Altos Tequila-backed, The Tahona Society, announces the winners of their international, sustainability-focused competition for bartenders.
In Guadalajara, Mexico, from 26th-29th June, the finale of Altos’ global competition saw 12 bartenders from around the world go head-to-head as they pitched their sustainability and welfare-focused initiatives.
Jenny Teasdale and Jeffrey Garcia’s project Green Apple: Zero Glass Waste Cartagena won the $50,000 grant, making their dream of reducing glass waste, creating jobs and encouraging recycling in the Columbian city one step closer to reality.
“The Tahona Society Competition will be life-changing – not just for us, but for our local community in Cartagena. Glass waste in Cartagena has long been problematic, but our winning project, Green Apple: Zero Glass Waste, aims to recycle up to 25% of the glass waste generated by tourism in the city within two years.
“We’re incredibly grateful to The Tahona Society and Altos Tequila for this opportunity, and we’re looking forward to putting the $50,000 grant to good use as we begin building the first industrial glass recycling centre in the city,” said Teasdale.
The grand-final win is the result of many months’ work for Teasdale and Garcia, who won their local final in Colombia and underwent intensive coaching with business and marketing experts, including Kirén Miret, Executive Producer of Mexico and Colombia’s Shark Tank reality television series, Dré Masso, Co-Founder of Altos Tequila, Luis Antonio Espino, Private Strategic Communications Consultant, Michael Merolli, CEO at House of Tequila, Pernod Ricard, and Elliot Kotek, CEO and Founder of The Nation of Artists on The Tahona Society Competition’s expert judging panel.
Dré Masso, Altos Tequila and The Tahona Society Co-Founder said The Tahona Society Competition is growing in popularity as sustainability remains a critical issue that transcends the bartending community.
“We’re continually inspired by the calibre and variety of projects created by our collective of bartenders and Green Apple: Zero Glass Waste is a prime example of an initiative which embodies Altos Tequila’s core values of recycling and waste reduction,” he said.
Carlos Andrés Ramírez, Global Advocacy & PR Manager at Pernod Ricard House of Tequila, added: “Through The Tahona Society, we have pioneered expert training not just in Tequila but in the art of bartending and sustainable bar practices for almost 15 years. And we’re seeing the benefits of this education come to life through the sheer quality of projects The Tahona Society Competition generates.
“We want to say a huge congratulations to Jenny and Jeffrey of Green Apple: Zero Waste Cartagena, a breakthrough project which will make huge strides in reducing glass waste in this city. We’re looking forward to joining you on the journey towards making a success of this business venture and taking it beyond just Cartagena.”
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