Meet John Dallager | Founder & CEO

We had the good fortune of connecting with John Dallager and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi John, we’d love for you to start things off by telling us something about your industry that we and others not in the industry might be unaware of?
Most people don’t realize the broader alcohol category—beer, wine, even spirits in some markets—is slipping. Meanwhile, ready-to-drink cocktails are the lone growth engine. In fact, RTDs were the only major subset in the global alcohol beverage market to post volume growth in 2023 (up ~2%), along with a 6% jump in value, according to Forbes. NielsenIQ even refers to RTDs as the emerging “fourth category” in beverage alcohol, alongside beer, wine, and spirits.

But here’s the kicker: most of that “innovation” is just new flavors. Think limited-edition fruit spins or trendy seasonal drops. Meanwhile, everything else—packaging, format, delivery—hasn’t moved the needle. That’s exactly where Toucan steps in. We didn’t ask, “What’s the next clever flavor?” We asked: “How do you give someone a real, bar-quality cocktail, wherever they are, without degradation?” The answer wasn’t in the recipe—it was in the packaging. Our patent Two-Can Technology™ Shaker innovates the format, not just the flavor. It separates the premium spirit from the mixer until the moment you combine, shake, and pour, preserving freshness and strength in a way no flavor tweak could match.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Toucan was born out of a late night craving and a question that would not let go: Why can’t a cocktail outside a bar taste like one from the bar? My co-founder Steven and I were in the middle of our Executive MBA at SMU, fresh off an exam, and found ourselves wanting the real thing with no malt base, no watered down compromise. That moment turned into a napkin sketch, which turned into years of tinkering, testing, and reengineering the way cocktails could be served.

What sets us apart is not a clever flavor profile. It is a completely different way of delivering the cocktail. Our patented Two Can Technology™ keeps the premium spirit in one can and the all natural mixer in another until the moment you shake them together. That separation keeps the flavor bright, the texture crisp, and the ABV exactly where a proper cocktail should be. Every can makes two full cocktails. No shortcuts, no artificial flavors, no “close enough”.

Getting here was not easy. We went through seven generations of prototypes before we landed on the format that worked at scale. We scrapped, and leaned on every bit of industry experience and network we had. We sold out of our first limited run in Texas faster than we planned, then had to learn how to manage growth without overextending. We made mistakes such as timing launches wrong or running out of best sellers mid campaign but we also built the kind of resilience that only comes from having your back against the wall.

I am most proud of two things: the product itself which genuinely delivers a bar level cocktail anywhere and the team we built to make it happen. We have beverage veterans, branding heavyweights, and the very professor who graded our first business plan running operations.

The biggest lesson is that innovation without execution is just a good idea. We treated this business like a system from day one, balancing creativity with discipline, and making every early customer a partner in shaping what Toucan became.

What I want the world to know is simple. We are not another canned drink. We are a new category, the ready-to-craft category. We give you the ritual and quality of a cocktail without the bar. And we are just getting started.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Day 1 – Welcome to Dallas
We’d start at Pax & Beneficia for a coffee that’s as intentional as it is delicious. From there, head to the Dallas Museum of Art and the Nasher Sculpture Center for a morning of world-class art. Lunch would be at Klyde Warren Park with a lineup of food trucks, then dinner at Pecan Lodge for Texas barbecue done right. We’d close the evening at The Mansion Bar for a perfectly executed Old Fashioned.

Day 2 – Toucan Day
The morning starts at our warehouse in Farmers Branch, shaking up cocktails and seeing our Two Can Technology™ in action. Then we would walk the Katy Trail and end at Katy Trail Ice House. Dinner would be at Radici, a neighborhood Italian spot with the kind of quality and warmth that pairs perfectly after a day of cocktails.

Day 3 – Lake and Leisure
Pack a cooler with Toucan Margaritas and spend the afternoon at White Rock Lake, paddling or just relaxing by the water. Dinner would be on Lower Greenville at HG Sply Co. for rooftop views of the city, followed by a relaxed night back at home grilling and enjoying a final round of cocktails.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Jody Turnbow, President

Website: https://www.toucancocktails.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/toucancocktails/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/toucan-cocktail

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/toucancocktails

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ToucanCocktails

Image Credits

Monika Normand
AJ Long