Kevin Hart’s Gran Coramino Tequila has disbursed over $1 million to over 100 Black and Latinx small business owners.

The premium Tequila brand was co-founded in 2022 with 11th-generational tequila maker Juan Domingo Beckmann. The Coramino Fund supports entrepreneurs in partnership with its U.S. impact partner, the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC).

“As an entrepreneur myself,” Kevin Hart, co-founder of Gran Coramino Tequila, noted. “I’ve seen how early financial support can impact the business’s long-term success. The Coramino Fund was created to support some of the hardest working people out there — entrepreneurs and small business owners,” he continued.

“Small businesses are the economic backbone of communities,” Michael T. Pugh, LISC president and CEO, said, “but many owners lack fair access to the capital and services they need to grow. We are grateful to Gran Coramino for recognizing the systemic barriers that impact the success of underrepresented entrepreneurs and developing a give-back strategy to help address them. When we invest in these businesses,” he added, “we are also investing in the well-being of the communities where they operate.”

What Gran Coramino’s Beneficiaries Are Saying

Over the last two years, $1 has been dedicated to supporting underrepresented business owners for every bottle of tequila sold. The funding has reached over 100 entrepreneurs, providing them with $10,000 grants to enhance their businesses.

The funding recipients come from various sectors, including retail, food services, and education. In the latest round of funding, 50 businesses were selected, reflecting the diverse fabric of our society. Over half (52%) are Black-owned, 36% are Latin-owned, and 66% are women-owned businesses, fostering a sense of inclusivity and connection.

When Chef Frances Roman, owner of Puerto Rican restaurant Cocotazo in New York City, discovered she was a Coramino Fund grantee, she was both wary and grateful. 

She shared, “As a business owner, you face ups and downs, and the Coramino Fund grant came when we needed it most. We could buy more equipment to cater to larger clients and invest in advertising. Since then, we’ve hired three more women and are outgrowing the space! This is the power of the Coramino Fund.”

Jasmine Davis, Founder/CEO of Sweet Jazz Treats Bakery in Cincinnati, Ohio, was also a grant recipient of the Coramino Fund. Davis shared that the funds she received helped her hire more bakers, increase their inventory, and help create more opportunities within her community, including internships.

“I would like to thank Kevin and the Coramino Fund for allowing Sweet Jazz Treats Bakery to continue to grow. Being a business owner, especially a minority business owner, has its difficulties. Still, this grant has helped me see I can continue to build and grow, and the sky is the limit.”

More About Gran Coramino Tequila

Gran Coramino Tequila also supports entrepreneurs in Tequila, Mexico, where their tequilas are made, partnering with the Beckmann Foundation.

Later this year, and through its strategic partners, the brand is expanding its Coramino Fund programming to entrepreneurs throughout Mexico with a new impact partner and renowned university, Tec de Monterrey.

Gran Coramino’s Cristalino tequila starts in Eastern European oak barrels, then gets a California Cabernet wine cask finish, all for a smooth, crystal-clear taste. The brand includes an Añejo expression, offering a silky smooth tequila taste with a long and sweet cognac-laced finish.