Innovation
The uncertain behavior of several events and the implementation of sanitary measures inspired the three founders of the 3 Lacs Distillery. The company, specializing in the production of gins, has developed a mobile mixology service allowing it to go to gatherings of family and friends or even to office parties.
The concept is simple. With a van in the colors of the Distillery, one or more mixologists go to the party, outside or inside. On site, the team takes out the heavy artillery and sets up its bar: two wooden barrels, a counter and all the mixology accessories essential to the preparation of cocktails.
“A few weeks ago, we started to travel around Greater Montreal and the surrounding area, only through word of mouth and a few appearances on our social media,” explains Nicolas Bériault, co-founder of the 3 Lacs Distillery. We adapt to the place, to what people want. We always create tailor-made cocktails with a knowledge base of spirits. ”
The personalized experience with the preparation of cocktails, advanced courses with a mobile bar, it does not exist elsewhere.
Nicolas Bériault, co-founder of the 3 Lacs Distillery
Tastings, cocktail preparation courses, simple bar service, the distillery adapts. “It is truly a personalized, turnkey service, underlines Mr. Bériault, [avec] simple or high-flying cocktails. ”
Obviously, these are made with products from the company, which currently has three gins, a limoncello – the first product in Quebec – and a pink gin-lemonade can. These are all found at the SAQ. If the cocktails require the use of other alcohols, we favor local products.
Who ?
The idea of founding the distillery was born around a fire, says Nicolas Bériault. The 35-year-old man who worked in civil engineering and his two childhood friends, Mathieu Caron and Dominic Proulx, decided to embark on the adventure. We are in 2016.
PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
From left to right, the co-founders of the 3 Lacs Distillery: Nicolas Beriault, Dominic Proulx and Mathieu Caron
The 3 Lacs Distillery, which produces 130,000 bottles annually, officially opened in 2017 in Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, the home of the three entrepreneurs. And the idea of staying close to their nucleus, family and friends, has served them well since, until recently, they asked their relatives to help them in the traffic jam.
“The first 100,000 bottles were made by hand: hand-cleaned, hand-dried, manually labeled,” says Bériault. Then, in February, the team set up a bottling line. “We can give our parents a weekend traffic jam break,” he laughs.
If they are more equipped, the three friends have not deviated from their starting principle: to develop organic citrus-based products. “This is what makes our identity. ”
The future
And what does the future hold for this company, which currently has seven employees? New products are planned for 2022. The team also has export projects in Europe and the United States.
“We don’t have enough time to carry out all the projects we want to do,” recognizes Nicolas Bériault. We take the time to do things right. All of our products were nonetheless very successful. There is a pressure that comes with that, to always go the extra mile and meet expectations. We don’t want to be just a product release machine in order to release products. ”