LOS ANGELES–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Celaya Tequila, the craft tequila brand founded by brothers and former NFL players Matt & Ryan Kalil, is excited to announce a distribution agreement with Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits, the world’s preeminent distributor of beverage alcohol. Through this agreement with Southern Glazer’s, Celaya Tequila is now available in Arizona and California.
Prior to founding Celaya Tequila, Matt & Ryan Kalil were both All-American football players at USC and went on to have successful NFL careers. Matt Kalil, selected fourth overall in the 2012 NFL Draft, spent most of his career with the Minnesota Vikings. Ryan Kalil, a second-round pick in the 2007 NFL Draft, was a five-time Pro Bowler while playing for the Carolina Panthers.
“We launched Celaya Tequila to honor and celebrate our abuela, Frecia, and her grandfather, Jose Celaya, who crafted homemade tequila on his Sonora Ranch in the 1850s,” said Matt Kalil, Celaya’s co-founder & CEO.
“Our dream with Celaya was to create a tequila as good as our great-great-grandfather’s, and through our partnership with Southern Glazer’s, we’re excited to scale production and make that dream a reality,” continued Matt Kalil.
Though originally a limited edition run of 1,000 bottles for family & friends, Celaya Tequila is now carried at hundreds of bars, restaurants, and retailers throughout the Greater Los Angeles Area.
“While we’re humbled with the early reception of Celaya Tequila by both consumers and trade, we’re thrilled to partner with Southern Glazer’s to bring Celaya to more tequila enthusiasts in Arizona and California,” said co-founder Ryan Kalil. “We believe that Southern Glazer’s industry expertise and vast network will help us expand our reach and showcase our tequila to a wider audience.”
In addition to founders Matt & Ryan Kalil, Celaya’s leadership team consists of a pair of 25-year industry veterans in CCO Joel Selesnick, a former VP of Sales at Patron Tequila, and CFO Edgar Garcia. “We have an incredible opportunity ahead of us. The Celaya Family story is organic and inspirational, and we’re excited to have Southern Glazer’s on our side to spread the word,” commented Selesnick.
Celaya Tequila is currently available in three varieties: Blanco, Reposado, and Añejo. In addition to CA and AZ, all three expressions can be purchased online in 34 states at drinkcelaya.com.
