Essex businesswoman Gina Duke is no stranger to hard graft and working all hours.
After leaving school at 16 -years- old, she threw herself into learning the restaurant trade in the family business at La Quinta in Benfleet.
Now after developing a new brand of flavoured tequila called Mis Amigos the budding entrepreneur has been made CEO of global drinks company G&I Spirit Group with an estimated turnover of four million pounds by the end of this year.
It’s been a meteoric rise for the young mum of three who only 10 years ago was washing up and laying tables
But now Gina is drawing from her hands-on experience and is flying to countries all over the world to sell spirits and tequila to major distributors and attending global trade shows alongside leaders of the spirits industry.
Speaking of her experience in working her way up the hospitality ladder, she said: “Learning from the ground up was invaluable in the long run, it was crucial to helping me understand the business and identify that there was real demand across the market for flavoured short drinks, particularly by women of all ages.”
‘I also felt big international brands, run by people in suits, lacked the personable experience to truly serve the end consumer.
‘I saw an opportunity to work with master distillers and create a range of alcoholic spirits that aligned with my vision.’
Working closely with her father Simon Duke and uncle Rupert Duke she has now taken the company to dizzying new heights.
“We expanded slowly, ensuring that we didn’t grow too fast and I stayed within my cash flow limitations.”
The G&I Spirit Group are now taking the spirits industry by storm and showing no signs of slowing down, with their global exports now covering countries such as China, India and the US.
In India, for example, 3 tons of tequila was shipped in November and was sold even before the boat docked. Another 12 tons was sent to Mumbai in the New Year and that’s all sold out as well. Gina sent well over 44 tons in May 2024 as the market continues to thrive.
Over the pond, more than 88 tonnes of tequila have been snapped up by the Americans, and by the end of 2024 the family hope to be distributing in 24 states.
“To go from waiting tables to heading up a multi-million-pound tequila business is surreal at times but I’m really proud of the business. I make sure to stay grounded, I am passionate about being a devoted mother but also a successful CEO.’