# Victor Guardiola

> Victor Guardiola is the Austin-based co-founder and CEO of Bawi Agua Fresca, a sparkling beverage business developed with Jordan Hicks during his time at UT Austin. Born in Monterrey and raised in South Texas, he has built the company through farmers market testing, cold outreach, and retail and food service distribution. He also advises founders on fundraising and market strategy.

- **Role:** Co-founder and CEO at Bawi Agua Fresca
- **Organizations:** Bawi Agua Fresca, Golden Ratio
- **From:** Monterrey, Mexico
- **Nationality:** Mexican
- **Education:** B.S., Public Relations, The University of Texas at Austin, Moody College of Communication, Austin Community College
- **Known for:** Co-founded Bawi and launched its canned sparkling agua fresca in April 2022., Bawi received BevNET’s 2022 packaging award., Named to Forbes’ 2025 North American 30 Under 30 Food & Drink list with Jordan Hicks.

## Career timeline

- **2016** — Moved to Austin after high school; his first business was a valet trash service, which he says failed within a year.
- **2019** — Began developing a ready-to-drink agua fresca with Jordan Hicks and participated in UT Austin’s Food and Beverage Entrepreneurship Practicum.
- **2020** — Graduated from UT Austin; subsequently worked at Austin coffee startup Golden Ratio while developing Bawi.
- **2022** — Bawi launched its canned beverage in April; its packaging received BevNET recognition that year.
- **2024** — Bawi announced a $3.5 million seed round led by Brand Foundry Ventures in November.
- **2025** — Included with Jordan Hicks on Forbes’ North American 30 Under 30 Food & Drink list.
- **2026** — Bawi closed a $6 million seed round, reported in June; Guardiola continued advising other founders.

## Achievements

- Co-founded Bawi and launched its canned sparkling agua fresca in April 2022.
- Bawi received BevNET’s 2022 packaging award.
- Named to Forbes’ 2025 North American 30 Under 30 Food & Drink list with Jordan Hicks.
- Bawi reported annual sales of $370,000 in 2024 and $1.2 million in 2025 in a June 2026 founder interview.
- Bawi closed a $6 million seed funding round in 2026.
- Bawi La Guayaba received a 2026 Bon Appétit Pantry Award.

## Latest updates

- **2026-09** — Discussed retail category placement on LinkedIn, saying consumer feedback helped position Bawi alongside alternatives to soda.
- **2026-08** — Shared Bawi La Guayaba’s 2026 Bon Appétit Pantry Award recognition.
- **2026-08** — Appeared on The Startup CPG Podcast to discuss fundraising, relationship building, and a Texas-and-California focus; described Bawi as available in 44 states.
- **2026-06** — Bawi’s $6 million seed round closed, as reported by BevNET and Nosh.
- **2026-06** — Reported $1.2 million in 2025 sales and a $4 million 2026 outlook in Voyage Austin; the outlook was a projection.

## Links

- Website: https://victorguardiola.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victorhguardiola/
- Twitter/X: https://x.com/victorfrombawi
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vichg/

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/victor-guardiola
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-10-25