Snake Oil Cocktail Company

What Snake Oil Cocktail Company does

Snake Oil Cocktail Company, LLC, founded in 2010 and headquartered in San Diego, California, is a privately held beverage catering and mixology consulting firm that designs and operates craft cocktail programs for events, venues, and restaurants. Its core offering is full-service beverage catering, supported by an integrated stack of capabilities: the Mobile Bar (a branded trailer service), Virtual Barstool (Zoom-based remote mixology classes with shipped bar kits), Cocktail Graffiti (edible-art printing of logos and imagery on top of cocktails), and a mixology education and team-building module. The company is the exclusive food and beverage operator at several marquee venues, including The Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center (La Jolla Music Society), the San Diego Symphony's Copley Symphony Hall and Jacobs Music Center, and the Lyceum Theatre, and it is the captive beverage provider for the wholly-owned JULEP venue (an 18,000 sq ft multipurpose facility that also serves as the company headquarters). A separate bar consulting practice has launched more than 30 beverage programs across the U.S. and Latin America, and a small retail line of pre-made mixers is sold through a Square online storefront. Underlying the work is a stated "farm-to-bar" culinary mixology approach that emphasizes fresh-pressed juices, seasonal produce, and designs intended to be executable by non-specialist venue staff.

The business operates a hybrid GTM: an event-driven motion for weddings, corporate events, galas, and public gatherings (sourced through the website, direct outreach, and a Triple Seat booking system), combined with a sales-led motion for enterprise clients and venue concession contracts. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed; packages are custom-built per event. Revenue is generated across five streams: event beverage catering, bar consulting, managed venue concessions, mixology education and team-building experiences, and retail mixer sales. The company maintains LEAD certification and ABC permitting, and its client base spans luxury automotive (Ferrari, Porsche, Aston Martin, Rolls Royce), entertainment (TED, Sundance, San Diego International Film Festival), sports (Yankees, Padres, Chargers, San Diego Polo), media (National Geographic, Fox, Warner Bros.), technology (Google, Qualcomm, Cisco, Intuit), and hospitality (Hard Rock, Searsucker, Paradise Point). Snake Oil is co-founded and led by Michael Esposito (CEO) and Frankie Thaheld (Partner and Director of Mixology), with a mixology team including Irving Gonzalez; the firm has no disclosed institutional investors, parent company, or funding rounds.

Name

Snake Oil Cocktail Company

Legal name

Snake Oil Cocktail Company, LLC

Website

https://snakeoilcocktail.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Snake Oil Cocktail Company is a privately held San Diego beverage catering and mixology consulting firm founded in 2010, serving weddings, corporate events, venues, and restaurants nationwide with custom craft cocktail programs, exclusive venue concessions, and mobile and virtual mixology experiences.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Event Beverage Catering Services

NAICS

Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (7224), Beverage Manufacturing (3121)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Beverages (2080)

akta.pro primary industry

Bar & Beverage Catering (Mobile Bar, Bartending) (HSACAGAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Beverage Services (Bar Catering, Mixology, Beverage Programs) (THAHAKAJ), Alcoholic Beverage Mixers & Cocktail Ingredients Brands (Non-alcoholic) (CRADAIAH)

Keywords

• Beverage catering services
• Craft cocktail mixology
• Event bar management
• Mobile bar rental
• Bar program consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

San Diego

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Event Beverage Catering: Full-service beverage catering for events including craft cocktail bars, beer and wine bars, cash bars, and champagne towers. Revenue generated per event with pricing based on event size, duration, and service requirements.
2. Bar Consulting: Beverage program design, cocktail menu development, and bar management consulting for restaurants and venues. Includes staffing, execution, and operational setup.
3. Venue Concessions Management: Exclusive management of food and beverage operations at venues such as The Conrad and San Diego Symphony. Revenue from concession sales and service fees.
4. Mixology Education & Team Building: Corporate team-building experiences, cocktail classes, and spirit tastings. Package-based pricing for group experiences.
5. Mixer Sales: Pre-made mixers sold through Square storefront for at-home cocktail preparation

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Snake Oil Cocktail Company is a beverage catering and bar consulting firm that designs, staffs, and executes full-service craft cocktail programs for weddings, corporate events, galas, festivals, performing-arts venues, and restaurants. Offerings include on-site event bartending with custom cocktail design, a Mobile Bar trailer, the Virtual Barstool remote mixology experience, and venue concession management (e.g., The Conrad, San Diego Symphony, Lyceum Theatre). The company also sells pre-made Snake Oil Mixers retail and provides bar/beverage program consulting that has launched 30+ programs in five years.

Product overview

Snake Oil Cocktail Company operates a beverage catering and mixology services platform built around a core beverage catering offering enhanced by specialized modules and sub-brands. The core service provides full-service craft cocktail catering for events, supported by Mobile Bar (Abe the Bar), Virtual Barstool, Cocktail Graffiti, and Mixology Education add-on modules. The company also operates JULEP, their own branded multipurpose event venue, and sells Snake Oil Mixers as a retail sub-brand. Bar Consulting services complete the portfolio with beverage program design for restaurants and bars.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Cocktail Graffiti: Custom designed cocktail experience where logos, imagery, or photos are presented on top of cocktails as edible art
• Virtual Barstool
• JULEP
• Mobile Bar

Products and services

• Beverage Catering Full-service event beverage catering providing hand-crafted craft cocktails, professional bartending staff, and custom cocktail design for weddings, corporate events, galas, festivals, and special occasions. Includes craft cocktail bars, beer and wine bars, cash bars, champagne towers, and themed beverage experiences.
• Mobile Bar (Abe the Bar) Portable bar service built around a sophisticated mobile bar trailer available in satin black finish with maple countertops or white with bamboo countertops and blue interior lighting. Requires 20ft footprint, includes interior lighting, electrical outlets, two-tap system, and hand-washing sink; available for travel in southern California.
• Virtual Barstool Interactive virtual mixology experience combining physical Bar Kits (fresh citrus, herbs, cocktail mixers, and bar tools including jigger, shaker, strainer, muddler, bar spoon) with recipe cards, delivered to participants and conducted via Zoom in approximately 1-hour sessions covering spirit history and cocktail building techniques. Targeted at remote corporate teams and team-building events.
• Cocktail Graffiti Custom cocktail design service placing logos, imagery, or photos on top of cocktails using food-safe edible-art printing. Designed to create social-media-worthy, branded beverage experiences for corporate clients, brand activations, weddings, and events.
• Mixology Education & Team Building Educational cocktail experiences including team-building workshops, spirit tastings, and hands-on cocktail creation classes. Approximately 90-minute sessions covering the history and origins of spirits, bartending basics, and cocktail building techniques. Targeted at corporate groups and private events.
• Bar Consulting Beverage program design and consulting for restaurants and bars, including cocktail menu development, staffing recommendations, and execution support. Delivered across Southern and Central California, New York, Tijuana, Valle Guadalupe, Baja California Sur, Boca Raton, and Bogotá, Colombia.
• Snake Oil Mixers Fresh-pressed cocktail mixers made in small batches and packaged for retail sale through a Square online storefront, enabling at-home craft cocktail preparation by individual consumers.
• JULEP Venue Company-owned multipurpose event venue in San Diego offering 12,000+ square feet of indoor-outdoor event space, a cafe, multiple AV-equipped meeting rooms, and two on-site kitchens. Hosts corporate and private events, includes a WestBean Coffee Roasters specialty coffee program, and serves as Snake Oil Cocktail Company's headquarters.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 30 successful beverage programs launched in 5 years
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers26 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Snake Oil Venue Company (JULEP)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2019Sister company owns and operates JULEP venue (18,000 sq ft, $2M renovation) and Liberty Station outdoor venues. Snake Oil Cocktail Company is exclusive beverage provider.
• La Jolla Music Society / The Conrad Prebys Performing Arts CenterflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 31 January 2019Snake Oil manages all food and beverage at the 49,000 sq ft, $78.5M world-class music hall and event space in La Jolla. Partnership includes concession service at Baker-Baum Concert Hall (513 seats), JAI performance space, and Wu Tsai QRT.yrd outdoor area.
• George's California Modern / George's at the CovecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2017Frankie Thaheld led cocktail program at George's restaurants for 8 years, pioneering produce-driven cocktails using Chino Farms ingredients. The partnership elevated San Diego's cocktail scene.
• Tidal Craft & Catch / Paradise Point ResortcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2017Snake Oil designed produce-driven cocktail program at Mission Beach restaurant, working with Chef Amy DiBiase.
• Bottega AmericanocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2017Created cocktail and barista program for East Village restaurant.
• Copley Symphony Hall / San Diego SymphonyflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2017Full concession and bar management at San Diego Symphony venues, including Jacobs Music Center. Handles diverse demographic events from Ben Harper concerts to classical Beethoven performances.
• Lyceum TheatrecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2017Concession management at downtown theater venue.
• Brian Malarkey / Enlightened Hospitality GroupflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2017Original founding partnership in 2010 to open Searsucker Restaurant, which became TIME Magazine Top 10 Restaurant 2010. Snake Oil built the initial beverage program.
• Mamut Brewery Co. (Tijuana)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2017Cross-border partnership with Tijuana's Mamut Brewery Co.
• Oryx Capital (Tijuana)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2017Partnership with Chef Ruffo Ibarra's Oryx Capital restaurant in Tijuana.
• La Justina Gastrobar (Tijuana)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2017Partnership with La Justina Gastrobar in Tijuana.
• Tobu-Sushi Lounge (Tijuana)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2017International beverage program partnership in Tijuana.
• Hendrick's Gin / William Grant & SonscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Multi-year partnership for La Jolla Concours d'Elegance cocktail activations. Snake Oil creates custom cocktail experiences featuring Hendrick's Gin at the premier automotive event.
• National GeographiccoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Created National Geographic Genius Bar at TCA Fox All-Star Party with Einstein-themed cocktails including E=mc2 and Gravitational Pull.
• WestBean Coffee RoasterscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Selected to curate JULEP cafe's specialty coffee program, with collaboration with Snake Oil mixologists on coffee and tea-inspired libations.
• Sundance Film FestivalflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2017Beverage catering at Sundance Film Festival, one of the company's marquee events.
• San Diego PadrescoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2017Event collaborations at Petco Park stadium.
• Los Angeles ChargerscoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2017Event collaborations with NFL team.
• Summit Series (Utah)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2017Exclusive beverage service at Summit Series event in Utah.
• TED ConferenceflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 July 2010Beverage catering at TED Conference, one of the company's marquee events.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• The Bar Cart: Portable and mobile bar catering service for weddings and private events with craft cocktail programs. Direct competitor in the mobile bar / beverage catering category serving similar premium-event customers.
• Tipsy Trolley: Mobile bar service operating custom-built trolley and trailer bars for weddings and corporate events. Closely comparable to Snake Oil's Mobile Bar (Abe the Bar) product in delivery mechanism and premium-event customer segment.
• Barefoot Bartending: Mobile bartending service providing event bar staffing and beverage catering for weddings, corporate events, and private parties across multiple U.S. markets. Comparable in service model, customer segments, and geographic reach strategy.
• Bottles & Jars: Mobile bar and beverage catering company specializing in craft cocktails for weddings and corporate events. Direct competitor with overlapping craft cocktail positioning and event-driven customer base.
• EventBartenders.com: National event bartending service matching venues and event planners with professional bartenders for corporate events, weddings, and private parties. Comparable in service model and professional staffing approach for premium events.
• Elevated Bartending: Mobile bartending and event beverage service for weddings, corporate events, and private parties. Comparable in craft cocktail catering model, professional staffing, and premium-event customer positioning.
• Mixelology: Mobile mixology and craft cocktail catering company serving weddings, corporate events, and private parties in the U.S. Highly comparable to Snake Oil in core service offering (mobile mixology bar catering for events) and target customer base (weddings, corporate, galas).
• Pour Horses: Mobile bar rental and beverage catering service for events. Direct competitor in the mobile bar category with similar craft cocktail positioning and event-driven customer base.

Emerging players

• Shaker & Spoon: Cocktail subscription and virtual cocktail experience company shipping curated cocktail boxes with recipes and ingredients. Comparable to Snake Oil's Virtual Barstool in combining physical mixology kits with guided remote experiences.
• Cocktail Courier: Direct-to-consumer cocktail delivery and virtual event company shipping premium cocktail kits nationwide. Adjacent competitor in the at-home and virtual cocktail experience category that intersects with Snake Oil's mixers and Virtual Barstool lines.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/SnakeOilCocktail
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/snake-oil-cocktail-company
• Instagraminstagram.com/snakeoilcocktail
• Xx.com/snakeoilcc

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Snake Oil Cocktail Company