DRIPPING SPRINGS, Texas — Editor's note: A previous version of this story – as well as the above video – stated that Island Getaway Rum is the first Latina-owned distillery in Texas. More specifically, it is the first Latina-owned rum distillery.
An Austin woman is breaking barriers and putting Texas on the map, globally.
Stephanie Houston is the founder of Island Getaway Rum, the first Latina-owned rum distillery in Texas. Houston and her team are taking the local distillery, based in Dripping Springs, to a national producer, setting their sights on global expansion.
Island Getaway Rum is one of very few U.S. producers of dark rum, with a variety of flavors ranging from orange to coconut and white rum. In partnership with the Texas Department of Agriculture on trade missions, Houston – a University of Texas at Austin alum – and her team are bringing the brand to places like Canada, Hong Kong and Vietnam.
"Rum represents joy and celebration, and that’s exactly what we embody in every bottle. Beyond crafting exceptional rum, we are building a community of passionate rum aficionados who are proud stewards not only for our brand but also for Texas, as we continue to grow and elevate business and development opportunities," Houston said in a statement.
Houston is a spirits industry leader, breaking barriers as she helps drive progressive legislative change in Texas liquor laws. She continues to change the face of Texas distilleries as a minority female leader in the spirits industry, and she is committed to supporting BIPOC-owned brands.
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The distillery was launched in 2016 and Houston said the facility used to be a tasting room. Now they're strictly focused on production and distribution.
Houston said as an entrepreneur, the biggest thing is to stay focused.
"What we've done is come back to our roots and said, 'This is what we're going to do. This one thing, make it and sell it.' So I think when you can simplify like that and you can really talk about, you know, your why of what you're doing. Stay focused. It's easy to get distracted and start doing a lot of things, and then what you'll find out is you're just scattered all over the place," Houston said.
Next up for Island Getaway Rum is hosting a tiki bar during the entirety of the Texas State Fair.