GEM&BOLT firmly believes it is the responsibility of any company to consider how they contribute to and affect the local economies and communities from which they source.
Forging Deep Partnerships Rooted in Plants
GEM&BOLT is committed to building partnerships with our growers and producers in a way that promotes economic autonomy within the community. We choose to build empowering partner relations through a communal agave farming program, promoting cooperative negotiations, fair pricing and, thus, an intrinsic support of traditional practices and sourcing methods.
Meet the Martinez Family
With us since the very beginning, our partnership with the Martinez family was first introduced by G&B’s beloved partner & Director of Operations, Vicente Reyes, to whom the namesake has called a friend for over two decades. Located in San Dionisio Ocotepec, Oaxaca, the Martinez family is led by fourth generation maestro mezcalero, Ignacio Martinez, a highly skilled and knowledgeable agave farmer. Together with the Martinez family, we negotiate fair wages based in trust & confidence on both sides, providing advance pay to ensure job security & the sustained livelihood of our partner.
Partnering with Agave Plantation Program
Founded by G&B’s beloved friend Vicente Reyes, we are an invested partner in the Agave Plantation Program, an initiative under Proyecto Hermano Maguey. APP was created to build equal and fair partnerships in the agave community as part of a circular economic system in Oaxaca.
Honoring Communal Land Ownership
Communal land ownership is an intrinsic part of Oaxacan farming culture and is imperative to understanding the function of farming practices in the region. In partnership with Agave Plantation Program, GEM&BOLT is dedicated to honoring communal land practices by building long-term relationships that value agave growing communities as equal and independent partners. Agave Plantation Program serves as a bridge between companies (or investors) and agave growing communities.
Promoting Biodiversity
Exclusively sourcing only Espadín agave for its mezcal, GEM&BOLT is committed to long-term investments in the biodiversity of native agave species. In partnership with Agave Plantation Program, GEM&BOLT actively cultivates multiple “wild species” alongside Espadín to limit over-harvesting and to protect native agave species. The plantation initiative includes species such as Arroqueño, Mexicano, Coyote and Cinco Añero.
Intentional Land Use
GEM&BOLT promotes healthy land management by minimizing the over-farming of agave plants beyond their extended life cycles. Healthy land rotation allows agave to grow for one complete life cycle, then rest for one complete cycle, enabling proper soil replenishment.
From Plant to Bottle
- Agave: 100% Espadín agave grown in the Valley of Tlacolula, Oaxaca in partnership with Martinez family.
- Damiana: Certified Organic Damiana APHRODISIACA sourced in Mexico. Damiana is a bush, but that’s just the beginning. Click here to learn about the ancient history and many medicinal uses of this mystic, heart-opening plant.
- Fresh Mountain Spring Water: GEM&BOLT utilizes Fresh Mountain Spring Water for use during natural fermentation & the dilution processes. The rich, sweet well water is spring-fed from the mountains north of San Dionisio Ocotepec, Oaxaca. The quality and purity of this regional water source allows the mezcal to speak & express its origins.
- Retail Bottle Production: Rather than sourcing outside the community from which its mezcal is made, GEM&BOLT is packaged by its partners, the Martinez family in San Dionisio Ocotepec, Oaxaca.
Empowering Local Economy
GEM&BOLT firmly believes it is the responsibility of any company to consider how they contribute to and affect the local economies and communities from which they source. GEM&BOLT Point of Sale (POS) merchandise is a rich, cultural expression of its Oaxacan origins & represents reverence for its artisan community. All GEM&BOLT brand materials are handmade by local, predominantly female artisans in Oaxaca:
- Resin Gems: Hand poured into custom molds & painted in Oaxaca by local artisans.
- Cocktail Napkins: Hand-stitched & painted with custom stencils in Oaxaca.
- Clay Copitas: Traditional hand-pinched mezcal serving cups made with local Oaxacan black clay.
- Dice: Hand poured into custom molds & hand painted in Oaxaca.
- Art Flasks & Pouches: Hand-sewn & painted in Oaxaca.
