Our veteran Global Brand Ambassador, Kevin Sueiro has been with us for 5 years, and in that time, you can bet he’s mixed many a cocktail.
His first encounter with Cointreau was on a beach in the South of France (now, that’s something to daydream about!), and now he is a veritable expert of our beloved citrus liqueur.
Interested? Check out Kevin's full interview below to learn more about his journey with Cointreau!
If I had to sum it up, my job is to represent the brand everywhere in the world. I'm also in charge of international marketing strategy when we're working with the on-trade, the bartending community. I'm involved no matter the project—whether it's product innovation, a new campaign, event strategy, or marketing strategy. My daily routine is pretty much non-existent because every day is different. I travel a lot to many countries to provide seminars and masterclasses, helping markets develop the brand. When I'm not traveling, I'm working with the team on any project related to the on-trade.
I’m global, so my coverage is international. I focus on the targets more than geographical location. I manage everything related to the on-trade—anytime a bartender is involved or something is meant for bartenders.
I met Alfred Cointreau while working for a rum brand, and we clicked. I thought Cointreau was a fantastic brand—it’s everywhere. It’s a no-brainer for a bartender. You have to have it. So when Cointreau contacted me after Alfred left and the position was open, I was thrilled. Of course, I was going to work for them!
Yes! I was working as a bartender my first year, on a beach in the South of France. We made frozen daiquiris: rum, sugar syrup, and lemon, keeping things simple because we sold a lot of them. One day we ran out of sugar syrup, the worst thing that can happen on a beach! We got rid of the daiquiris for the day, and I suggested frozen margaritas: Cointreau, tequila, and lime in a blender, with a salt rim. It was the best seller of the season! We eventually replaced the daiquiris with margaritas and I realized Cointreau's potential and how great it was to work with a flavorful, not-too-sweet product.
I like bitterness, so I'm drawn to the Singapore Sling. But it's very complex, with a lot of ingredients. When I want something less complicated in terms of flavor, but extremely well-made, I'll go for a Margarita every time—the original.
I joined the company in 2019, and six months later, COVID happened. The previous brand director emphasized the importance of maintaining our connection with bartenders during this time. So I created the Margarita Challenge. It’s probably my best professional experience. We built it from scratch with a low budget, and we received 130 recipes the first year. Four years later, it's an international competition with over 2,000 recipes and a jury of one of the best bartenders in the world! That's an accomplishment!
You do this job because you love people and the industry. If you're genuine about it, you'll have a blast. It’ll be the job of your life! I love being with the industry, talking with people, and building memories.
I started bartending about 12 years ago. It wasn't a new trend, but it was growing. Over the past 12 years, the evolution has been outstanding. Now you can get a liquid experience similar to a Michelin-star restaurant, sometimes with an experiential dimension. It's amazing how we’ve built this in a short time, becoming skilled experience creators and providing tasting experiences. Everything is combined.
Definitely. You sometimes get the feeling that everything has been invented, but you're always wrong. I remember when Remy Savage was elected Bartender of the Year and he made a cocktail with “paper syrup” that tasted like burnt paper. It was amazing! Everyone realized we could be very skilled and think outside the box. New techniques and ingredients are always emerging. I look forward to the next innovation.
Like any former bartender, I know we can't spell "cocktail" without Cointreau. It's one of the most important historical brands in bartending history, practically there from the very beginning of the cocktail journey. Therefore Cointreau L’Unique definitely has a special place in my heart. I also have a soft spot for our latest product, the Cointreau Citrus Series. We made this for bartenders, and it shows that Cointreau is not just a liqueur—it's the master of citrus distillation. I think that speaks volumes to the bartending community and showcases our citrus expertise.
Cointreau is the perfect product to elevate a cocktail. First, because it's 40% ABV, it maintains the right alcohol content. In a Margarita, for example, tequila is often 40%, and Cointreau matches that. It's sweet enough to bring smoothness to a drink, but not overly sweet, making it perfect for Daisy cocktails, for instance. I love that it’s crystal clear—it doesn’t alter the color of drinks. It's great to have a product with this quality that preserves the initial cocktail color. I use Cointreau in many ways, but the main argument is its organoleptic profile and aromatic DNA. With 40 organoleptic notes in one bottle, you have endless potential.
I try not to lecture people who aren't educated about bartending. It’s a whole world. The best way to share my knowledge is to take friends to bars I love and let the bar do the work. You experience it, talk with the bartender, see their passion, and understand the effort they put into preparations and menus. The best way to talk about Cointreau is to let people experience it!
Oh wow, there are so many! I could name one for each country. I love Cambridge—I'm very focused on hospitality. Many bars make good cocktails, but not all places are equal regarding hospitality. Cambridge is rocking it! Also, Cat Bite, De Vie, Little Red Door, and Alquímico in Colombia. Many others too.
Unique. No-brainer. Perfect.
My grandmother, who doesn’t drink, always has a bottle of Cointreau. It’s part of her culture. It’s part of the decorum of her house. I also went on a road trip with friends, and we met a couple who invited us for an aperitif at their truck. In the middle of nowhere, in a truck with only the essentials, they had Cointreau. I loved that!
When I joined, Alfred explained how tricky it is to balance the four ingredients: neutral alcohol, orange peels, water and sugar. It took ages to find the perfect formula to achieve the right texture, sugar content, and crystal-clear color. I was impressed. It’s so well-balanced that even the bottle is balanced—it stands perfectly on its edge. It’s perfect balance inside and out, and it balances your cocktail, too.
"No matter the question, Cointreau is the answer."
For every cocktail category, there’s a Cointreau cocktail. We started with one cocktail at the beginning of the 20th century, and now we have over 500. That means something.
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