The growth cycle of the agave plant is a minimum seven-year process. Once harvested, the heart of the plant is roasted, before grinding and extracting its juices for distillation. Jose Cuervo uses a portion of the remaining agave fibers as compost for its farms, and local artisans make crafts and agave paper from the remnants. 

Now, as part of Jose Cuervo's broader sustainability plan, the tequila maker is joining forces with the automaker to develop a new way to use its remnant fibers.

"Jose Cuervo is proud to be working with Ford to further develop our agave sustainability plan," said Sonia Espinola, director of heritage for Cuervo Foundation and master tequilera. "As the world's No. 1-selling tequila, we could never have imagined the hundreds of agave plants we were cultivating as a small family business would eventually multiply to millions. This collaboration brings two great companies together to develop innovative, earth-conscious materials."

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