While at a gourmet food exhibition in France
several years ago, Jared Rapp and Moti Goldring ran across some French
vodka they just couldn’t resist. So, while still at Michigan State University (MSU), they found
a way to legally transport the stuff to the United States.
As a result, Rapp and Goldring—both MSU alumni—started 
RGI Brands. RGI Brands is in charge of expanding Dragon Bleu vodka distribution throughout the states.
“It’s doing pretty well,” Rapp says of Dragon Bleu’s Midwest reception. “You can find it in most areas of Michigan.”
Dragon Bleu has been available in Europe for many years. It won a silver medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2007 and 2008, as well as a silver medal at the International Wine & Spirit Competition in London in 2007.
Rapp says Dragon Bleu is unlike other vodkas
because rather than being created from a single grain like most vodkas,
it’s a wheat, barley and rye blend, creating a flavor trifecta.
“This does have a nose,” he says. “You can
sniff it like a wine and you can’t usually find that. The smell of most
vodkas can really turn you off and nauseate you, but that’s not the
case with Dragon Bleu.”
Dragon Bleu will launch in other states next year. East Lansing will remain Dragon Bleu's North American headquarters.
Five people work for RGI Brands LLC, but the company anticipates rapid growth in conjunction with the national launch.
“We anticipate that the workforce will double within six months,” Rapp says.
Source: Claire Rymill, Caponigro Public Relations
Ivy Hughes, development news editor, can be reached here.
Enjoy this story?
Sign up for free solutions-based reporting in your inbox each week.