Kendall Jenner Makes It To The Forbes 30 Under 30 List

Model and entrepreneur Kendall Jenner has joined the footsteps of her sisters Kim Kardashian and Kylie Jenner as she made her way into the Forbes 30 Under 30 list. Kendall who comes from the Kardashian-Jenner clan is first and foremost known for her modeling career. The 28-year-old is the highest-paid model in the world. In March 2020, at the onset of the pandemic, she quietly launched her tequila brand 818, named the zip code of her house in Calabasas, California, USA. While most celebrities put their face on their brand and businesses, Jenner chose to launch her liquor brand anonymously.

She and her team entered 818 into the World Tequila Awards, presenting the Añejo, Reposado, and Blanco liquor without mentioning its ownership. At the contest, her 818 Reposado won the category’s top prize, while the Añejo won bronze. A year later, 818 won 16 prestigious awards across six competitions and that’s when Jenner announced that 818 is her brand in an Instagram post.

While talking to Forbes about her decision to first launch her brand anonymously, Jenner said, “We wanted to get true, honest feedback. I wanted the liquid and the brand to stand on their own and for people to love it without me even having to be a part of it because I just wanted it to be that good.”

Jenner also claimed that 818 is one of only two tequila brands ever to receive B Corp certification. B Corp certification is given to brands that perform exceptionally well on social and environmental parameters.

Forbes reported that this year itself, 818 has sold 160,000 cases. Jenner’s tequila brand is supported by veteran beverage executive Mike Novy who she lured to her team from rival brand Casa Dragones. Jenner was inspired to start a tequila brand because her parents drank it frequently when she was growing up and eventually she ended up liking tequila.

Earlier this week, Jenner shared a picture of her Forbes cover on Instagram. While many people applauded her, others noted that it was undeserved. For her Forbes photoshoot, Jenner wore simple and sophisticated dresses by Bottega and minimal jewelry. Her minimal brown-toned makeup also showed her freckles.

An Instagram user wrote, “So disheartening. This list used to be inspiring ages ago. Or did they just sell themselves off to the highest bidder back in the day too and we just didn’t know it?” Another person wrote, “This is a joke, right? She has had everything handed to her! How about spotlighting someone who had to work for what they achieved!”