CHICAGO, April 26, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As the beer born in Mexico nearly 100 years ago, Modelo is bringing back its “Cinco Auténtico™” campaign to spotlight Mexican traditions, artistry and culture, and help fans authentically celebrate Cinco de Mayo. Fans can “Cinco Auténtico” with the return of the Modelo Mercado, a limited-time online marketplace filled with authentic Mexican products made by Mexican and Mexican American artisans. New this year, the Modelo Mercado will come to life at the brand’s first “Museum of Cinco” at the Placita Olvera Cinco de Mayo Festival in Los Angeles on May 7. The educational and engaging pop-up will highlight the history of the holiday and feature a collection of decor, traditional clothing, pottery, and other crafts, curated by Mexican actor, producer and TV personality, Jaime Camil.

As this year marks the 160th anniversary of Cinco de Mayo celebrations in the U.S.¹, Modelo aims to honor the tenacious and bold story of the holiday at the thriving Los Angeles street festival that brings together some of the best aspects of Mexican American culture. The “Museum of Cinco” will display unique creations from the Modelo Mercado artisans and provide historical and cultural context on the holiday to enhance fans’ Cinco de Mayo celebrations through acknowledgment of the day’s history.

“Cinco de Mayo is an important but often misunderstood holiday, so Modelo and I are helping fans celebrate authentically and gain a better understanding of the day’s roots,” said Camil. “Los Angeles has ties to the beginning of Cinco de Mayo celebrations, so we’re elevating the city’s rich cultural history at the ‘Museum of Cinco’ and honoring artisans who beautifully showcase the vibrancy of Mexican heritage through their craft.”

Fans 21+ can visit the interactive, educational pop-up on historic Olvera Street in Los Angeles on May 7 from 12 – 6 p.m. PDT. For more information on the festival, visit https://bravogroupla.org/.

Fans outside Los Angeles can “Cinco Auténtico” and purchase hand-crafted goods for Cinco de Mayo celebrations by visiting the Modelo Mercado vendors’ websites through the Modelo Instagram page today through May 7. The limited-time online platform features six Mexican American small businesses from around the country who embody the Mark of a Fighter and honor Mexican American culture through the items they create and sell. 

• Discover Mas (Saline, Michigan) works closely with Mexican artisans in Zinacantan, Chiapas to create traditional, one-of-a-kind Mexican textiles, as well as home decor, clothing, accessories, jewelry and more.
• Guelaguetza Designs (Grand Rapids, Michigan) provides an array of colorful decor pieces including coaster sets, clay vases and table runners. The founder Nancy collaborates with Mexican artisans to inspire her collections.
• My Mercado Mexican Imports (Rio Hondo, Texas) offers handmade paper decorations including multicolor flowers and banners to liven up authentic Cinco de Mayo parties.
• Artesanias Mexicanas (Fort Worth, Texas), specializes in finding craftspeople who follow generations-old traditions from across Mexico and offers a collection of pottery and handmade crafts.
• Jumping High (Los Angeles, California) features its collection of handcrafted pottery with design inspirations from various areas of Mexico.
• Mexico By Hand (Berkeley, California), an established reseller of Mexican artisans, highlights a special collection of intricately detailed pottery and tableware that are perfect for authentic Cinco de Mayo celebrations.

“As a cerveza rooted in Mexican heritage, Modelo continues its ‘Cinco Auténtico’ campaign to encourage genuine cultural appreciation and understanding of Cinco de Mayo,” said Greg Gallagher, Vice President Brand Marketing, Modelo. “We’ve reunited with the Modelo Mercado merchants to not only amplify their goods online, but to bring them to the center of one of the biggest Cinco de Mayo celebrations – in an area with one of our largest fanbases – as part of our effort to offer consumers additional easy yet intentional ways to learn about and honor Mexican American culture.”

Through its efforts, Modelo aims to show fans that there are plenty of ways to “Cinco Auténtico,” including drinking auténtico with the beer born in Tacuba, Mexico. While Modelo Especial leads as the #1 import beer in the U.S.², the brand continues to innovate with new products that celebrate the strong Mexican culture seen throughout the U.S., including the recent introduction of Modelo Oro, Modelo Spiked Aguas Frescas, Modelo Chelada Sandía Picante, Modelo Chelada Especial 12 ounce 12 packs and more.

For more information and to purchase items from the Modelo Mercado, visit @ModeloUSA on Instagram.

About Modelo^®
Born in 1925 in the small town of Tacuba, Mexico, Modelo has been bringing distinctive high-quality beer to people ever since, including Modelo Especial^®, Modelo Negra^®, a flavorful lineup of Modelo Cheladas, and new this year, Modelo Oro – a golden light beer deserving of the Modelo name. As the #1 imported beer in the U.S., Modelo Especial recently surpassed 150MM cases sold in 2021. The Modelo family of beers are exclusively brewed, imported, and marketed for the U.S. by Constellation Brands.

Contact:
Constellation Brands
Stephanie McGuane
stephanie.mcguane@cbrands.com

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¹ SOURCE: https://indianahistory.org/blog/the-real-history-behind-cinco-de-mayo/
² Source: IRi Total MULO + C L52 w/e 1/1/23

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/9d465a86-1d49-4a8b-8779-3d02bff2f9d9