the model Kendall Jenner, Of the famous Kardashian clan, joined the list of famous foreigners with a tequila brand, but his foray into the industry has received some criticism and generated controversy, although the guild does not see the initiative with bad eyes.
“For almost four years I’ve been on a journey to create the best-tasting tequila. After dozens of blind tastings, trips to our distillery and entering competitions anonymously and winning. We’ve made it,” he reported. in recent days Jenner on her Instagram account.
The announcement of the 818. tequila by Jenner unleashed the flattery of thousands of his more than 154 million followers, as well as the harshest criticism from his detractors, even though he is not the first foreign celebrity to have a tequila brand.
The 25-year-old model was accused of cultural appropriation to profit from the most representative drink in Mexico, as well as for the high value it will have in the market.
“Something about Kendall’s tequila bothers me, is the idea that white celebrities take advantage of Mexican artisans and make a profit from our traditions when they only visit Cape Town and Puerto Vallarta as vacation spots,” a user expressed on Twitter .
However, for the director of the Tequila Regulatory Council (CRT), Ramón González Figueroa, Jenner’s new bet is not a cultural appropriation.
“Its brand was linked to the tequila agro-industry in Mexico and respects the designation of origin ‘Tequila’. We consider that cultural appropriation is when you imitate a product of a region and do not link properly with the industry that the produces, that is to say, you do not have authorization for it “, it expressed this Wednesday to Efe González.
For his part, intellectual property lawyer Roberto Arochi noted that as long as Kendall’s tequila is made under the regulation of the Mexican Institute of Industrial Property, the model can market it.
“To be prevented would be discriminating against her for the simple fact of being a foreigner. The origin of capital is not an impediment to having a brand of tequila,” Arochi said.
CULTURAL APPROPRIATION OR BUSINESS MISOGENY
Jenner hasn’t been the only artist to have her own tequila line. In Mexico, actress Kate de la Castillo heads the production of the tequila Honor and the late Jenni Rivera had her tequila called La Gran Senyora.
Also, characters like American singer Nick Jonas, Puerto Rican Daddy Yankee, basketball player Michael Jordan, Dwayne “La Roca” Johnson and actor George Clooney are just some of the artists who have joined the industry. tequilera, but who have not been as harshly criticized as the young woman.
“Kendall’s tequila is cultural appropriation, but George Clooney’s isn’t it?” Another user expressed in a message on Twitter to point out that perhaps it was a case of misogyny towards the young businesswoman rather than a case of indignation of cultural heritage.
For González Figueroa, foreign investment in the tequilero field is not a negative thing and has considered that this “benefits its internationalization and access to new markets”, in addition to “all jobs and the economic spill of this one stays in the country ”thanks to the model of denomination of origin.
“Of the 1,700 brands of tequila that exist, 303 are packaged abroad, but 100% of the tequila produced by these brands is made in one of the 163 tequila distillers in the region. of the denomination of origin “, pointed out the director of the CRT.
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