*Disclosure: Cold Tea Collective serves as the publicist for Triple X.O.G., the featured subject for this article.
Canada sees the emergence of new ready-to-drink Asian flavours and brands
Your next party, work function or girls’ night is coming up. What are you bringing?
When you go into a liquor store in Canada, there’s a vast array of options. From wines, spirits, beer and a growing number of ready-to-drink cocktails in cans to bring to your next gathering.
Ready-to-drink beverages, also known as RTDs, have seen an increased demand in Canada in the last five years. This category of alcoholic beverages has more than doubled in that time, reaching $2.29 billion in sales during the last reporting period, 2023-2024. In 2024, the governing body for liquor sales and distribution in the province of Ontario reached $745.1 million in just 2024, according to CBC.
Our neighbours in the U.S. have also seen the emergence of brands that are creative innovations inspired by Korean soju and rice beer, as well as hard seltzers infused with Asian fruits and flavours. They’ve also been leaders in centring Asian flavours and culture into consumer products compared to Canada, with new options emerging regularly.
The latest company on our radar to make a splash in this space is Triple X.O.G., an Asian-Canadian founded RTD brand, recently featured on CBC’s Dragons’ Den.
Triple X.O.G. honours classic cocktail originating from Hong Kong: cognac, green tea, honey
Pitching on the 20th season of Dragons’ Den Canada was not something that Triple X.O.G.’s co-founders had on their roadmap so early in the business, having only started serving their product six months prior. However, with some encouragement from people sampling their drink at an alcohol festival in Vancouver and auditions taking place the next day, they were inspired to take action. Then, a few months later, they made the trip out to Toronto to step into the Den.
Turning back the clock to the summer of 2022, Felix Chen first introduced this cocktail to his friend, Rudy Pham, at a rooftop party. That moment became the seed of a bigger vision: bringing this culture-rich drink out of karaoke bars and into the mainstream.
A few weeks later, the two were hiking – in true Vancouver fashion – and conceptualized their flagship product, “Triple X.O.G.” as a premium ready-to-drink cocktail that brings both culture and representation into the mainstream.
“Green tea and cognac have been a staple in Asian nightlife culture for decades, but it’s never been bottled or shared beyond our communities. We’re proud to bring it from our roots to shelves across Canada,” said Felix Chen, co-founder and CEO of Triple X.O.G.
“The drink today is so popular and iconic in our community that it’s been dubbed ‘the Asian gin and tonic’. There was a big problem, though: we couldn’t find this drink anywhere. No one had brought this cultural staple into the ready-to-drink market,” shared Triple X.O.G. co-founder and COO, Rudy Pham.
Felix Chen is a Taiwanese Canadian with a professional background in engineering consulting for oil and gas and real estate. He is also a serial entrepreneur, running businesses in the plastics recycling and restaurant industries in Calgary, Alberta.
Rudy Pham is a Vietnamese-German Canadian entrepreneur with nearly a decade of professional sales experience in life insurance, consistently winning top sales awards and often mentoring newer sales agents.
The two share a love for travel, experiences and fitness and embody the energy and ambition of a new generation of entrepreneurs with a ‘work hard, play hard’ mindset.
“Triple X.O.G. is more than a beverage, it’s a cultural statement,” shares Pham.
As Asian Canadians, the founders wanted to create an alcohol brand that speaks to a generation born outside of Asia. Originating in Hong Kong in the early 2000s, the drink was popularized by the Asian diaspora in North America and Australia as well.
The name “X.O.G.” stands for “Extra Old” (referring to cognac) and “Original Gangster” (a tribute to the green tea cocktail origin). The drink is more than just flavour – it’s about representation. Triple X.O.G offers consumers a choice to represent their culture and enjoy flavours that are nostalgic and familiar.
Triple X.O.G.’s flavour profile includes green tea, honey sweetness, and a smooth cognac finish with light bubbles, making this beverage a refreshing choice for any occasion.
Read more stories about Business & Entrepreneurship on Cold Tea Collective.
Triple X.O.G. is the latest alcohol beverage company to pitch on Dragons’ Den Canada
On Dragons’ Den, Chen and Pham pitched Triple X.O.G. with samples for the Dragons to try and a fun dance mob, emulating the experience of receiving ‘bottle service’ in nightclubs.
Despite being under pressure with questions from the Dragons, the duo’s strong entrepreneurial spirit resonated with the panel and caught the attention of Manjit Minhas and Wes Hall. Manjit Minhas and her brother Ravinder Minhas are the co-founders of Minhas Breweries, one of the world’s top breweries. Hall’s investments and networks include a large distribution network of nightclubs in Toronto, which would surely be a solid entry point for the pitchers.
Wes Hall presented Triple X.O.G. with an offer of $100,000 for 15.7% of the business, and Minhas with an offer of $100,000 for 20% of the business. Triple X.O.G. asked if the two Dragons would be willing to come together with $100,000 for 20%. It was a hard no from Minhas, who the pair ultimately accepted the offer from. Chen, Pham and their new investor celebrated with the Triple X.O.G. entourage, drinks and glow sticks in hand.
“Triple X.O.G. immediately caught my attention as a potentially unique product in the Canadian marketplace. Spirit-based RTDs have exploded in popularity, but very few are cognac-based. And while hard iced teas are successful, it’s amazing how uninspired the variety available in North America is. Triple X.O.G. offers an innovative take on some classic flavours that will stand out on the shelf,” shared Minhas.
Centering authenticity and cultural sensitivity in business
Dragons’ Den-type shows, where entrepreneurs pitch to potential investors, became popularized in Asia in the early 2000s. The Tigers of Money originated in Japan in 2001, followed by Dragons’ Den in the UK in 2005, then Dragons’ Den Canada in 2006 and America’s Shark Tank in 2009.
For 20 years, Dragons’ Den Canada has featured a diverse range of entrepreneurs in the Den. The previous season of the show caught the attention of supporters of Asian-centered businesses around the world, as actor Simu Liu was a guest Dragon whose response to one company’s pitch caused quite a stir. A Quebec-based company founded by two non-Asian founders pitched an RTD drink based on bubble tea called “Bobba.” The founders were accused of cultural appropriation and cultural insensitivity as their product was a commercialized erasure of the origins of bubble tea. Minhas initially backed the deal, but subsequently withdrew.
“Dragons’ Den really is a mirror of what’s happening in Canadian small business,” shares the show’s executive producer, Molly Middleton.
She also recognizes that Triple X.O.G. is a product, brand and experience that centers Asian Canadian culture. “We’re always trying to pick the best pitches that represent different interests, cultures and industries. I think people who know Cognac/Green tea as a drink attached to their culture will be excited to see it in ready-to-drink form that they can go out and buy.”
See also: Asian Canadian brands to follow
Looking ahead to the future for entrepreneurs honouring Asian culture in business
Post-Dragons’ Den, Triple X.O.G. plans to raise more funds to work toward reducing production and distribution costs, while also expanding its selection of products and markets they’re available in.
Although the Dragons’ Den episode highlighted growth opportunities for the business at the time of the pitch, Minhas is confident in her investment and how they’ve developed their branding and positioning.
“It’s impossible not to be intrigued when they share the history of this drink and their affection for it. I can tell they want to create a brand that is strong, clear and authentic to them. That is what viewers of Dragons’ Den and their future customers will resonate with,” she shares.
When it comes to Triple X.O.G.’s future success, the alcohol entrepreneur and 11-season Dragon also believes authenticity will guide the way. “In a highly competitive industry and market, it’s important that Triple X.O.G. stays true to its core values as an entrepreneur and as a brand. Their keys to success and growth will be in remaining authentic to their brand, their culture and flavours. Then, they will gain the reach, resonance and recognition they deserve.”
Triple X.O.G. is produced in East Vancouver and is available in over 100 locations in B.C. and Alberta. For customers outside of those areas, the product can be ordered online for delivery across Canada.
Follow Triple X.O.G on Instagram: @drinkTriplexog and stream their episode of Dragon’s Den for free on CBC Gem.
*Disclosure: Cold Tea Collective serves as the publicist for Triple X.O.G., the featured subject for this article.
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