Consejo Regulador del Tequila

What Consejo Regulador del Tequila does

The Consejo Regulador del Tequila A.C. (CRT) is a Mexican non-profit civil association established on May 17, 1994, and headquartered in Zapopan, Jalisco. It serves as the sole government-accredited Conformity Assessment Body for tequila under the Official Mexican Standard NOM-006-SCFI-2012, with statutory authority to inspect, analyze, and certify compliance throughout the agave-tequila production chain. CRT safeguards the Tequila Denominación de Origen (DOT), Mexico's first, which covers 181 municipalities across five states (Jalisco, Guanajuato, Michoacán, Nayarit, and Tamaulipas) and is protected as intellectual property in 57 countries. As of 2023, CRT's certified ecosystem comprises 41,180 registered agave producers, 198 certified tequila producers, and 2,539+ certified brands.

CRT operates a multi-service platform built around four core service lines: an Inspection Unit, a Certification Body, a Testing Laboratory for physicochemical analysis, and Agroservicios providing agricultural technical support. Underlying these services is a proprietary technology stack including georeferencing of agave plantations, the ValidApp digital verification system, QR Security Codes on bottles, and Certificates of Authenticity for exports. CRT has extended into adjacent certification verticals via the OCVGEI Greenhouse Gas Verification Body (accredited under ISO 14065:2020, ISO 17029:2019, and ISO 14064-3:2019) and the Agave Responsable Ambiental (ARA) and Agave Responsable Social (ARS) sustainability certification marks. The organization also runs professionalization programs in partnership with Universidad de Guadalajara, Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara, and ITESM.

As a non-profit, CRT does not sell tequila products; rather, it is funded through membership dues, inspection fees, laboratory services, and certification charges paid by actors across the agave-tequila value chain. The organization operates 10 offices including 6 across Mexican production regions and 4 international representative offices in Washington D.C., Madrid, Geneva, and Shanghai. Industry context: in H1 2026, tequila production reached 302.1 million liters and exports reached 214.4 million liters (+3.3% year-over-year), with 80% of exports destined for the United States. CRT is governed by a Consejo Directivo elected from its membership, with leadership including President Aurelio López Rocha (as of October 2025) and Director Ramón González Figueroa.

Name

Consejo Regulador del Tequila

Legal name

CONSEJO REGULADOR DEL TEQUILA

Website

https://crt.org.mx

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Consejo Regulador del Tequila (CRT) is Mexico's non-profit regulatory body that inspects, analyzes, and certifies tequila production under NOM-006-SCFI-2012, serving 198 distillers, 2,539+ brands, and 41,180 agave producers while protecting the Tequila Denominación de Origen in 57 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Spirits Industry Regulation and Certification

akta.pro primary industry

Certification Program Administration & Scheme Management (Standard Owners) (AFALACAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Accreditation & Oversight Bodies for Food Safety Certification (ABs/Scheme Owners) (AFALACAB), Pre-Assessment, Gap Assessment & Certification Readiness Services (AFALACAE), Sustainability Testing, Certification & Compliance (LCA, Recyclability/Compostability Testing, FSC/PEFC) (IMALAMAK)

Keywords

• Tequila certification services
• Spirits regulatory inspection
• Denomination of origin protection
• Agricultural certification programs
• Greenhouse gas verification

Headquarters

HQ city

Zapopan

HQ country

Mexico

HQ region

Latin America

Offices10 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The Consejo Regulador del Tequila A.C. (CRT) is a non-profit civil association that provides regulatory inspection, certification, and laboratory services for the tequila industry in Mexico. It inspects, analyzes, and certifies compliance with the Official Mexican Standard for tequila (NOM-006-SCFI-2012), safeguards the Tequila Denominación de Origen (DOT) domestically and internationally across 57 countries, and operates traceability and sustainability certification programs covering 41,180 registered agave producers, 198 certified tequila producers, and 2,539+ certified tequila brands across 181 municipalities in five Mexican states.

Product overview

The Consejo Regulador del Tequila (CRT) operates as a comprehensive regulatory and service organization for the tequila industry, offering a multi-service portfolio centered around inspection, certification, and laboratory services. The core offerings include the Inspection Unit, Certification Body, Laboratory, and Agroservicios, which together ensure compliance with NOM-006-SCFI-2012. Supporting these are certification brands like Agave Responsable Social (ARS) for farmer recognition and ARA (Agave Responsable Ambiental) for deforestation-free agave verification. The CRT also provides professionalization programs through diplomas and master's degrees, operates a Greenhouse Gas Verification Body (OCVGEI), developed the ValidApp for traceability, and manages the Distintivo T certification for establishments. The Tequila Lab experience center represents a recent addition for education and promotion. The organization functions as a non-profit civil association established on May 17, 1994.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CRT: Acronym for Consejo Regulador del Tequila, the organization's common commercial and operational name used in branding, communications, and certifications.
• Distintivo T
• Agave Responsable Social (ARS)
• Agave Responsable Ambiental (ARA)

Products and services

• Unidad de Inspección (Inspection Unit)

Quantifiable outcome

• 302.1 million liters produced and 214.4 million liters exported in H1 2026 (+3.3% YoY)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

23 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Government of GuanajuatocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Renewed partnership to guarantee deforestation-free agave cultivation through ARA certification. Guanajuato represents 11.85% of total agave inventory and is the second-largest producer of Agave tequilana Weber blue variety.
• CoinvierteminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partner in the Tequila Lab project, an innovative museographic center showcasing tequila history, production, and culture.
• Secretaría de Turismo de JaliscominorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partner in Tequila Lab initiative to promote tequila tourism and cultural heritage.
• Museos, Exposiciones y Galerías de JaliscominorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partner in Tequila Lab project, contributing to the museum and exhibition component of the initiative.
• Jalisco State Energy AgencyminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Collaboration agreement to promote sustainable projects for the Agave-Tequila Production Chain, including renewable energy, wastewater treatment, and energy efficiency.
• Jalisco Business Climate AllianceminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023CRT elected as representative of the Board of Associations to promote leadership and decarbonization of Jalisco's economy by 2050.
• Government of JaliscocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Co-registered the ARA (Agave Responsable Ambiental) Certification Mark with IMPI. Joint sustainability initiatives and reforestation programs. Guanajuato joined this partnership in subsequent years.
• Mario Molina CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Joint launch of the Sustainability Strategy in 2016, outlining commitments and actions for short, medium, and long term sustainability goals including targets for 2025-2030.
• Universidad de Guadalajara (UDG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership for professionalization programs including the Diplomado Técnico Agavero and joint initiatives for the Agave-Tequila production chain.
• Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara (UAG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership for the Maestría en Procesos del Tequila program, providing graduate-level education for the tequila industry.
• Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (ITESM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership contributing to the professionalization and research initiatives of the tequila agroindustry.
• Secretaría de Relaciones ExteriorescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to strengthen the protection of tequila Denominación de Origen in Mexico and abroad through diplomatic channels.
• Buró Nacional Interprofesional del CoñacminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational cooperation agreement for knowledge sharing between spirits regulatory bodies.
• Scotch Whisky AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational cooperation agreement for mutual protection of spirits appellations of origin.
• Bureau Interprofessionel of CognacminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational cooperation for protection of geographical indications and spirits quality standards.
• Interprofessional Committee of Champagne WineminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational cooperation for protection of wine and spirits appellations.
• World Customs Organization (OMA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational customs cooperation for protection against counterfeiting and proper tequila certification at borders.
• INTERPOLminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational law enforcement cooperation for combating tequila counterfeiting and illegal trade.
• EUROPOLminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean law enforcement cooperation for protecting tequila intellectual property rights.
• Consorzio ProseccominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational cooperation for mutual protection of geographical indications.
• Consejo Regulador DOCa RiojaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational cooperation with Spanish wine regulatory body for knowledge sharing.
• Consorcio de Investigación por la Sustentabilidad del Agave-TequilacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch consortium launched in February 2023 with 8 million pesos initial investment to coordinate research from universities and innovation centers for tequila sustainability objectives.
• oriGIn (Organisation for an International Geographical Indications Network)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCRT will host the Regional Antenna 'oriGIn América Latina' to strengthen geographical indications network in Latin America.

Scale indicators16 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Consejo Regulador DOCa Rioja: Spanish regulatory council for the Rioja DOCa wine appellation. Direct peer as a 'Consejo Regulador' with parallel inspection, certification, and export documentation functions; CRT has an active knowledge-sharing agreement with this body.
• Consejo Mexicano Regulador del Mezcal (COMERCAM): Mexican regulatory council for the Mezcal Denomination of Origin. Operates the same Mexican DOT certification model as CRT for the agave-based mezcal category, providing a domestic peer with parallel governance, inspection, and export authentication functions.
• Scotch Whisky Association: Trade association that protects the Scotch Whisky geographical indication internationally and enforces production standards. CRT has a formal cooperation agreement with SWA for mutual protection of spirits appellations, making it the closest UK-side peer.
• Bureau National Interprofessionnel du Cognac: The French interprofessional body that regulates the Cognac Denomination of Origin. Like CRT, BNIC is the exclusive certification and oversight authority for a protected spirits appellation and is explicitly named as a CRT cooperation partner under a mutual GI protection agreement.
• Consorzio Prosecco DOC: Italian consortium protecting the Prosecco DOC appellation. Listed as a CRT cooperation partner for mutual GI protection; same interprofessional model applied to a globally distributed wine category.
• Comité Interprofessionnel du Vin de Champagne (CIVC): Interprofessional body governing the Champagne appellation. Listed as a CRT cooperation partner for appellation protection; operates an analogous regulatory, certification, and international IP defense model for a premium alcoholic beverage GI.

Others

• ProWein / Messe Düsseldorf: Major international wine and spirits trade fair. Not a regulator but a key marketing/distribution channel where CRT participates to promote tequila globally; included as a thematically adjacent ecosystem player rather than a direct competitor.
• Casa Cuervo (José Cuervo): Largest tequila producer and a CRT-certified member. Included not as a peer to CRT but as a key constituent/ecosystem participant that CRT regulates; representative of the producer-side counterpart to CRT's certification role.

Emerging players

• Bureau Interprofessionnel du Vin de Bourgogne (BIVB): Interprofessional body for Burgundy wines, analogous to CRT but for a wine GI rather than spirits. Comparable in scale and structure to a national spirits regulatory council and representative of the broader wine DO council model.

Broad incumbents

• oriGIn (Organisation for an International Geographical Indications Network): Global non-profit network of GI producer groups and regulatory bodies. CRT will host the oriGIn Latin America Regional Antenna, indicating its institutional alignment; oriGIn operates one tier above individual councils, advocating for GI protection at international policy fora.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/crtequila
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/ConsejoTequila
• Facebookfacebook.com/crtequila
• Instagraminstagram.com/crt_tequila
• TikToktiktok.com/@crtequila

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Consejo Regulador del Tequila