Black History Month is a time for honoring and sharing the stories of African Americans of yesterday and today. In the beverage industry, Nayana Ferguson is leaving her mark on history with her own tequila brand, Anteel Tequila.

Co-founding the business with her husband, Don, Ferguson first got the idea to start a tequila brand after she and her husband were on vacation in the Dominican Republic in 2016. At the time, they were celebrating her husband’s birthday and he proposed to Ferguson.

In 2017, after job changes and losses, Ferguson and her husband discussed potential business and investment ideas. She asked him if he could do anything in the world, what would he do? His reply was to own a tequila company, but did not believe they could do it. Ferguson asked, “Why not?”

“Two days later, I found the distillery that we still work with today, I put together a plan, crunched some numbers and came up with a budget for a small batch of tequila,” the CEO recalls. “This was the beginning of something that would change our lives forever. Within 11 months, on Aug. 27, 2018, Anteel Tequila was on the market and on the shelves.”

Ferguson, who is a pancreatic and breast cancer survivor, is particular about what she puts into her body. Because tequila is made naturally from the agave plant, it is gluten-free, low in carbohydrates, low in sugars and low in calories. Ferguson can drink tequila without many after effects.

Anteel Tequila, which was born in Ferguson’s hometown of Detroit, has won more than 100 awards and accolades since 2019.

“As a Black woman owner and the first Black woman to lead and co-own a tequila brand, I am extremely grateful to be able to create a path for others to follow, where we can create brands that speak to our ingenuity, culture and vision,” Ferguson says. “It is extremely important to me to make sure that I am helping to inspire women to create and execute whatever vision they have for their lives and to bring diversity in the areas they choose to be a part of.

“Women must be fearless when creating the businesses that they are passionate about and not let obstacles deter them,” she continues. “I look forward to continuing to move forward on this path and bringing other women with me, so that we all can create our legacies.”

Anteel Tequila currently features five expressions in its portfolio, including a Coconut Lime Blanco tequila and a Tarocco Blood Orange Blanco, Ferguson shares.

“All of our expressions have won multiple awards in major international spirit competitions, amassing over 100 awards/accolades, 125 to be exact (and counting) since 2019,” she says. “The Anteel Tequila portfolio is unique due to the world’s only Coconut Lime Blanco tequila, our Reposado is aged in Tennessee whiskey barrels, whereas a majority of Reposados are aged in American White Oak barrels, and, as the first Black woman-led and co-owned tequila brand, we have a unique story.”

There are plans to expand the portfolio with another expression in the future, Ferguson notes. The brand has many significant accolades, but winning platinum awards, double gold awards and consumer’s choice awards several years in a row are “very significant” for the brand.

Available in 15 states, Ferguson says that the brand has a growing distribution footprint and is available through key retail and on-premise locations.

“We also have partnerships with major distributors to expand our reach, making our award-winning tequila accessible to more consumers,” she states. “Additionally, customers can purchase Anteel Tequila online in select states, allowing for convenience, direct-to-consumer (DTC) delivery.”

As the brand continues to grow, it is actively expanding its presence in new markets. The brand will be strategic with its expansion goals, Ferguson concludes.