Remy Cointreau is donating a portion of sales to the IRC for every Cosmopolitan ordered at a participating restaurant, through December 31, 2021 as part of the ‘Cosmos for a Cause’ campaign.
While it feels like the worst of the pandemic is behind us (knock on wood), the effects are still being acutely felt by operators around the country. In fact, according to a report from the Independent Restaurant Coalition (IRC), 82% of independent restaurants and bars said they were at risk of shuttering. That’s on top of the one in six restaurants which have already closed, which left over 2.4 million people unemployed.
In response, Remy Cointreau is extending their ‘Cosmos for a Cause’ initiative for another year, ending on December 31. Why Cointreau chose to promote the most 90s cocktail of all time, instead of literally anything else (Sidecar, Lemon Drop, Singapore Sling, or hell – a Margarita), is a separate question all together. Either they’re really supportive of the new “Sex in the City” reboot, or they just love alliteration. I digress…
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'Cosmos for a Cause’ will donate a portion of sales up to $100,000 to the IRC for every order of a Cosmopolitan at participating bars and restaurants. The Republic National Distributing Company will match the donation.
Dozens of venues across the country, from New Hampshire down to Florida, Seattle to Texas are participating.
“Local bars and restaurants make up the fabric of our beloved communities,” says Dominic Alling, National Brand Ambassador for Remy Cointreau. “Now is the time to give back to your favorite places, so Cointreau is lending a hand.”
Venues are no longer able to register to participate in the initiative, but you can still post a picture on Instagram (tagging #CosmosForACause and @Cointreau_US) to help with the donations.
The IRC was formed by chefs and independent restaurant owners across the country to secure vital protections for the nation’s 500,000 independent restaurants and the more than 11 million restaurant and bar workers impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.
Since their inception in March, 2020, the IRC has been a powerful lobbying force for bars and restaurants. In less than one year, this community of independent operators made headlines with their national #SaveRestaurants movement, and proposed a grant to support the industry. A modified version of their RESTAURANTS Act was signed into law last March, securing $28.6 billion of funds for independent bars and restaurants.
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“Restaurants and bars have lost well over $200 billion dollars this past year, and over two million workers are still out of a job. $28.6 billion is a good start, but will certainly not be enough relief for the 500,000 independent restaurants and bars in the country, or the 11 million people we employ,” said Ivy Mix, IRC Advisory Board Member, in our April 2021 interview. “The IRC and our champions in Congress will not stop fighting until our industry receives the relief we need…”
The ’Cosmos for a Cause’ initiative runs until December 31, 2021. For more information and a full list of participating venues, visit www.cointreaucosmosforacause.com. For more information about the Independent Restaurant Coalition, visit www.saverestaurants.com.
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