TIL The Guy Who Founded Tito's Is A Billionaire Named Bert Beveridge

By  Allison Shoemaker

This week, Forbes ran a list of the world's billionaires. There are a lot of them. (Flint needs clean water, just thought I'd mention that. Jaden Smith could probably use a hand.) You've probably seen the list mentioned in the news due to the fact that it prominently features Kylie Jenner, and calls her "the youngest self-made billionaire ever."

But we're not here to eat cake. We're here because the guy who founded Tito's Vodka is named Bert "Tito" Beveridge (he was called "Bertito" as a child, and now goes by the shortened "Tito"). Let it never be said that the Forbes billionaire list gave me nothing but a rage migraine, because it has also bestowed upon us all the name Bert "Tito" Beveridge.

BEVERIDDDGGGE

Tito's, which Forbes calls "one of the fastest growing spirits brands in America," sold 63 million bottles of vodka in 2017. Mr. Beveridge (!) started the company in 1997 "with $90,000 borrowed using 19 credit cards." He's now worth $4 billion. Tito's is a decent vodka for the price, but perhaps just mention the next time someone mentions supporting small businesses when buying the stuff, that the guy who founded it is ranked at a measly #504 on a list of the world's billionaires.

He's not the only spirits/food/beverage purveyor on the list. Juan Francisco Beckmann Vidal, the chair of José Cuervo, is ranked above Beveridge (!) at #452. They're both topped by Jacqueline and John Mars, of Mars Inc. (#33), Jorge Paulo Lemann of Anheuser-Busch InBev (#35), and Dietrich Mateschitz (#53) of Red Bull—which gives you wings and also apparently Scrooge McDuck-style pools of gold—among many other rich-ass people and their totally indecent piles of money.

Anyway, the dude who owns Tito's is called Bert "Tito" Beveridge. Have a nice weekend!

Recommended