TY KU
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| Privately held | |
| Industry | Beverages |
| Founded | 2004 |
| Headquarters | New York, New York |
| Products | Sake and spirits |
| Website | trytyku.com |
TY KU /taɪkuː/ is an American alcoholic beverage company that specializes in sake and other spirits. The privately held company was founded in 2004 and is headquartered in New York City, New York. While based in New York, TY KU's beverages are made in Japan through a joint venture with two sake breweries. Since 2011, TY KU's growth has extended its products into all 50 states.
While working on a graduate school project together at the School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University in 2003, co-founders Kirk Spahn and Trenton Ulicny were inspired as athletes to create a health-conscious drink that would allow them to indulge while still maintaining their bodies. With the encouragement of their professor, the two marketed their idea and the company was then founded in 2004.
The inspiration to target Asian wines and spirits came when Spahn, as a history major at Dartmouth College, learned the importance of drinking traditions in Asian culture as he sampled Sake in China, Tibet, and Japan, as part of a program with the New York Museum of Natural History. With that, the two bootstrapped it at the start and spent 4 years flying back and forth to Asia for research. Since its inception, the company has made it a goal to educate American consumers on Japanese sake and spirits using social media initiatives and a branded presence at popular youth-driven events such as South by Southwest.
TY KU's brands include Sake Silver, Sake Black, Sake White, Coconut Sake, Citrus Liqueur, and Soju. The drinks are bottled in triangular packaging.
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