Today’s guest is Ceasar Garza, or as he’s known around here, Champi. Champi was an early doubter of the 5 Rabbit Cerveceria concept, but as a good friend, and someone who trusts its founder, Andres Araya, inherently, he invested financially, left Mexico, and joined him at the brewery in Chicago. Since then, Champi has seen his world turn upside down as he tried to understand a unique American city, the subculture of craft beer, and ultimately helping leads sales and marketing for the county’s first latin-inspired brewery. He finally seems to have his feet under him. Which is the ideal time to flip the script again. Champi is going back to Mexico. And this time, it’ll be his job to convince people that 5 Rabbit isn’t a crazy idea.
And that’s because the future for 5 Rabbit involves opening an operation back home, and exploring the opportunity for craft beer in South America. Much like larger craft brands have seen the Latin market as fertile new ground (Lagunitas for example, is building a third brewery in Azusa with this in mind) 5 Rabbit sees something much more fundamental in that opportunity. They see Latin American markets as a place where curious beer drinkers might be ready for their own home-grown movement toward adventurous, inspired beers that reflect their culture. And no one I know is in a better position to do that then 5 Rabbit - and Champi will help lead that charge.
So how does a guy go from being a reluctant friend investing in a brewery, to helping open up a new market, a new continent in this case? Well, that’s what were here to find out.