March 30, 2023
Lobos 1707 Tequila & Mezcal Offers Look Into Its Heritage And Diverse Leadership
A weekend of 5-star arrangements in sunny Los Angeles….don’t mind if I do! BLACK ENTERPRISE was invited to Hollywood to join the Lobos 1707 Tequila & Mezcal wolf pack on its first-ever branded press trip.
With accommodations at the lavish L’Ermitage Beverly Hills, guests entered luxury suites that were decked out with Lobos 1707 amenities. A welcome cocktail ahead of a four-course candlelit dinner and cocktail tasting at the hotel’s L’Restaurant started the weekend.
One look at Lobos’ Instagram page shows how well-connected the independent spirits producer is with the Hollywood elite. With names like LeBron James, Drake, and Draymond Green as loyal members of its “Wolf Pack,” Lobos 1707 stays true to its “culture forward” business model.
Inspired by his ancestor of the same name, founder and chief creative officer Diego Osorio launched Lobos 1707 in 2020 with CEO and brand-builder Dia Simms and James, the basketball icon.
Osorio and Simms were front and center for the specially curated experience that included dinners at Tatel Beverly Hills and Beauty and Essex, brunch at the renowned Waldorf Astoria, and VIP accommodations at Crypto.com Arena where LeBron returned to the Lakers after missing 13 games due to an injury.
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Named after the Spanish word for “wolves,” guests also enjoyed time with rescued wolves at the Wolf Connection sanctuary in Palmdale, California, with which Lobos 1707 is partnered. After learning about the sanctuary and the inspiring stories of the rescued wolves, Osorio guided guests through an immersive tasting experience of the Lobos 1707 liquids, including a breakdown of the rich history of the brand, and the creation of each liquid.
It was no question when it came to launching Lobos with Simms. Osorio takes pride in securing the “perfect person for the job,” as he told BLACK ENTERPRISE. Her extensive spirits background includes serving as President of Combs Wine & Spirits and overseeing the strategic execution of all Cîroc Ultra Premium Vodka and DeLeón Tequila.
But when it came to joining the Lobos team, Simms’ big move had nothing to do with the fact an NBA champion was already an early investor.
“We’re thrilled to have all of our celebrity backing, but the star of our brand is the liquid in our tequila,” she tells BLACK ENTERPRISE.
Simms’ leadership at a company competing in a male-dominated industry is just a small highlight of all the Lobos women leading their wolf pack. With executive leadership that boasts over 50% of women and slightly over 50% of women within the company as a whole, Lobos 1707 is setting new standards in the spirits industry.
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Boasting a diverse company made up primarily of women and people of color, Lobos has become a leader in its “culture forward” approach to the booze business. And with Simms at the forefront, she remains focused on the brand’s mission to “build a bigger table” by bringing in more diverse professionals and building deeper connections with consumers.
“You have to be intentional about giving options to those who have less options,” she says.
When it comes to women leading the pack, Simms wants to remind women, especially Black women, about what’s on the other side of being fearless.
“Don’t be scared to be audacious because you’re standing on quite the foundation,” she says. “We make amazing look so easy that we even take it for granted ourselves.”
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The results speak for themselves. In just three years of business, Lobos 1707 has won the Best Reposado Tequila award at the 2022 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, was recognized as a finalist and a top 100 spirit at the 2022 Ultimate Spirits Challenge, received a double gold medal at the 2022 SIP Awards, and gold medals at the 2022 iterations of the New York International Spirits Competition and Tequila & Mezcal Masters.
Cheers to the Pack!