottles and sell it to black people, well not anymore.”
Their intro into the marketplace will be the help of some heavy weights in the Music game. The plan is to pop out at you, and surprise the market with promotional events and celebrity tie-ins. The company is not giving too much away because the haters already have the LA based company on their radar screen.
We know we will be butting heads with companies who have been getting cream for years, they don’t want to see us come up, they are already circling their wagons, but so what. Let them spend millions, they still don’t understand what it is that makes it possible for companies like FUBU to sale 100’s of millions of dollars of product, they never will. Says Robert Pierce with a large smile on his face.
Carnivo Unlimited’ aggressive approach is not unlike other like-minded companies created to service the growing financially influential Urban generation that is demanding the best service and products from companies that more closely resemble the customer. Think Phat Farm, Fubu, Sean Jean, Roc A Ware, Rockafella Records and No Limit Records.
“This is the second part of Martin Luther Kings dream, it’s about true economic empowerment. We can’t move our people ahead without financial control. Nor can we continue to be just consumers, we need to strive to control those products and industries that define us.” Says Cliff Jordan “Like P Diddy said, we got into sports, took it over, got into music, took it over, got into clothing, took it over. Now we are getting into the Cognac business and as far as I am concerned, it’s ride or die baby and there is no way that we can stop.”
To learn about Carnivo Unlimited visit them at their website www.carnivoxo.com.
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