Wilson Craig, a 27-year-old University of Virginia graduate, left his New York City finance job to follow his dream and become an entrepreneur.
Now, he’s projecting annual revenue to top $25 million by August 2022 from the launch of his canned cocktail company Waterbird. Sales recently jumped more than 2,800%, he said.
“I’m so happy. It has been the coolest journey. I don’t think I’ve ever had a doubt in my mind on Waterbird and where we are going,” Craig said. "From the start, we wanted to change the way people consume distilled spirits. It comes down to product quality and customer service. That’s what we strive to do.”
Craig launched Waterbird in September 2019 after realizing there was a gap in the market for this type of product. He noticed millennials wanted to shift away from beverages high in sugars and carbohydrates and instead, were seeking a convenient, high-quality cocktail with consistent ingredients.
Craig invested into the business with his father, and they focused on producing an exceptional, authentic drink that is still competitively priced.
“We only use the best distilled spirits in the world. We make our potato vodka in Idaho. We make our tequila in Mexico,” he said. “We do not take any shortcuts. Not only are we in a totally different category, we’re spirits-based, and many of our competitors are malt and sugar-based, but also, we use the best ingredients, bar none.”
Waterbird, based in Charlottesville, is located at 201 West Water St. The “Water” part of the company name pays homage to the historic street in the company’s hometown. Craig then thought about the tag line “Wet Your Beak.” The Waterbird logo brings the visualization to life with two water drops flipped in opposite directions, forming a bird silhouette.
The Waterbird lineup includes two Tequila cocktails — the customer favorite Ranch Water, which is made with premium Blanco Tequila distilled in Jalisco, Mexico, sparkling water and real lime juice: and a Tequila Margarita.
The vodka choices include Vodka Citrus Squeeze, Vodka Cucumber Mint, Vodka Watermelon & Basil, Moscow Mule and Vodka Soda & Lime.
“We have the scale of a major national brand, but we have the flexibility of a 100% family-owned company,” Craig said. “And we have the grit of a company that’s absolutely on fire.”
Waterbird’s success didn’t come without obstacles, however. When Craig first came up with the concept, grocery stores in Virginia could not sell spirits, so he went before the Virginia General Assembly to change the law. He said he pointed out that canned cocktails are lower in alcohol content than many of the beers and hard seltzers sold in grocery and convenience stores in the Commonwealth, and he won.
“There are ups and downs, and you have to keep going,” he said. “What makes something special is the ability to go through the trials and tribulations even when times aren’t good. If you really love your brand, that’s easy to do.”
Waterbird is currently sold in 17 states across the country and available at retailers like Kroger and Wawa, as well as through beer distributors, who Craig said are the best wholesalers. Craig said he has plans to launch in another 26 states by the end of the year.
“A lot of wholesalers throughout the country have taken us on and are not only taking a chance on us, but really betting on us to succeed, and that’s something we don’t take for granted,” he said. “It’s a huge opportunity to work with the biggest and best beer wholesalers in the country.”