Cheers to Preakness: Morgan State grad elevates Black-owned spirits brands

BALTIMORE — The featured cocktail of the Preakness Stakes is the Black-Eyed Susan, and some of the alcohol brands at the race this weekend are all supported by a local company.

WMAR-2 News' Kara Burnett is live at Pimlico with more on a spirits company that is making a splash at Preakness. It might be pouring rain this weekend, but that’s probably not going to stop people from pouring up.

"We have all this untapped talent that we’re not tapping into to make the industry better,” said Dia Simms, Co-Founder of Pronghorn and Morgan State graduate.

The company invests cash and resources in spirits brands from across the country.

"We’ve invested so far in 37 Black-owned spirits brands, and we’ve also helped to effect a 10% increase in Black Americans being employed in the spirits industry,” said Simms.

Contributed Photo

Pronghorn is bringing big business to the state, featuring their spirits brands throughout the 150th Preakness Stakes and Festival.

"When I think about what Preakness has been, at least in my experience in the last 20 years, it didn’t always invite everybody to be part of the celebration — to be part of a chance also to make money, right, for small businesses to participate. I think they've been so intentional this year to really invite the fullness of the state,” said Simms.

They’re showcasing local mocktail and tequila brands.

“You have so much talent and creativity and innovation in the state,” said Simms. “We have a terrific tequila brand called Los Hermanos by these two local brothers, one of whom is a veteran."

And Shinju — a local Japanese whiskey brand.

"When you look at the economics of what the Derby brings, Maryland was performing at a smaller percentage of that. Now, we have these extended activities, the festival, the concerts,” said Simms.

The company’s mission is to diversify and develop Black talent within the spirits industry. Simms says Black Americans account for 12% of alcohol sales but only 7.8% of the workforce and 2% of executives.

“Those are the stats. In fact, for Black women, it’s less than 1%. It’s statistically insignificant how many Black women there are in this $500 billion industry in the United States,” she said.

Pronghorn is providing jobs from entry to executive levels, from those new in the game to partnering with celebrities like Ciara.

"It doesn’t matter, by the way, if you drink or don’t drink. We’re an industry like any other industry. We have accountants, lawyers, janitors, marketers. We’ve got 1,000 jobs open right now in the industry,” said Simms.