Kevin Hart isn’t approaching the liquor business like most celebrities. While many stars attach their names to bottles and step back, the actor and comedian is intent on building something rooted in authenticity.
In a new interview with MRECK TV, he explained why his Gran Coramino tequila and its annual Coramino Cup were created to spotlight bartenders, the people who shape nightlife culture from behind the bar.
Hart said the project started with the right partnership. He teamed with Juan Domingo Beckmann Jr. and his family, who bring generations of tequila-making expertise and a deep understanding of global distribution.
For Hart, that made the difference between being a figurehead and being hands-on. “It was about having a voice, having a level of involvement and actually having the opportunity to be a real partner, not just be a face and a name on a label,” he told the outlet.
That vision was about more than product. It was about changing how bartenders are valued in an industry that often overlooks them. According to Hart, bartenders are the direct line between brands and the people who drink them. They’re storytellers, guides, and gatekeepers.
“Nobody touches alcohol more than bartenders. Nobody embraces a story more than bartenders because they’re the ones who are telling customers on a day-to-day basis what a product is and what’s special about it,” he said.
For Hart, it's about recognition and respect for the bartenders. “Your worth doesn’t go unseen. Your effort doesn’t go unseen,” he said. He wants participants to walk away knowing that their role in nightlife has value, and he believes other brands will eventually follow Gran Coramino's lead. “Bartenders are necessary. They’re special. They deserve the spotlight of attention. They deserve the moment of stardom.”
That push for visibility connects to Hart’s broader vision for his tequila brand. He has plans for new product variations and eventual global distribution, but he emphasized that growth must feel genuine.
“I would love to look up and we have distilleries, several. I would love to look up and our partnerships are thriving because we not only get each other but the world gets us,” he said.
Hart’s perspective also reflects his personal journey. Born and raised in North Philadelphia, he carries his East Coast roots into every venture; however, life on the West Coast has also shaped him.
He acknowledged that the East vs. West bartender dynamic in the competition mirrors his own balance between where he’s from and where his family is now.
“Forever a lover in Philadelphia, forever a true lover of the East Coast in general. But because of my kids, I got to throw half of my heart to the West Coast,” he said.
The interview also gave Hart the chance to discuss how he wants his projects to be received. He was firm that his name should not be attached to anything built on negativity or cheap attention. “If [the platform] is not about the salacious, slanderous content that multiplies and basically opportunes the idea of clickbait, I support it,” Hart said.
For Hart, such clarity is essential. He isn’t chasing hype. He’s chasing longevity, and for him, that means centering the people who have long been overlooked.