Today we’d like to introduce you to Christopher Lai and Danny Huang.
Hi Christopher and Danny, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Our story actually began between a boardroom and a nightclub. Danny and I had similar routines – coffee in the morning, and energy drink mid-afternoon, and a vodka-energy cocktail at night. Over time we found this mix of too much low-quality caffeine and sugar was doing damage to our bodies and our minds. We knew that we needed a change, but when we looked for better-for-you alternatives, they all fell short on taste. For us, it didn’t matter how healthy something was, it still had to taste great otherwise we’d continue to drink the bad stuff. We eventually became tired of trying to find a caffeinated drink that was both good for the body and the taste buds. So, instead of waiting for another brand to make the drink to solve our problem, we did it ourselves.
Marquis has had quite the journey. At one point, we were in 9 states across the country but when Covid hit, we had to make some difficult decisions. Now, we are 100% focused on California and have been seeing great results with the new packaging and formula that we launched in January.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The beverage industry is a beast and definitely isn’t for the faint of heart. When we created Marquis, we were so confident in the uniqueness of our product that we thought it would sell itself… boy were we wrong. We soon realized how much power ‘big beverage’ had. Everywhere we wanted to sell Marquis didn’t have space for us because it was purchased by Pepsi, Coca-Cola, Red Bull, or others. This was a tough pill to swallow as we knew that there were people like us that we’re looking for a healthy, caffeinated beverage that actually tasted good. So, instead of getting stuck on the proverbial ‘broken escalator’ we found a handful of retailers that played by different rules and brought our brand to life.
As you know, we’re big fans of Marquis. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
With drinks packed full of sugar, artificial chemicals, and too much caffeine, the beverage industry has been knowingly damaging people’s health for a long time – and it’s not just the energy drink category. This was a major focus for us as we created the brand, we wanted to not only create a product that was different but also a brand that was different.
Marquis is one of the healthiest options available for those who need a little lift, and although we are proud of our multiple certifications and features, they don’t technically make us different, anyone can obtain them. Now, the fact that we have more certifications and features can be seen as a differentiator – to us it still isn’t enough.
What really makes Marquis different is the fact that it can be consumed by anyone, at any time, for any occasion. It doesn’t matter who you are, where you are from, or why you need a little lift, Marquis fits into your life – morning, afternoon, and night. Whether it be an alternative to your second cup of coffee, a replacement for your afternoon soda, or a sugar-free mixer for your cocktail, Marquis offers a versatility no other caffeinated beverage can claim. Just look at the other brands in our space and you’ll see that they only want their beverage to be consumed by one very specific type of person for a specific occasion. Why? Because it’s easy. We could do that too, but if we wanted ‘easy’, we would have never started a beverage company.
What were you like growing up?
Christopher Lai: They said that as soon as I started walking, I started disappearing, but I’m sure my younger self would’ve called that “exploring”. I was curious, social, playful, and innocent. I was unaware of any boundaries so I just lived. From monkey bars and handball to computers and football, my upbringing was full of privileges to explore. Even math was fun and science was fascinating, and then it was during high school when I started to fall in love with physics, philosophy, and entrepreneurship. I thought physics explained how the universe worked, philosophy explained how we’re supposed to live, and entrepreneurship was how the world improved. I’ve always been an optimist, and that condition makes me only see the progression.
Pricing:
- 12-Pack – $34.99 but if you sign up for our newsletter we always have specials!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://drinkmarquis.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drinkmarquis/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drinkmarquis/
Image Credits
Marquis
