Overview: Southwest Florida is emerging as a significant hub for beverage innovation, anchored by three local entrepreneurs who have established distinct paths within the spirits industry. René Armas, Joe Brady, and Fil Adams-Mercer have developed brands ranging from vodka to ready-to-drink cocktails and gin, proving that major market ambitions can originate from Marco Island and Naples.
The Full Story
Born in Miami, René Armas entered the wine and spirits industry in 1993 working in Gallo’s sales division before joining Rémy Cointreau in 1997 and Pernod Ricard USA in 2002. In 2008, he joined White Rock Distilleries as Southeast division manager for Pinnacle Vodka, overseeing 14 states. He oversaw the launch of Pinnacle Whipped in 2010, which reached one million cases in 15 months. The brand was sold in 2012. Currently, Armas serves as executive vice president of sales and strategy for Second City Distillery, producing Durty Gurl Vodka in Augusta, Georgia. Distribution expanded to Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Arkansas by 2026.
A few miles north, Joe Brady founded Xtini in Naples in 2023 to solve the difficulty of making espresso martinis at home. The brand combines real brewed espresso, premium vodka, and vanilla into pre-batched cocktails available in one-liter bottles and ready-to-drink cans. The company expanded hospitality and entertainment venues and onboarded with Reyes Beverage Group in multiple states.
Fil Adams-Mercer grew up in England before moving to Naples. He founded Rivi Gin, which is distilled in England and bottled in Florida. The brand emphasizes natural botanicals without added sugars or syrups. Raspberry Honey Gin uses honey from the distillery farm, while the grapefruit version blends three grapefruit distillations with a juniper-forward dry gin base.
Production & Profile
Pinnacle Whipped is a whipped-cream-flavored vodka that became the country’s leading flavored vodka. Durty Gurl Vodka positions premium quality without an inflated premium price. Xtini uses real brewed espresso, premium vodka, and vanilla into pre-batched cocktails designed to be chilled, shaken and poured.
Rivi Gin references Rivington Pike history on the bottle, where a centuries-old beacon tradition became associated with communication across the landscape. A blazing beacon appears on every bottle, giving English history a place on contemporary Florida bar shelves.
Brand & Industry History
Armas’ career spans decades from 1993 to present. Brady’s venture began in 2023 based on personal need. Adams-Mercer has been coming to Naples for more than three decades and lived there full-time for years. Rivi Gin released Raspberry Honey Gin in 2021, followed by Pomelo Grapefruit and an Original expression. The two flavored expressions have earned gold and silver recognition, respectively.
What This Means
The Paradise Coast serves as a natural laboratory for discovering what people want to drink next. Entrepreneurs are selling ideas that quality and value can coexist, complicated cocktails can become effortless, and old English spirits can be reimagined for a modern Florida audience. From Marco Island to Naples, their home base may seem removed from the traditional centers of the beverage industry. But perhaps that is part of the advantage. Here, amid restaurants, resorts, celebrations and a community that appreciates a well-made cocktail, there is a natural laboratory for discovering what people want to drink next.
Consumer Takeaway
The release of these brands provides consumers with specific options ranging from flavored vodka and premium quality without inflated price to ready-to-drink espresso martinis in one-liter bottles. Rivi Gin offers English provenance bottled in Florida, while Xtini delivers a bar-quality espresso martini experience without an espresso machine or counter full of ingredients.
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