Making craft cocktails at home just got easier with Modica Superfood Cocktail Mix
By Elizabeth Scinta
Photos provided by Modica
When Eric Wentworth and JD Mitchell met in business school getting their MBA in entrepreneurship, they began to tackle the crucial question of “How can I make a great cocktail in the easiest way possible?” The answer came to them in the form of a superfood cocktail mixer.
“Eric and I both enjoy a nice cocktail, but we were both working during the day and getting our MBAs in the evening. Even though it seems kind of silly, the amount of time it takes to prepare a nice cocktail and the energy that goes into that at the end of the day was maybe a little bit more than we could muster after 15-16 hour days. So, we started thinking more and more about cocktail mixers,” explained Mitchell, “I think ultimately you have consumers with a lot of experience like Eric, who own two bars and restaurants, which is one end of the spectrum, someone who is really into cocktails. Then there are regular people like me who find it kind of hard to even squeeze a lime. So, finding something that married those two proclivities was really helpful.”
Eric Wentworth and JD Mitchell.
Thus, Modica, the superfood cocktail mix, was created. Through numerous taste testings and learning about all of the different superfoods, they created three different flavors available for purchase: Tumeric Ginger Mule, Cucumber Aloe Margarita and Tart Cherry Old Fashioned. “Playing around with superfoods gave us a great launching point because they encompass so many unique flavors. That helps create cocktails that are really interesting and unique,” explained Wentworth. Modica superfood mixers are healthy mixers that contain only 35 calories and make it quick and easy for you to craft an astonishing cocktail.
“It’s all-natural, there’s nothing artificial and no preservatives. Every flavor features a superfood ingredient, so that’s our focus as a way to quickly tell consumers that it’s better for you. It’s low sugar due to our blend of cane sugar and stevia that we sweeten it with, and it also contains vitamins and antioxidants,” explained Wentworth.
For their initial offerings of products, they wanted a variety of different flavors for consumers to choose from so they could draw the eye of all kinds of people. “If you wanted something a little earthy and spicy, then there’s an option for that with our mule. If it is a hot day and you want something cool and refreshing there’s the margarita, which is also great if you had a vacation planned this year and had to cancel that. Even right now with winter and it getting cold outside, the old-fashioned is great for bundling up and staying inside. So just trying to think of all the different ways people will enjoy having cocktails and what are some flavors we think really embody those experiences,” said Mitchell.
Modica is currently being sold online as well as in a few stores in the Louisville area. You can find Modica at Rainbow Blossom in St. Matthews as well as the Highlands store, The Wine Rack and Westport Whiskey & Wine; soon to be available in Liquor Barn and Party Mart, according to Wentworth. Stay up to date about where to find Modica by following them on Instagram, @drinkmodica and visiting their website, drinkmodica.com.
Wentworth and Mitchell both want to emphasize that you should never feel guilty about drinking and having a cocktail, but that it’s about balance. “We’re really excited to start talking to people about balance. You can have a cocktail and it’s not going to undo your diet or undo all of the work you’ve put in throughout the day. You can totally have a margarita at the end of the day and it’s not going to ruin everything you did up to that point. [We want people to] think about reframing cocktails. You can celebrate all of your victories at the end of the day too,” explained Mitchell.
With all of the Modica mixers’ flavors sounding so good, I asked Wentworth and Mitchell what their favorites were to help narrow down all of the cocktail possibilities. Currently, Mitchell loves the Cucumber Aloe Margarita and the Tart Cherry Old Fashioned mix. “I love doing the one-to-one margarita. So the Cucumber Aloe Margarita mix with tequila is so simple, quick and easy; I can have one while making dinner. On the weekend, I’ve started using the old-fashioned mix and adding just a little bit of that to red wine to make a mulled wine, and that has been awesome, especially as it gets colder.”
Wentworth had a harder time narrowing down a favorite, but he did say he’s been using the Tart Cherry Old Fashioned mix more as it’s been getting colder outside, as well as the two-minute eggnog recipe they’ve just put up on their website. “We’ve created a lot of fun recipes that you can use on our website. There is the standard recipe on the back of the bottle that’s quick and easy, which is just the spirit, the mixer and a garnish. Each mix is designed to make mocktails as well as cocktails, and there is a mocktail recipe on the back of each bottle for non-drinkers as well. But if you want to change it up with something a bit more elevated, but still very simple, we have a lot of amazing recipes on our website for you to choose from,” explained Wentworth.
Make sure to stay up to date with all things Modica by following their Instagram! Stay healthy while drinking your favorite cocktail with one of the three Modica flavors currently available.
Modica
Drinkmodica.com
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