Meet the founders of the first Black women-owned citrus-based liqueur brand in the US

Best friends who later became business partners, Daphane Carter and Taia Rashid decided to start the first Black women-owned citrus-based liqueur in the United States after leaving their high-profile jobs to pursue their passion for limoncello.

According to their website, the idea for the liqueur came to the founders of the handcrafted spirit brand, Cashid Beverage Ltd Co., while attending weekly meetings with friends and family. The women noted a lack of “sippable spirits without adding tons of ingredients.”

The last push came from a discussion with Carter’s husband. While the two were on vacation in Italy sipping limoncello, he inspired her to start her own business. Carter then invited her friend, Rashid, to join her on the venture, to which she received an enthusiastic yes.

In an interview with Click 2, Taia revealed, “I had worked corporate before. Was a stay-at-home mom for a while because my husband worked a ton, and I was ready to transition into something else. Daphane was leaving corporate, ready to transition. So, we talked about getting into something not knowing exactly what it was going to be, and low and behold, that trip it was like a wildfire, and it’s been that since then.”

Cashid Beverage Ltd Co. went from conception to operation in less than a month, and its products were shelved in stores afterward.

Daphane Limoncello and Daphane Raspberry Berrycello are the brand’s two main specialties. Meyer Lemons, premium agave syrup, and six-times-distilled premium vodka are just a few of the high-quality components used in the liqueurs.

Additionally, their brand has already won a number of awards; including two Silver Medals in the 2023 Bartender Spirits Awards, a Double Gold Award in the Taste Competition, and a Silver Award for Best Overall Marketing and Design.

“We are extremely pleased that our spirits performed so highly at the recent Bartenders Spirits Awards. Winning this award is particularly important to us because it shows that we are making the types of spirits that spirits drinkers actually want to buy and enjoy,” Rashid told The Hype Magazine after they received the awards.

The founders have also entered the retail industry, expanding into stores such as Cork & Barrel Club, Total Wine, and Emilio’s. The liqueur is now available in California, with Texas and Florida following soon after.