GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Women’s History Month is coming to an end but that doesn’t mean you can’t support all of the local women owned businesses all year around.
One business owner is using her Southeast Asian heritage to bring a unique brand of vodka to West Michigan.
Inside Bridge Street Market in the liquor section of the store next to other well-known vodka brands is Zini Vodka.
“Zini is really to inspire others to be a Zini, so it means zealous, independent, natural, and intelligent. I welcome everyone to be a Zini," Kavy Lenon, Creator and Founder of Zini Vodka, said.
After many months of taste testing, Lenon launched the lychee vodka during last year’s Grand Rapids Asian Pacific Festival and it was an instant hit.
“We had 250 bottle reserve without me even having product on the market. So i'm so appreciative at the bridge street market, taking on the product and really serving the community with it,” Lenon said.
Lychee martini’s are all the rage in big city’s like New York and Los Angeles, but now the sweet juicy flavor can be found in West Michigan.
“It's the smoothness of the lychee flavor in the vodka. So you could drink it by itself. You could drink it as a martini, or you could put it in any of your favorite mixer. But a lot of people have given us a response that they would just drink this on ice or just make a simple mojito or a simple martini from it," Lenon said.
Thanks to partnership with organizations like the Grand Rapids Asian-Pacific Foundation in the less than a year the business has thrived.
You can find Zini Vodka in several local liquor stores and select grocery stores. Plus, restaurants like K-Rok.
“I want to push the opportunity where we could bring different flavor profiles or be part of this any family," Lenon said.
Lenon is also taking the opportunity to give back with 10% of proceeds from the sales of Zini vodka go back into supporting other women owned businesses.
From noon until 4 p.m. today (March 25) at Bridge Street Market you can meet Lenon and other female entrepreneurs.
This Saturday's Makers Market is celebrating Women’s History Month.
It’s a monthly event that features local small business owners.
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