Our Story A Passion for Margaritas
Most people are surprised to learn Coyote Gold Margaritas was an accidental business. It came about because co-founders, Maureen “Mo” and Randy, two electrical engineers from Fort Collins, Colorado, share a passion for great-tasting margaritas.
Mo and Randy tasted restaurant margaritas, recipes from friends, and all the ready-to-serve brands at the liquor store. They were disappointed by nearly every restaurant or ready-to-serve margarita. Most were too sweet, too sour, or tasted like gasoline, and ready-to-serve margaritas were simply horrible. A few restaurant margaritas and several home recipes were quite good, but these were the exception.
In 1998, Mo and Randy began a quest to develop the perfect margarita. After a couple years testing on themselves and anybody who stopped at their homes, the pair developed the perfectly balanced margarita. Having no intention of turning their margarita recipe into a business, Mo and Randy were quite content consuming their handcrafted creation and sharing it with friends.
Friends loved the silky, smooth concoction and dubbed it “The Microbrew of Margaritas!” The word was out! Soon the pair began receiving requests for their great-tasting margaritas for special occasions and gatherings across Colorado, including large charity and nonprofit fundraisers for organizations such as the Red Cross and local hospital foundations.
For years the pair purchased ingredients at retail on behalf of loyal fans and personally handcrafted their margarita upon request. They “bottled” their cocktail in re-purposed tequila bottles, juice bottles, and even milk jugs. Loyal fans (aka “regulars”) wondered what container they would receive next. Often, Mo and Randy made home deliveries! Wouldn’t it be great if margaritas were delivered just like milk?
Upon urging from friends and fans to make their margaritas on a larger scale, and even STRONGER urging from their spouses to stop converting their kitchens into sticky labs, the pair formed Rest & Relaxation, LLC in 2005 to satisfy their growing following of margarita lovers. The name for their product? Coyote Gold!
It took nearly three years to navigate the myriad of governmental agencies and regulations at the local, state, and federal levels before they acquired the necessary licenses and approvals. In parallel, Mo and Randy engineered the Coyote Gold recipe for over a year in order to replicate their cherished “kitchen brew” in every way – aroma, taste, warmth, mouth-feel, “linger,” and the other subtle qualities of the perfect margarita experience.
Mo and Randy were committed to creating an authentic and all natural product free of preservatives, artificial flavors and colors, and gluten. During this process, they learned of cost-cutting measures other producers take – cheaper substitutions which compromise taste! The pair vowed NOT to take such shortcuts, but rather to focus on providing a great tasting, authentic, and all natural margarita at a reasonable price.
In January of 2008, the Coyote Gold All Natural Margarita was introduced in Colorado to rave reviews. Liquor stores sold out within weeks and were soon creating waiting lists of thirsty customers.
Today, Mo and Randy’s mission is to “Liberate the World from Bland Margaritas.” Their passion for the quality and perfection of the margarita is evident in every sip of the Coyote Gold All Natural Margarita. And of course, Mo and Randy personally approve every production blend.
About Randy
Randy was born and raised in the small town of Newell, near Rapid City and the Black Hills of South Dakota. He received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering from the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology. He is married to Katie and they have five children: Nathan, an industrial designer, Matt, an architectural engineer, Claire, a CPA, Abby, a school teacher, and high schooler, Lauren. Katie is also an entrepreneur and small business owner and currently works for an employment screening company. In his spare time, Randy rides his road bike (often with Mo), spends time with his family, golfs poorly, and enjoys photography.
About Maureen “Mo”
Maureen "Mo" Schaffer grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio and earned a B.S.E.E. from the University of Dayton. Her love for the mountains brought her to Fort Collins where she spent her first career (pre-margaritas) in the microelectronics industry working in integrated circuit design, manufacturing, and marketing. Along the way, Mo earned a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering at Colorado State University. In addition to mountains and margaritas, Mo has a passion for education. She is a co-founder of two Core Knowledge schools in Fort Collins. Mo and her husband Bob have five children and an increasing number of grandchildren! When not making margaritas, Mo loves to ski, ride her bike in the foothills, volunteer in the community, and spend time with family.