Three guys stroll right into a bar and order a couple of drinks. The bartender serves them some premium combine… and a enterprise thought.
The story of Liber & Co. might learn like your traditional bar joke, nevertheless it’s really removed from.
That is the inspiring true story of how three pals on diverging life paths united of their ardour for cocktails to begin (and develop) a wildly profitable syrup enterprise.
United by Their Love for Cocktails
To grasp how Liber & Co. started, we have to journey again about ten years or so.
Twins Robert and Adam Higginbotham and their pal Chris Harrison have been scattered throughout three completely different elements of the US and launched into vastly completely different profession trajectories.
As they describe in their very own phrases:
“Again then, Robert was shortly rising cynical engaged on Capitol Hill in DC, Adam was on his second or third victory lap whereas ending his levels at UT Austin, and Chris was behind a bench doing molecular genetics on the College of Kansas. One thing about fruit flies.“
However as destiny – and a standard ardour – would have it, they might ultimately be a part of entrepreneurial forces.
Of their early twenties then, the trio typically received collectively to do what was typical for younger adults their age – going to bars and having a drink or two.
They have been, nonetheless, no common patrons.
Fascinated by the cocktail-making course of, they might strike up conversations with bartenders, asking about drinks, the substances that went into creating them, and principally every thing concerning the craft.
With each go to, their curiosity in bartending grew. Finally, the fellows determined to deliver the bars to them.
They began to recreate drinks at dwelling. However arduous as they tried, they weren’t capable of replicate the standard of the mixes they’d loved once they have been out.
That was as a result of all they might discover was low-cost, low-quality syrups that simply weren’t ok for premium craft cocktails.
“We realized shortly that numerous the craft bars on the town have been making their non-alcoholic syrups in-house,” says Robert.
So in true entrepreneurial spirit, the trio determined to concoct their very own.
“We might go dwelling and begin making these merchandise on stovetops for our family and friends at barbecues and get-togethers,” says Robert.
What started as extra of a home-bartending passion crafting first-rate syrups quickly spiraled.
“We received fairly good at developing with this stuff and other people began suggesting that we promote them.”
With that, the primary seed for Liber & Co. was planted.
The blokes determined to call the model after the Roman god Liber Pater, who’s additionally generally referred to as the God of wine.
A Very Arms-on Market Analysis Course of
To create high quality syrups ok to fire up the bartending sector, numerous analysis is required.
Robert, Adam, and Chris accomplish that by learning market tendencies.
Nevertheless, that’s not one thing that may be finished from the consolation of an workplace chair. It really requires a little bit of legwork – nevertheless it’s a course of the fellows aren’t complaining about.
“Market analysis is enjoyable!” says Robert.
Given the character of their product, a giant a part of Liber & Co.’s analysis course of includes what most individuals would do as an after-work exercise – hitting up bars.
“We go to bars, we go to eating places, we attempt drinks, see what one of the best bartenders are doing in-house, after which we sort of deliver it again to the lab,” explains Chris.
Their aim? To emulate the craft of bartending from the crème de la crème.
“We attempt arduous to make our syrups echo what’s going on behind the bars at one of the best bars on the earth,” says Robert.
However that doesn’t imply copying each single factor about these top-quality drinks. For Liber & Co. to even think about bringing a product to market, sure standards need to be met.
“If we will pull it off and if it’s trending, then we’ll often take a crack at it,” explains Chris.
In-Home Manufacturing
Although not all concepts make it to manufacturing, Liber & Co. has one thing that performs in its favor.
The corporate owns its personal manufacturing, which suggests it doesn’t need to depend on any manufacturing limitations an exterior associate might have.
With that, the fellows know precisely what they’ll and can’t do.
Even with their very own manufacturing capabilities, they nonetheless have to make sure that the uncooked supplies they use are additionally as much as normal.
“We have now to be sure that it really works for us, that we will supply these substances, that there’s an awesome farm or provide behind these substances that we will entry,” explains Chris.
Manufacturing just isn’t the one factor that Liber & Co. does in-house. As soon as a product is crafted, the model additionally takes it upon itself to conduct its personal high quality assurance.
Flavors For Each Season and Event
Having full management over their manufacturing course of offers Liber & Co. the room it must experiment with new flavors and produce a large assortment of syrups.
To make sure high quality, the corporate chooses its suppliers very fastidiously to make sure it has entry to nothing however one of the best substances. Taste apart, its merchandise are additionally made to be loved for a very long time and have a minimal shelf lifetime of 18 months.
At present, Liber & Co.’s portfolio boasts such a wealthy vary of premium syrups, its clients don’t have any issues discovering one (or extra) that’s an ideal match for each drink and season.
Take their Toasted Coconut Syrup, as an illustration.
Made with toasted coconut meat for a contact of nuttiness after which blended with cane sugar and cold-pressed lemon oil, it’s the right combine for the hotter months.
Liber & Co. additionally affords classics like Actual Grenadine and Premium Tonic Syrup.
The latter is made with superior substances together with pure quinine, zesty citrus, and pure cane sugar. Although its taste is specifically created to enhance premium dry gins, it will also be combined with membership soda for an much more superior tonic water or added to novel cocktails.
Although the model companions with plenty of companies and sells wholesale, it additionally does B2C, and one in all its key goal teams is dwelling bartenders.
To cater to them, Liber & Co.’s Instagram account and YouTube channel are loaded with cocktail recipes to spark inspiration – like this one right here that includes its Basic Gum Syrup.
“It Actually Brings Out the Greatest in You”
Robert, Adam, and Chris have come a great distance from making drinks for his or her household and pals.
Since they began Liber & Co., they’ve grown the enterprise to a group of ten.
However the success just isn’t with out its challenges.
“Day by day, there’s one thing new occurring, fires to place out, issues to unravel, and challenges to beat,” says Robert.
The crew isn’t the one factor that’s expanded. Their clientele checklist, too, has ballooned.
“We work with hundreds of bars and eating places throughout the nation and retailers in each state,” says Robert.
Because it stands, the corporate is rising at 50 p.c 12 months after 12 months – one thing the fellows are hoping to maintain effectively into the long run.
And as powerful as it could actually generally get, they know that it’s all a part of the training course of and is an expertise they relish.
“It actually brings out one of the best in you. It brings out one of the best in your group,” says Robert.
Three guys stroll right into a bar… to ship the newest batch of their very personal Liber & Co.-produced premium craft bar syrups.
Buy Liber & Co.’s merchandise wholesale from their Handshake profile web page. Costs begin at $10.
