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Omnilert CEO talks AI and school safety in wake of Antioch High School shooting

Omnilert was used by Antioch High School, which experienced a deadly shooting earlier this month. However, the incident happened out of the system’s field of view.”

Antioch High School in Nashville, Tennessee, was the latest to experience a deadly shooting. In the wake of the tragedy, many have questioned the efficacy of Omnilert, the artificial intelligence-powered weapons detection system that was used in the school. Now the company’s CEO, Dave Fraser, is speaking out about the advantages – and limitations – of AI security systems.

“The way our system works is it’s monitoring video cameras, and if you think about it, it’s essentially playing the role of a human being,” Fraser told Fox Business. “But for it to work, it has to be able to actually see a weapon in the same way that a human would need to see the weapon.”

Fraser explained that unlike traditional surveillance systems, which are often used after an incident, the Omnilert system is meant to be used as a preventative tool, along with other mechanisms.

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Image depicts the Omnilert system detecting a weapon. (Courtesy: Omnilert)

“The visual approach, which is quite new, offers some pretty interesting advantages when layered with other technologies,” Fraser said.

When speaking specifically about the tragedy in Nashville, Fraser said that the shooting took place “out of the field of view,” making it “impossible” for Omnilert to see the weapon and detect the threat.

In February 2023, the Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS) board greenlit a $1 million contract with AI gun detection system, Omnilert, which is set to end on Nov. 30, 2025, according to local outlet WKRN.

Fraser told Fox Business that Omnilert’s systems are designed to work quickly, as with emergency situations “time is of the essence.”

“If it can see a weapon, it will typically detect it within less than a second and at that point the data regarding that potential detection is actually sent to human beings for verification.”

Omnilert system alert shown on a phone. (Courtesy: Omnilert)

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Once a threat is verified, Omnilert’s system can automatically activate other security tools, such as sounding alarms or locking doors. However, Fraser admits that no one system is perfect and that, in an ideal world, Omnilert would be combined with other safety measures.

The “bottom line,” Fraser says, is to use “multiple layers of defense.”

On its website, Omnilert spells out a possible layered approach to school safety. The list includes training for staff, onsite security, surveillance cameras, metal detectors and more, in addition to an AI-powered system.

According to Omnilert’s annual gun violence report, which was released earlier this month prior to the Antioch High School shooting, 2024 saw the second-highest number of K-12 school shooting incidents since 1966.

Example of how the AI-powered weapons detection system Omnilert finds a suspect with a gun.

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Following the shooting, Fran Bush, a former Metro Nashville Public Schools board member, told the New York Post that she “knew this day was gonna happen.”

“I knew it was gonna happen just because it’s like a free open door, everybody coming in,” Bush added. She also said that she unsuccessfully pushed for the school district to bring in metal detectors.

In response to a Fox Business request for comment on the lack of metal detectors, MNPS Chief of Communications and Technology Sean Braisted said the school is working with Evolv to pilot a concealed weapon detection system.

February 1, 2025
Teen girls open up on trans athlete scandal that turned their high school into a culture war battleground

Taylor Starling and Kaitlyn Slavin – student athletes at Martin Luther King High School in Riverside, California – held a live press conference on X Friday hosted California Family Council Outreach Director Sophia Lorey. The two girls shared their perspectives on a recent national controversy that has besieged their community caused by a trans athlete competing on the girls’ cross country team.

“It was confusing, this has never happened to me before, like I didn’t even think this was going to be happening to me,” Starling said. “It was all just like, surprising, that there was going to be a guy running with the girls.”

Slavin, who is only a freshman, said the experience of having her first year of high school involve the situation is “kind of crazy.”

“Just in high school, having to compete against males when you shouldn’t be is something that shocked me right away,” Slavin said.

Starling lost her varsity spot to a trans athlete who transferred to the school this past year, and when they wore shirts that read “Save Girls Sports” in protest, they allege school administrators compared the shirts to swastikas. The two girls and their families are now engaged in a lawsuit against the Riverside Unified School District (RUSD) over those allegations.

In response, hundreds of their fellow students and hundreds of other residents in the community began wearing the shirts in protest. The shirts became a local, and then national symbol for the protection of female athletes from biological male inclusion in their sports and locker rooms.

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The ensuing controversy and media coverage of the situation has thrust the two teenage girls, their families and the whole town into the spotlight of the national debate over trans inclusion in women’s sports, which became a hot-button political issue in the 2024 election year.

And for Starling, Slavin and their classmates, it has come with a wave of attention that they have never experienced, both negative and positive.

“I’ve had tons of people reach out to me and say ‘thank you so much for what you’re doing and standing up for these women,’” Starling said. “For my friends, a lot of my friends have been shoulder-checked because they were wearing the shirts and a lot of them have been cursed out and called really bad names, and they posted certain stuff on the internet calling people horrible names for wearing these shirts.”

Slavin, who says she’s found stress relief in sports throughout her life, has only found more stress from sports because of the situation this year.

“It’s scary that that’s not something that can always be a stress-relieving place if we’re going to have all this going on,” Slavin said. “It affects you mentally and emotionally… It’s so hard to have this all going on.”

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Transgender athlete supporters hold up signs at left as Tori Hitchcock, center, of the Young Women for America, and Salomay McCullough, right, both former female athletes, show off their “Save Girls Sports” shirts as an overflow crowd converges outside the Riverside Unified School District meeting Thursday night to debate the rights of transgender athletes to compete in high school sports Thursday, Dec. 19, 2024. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

Starling says the trans athlete has been using the girls’ restroom at the school, however, they haven’t seen the athlete much in the locker room due to frequently missing practices.

The two girls, and multiple parents who have spoken to Fox News Digital, allege the trans athlete was allowed to compete on varsity despite missing practice every week.

Starling’s father, Ryan Starling, previously told Fox News Digital that when his daughter and other girls approached the administrators about it, they were told “transgenders have more rights than cisgenders.” The RUSD previously provided a statement to Fox News Digital insisting that its handling of the situation has been in accordance with California state law.

The two girls then ignited a viral trend in their communities when they showed up to school in November wearing the “Save Girls Sports” shirts.

And despite being scolded by school administrators for it and having to file a lawsuit, more and more students began to show up each week wearing the shirts, as the school had to alter its dress code and start placing students in detention for wearing them. This didn’t stop the shirts from spreading and growing. It became a weekly ritual for hundreds of students every Wednesday to show up wearing the shirts support of the girls and their messaging, and many of them created viral social media posts on it.

In early December, the school administrators gave up on their efforts to discipline students for wearing the shirts. Sources told Fox News Digital that more than 400 students have shown up wearing the shirts at a time, and students at other schools in the district have started to wear them to class.

HOW TRANSGENDERISM IN SPORTS SHIFTED THE 2024 ELECTION AND IGNITED A NATIONAL COUNTERCULTURE

Students at Martin Luther King High School in Riverside, California wear t-shirts that read “Save Girls’ Sports” to protest a trans athlete on the cross country team. (Courtesy of Sophia Lorey)

But Slavin, Starling their attorney Julianne Fleischer, said the school administrators have still told the two girls that they aren’t allowed to wear the shirts, during the press conference on Friday. However, they also said more than 400 students at their school have continued to show up wearing the shirts every Wednesday.

The situation culminated in a heated and confrontational event on Dec. 19, when the RUSD held a school board meeting to address the issue. Prior to the meeting, outside the district office, there were competing protests between activists and parents wearing the “Save Girls Sports” shirts and LGBTQ activists.

Sources, including Ryan Starling, have told Fox News Digital that the LGBTQ activists at the event were harassing the “Save Girls Sports” protesters, and even disrupted a women’s prayer group during a prayer circle prior to the meeting.

“Members of the pro-LGBTQ groups started heckling and harassing the people in line who were speaking in opposition of their values. Some of these adult protesters were even coming up to the young girls that were going to be speaking and were yelling at them close to their face,” Young Women for America (YWA)’s Inland Empire chapter President Tori Hitchcock told Fox News Digital.

One anonymous parent told Fox News Digital about witnessing a child being bombarded with vulgar insults by pro-trans protesters after the meeting.

Transgender athlete supporter Kyle Harp, left, of Riverside holds the progress pride flag as “Save Girls Sports” supporters Lori Lopez and her dad Pete Pickering, both of Riverside, listen to the debate as they join the overflow crowd converging outside the Riverside Unified School District meeting Thursday night to debate the rights of transgender athletes to compete in high school sports Thursday, Dec. 19, 2024. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

“My 16-year old son and a few others were standing outside after speaking when a group of the LGBTQ community intentionally walked by them pointing at each one of them saying, ‘FU FU FU,’” the anonymous parent said.

Then, inside the meeting, parents and opposing activists gave impassioned speeches about their thoughts on the situation, with multiple speakers yelling in hysterical tones. The meeting went on for nearly five hours, and included testimony between individuals who opposed trans inclusion in girls’ sports and those who supported it.

Many of the pro-trans speeches were met with high-pitched cheers and the waiving of LGBTQ pride flags by those in attendance.

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The RUSD previously provided a statement to Fox News Digital insisting that its handling of the situation has been in accordance with California state law.

“While these rules were not created by RUSD, the District is committed to complying with the law and CIF regulations. California state law prohibits discrimination of students based on gender, gender identity and gender expression, and specifically prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender in physical education and athletics. The protections we provide to all students are not only aligned with the law but also with our core values which include equity and well-being,” the statement said.

The RUSD also placed blame for its handling of the situation on officials in Washington D.C., and California’s state capital, Sacramento. They made this statement back in early December, prior to President Donald Trump returning to office.

“Save Girls Sports” supporters Skylar Crawford, left, and Jadeynn Gallardo, both of Martin Luther King High School, and Tori Hitchcock, right, of Young Women for America, pray among the overflow crowd converging outside the Riverside Unified School District meeting Thursday night to debate the rights of transgender athletes to compete in high school sports Thursday, Dec. 19, 2024. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

“As these matters play out in our courts and the media, opposition and protests should be directed at those in a position to affect those laws and policies (including officials in Washington D.C. and Sacramento),” their statement read.

Trump has pledged to ban trans athletes from competing in girls’ and women’s sports, as a federal bill titled The Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act is currently progressing through congress. It has already passed in the House of Representatives.

Until that bill is potentially signed into law, Slavin and Starling are asking their supporters to “pray” for them.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

Jackson Thompson is a sports writer for Fox News Digital. He previously worked for ESPN and Business Insider. Jackson has covered the Super Bowl and NBA Finals, and has interviewed iconic figures Usain Bolt, Rob Gronkowski, Jerry Rice, Troy Aikman, Mike Trout, David Ortiz and Roger Clemens.

January 31, 2025
Coca-Cola issues European safety recall over ‘excessively high chlorate content’

President Trump, an avid Diet Coke drinker, had the beverage served up at his inauguration luncheon.

Coca-Cola has recalled “all variants” of multiple beverages produced in a Belgium facility “due to excessively high chlorate content,” according to a press release.

Certain cans and bottles of Coca-Cola, Sprite, Fanta, Fuze Tea, Minute Maid, Nalu, Royal Bliss and Tropico were among the products recalled in Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands, the beverage company said. Zero and light versions of the beverages are included.

The recall affects cans and bottles with the production codes 328 GE to 338 GE.

“The production code can be found on the bottom of the can or on the neck/label of the glass bottle,” Coca-Cola said.

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Coca-Cola bottles are seen at a shop in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, on Jan. 28, 2025. Coca-Cola recalls its drinks in some countries across Europe after detecting ”higher levels” of the chemical chlorate. (Firdous Nazir/NurPhoto / Getty Images)

Soda packaging is seen in a grocery store in Las Vegas on Nov. 17, 2023. ( Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images / Getty Images)

People who purchased the affected products are asked not to consume them but to return them where they bought them for a refund.

“Chlorate originates from chlorine disinfectants widely and legally used in water treatment and in food processing with drinking water being by far the main contributor,” the European Commission says on its website.

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Cans and returnable glass bottles bearing a production code ranging from 328 GE to 338 GE are the affected products in the Coca-Cola European recall. (Coca-Cola / Fox News)

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Consuming high levels of chlorate from drinks and food “could result in potential serious health effects,” such as impaired thyroid function and inhibition of iodine uptake, the commission says. It is especially harmful to infants and children.

“We apologize to consumers and our business partners,” Coca-Cola said in a recall announcement published on their website in French, adding that an independent expert analysis found that risk to consumers “is very low.”

January 29, 2025
White House says Biden admin’s killing 100M chickens contributed to high egg prices

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Tuesday that the high prices of eggs is directly related to a lack of chicken supply which the Biden administration contributed to.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt addressed the high cost of eggs while speaking to reporters on Tuesday, saying the Biden administration contributed to the supply shortage by directing the killing of over 100 million chickens.

Leavitt held her first White House press briefing on Tuesday afternoon, when one of the reporters asked about the price of eggs skyrocketing since President Donald Trump took office.

She told reporters there is a lot of reporting that is putting the onus on the current administration for the rising cost of eggs.

“I would like to point out to each and every one of you, that in 2024, when Joe Biden was in the Oval Office or upstairs in the residence sleeping, I’m not so sure, egg prices increased 65% in this country,” Leavitt said, noting that the costs of bacon, groceries and gasoline have increased because of the “inflationary” policies of the Biden administration.

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White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt holds her first news conference at the White House on Jan. 28, 2025. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images / Getty Images)

“As far as the egg shortage, what’s also contributing to that is that the Biden administration and the Department of Agriculture directed the mass killing of more than 100 million chickens, which has led to a lack of chicken supply in this country, therefore, a lack of egg supply, which is leading to the shortage,” she said. “So, I will leave you with this point: This is an example of why it’s so incredibly important that the Senate moves swiftly to confirm all of President Trump’s nominees, including his nominee for the United States Department of Agriculture, Brooke Rollins, who is already speaking with Kevin Hassett, who’s leading the economic team here at the White House, on how we can address the egg shortage in this country.”

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that the average price of a dozen Grade A large eggs was $4.15 during the month of December, which shows an increase from $2.51 in December 2023.

One of the largest reasons for the increase is the recent bird flu outbreak.

SHELLING OUT: EGG PRICES RISE NEARLY 37 PERCENT

Cases of cage-free eggs for sale at a Costco store in Florida. (Lindsey Nicholson/UCG/Universal Images Group via / Getty Images)

The Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) was either directly or indirectly responsible for killing more than 20 million egg-laying hens in the last quarter of 2024, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported.

Some estimations indicate the average price of a dozen large eggs could be nearly $5 by the end of 2025, which would be the highest average price for a dozen eggs ever recorded.

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Still, the price of eggs in California has already surpassed that, reaching nearly $9 per dozen in some areas.

Fox News Digital’s Alexandra Koch contributed to this report.

January 28, 2025
Broncos star Pat Surtain II earns high praise from Pro Football Hall of Famer Champ Bailey

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Denver Broncos star cornerback Pat Surtain II was named as one of the finalists for AP Defensive Player of the Year for the 2024 season.

Surtain, who wrapped up his fourth season in the NFL, put up his best year yet. He had four interceptions, 45 tackles and 11 pass breakups. He returned the interceptions for 132 yards, which included his 100-yard interception return for a touchdown. It was a league-leading stat.

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Denver Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain II, #2, gestures after a play in the third quarter against the Indianapolis Colts at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver on Dec. 15, 2024. (Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images)

The young Broncos player caught the attention of fellow Broncos great Champ Bailey even before he came into the league. Bailey, who spoke to Fox News Digital on behalf of Trulieve, said he saw a little bit of himself in Surtain but thinks Surtain is better setup for the pros.

“A little bit. I think he’s far ahead of me as far as his demeanor, his professionalism, his technique,” he said. “When he came into the league, you could tell he was going to be good right away. It was just more, ‘OK, can he sustain his success? Can he stay healthy?’

“Those are the things that are really unknown to an NFL player’s career – the health side of it, which is huge. And he’s been able to do that and play consistently. I always knew if he strapped them up, he’s going to be one of the best no matter what because of how he approaches the game.”

Bailey has high hopes for Surtain’s career.

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Champ Bailey partnered with Truelieve. (Truelieve)

“He looks like a 10-year vet playing like a guy in his prime,” he said. “The sky’s the limit for him. I told people when he was drafted, he’s on a Hall of Fame path. It’s all about his good health. If he stays healthy, he will be a Hall of Famer and, hopefully, he’ll be Defensive Player of the Year this year. Definitely pulling for that.”

The Defensive Player of the Year nominees list is stacked.

Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Zack Baun, Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett, Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson and Pittsburgh Steelers pass rusher T.J. Watt were also named as finalists.

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Surtain earned his third Pro Bowl selection and his second First-Team All-Pro selection this season.

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January 26, 2025
Georgia high school basketball player assaults pair of athletes from opposing team, video shows

Tempers flared during a high school basketball game in Georgia this month. The heated moment appeared to spark a physical altercation between players from opposing teams.

TMZ reported that the fight in question happened during a game between Sonoraville High School and Rockmart High School on Jan. 3 in Calhoun, Georgia. Calhoun is located approximately 70 miles from downtown Atlanta.

A video posted to social media appeared to show an unidentified Rockmart player shoving one of Sonoraville’s athletes to the ground. The Rockmart athlete then immediately hit the Sonoraville player in the face immediately after he regained his footing.

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The altercation happened during a basketball game between Sonoraville High School and Rockmart High School in Calhoun, Ga., on Jan. 3, 2025. (Fox News)

The Rockmart player was later seen punching a separate player from the opposing team.

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The second Sonoraville player was hit after he dashed toward the scuffle. Spectators in the crowd could be heard making noises as they reacted to the situation. The video also showed some individuals moving from the stands to the court area to intervene.

The altercation happened during a basketball game between Sonoraville High School and Rockmart High School in Calhoun, Ga., on Jan. 3, 2025.

An incident report from the Gordon County Sheriff’s Office suggested a Rockmart player was provoked by the repeated use of a racial slur by the player from the opposing team.

The teenager who appeared to initiate physical contact during the incident faces two charges of simple battery, per the police report. The brawl broke out during the third quarter of the game.

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Officials from Rockmart High School and Sonoraville High School have yet to offer public comment on the incident.

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Chantz Martin is a sports writer for Fox News Digital.

January 24, 2025
The sickening truth: Healthcare data breaches reach all-time high

If your healthcare data hasn’t been breached in 2024, then you either don’t know it yet or should consider yourself very lucky.

That’s because 2024 was a nightmare year for healthcare institutions and patients in the U.S. A total of 184,111,469 records were breached. That’s 53% of the 2024 population of the United States.

This staggering figure represents a significant increase from previous years, setting a new and alarming record in healthcare data breaches.

The healthcare sector faced unprecedented challenges in cybersecurity, with attacks becoming more frequent, sophisticated and damaging than ever before.

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Illustration of a hacker at work stealing healthcare data (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Health check or data leak?

Being admitted to a hospital is stressful enough. It caused additional stress for the 100 million clients of Change Healthcare, whose data was exposed following a breach orchestrated by the BlackCat ransomware group. Not only did the breach expose sensitive health information, but it also caused widespread disruptions in claims processing. Patients and providers across the country faced chaos as the breach impacted their ability to access and pay for healthcare services.

The second significant breach occurred at Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, where the personal data of 13.4 million individuals was compromised. This breach involved unauthorized access and the use of tracking technologies that transmitted user interactions to third parties.

Illustration of healthcare data needing to be locked up (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

HACKERS CLAIM MASSIVE BREACH OF COMPANY THAT TRACKS AND SELLS AMERICANS’ LOCATION DATA

Your health data gets breached, so what?

You’ll receive a notification letter, although be aware that it may take months before it reaches you (as was the case for victims of the Ascension Health data breach). The consequences are real and can be very painful. Medical identity theft directly affects patients’ health and safety. It happens when criminals use stolen personal health information to obtain medical services or medications under another person’s name. It can result in incorrect medical records being created that can include inaccurate diagnoses, allergies or treatments.

And as you may have guessed, it can also result in financial repercussions, such as patients getting fraudulent claims and bills for services they did not receive. Resolving these issues with insurers and healthcare providers takes time and mental strength. And you’re probably not in a hurry to see your breached healthcare provider ever again. That’s normal. A study has shown that up to 54% of patients consider switching providers after a data breach.

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A doctor looking at healthcare data on a screen (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

ARE DATA BROKERS ENDANGERING YOUR RETIREMENT SECURITY?

When health data gets into the hands of data brokers

Sensitive health information can easily be combined with personal identifiers from data brokers, creating comprehensive profiles that criminals can exploit. As a reminder, data brokers are companies that specialize in collecting, processing and selling personal information from various sources, including public records, online activities and social media.

They aggregate this data to create detailed consumer profiles that can be sold to marketers, insurance companies and other entities for various purposes. The more detailed the profile, the higher the chance of identity theft and potential discrimination in employment and insurance. Employers might make hiring decisions based on perceived health risks, while insurers could deny coverage or increase premiums.

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A doctor and patient in a healthcare facility (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

THE HIDDEN COSTS OF FREE APPS: YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION

Wash your hands, remove your data

You can’t prevent a data breach, but you can minimize its consequences by reducing your digital footprint overall.

1. Set your social media to private: Restrict access to your personal information and limit what strangers can see about your life and potentially your health status. Ensure your privacy settings are robust and regularly updated to prevent unauthorized data collection.

2. Remove your personal data from data brokers’ databases: Either by searching for your name on people search sites and requesting removals, one by one, or by using a data removal service. Data removal services automate data removal for you and let you track where exactly your data has been found and whether it was removed, not only on people search sites, which are public data brokers, but also on hidden, private databases where you can’t look yourself up (and these are the worst).

Once your data is removed, data removal services monitor data brokers for your data and remove it again as needed (because it has a tendency to be re-listed after a while). This way, you prevent data broker companies from compiling a full profile on you and selling it to the first bidder, whether that’s a hacker, a marketing agency or an insurance company. Check out my top picks for data removal services here.

3. Delete all unused apps on your phone: Unused applications can be hidden gateways for data leakage and potential security vulnerabilities. Regularly audit and remove apps that you no longer use or need.

4. Check the permissions of the ones you want to keep: Review each app’s access to your personal data, location and device features to ensure you’re not inadvertently sharing more information than necessary. Be particularly cautious with health and fitness tracking applications.

5. Use a VPN (virtual private network) when browsing: Encrypt your online activities and mask your digital location to add an extra layer of anonymity and protection. A reliable VPN can help shield your personal information from potential interceptors and data miners. For the best VPN software, see my expert review of the best VPNs for browsing the web privately on your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices.

Kurt’s key takeaways

The reality of healthcare data breaches is daunting, but it’s not entirely out of your control. While you can’t prevent breaches from happening, you can take steps to minimize the risks and protect your personal information. Think of it as adding locks to your digital doors: set your social media to private, use a VPN and clean up unused apps. Remember, the less information you leave out there, the harder it is for bad actors to exploit it. Stay vigilant and don’t let your data become someone else’s advantage.

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How do you feel about the growing risks to your personal information, and what steps have you taken to protect your data? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.

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Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on “FOX & Friends.” Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.

January 23, 2025
Don Julio’s grandson Lalo González launches limited edition High Proof tequila

California Agave Council founding Director Craig Reynolds weighs in on tequila shortages and why several California distilleries are turning to Agave-based spirits on ‘Kennedy.’

Drawing from a desire to provide consumers with innovative products harvested exclusively from Mexico, one spirit brand is staying true to its commitment and producing only additive-free blanco tequila as the company continues to grow its product line amid shifts in the spirits’ category.

Eduardo “Lalo” González, grandson of Don Julio and co-founder of Lalo Spirits, unveiled High Proof, a limited-edition release of 108 proof (54% ABV) tequila blanco, which expanded the brand’s portfolio from one product.

“The High Proof is an undiluted version of our 80 proof,” González told FOX Business. “You have a tequila that is not watered down. All the flavors, aromas, the flavor profile of the juice, is kind of like on steroids. It’s highlighted even more.”

DON JULIO’S GRANDSON ON DRAWING FROM FAMILY, HERITAGE WHILE KICK-STARTING ADDITIVE-FREE TEQUILA BRAND

Lalo González launched Lalo Spirits with his childhood friend and co-founder, David Carballido. (Lalo Tequila / Fox News)

Cinnamon, cooked agave and tropical notes are among the pungent aromas found in a pour of High Proof.

“It’s very well-balanced,” González said.

High Proof is made with only three ingredients; agave sourced from the Jalisco highlands, water from the distillery’s well and champagne yeast.

“We did a test of four different yeasts and the one that kind of highlighted this balance that I wanted in the final product was champagne yeast,” González said.

TEQUILA EXPERT SHARES THE SECRET TO A SIMPLE, DELICIOUS COCKTAIL

Lalo González’s High Proof tequila is made with agave from Jalisco, Mexico, distillery well water and champagne yeast. (Lalo Tequila / Fox News)

With the help of his childhood friend and co-founder, David Carballido, González launched High Proof on digital shelves in late October 2024. The product sold out on the brand’s website within one week.

“We were like okay, we need more,” he said.

Today, consumers can purchase a second drop of High Proof, which retails for $74.99, online and in select stores and restaurants.

“It’s kind of giving us the North Star of how we should do it this year,” González said.

González revealed that because of High Proof’s success, the Lalo team is strongly considering limited edition releases a few times a year.

TEQUILA AND MEZCAL: WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?

Lalo González is the grandson of Don Julio. | Fox News

At the overwhelming request from consumers for an aged expression, González said he often finds himself drumming up new ideas and considering the possibilities of blanco.

“The consumer is looking for more crafty options, more authentic options in the realm of spirits and tequila obviously,” he said. “They’re being more, I don’t know if I’d call it picky, but they investigate more. They read more. They want to know more about what they’re drinking and eating and putting in their body.”

González said Lalo can shapeshift a multitude of limited edition products by exploring agave from a region outside of Jalisco, experimenting with cooking and extraction methods, types of yeast and the source of water, in order to expand.

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“Using rain water is possible, though challenging,” González told FOX Business. “I don’t know how sustainable it is.”

“It’s in the realm of possibilities for a limited release.”

January 23, 2025