Daily Inspiration: Meet Chris Fredrickson

Today we’d like to introduce you to Chris Fredrickson. Them and their team share their story with us below:

Chris graduated with a business degree from Michigan State University.  He enjoyed a successful seven-year career in Management Consulting but left the industry to join forces with friends and colleagues Jared Rapp and Moti Goldring to start Traverse City Whiskey Co. in 2012. Currently, he leads operations, marketing, product development, product innovation, and supports all sales efforts.

TCWC is a portfolio of premium whiskeys and bourbon made in Michigan. Known as the “Whiskey of the North,” the upstart company draws upon its early family roots in the distilled spirits industry dating back to the late 1800s, sourcing all their grains (corn, rye, and malted barley) from the Midwest. 

The distilling team, led by Chris Fredrickson, strives to make quality products inspired by patented distilling techniques invented by Fredrickson’s great grandfather that were approved by the US PTO during the prohibition era. 

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Launching and building TCWC has been an overwhelming positive experience, especially being independent and locally owned. Having grown up in Traverse City working on his family’s cherry farm, which has been in the family for four generations. It’s incredible to combine my passion for innovation and quality in a product like our American Cherry Edition whiskey (the best-selling craft spirit in the state of Michigan) that also reflects our family history and heritage. 

That said, as with any industry, there’s a learning curve respective to process and scaling your brand from a local to a regional or national footprint. In the world of whiskey specifically, one of the biggest obstacles as you get started is the amount of time (e.g., years) it takes to age the product before it can be sold, so a natural solution was to initially source product, a common practice. 

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
In addition to running the company, I’m also very involved in the whiskey-making process. Since we live in the Cherry Capital of the World and my family owns a cherry farm, it was a no-brainer to create our signature American Cherry Edition whiskey and to market our own premium cocktail cherries. Additionally, we’re incredibly proud of how well-received our whiskeys have been over the past 10 years, both from aficionados and enthusiasts alike. In 2019, our Barrel Proof Bourbon was also named “Best Small Batch Bourbon” at the prestigious San Francisco World Spirits Competition. And several of our products (Barrel Proof Rye Whiskey, Barrel Proof Wheat Whiskey, North Coast Rye) have won Double Gold Medals at that competition. 

I’m also passionate about innovation. In addition to some of the aforementioned products, we have a highly successful single-barrel program. We’ve also released a trio of whiskey highballs (craft seltzers), Lakeside Peach Whiskey, and acquired Cocktail Crate, a line of craft cocktail mixers. And we continue to enhance our visitor experience. In 2019, we opened our first-ever Tasting Room in Metro Detroit, called ‘The Outpost,’ That same year, we acquired a 31,000-square-foot fruit processing facility, which will eventually be the future site of our Visitor’s Center. 

Alright, so before we go, can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
Trying and buying our products is the best support we can ask for from consumers, influencers, and on- and off-premise retailers. 

We love visitors and encourage folks to stop by The Stillhouse which is located at 201 E. 14th St. in downtown Traverse City. It’s open to the public seven days a week for cocktails and tours, which are offered weekdays starting at 4 pm and weekends by reservation. Admission is $10 per person and includes a whiskey sample of the visitor’s choice. 

You can learn more at www.tcwhiskey.com and follow us on Instagram and Facebook @tcwhiskey 

Contact Info:

• Website: www.tcwhiskey.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tcwhiskey/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TCWhiskey

Image Credits
Traverse City Whiskey Co.