Sammy Hagar and Guy Fieri lose $1 million in tequila following hijacking
Former Van Halen frontman Sammy Hagar and television personality Guy Fieri have suffered a significant loss to their joint venture after two trucks were hijacked in Laredo, Texas.
Hagar and Fieri launched their tequila company in 2019 and have experienced significant growth year-on-year, with 2024 proving their biggest and most in-demand yet.
The stolen trucks reportedly carried over 4,000 cases of Santo tequila, which is around 24,240 bottles, including blanco, reposado, and a special variety of extra añejo, which took 39 months to make.
According to Santo president Dan Butkus, the total loss amounts to around $1 million, and estimates this will also have a significant impact on their supply chain as a result.
Discussing the recent setback in an interview with People, Fieri explains they have worked “so hard” and that this was slated to be their “best year” ever in Santo. “We just had all this momentum,” he said, “and now whatever’s on the shelf is all people are going to get.”
Fieri also likened the event to “a movie,” saying that he “never in a million years” thought something like this would happen, especially not at this time in the year and at such a crucial point in the company’s trajectory.
To make up for the lost supply, the company is currently working around the clock despite knowing that, due to the limited stock, it will suffer a significant disadvantage over the Christmas period.
Hagar’s response to the hijack
In a separate statement, tequila connoisseur Hagar said that the setback is a “shame” as it happened “in the middle of our strongest year to date and right before the holidays.” The singer also explained that this is a major issue in the corporate alcohol world, especially as they operate in a “hugely competitive market.”
However, he also showed signs of optimism, saying, “Guy and I will survive,” adding, “Most of all, we’re glad that nobody was hurt during this crime.”
Although the culprit is not likely to be found, the team is offering a $10,000 reward for anybody with information and hopes that they can at least recover the extra añejo, given the special care and attention required to create such a rare and unique batch.
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