BIENVENIDO

¡Saludos! Happy Friday and welcome to the 59th edition of comprende.

Today, we’re cracking open a story that’s as refreshing as it is powerful, the journey of a Venezuelan founder and an all-Latino team celebrating and bringing our culture to the ready-to-drink space with Casalú, a rum-based seltzer.

So, grab your cafecito or cervecita (depending on where you are), settle in, and if you enjoy it, please forward the newsletter to friends or share it on social media! ☕️ 🍺

Uplifting Latino Culture, One Can at a Time: Meet Gabriel González and Casalú

At 17, Gabriel González left Valencia, Venezuela and landed in Raleigh, North Carolina with little more than ambition and a belief in new beginnings. He couldn’t have imagined that years later, he’d be co-leading Casalú, a Latino-driven, rum-based RTD brand not just gaining traction, but aiming to ignite a cultural movement rooted in Latino identity and pride.

At North Carolina State University, Gabriel quickly found his stride. He immersed himself in business and entrepreneurship, landing internships with local startups and eventually helping lead the university’s Entrepreneurship Clinic. There, he supported hundreds of students and companies, ran accelerator programs, and helped allocate over $250,000 to startups that would go on to generate more than $20 million in enterprise value.

More than just building and running programs, Gabriel was gaining a deep understanding of how to spot opportunities and turn vision into reality, a skill that would prove essential when, years later, a casual conversation with a friend sparked the idea that became Casalú.

That friend was Ricardo Sucre, who was also an international student from Venezuela at North Carolina State University. González shared that Sucre loved the social vibe of “beer moments” but didn’t really enjoy beer. So, he’d usually reach for a rum cocktail instead, as is common in Venezuela.

In a separate interview with NBC, Sucre mentioned that he came up with the idea during the pandemic while relaxing by his apartment pool, listening to Bad Bunny and drinking High Noon, a popular vodka-based hard seltzer.

Gabriel told me that for Sucre, the simplicity of the drink was what stood out: sparkling water, natural fruit juice, and vodka. That realization sparked a question: what if, instead of vodka, the base was rum? He headed to the store, picked up a Soda Stream, some ingredients, and of course RUM and started experimenting.

Eventually, those kitchen experiments turned into something not just good–but familiar. A crisp, refreshing drink made with a spirit that, for many Latinos, carries both cultural weight and nostalgic warmth. That familiarity wasn’t just comforting; it was a signal.

At the time, the Hard Seltzer craze was in full swing, while the ready-to-drink (RTD) market was on the rise. Brands like High Noon were owning the vodka space, and tequila-based seltzers were starting to make noise. But rum, a staple in so many Latino households, was noticeably absent. Just as absent? A brand that truly spoke to Latino culture and felt like it was made for us, and beyond.

That gap was the opportunity. It eventually led González to join the project, along with Gustavo Darquea, another international student and friend from Ecuador. Together, they began shaping this idea into something real.

In the early days, they toyed with the name “Tropicalation,” inspired by a saying they used in college when someone caught a buzz: ya estás tropical. (When Gabriel told me that, I immediately knew I’d be stealing it for my own vocabulary.)

But the name they ultimately chose was Casalú, a blend of Casa and Salud. As Latinos, we all know the phrase and family value of “mi casa es tu casa” (my home is your home), and the ever-present toast of salud (cheers). Together, they created a brand that invites you in, raises a glass with you, and offers a taste of our cultura.

With just a $5,000 accelerator grant, they went full scrappy and headed to the rum capital of the U.S., Florida. In fact, if Florida were its own country, data shows it would be the sixth-largest consumer of rum in the world. They chose Miami specifically. The perfect mix of a rum-loving culture and a proudly Latino city.

With a 5-gallon keg in hand, they rented the most affordable Airbnb they could find, and hit the city–crashing party after party, doing tastings, gathering feedback, and creating buzz (no pun intended). An approach that was bold, grassroots, and undeniably Latino at its core.

Fast forward to today: on June 25, 2025, Casalú announced the initial close of its seed funding round in a press release. While the exact amount wasn’t disclosed, PitchBook data shows the company previously raised $1.3 million in November 2021, followed by a $3.6 million round in May 2025, along with additional support from accelerators. It’s an impressive milestone for a Latino-founded startup, especially in a space where Latino entrepreneurs remain significantly underfunded by venture capital.

Casalú is now stocked in local and major retailers across Florida, including Winn-Dixie, The Fresh Market, and according to Biz Journal, has secured a recent distribution deal with Walmart, positioning the brand for a major retail breakout and their eventual goal of expanding throughout the US, LatAm, and beyond.

Still, despite the momentum, one thing Gabriel shared stood out: “There isn’t a single Latino investor on our cap table.” It’s a bittersweet reality, clearly filled with both disappointment and determination, which truly resonated with me. Because for Gabriel, the mission of building Casalú is larger than shelf space. It’s about shifting the landscape. He’s driven by the hope that one day, he won’t just be seeking capital, he’ll be the one writing checks and helping other Latino founders rise.

As I consistently share with Comprende, it’s undeniable–Latino culture is one of the driving forces behind mainstream America today. On our call, Gabriel put it in a way that’s worth highlighting: Latino culture today is what Black culture was 20 years ago. And he’s right. Many of us grew up with the rise of hip-hop, streetwear, and the cultural dominance that followed. Now, it’s Latino voices setting the tone, from food to fashion, from family tables to global music charts, with artists like Bad Bunny and Karol G leading the way.

Gabriel sees this as our moment. And I couldn’t agree more. For him, Casalú is his way of showing up for it, not just with a product, but with a purpose. A way to represent and uplift Latino culture, in a category that’s long overlooked it.

The summer is here…and Casalú? Just might be the drink you’ve been waiting for.

If you enjoyed this breakdown, you’ll probably love the video versions of these stories we’re sharing over on Instagram, you can check them out @comprendelatino or clicking below.

Did you enjoy today’s Comprende newsletter? Please share it with family, friends, and other Latino business owners by forwarding this email or using the link below.

https://www.comp-rende.com/newsletter