Outlier Cartel started a few years ago at flat warming party in Auckland in 2010. Carlos and his flatmates had invited everyone in the building to come and join their friends. However, only a couple of the neighbours showed up, Mark and Barbara from down the hall. Although they didn’t know it at the time, the seeds of good beer company were planted. Mark and Carlos, both ‘Outliers’ in spirit, thought there was much missing from the established New Zealand beer industry.
After a few years of experimenting and planning, Carlos and Mark took the plunge and created Outlier Cartel. The idea was to create interesting beers that would challenge the idea of what good beers could be. More importantly, it simply had to taste good.
On the 4th of December, 2015 Outlier Cartel officially launched, welcoming all on the fringe to enjoy great beverages!
So what’s in the name?
We’ve gotten quite few comments about our name. The name came about from Malcolm Gladwell’s Outliers, a book that we strongly identified with. The book demonstrates success as not based on what people are like, but where people are from such as the cultures influenced them, upbringing, and family. Both of us were fortunate enough to immigrated to New Zealand quite a few years ago, fusing our own experiences with a kiwi can-do attitude.
Cartel was decided because want to go beyond just ‘beer’ – we love food and drink, so we to think beyond ‘beer’ and ‘brewery’. Cartel also represents a collaboration with like minded people, we don’t perceive other brewers as a threat; rather we see them as partners in our industry to promote the best products possible to consumers.
So we welcome everyone to be part of the Outlier Cartel!
Our Thousand Year Vision
Our vision is that Outlier Cartel to be a thousand year business. This means not growing big and selling out, but rather grow at a sustainable pace and bringing a bit of good to the world. We believe that John Wesley best stated our core beliefs:
“Do all the good you can. By all the means you can. In all the ways you can. In all the places you can. At all the times you can. To all the people you can. As long as ever you can.”
To be a thousand year business, we actually have a couple of things on our side. First of all, 14% percent of all the companies over a thousand years old have been breweries. If we extend that list to beverage makers (Sake, Wine, Tea and Distilleries), then that list extends to 35% of all thousand year companies. So even though we are small potatoes at the moment, we are in the right industry!
Our second advantage goes by the name of Alvin (Alvin Soh to be exact). Alvin is a foodie, devoted husband, proud father of two and happens be newest member of Outlier Cartel. Alvin not only is our Director and Chief Financial Officer, but also the key to our future. Alvin has been instrumental with our business planning and making sure we can grow at a sustainable pace.
So here is a hearty toast to you, your children and your ultra great grand children – may you all live a good life and drink well!
Alvin, Mark & Carlos – your friends at Outlier Cartel