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Grand Teton Distillery is an American-owned and operated craft distillery, now in its 9th year making award winning vodka, bourbon and whiskey. We believe that today’s snow is tomorrow’s spirits, so we source our water directly from the Grand Teton mountain range.
We believe that USA-made and owned spirits are as good, if not better than the more well-known, familiar foreign brands that dominate the market today. It is our mission to create high quality hand crafted spirits that exemplify the grandeur of our surrounding environment, while encouraging distributors to handle and promote USA craft products as well as they do foreign brands.
The Problem
Historically, the spirits industry has been dominated by multi-billion dollar foreign-owned brands and access to the industry has been controlled by multi-billion dollar distributors. The market for spirit companies that are American-made, produced and owned is infinitesimal compared to the mega-foreign companies. As recent as 2004, there were fewer than 100 distilleries within the US. Most well-known vodka brands and even many Kentucky bourbon brands are now owned offshore.
It is hard for small American craft brands to compete and gain market share, but little by little the American craft spirit industry is growing much like craft beer in the 80s and 90s.
The Solution
The Grand Teton Distillery began operations in mid-2012 and prides itself on using local and regional ingredients, natural fruit, sustainable energy practices, and water sourced directly from the Grand Teton mountains.
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We currently produce many award-winning spirits, including our Grand Teton Potato Vodka, Grand Teton Huckleberry Vodka, Grand Teton Cherry Vodka “Vishnovka”, and Born and Bred Vodka, made for actor/owner Channing Tatum. In addition, we also produce Colter’s Run Whiskey Small Batch Bourbon (Double Gold medal-winning), Catamount Whiskey Single Barrel Bourbon, Gamekeeper Whiskey Wheat Mash, and Grand Teton Malt Whiskey an American Single Malt.
The Market
Spirits are considered by investment advisors to be “recession resistant” investments, as sales continue to grow exponentially. The craft market in 2019 was $3.7 billion and the US craft spirits market is expected to reach $20 billion by 2023 with a CAGR of 32% (Source).
Our Traction
During our eight years of operations, Grand Teton Distillery has done over $8 million in sales. Our spirits are consistently ranked among the highest awards at national competitions.
Our 2012-2020 achievements include:
The Company has won the top awards, multiple Double Gold Medals, for both its vodka and its whiskey. Grand Teton Potato Vodka consistently ranked in the top five vodkas in the world, reaching #2 in the world one year based on aggregate reviews and awards, during its first 5 years while actively entering competition. Colter’s Run Bourbon won a Double Gold from the Wine & Spirit Wholesalers Competition in Orlando and Catamount Bourbon got 92 points from Wine Enthusiast Magazine.
Grand Teton Distillery products have been sold in 23 states, plus Canada and the UK. In 2014, actor Channing Tatum made a major investment in our distillery and formed a partnership with us to design a vodka called Born and Bred. Our vodka has been featured in two of his latest movies, “Kingsman - Golden Circle” and “Logan Lucky”.
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What We Do
At Grand Teton Distillery, we source all our raw materials locally and regionally. The huckleberries for our Huckleberry Vodka, for example, grow wild and are sourced from the surrounding mountains. Our location in Teton Valley, Idaho, is adjacent to thousands of acres of potatoes, barley, and rye production and there is a potato processing plant 50 miles down the road, which supplies our potatoes for all of our vodkas. A local farmer in Teton Valley grows and malts barley for our single malt whiskey, which is our first “grain to glass” product.
For cooling water, we have a buried tank holding one thousand gallons of water and we recirculate our cooling water, saving thousands of gallons each year. We have two deep wells on our property, one for production and proofing and one as an injection well where cooling water goes to recharge/recool after use. Our well, charged by the snow melt from the Tetons, provides pristine glacial mountain water for proofing our spirits. The water is filtered, but does not require chemical treatment.
The Business Model
We began as a small start-up, after the 2008 recession, with a plan to keep costs low, avoid debt, and allow time to grow our brand. We set up multiple revenue sources with a gift shop/tasting room, tours, and a license from our state to sell our products on site. Because we were able to get off the ground in just 10 months (compared to the 18 to 36 month MBA start-up model), we ran a “Distillery College” charging tuition to teach other potential craft start-ups how to negotiate the pitfalls, and thereby increasing our cash flow for working capital.
Because we sourced our equipment directly from the manufacturer rather than through middle-man vendors, we are able to sell distillery equipment to other distillers, as another source of revenue. In our liquor production, we keep costs low by ordering our raw materials, bottles, and closures in truck load quantities and negotiate potato and grain prices by contract on an annual basis.
How We Are Different
Much like the craft brewery industry, there has been rapid growth in craft distilleries over the last 16 years, from just 69 to over 2000 distilleries across the US. However, as with any rapid growth industry, we are beginning to see a shake out, as smaller, under-capitalized distilleries close. While the failure rate of small businesses is highest in the first three years, we are currently in our 9th year, working out of a large un-mortgaged 3.5 acre site, with great profitability.
We have won the highest awards in the industry for our quality on virtually every product we produce. We have reached a point where we are past the initial start-up hurdles, with multiple sources of revenue and two celebrity shareholders to help promote our products. Grand Teton Distillery has recognized regionally distributed products and a loyal customer base, and is poised and well positioned to move to the next level.
The Vision
We have been approved for an additional 10,000 sq ft expansion, which will be able to accommodate the production of over 100,000 cases. The first phase of building will begin in the spring of 2021 and we have the preliminary approval for a $1.4 million SBA loan, to only be used for equipment, buildings and land. Our expanded facility will include a destination-level tasting room and gift shop and expanded parking for guests and buses.
We have a marketing plan in place, which we expect will grow our sales to 12,000 cases per annum and make us attractive as a partner, merger, or acquisition to larger entities with distribution power to push our brands and company to the next level. Our strategic partnership with celebrities like Channing Tatum, if promoted well, will also highlight the company and give it a national stature rather than a regional one.
OUR LEADERSHIP
Our founders, Lea and Bill, started out with just a vacant 3.5 acre piece of land on a state highway and transformed it into a fully functioning distillery with a stellar product, in just 10 months. Our head distiller, John, had the skill and palate to produce an award winning vodka on the first try and has continued to produce award winning spirits with each new product. Andrew joined a bit later to take over day-to-day operations, strategic planning, and direct sales, while Karyn took over office operations.
Drusilla Lawton is among our newest board members, with a degree from Yale, an MBA from NYU, and world finance and securities experience in London and New York, with JP Morgan and BNY Mellon. John Bell has joined our board, as well, and contributes his extensive business growth experience, owning a $100 million company with business across all 50 states
Why Invest
Spirits are a fun business and our shareholders get great discounts. With the US craft spirits market expected to reach $20 billion by 2023, there is tremendous growth potential in American-owned craft distilleries. With celebrity partnerships, strategic marketing and numerous awards under our belt, Grand Teton Distillery is poised to be a major player in that growth!
Company | : | Grand Teton Vodka, Inc. |
Corporate Address | : | 1775 N Hwy 33, Driggs, ID 83422 |
Offering Minimum | : | $9,999.00 |
Offering Maximum | : | $1,069,992.00 |
Minimum Investment Amount(per investor) | : | $275.00 |
Offering Type | : | Equity |
Security Name | : | Class N Common Stock |
Minimum Number of Shares Offered | : | 1,818 |
Maximum Number of Shares Offered | : | 194,544 |
Price per Share | : | $5.50 |
Pre-Money Valuation | : | $21,531,422.00 |
*Maximum number of shares offered subject to adjustment for bonus shares. See bonus info below.
COVID Relief
This offering is being conducted on an expedited basis due to circumstances relating to COVID-19 and pursuant to the SEC’s temporary COVID-19 regulatory relief set out in Regulation Crowdfunding §227.201(z).
Expedited closing sooner than 21 days.
Further, in reliance on Regulation Crowdfunding §227.303(g)(2) A funding portal that is an intermediary in a transaction involving the offer or sale of securities initiated between May 4, 2020, and February 28, 2021, in reliance on section 4(a)(6) of the Securities Act (15 U.S.C. 77d(a)(6)) by an issuer that is conducting an offering on an expedited basis due to circumstances relating to COVID-19 shall not be required to comply with the requirement in paragraph (e)(3)(i) of this section that a funding portal not direct a transmission of funds earlier than 21 days after the date on which the intermediary makes publicly available on its platform the information required to be provided by the issuer under §§227.201 and 227.203(a).
Investment Incentives and Bonuses
Time-Based Perks:
Friends and Family Early Birds
Invest within the first 48 hours and receive 20% bonus shares.
Super Early Bird Bonus
Invest within the first week and receive additional 15% bonus shares.
Early Bird Bonus
Invest within the first two weeks and receive an additional 10% bonus shares.
Amount Based Perks:
$550+ Investment - 20% discount in gift shop/tasting room and online. (Note: We cannot ship alcohol to every state or outside of the U.S.)
$1,100+ Investment - Lower level plus a Grand Teton Distillery T-Shirt
$2,750+ Investment - Lower level plus a pair of Grand Teton Distillery Copper Mugs
$5,500+ Investment - Lower level plus a Grand Teton Distillery Sweatshirt
$11,000+ Investment - Lower level plus an Age Your Own Whiskey Barrel
$27,500+ Investment - Lower level plus a private tour & tasting with Master Distiller + 5% bonus shares
$55,000+ Investment - Lower levels plus first access to Grand Teton Private Stock Whiskey and a Distillery experience bottling your own case of whiskey + 10% bonus shares
$110,000+ Investment - Lower levels plus a weekend for 2 as guests of Grand Teton Distillery Founders in Teton Valley, Idaho (includes lodging, meals, and entertainment for U.S. based investors only) + 15% bonus shares
$275,000+ Investment - Lower levels plus a snowmobile tour of Yellowstone National Park in winter + 20% bonus shares
*All perks occur when the offering is completed.
The 10% StartEngine Owners' Bonus
Grand Teton Vodka, Inc. (dba Grand Teton Distillery) will offer 10% additional bonus shares for all investments that are committed by investors that are eligible for the StartEngine Crowdfunding Inc. OWNer's bonus.
This means eligible StartEngine shareholders will receive a 10% bonus for any shares they purchase in this offering. For example, if you buy 100 shares of Class N Common Stock at $5.50 / share, you will receive 110 shares of Common Stock, meaning you'll own 110 shares for $550. Fractional shares will not be distributed and share bonuses will be determined by rounding down to the nearest whole share.
This 10% Bonus is only valid during the investors eligibility period. Investors eligible for this bonus will also have priority if they are on a waitlist to invest and the company surpasses its maximum funding goal. They will have the first opportunity to invest should room in the offering become available if prior investments are cancelled or fail.
Investors will only receive a single bonus, which will be the highest bonus rate they are eligible for.
A crowdfunding investment involves risk. You should not invest any funds in this offering unless you can afford to lose your entire investment. In making an investment decision, investors must rely on their own examination of the issuer and the terms of the offering, including the merits and risks involved. These securities have not been recommended or approved by any federal or state securities commission or regulatory authority. Furthermore, these authorities have not passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of this document. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission does not pass upon the merits of any securities offered or the terms of the offering, nor does it pass upon the accuracy or completeness of any offering document or literature. These securities are offered under an exemption from registration; however, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has not made an independent determination that these securities are exempt from registration.
[The following is an automated notice from the StartEngine team].
Hello!
As you might know, Grand Teton Distillery has exceeded its minimum funding goal. When a company reaches its minimum on StartEngine, it's about to begin withdrawing funds. If you invested in Grand Teton Distillery be on the lookout for an email that describes more about the disbursement process.
This campaign will continue to accept investments until its indicated closing date.
Thanks for funding the future.
-StartEngine
Shareholder, Channing Tatum, touting our Born and Bred vodka. Chan is out working on new movie projects and is filming a new movie with Sandra Bullock as well as making his directorial debut this year.
Our plan for the expansion of our distillery plant from the present 8200 square feet to a total of 15,000 square feet is moving forward. Our SBA loan is in process and we plan to break ground as soon as the weather permits this spring. In Teton Valley, we have snow on the ground from November to March or April each year and a "mud season" on both sides of that, so our time envelope for building in our high alpine-type valley is short each year. To remind you of how great this new addition will be and how much it will enhance our brands and our company, we are attaching the drawing and plans for the expansion which will include a large 2000 square foot new tasting room/private barrel room/gift shop as well as a large, landscaped parking and picnic spot to accommodate tour busses and larger groups, as well as more space for our new products.
As always, contact us if you have any questions or recommendations on how we can better serve you.
Lea Beckett, CEO
If you have already invested, and invested $550 or above, we can start setting you up for your 20% discount in our system. Contact us through our website about getting setup.
Our year-end P & L is ready and shows a profit (before depreciation) of $280,978.56. Based on outstanding shares as of December 31, 2020, this is $0.20 per share. Of note for future reference, is the expense of $28,347.68 for custom fees. This is the the tariff on Chinese goods (imposed in March 2018) that US companies must pay on things purchased in China. Prior to that, there were no tariffs on the glass and steel bottles, and equipment that we imported. There are a few glass bottle manufacturers in the US, which manufacture bottles for liquor, but even with the tariff it is still cheaper to import. The majority of glass companies in the US import their glass from China, SE Asia, or Europe. There is not a single stainless steel bottle manufacturer in the US. We are hopeful that these tariffs will be rescinded or reduced soon. If there had been no tariffs, our profit this year would be 10% higher. Additionally, at the end of 2020, the federal excise tax relief was made permanent. This lowered the per bottle tax from $2.14/bottle to approximately $0.43/bottle. This tax relief currently saves us over $100,000/yr.
Grand Teton Private Stock Whiskey Straight Corn Whiskey will be the first release of our Private Stock whiskey series. It is a 100% Idaho corn whiskey, milled, distilled, matured, and bottled by us. This is the first whiskey distilled by us and put into a barrel. At time of release, it will be just over 6 yrs old, making it the oldest Idaho whiskey. There is a very limited supply that will be offered to shareholders first, than as an allocation to Idaho and neighboring states.
https://vegasspiritawards.com/awards/
Recently released Grand Teton Malt, our "grain to glass" newest whiskey offering won a Platinum award at Global Spirits competition in Las Vegas in December, 2020. Grand Teton Malt was made from locally grown and malted barley from a farm in Teton Valley Idaho and aged for 4 years in our award winning Colter's Run bourbon barrels and then finished in a second aging red wine barrel from our friends at Jackson Hole winery. The result is a wonderfully complex and incredibly smooth tasting spirit that is a great sipping whiskey; just the way we like to enjoy a malt whiskey. It is available now at all liquor stores in Idaho and in selected stores by special order in Wyoming. It is also available in our tasting room and liquor store on site. Ask for it at your liquor store.
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