Meet the Founders

  • Tobin Ludwig, Co-Founder & COO, Ann Arbor, MI

    Tobin​ ​Ludwig has been passionate about food and drink his entire life. ​ Inspired by his mother’s culinary genius from an early age, he started working in ​the hospitality​ ​industry​ ​at 12 years old. He continued to work in the F&B industry during his undergraduate studies at Ithaca College and then for nearly a decade in New York City until he co-founded his first enterprise, Hella Cocktail Co. ​As an​ ​educator​, ​entrepreneur and consultant ​Tobin​ ​has​ ​worked​ ​with​ ​internationally​ ​recognized​ ​brands​ ​such as Delta Air Lines, American​ ​Express ​and​ ​Diageo,​ ​to​ ​name​ ​a​ ​few.​ As the co-founder and COO of Hella Cocktail Co. he leads product development in addition to overseeing operations, supply chain and procurement​. When he’s not trying to create the perfect balance of pH and brix, he’s spending time with his family, mostly in the kitchen.

  • Jomaree Pinkard, Co-Founder, New York, NY

    Pinkard served as the decade-long Co-Founder, CEO and now Chairman of the minority-owned craft beverage company, Hella Cocktail Co., where he developed several strategic brand iterations and groundbreaking product innovations to grow the brand into a national, multi-million-dollar venture. At Hella Cocktail Co., Pinkard brokered powerful, national brand partnerships with partners such as Southern Glazers’ Wine & Spirits, TGI Fridays, Disney and Delta Airlines, amongst others.


    Before his time at Hella Cocktail Co., Pinkard developed The Salvation Army's September 11 World Trade Center Recovery Program, held a Vice President role at Marsh & McLennan, and served as an independent consultant for the National Football League. Pinkard graduated from the University of Virginia's McIntire School of Commerce and earned his MBA from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Pinkard was also a Morgan Stanley Fellow and was named to the Specialty Food Association Board of Directors in 2021.

  • Eddie Simeón, Co-Founder & CMO, Los Angeles, CA

    Eddie Simeón grew up in a multicultural Mexican-Filipino-American family in Oakland, California. Like many grandchildren of immigrants, language was not his primary anchor to his roots. Instead, traditional comfort foods like albondigas, enchiladas, lumpia, leche flan, and calimanci were his gateway to the rich traditions of his familial homelands. Food is Eddie’s central connection to Mexican and Filipino culture, and as it turns out, his passion as an entrepreneur.

It all started with three best friends and a love for craft cocktailing...

Hella Cocktail Co. was established in 2011 by three curious friends, Jomaree Pinkard, Eddie Simeon, and Tobin Ludwig, who share a love of gathering, celebration, sharing knowledge, and of course, craft cocktailing. Hella is a brand that makes botanically-inspired mixers and bar-quality beverages with all real ingredients and no fake stuff, ever. At Hella, we believe that when a celebration lacks options across the spectrum of modern imbibing, people may feel unable to show up authentically. Hella's purpose during any occasion is to offer an elevated choice for all, always — so that all feel comfortable and confident when raising their glass. Hella is proudly minority-owned and community grown.