Haliya Light Fruit Wines Now in the US!

Just an update on how I've been doing, work-wise (for lack of a better term as it doesn't really feel like work at all!). I've been with VuQo for two and a half years, officially, but it's actually been closer to three full years since we started. It's been quite the learning experience; almost like the company has been paying for my MBA!

We're still working on getting approval to sell VuQo Premium Vodka in the US as a vodka (as opposed to just "lambanog" or a "distilled specialty spirit"), which is by no means easy. The approving agency subjects each product to a battery of lab tests prior to licensing. We've reviewed our whole production process and made changes wherever necessary. This is pretty time consuming but we do stand to gain from it in the long term.

The good - no, GREAT - news is that Haliya Light Fruit Wine, our other product, is now in the United States. Our partners in the San Francisco Bay Area have begun selling Haliya to restaurants and retailers, so expect to hear where to buy it in the coming weeks! As for why you should buy it, the primary reason (aside from the fact that you want to support me ^_^), is that you've never had fruit wine this good. Allow me to explain:

1. Haliya Mango Wine and Haliya Black Plum Wine are made from meticulously handpicked mangoes and black plums, respectively. Following strict color and soundness (basically, how each fruit feels) incides, we choose only the freshest fruit and process them at the peak of ripeness. Unlike our competitors, we aren't afraid to reject raw mats that don't meet our standards, and we don't stockpile our fruits in freezers, where they eventually turn to brown mush.

2. Haliya Light Fruit Wines are handcrafted, a time and labor intensive process that guarantees the high quality of our product. Other companies use pulper-finisher machines that produce in volume but cannot discriminate fruit pulp from such undesirables as fibers and stems, resulting in puree that isn't as pure as it should be. We never sacrifice quality for quantity, and are loathe to take any shortcuts.

3. Our wines are aged for a minimum of six months, allowing their taste and aroma to mellow and to develop the vibrant colors characteristic of good wine.

Both wines are packaged in 750ML bottles and will sell at retail for about $15.99. We recommend them as aperitifs or with dessert, and that you serve them chilled.

We did a limited release of Haliya last Christmas, mostly to companies and individuals who purchased them as holiday giveaways. I'm happy to report that both Haliya Mango and Haliya Black Plum got rave reviews! This has encouraged us to sell our wines to a handful of select local restaurants, so again, watch this space for news of where to try it!