Carlos Alvarez

Texas and Mexico lost a legend on Tuesday, April 9, 2024, when entrepreneur, businessman, and philanthropist Carlos Alvarez died at the age of 73.  
Born in Mexico City, Mexico on October 17, 1950 to Guillermo Alvarez and Matilde Aguilar, Carlos was the founder and chairman of The Gambrinus Company, the importer of the Modelo family of brands to the United States from 1986 to 2007 and the owner of the K. Spoetzl Brewery, brewer of Texas’ iconic Shiner Bock, and the Trumer Brewery in Berkeley, California, brewer of the award-winning Trumer Pils.
Carlos was immersed in the beer industry from an early age. He grew up in Acapulco, Mexico, where his father had established a Corona distributorship in the 1940s. Carlos would ride along, working on his father’s distribution trucks and learning the beer business.  He would go on to receive his degree in biochemical engineering from the Monterrey Institute of Technology and later graduated from the U.S. Brewers Academy in New York.
In the mid-1970s, Carlos was hired by Grupo Modelo and began his career in sales in Mexico City.  While working in Puebla, Mexico, Carlos met his enchanting wife, Malú.  While Carlos and Malú were equally charismatic and charming, they also shared many things in common, including fathers born in small towns within miles of each other in Northern Spain.  Carlos and Malú were married in 1978. Throughout his life, Malú proved to be Carlos’ rock, and together they formed the foundation of an incredibly tight-knit extended family that spans Mexico, the United States, and Spain.
Shortly after marrying Malú, Carlos took the biggest risk of his life and accepted the position of Export Manager for Grupo Modelo.  Carlos’ father told him it was a “death sentence” as at the time there was minimal export business.  
But having travelled to the United States several times—including to San Antonio for the 1968 World’s Fair—, Carlos saw a bigger opportunity in the United States.  As Carlos frequently said, “You dream the dream, and America is there.”  Carlos went on to begin selling the first cases of Corona Extra, knocking on doors by himself in Austin, Texas in 1981.  
Despite having no marketing budget, Carlos secured initial distribution agreements in bars and restaurants in Austin with his charisma, personal commitment, and exceptional work ethic.  In the push to expand and drive growth for Corona in the early 1980s, Carlos went on to open additional export markets in Canada, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand. 
In 1986, Carlos secured Grupo Modelo’s import rights to Texas and the eastern half of the United States.  At that time, Carlos moved to San Antonio with Malú and his two daughters and founded The Gambrinus Company.  
From 1986 to 2007, Gambrinus was responsible for selling and marketing Corona Extra and the Modelo portfolio of brands within its territory and grew Corona from minimal sales to over 80 million cases in 2006.  Carlos’ efforts drove Corona to be the number one import in the United States—surpassing Heineken in 1997.  
Throughout his life, it brought Carlos great satisfaction to know that he was a driving force in making Corona—with its iconic silhouette, strong branding, and beach-themed advertising campaigns—the most recognizable Latin American brand in the world. 
In 1989, Carlos acquired the Spoetzl Brewery, the oldest independent brewery in Texas and brewer of the iconic Shiner Bock.  Founded in 1909, the brewery had declined in sales for many years and was on the verge of bankruptcy when Carlos acquired it.  Since then, the brewery has grown from selling thousands of cases to several million annually and today ranks as the 2nd largest fully independent craft brewery in the United States. 
In 2004, Carlos discovered the 400-year old Trumer Brauerei outside of Salzburg, Austria and its signature beer, Trumer Pils.  He forged an agreement with the family-owned company and established his own sister Trumer Brewery in Berkeley, California.   
At that point, Carlos had gone from importer, to brewery owner, to brewery founder.  He famously quipped, “When the beer is good, you import the beer.  When the beer is great, you import the brewery!” Trumer Pils has gone on to become the most awarded pilsner beer in the world, having won 18 gold medals in the most prestigious international brewing competitions.
Anyone who worked alongside Carlos knows that he viewed his employees as part of his Gambrinus family. They saw first-hand his ingenious creativity, his infectious enthusiasm, and his relentless dedication to his craft.  He could often be found on a Saturday morning, with a copy of the Wall Street Journal and a stack of sales reports, taking advantage of a quiet office to dissect every single number.  
He always took his time.  He relished the opportunity to share his knowledge and teach others, using storytelling, role playing, and parables to vividly illustrate his vision.
With a passion for philanthropy, the arts, and education-related causes, Carlos spent much of his later life supporting countless charitable organizations and causes.  Carlos made some donations discreetly, often on behalf of others, particularly as he began his philanthropic journey.  Today, his name is visible throughout the community.  
From the Alvarez College of Business at UTSA, to the UT Health Malú and Carlos Alvarez Center for Transplantation, to the Carlos Alvarez Studio Theater at the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, Carlos turned his success into a lasting impact for others.  His scholarships affiliated with various universities have supported countless students, including many international students.  
He frequently made contributions to natural disaster recovery efforts worldwide.  In Shiner, Texas, he established a scholarship fund to support two local high school students each year through four years of college at the University of Texas at Austin and also donated to numerous local causes.
Beyond his philanthropic contributions, Carlos assumed leadership roles with numerous organizations, serving on the board of the World Affairs Council of America, as a member of the Chancellor’s Circle of the University of Texas System, as a trustee of Davidson College, and as a trustee of School Year Abroad.  
He has also served locally in San Antonio on the boards of United Way, Haven for Hope, the World Affairs Council of San Antonio, Saint Mary’s Hall, and Frost Bank, among others.  Carlos was also a member of Bierconvent International, headquartered in Germany, which honors those who have made valuable contributions to the brewing industry.
Carlos received many awards and accolades in his lifetime.  Most notably, Carlos was inducted into the Texas Business Hall of Fame in 2010 and was the first Mexican-born Texan to be inducted. Carlos also received the Ellis Island Medal of Honor in 2011, acknowledging his contributions to the community as an immigrant to the United States.
But as Carlos told his grandson earlier this year, he viewed his greatest achievement as building a strong family.  Carlos worked tirelessly in that regard.  It would not be uncommon for him to briefly leave a meeting to take a call from a family member in Mexico or Spain.  He organized many family gatherings, especially at Christmas, that brought his and Malú’s extended families together.  
At family gatherings, Carlos often engaged in his other favorite hobby:  cooking.  Carlos was a self-taught chef, but his cuisine was truly world-class. It always brought Carlos great joy to bring relatives and friends together over a meal that he had made from scratch.  He had an unmatched curiosity about everything and a contagious passion for life.  Carlos and Malú enjoyed the world through their many travels and life at home in their beautiful San Antonio.
Carlos is survived by his wife, Malú, his daughters, Malú and Carla, his grandchildren, Carlos Alvarez Brozovich and Carla Isabella Brozovich, and his son-in-law, John Brozovich, who serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of The Gambrinus Company.
Carlos’ generosity and dedication leave a true impact on all of those who had the pleasure of knowing him. In this spirit, the family suggests contributions may be made, in lieu of flowers, to the United Way of San Antonio, the UT Health San Antonio Malú & Carlos Alvarez Transplant Center, or a charity of your choice.
A memorial service in honor of Carlos’ life will be held at St. Anthony de Padua Catholic Church, 102 Lorenz Rd, San Antonio, Texas 78209, on Friday, April 19 at 11 a.m. The Archbishop of San Antonio Gustavo García-Siller, presiding.
You are invited to sign the guestbook at www.porterloring.com
Arrangements are under the direction of Porter Loring Mortuary, 1101 McCullough Ave, San Antonio, Tx. 78212; 210-227-8221