This piece is part of our LOUtoday Q+A series. Do you know someone we should interview? Nominate them here.
John Mittel grew tired of relying on the typical sugary energy drinks while studying for his MD at the University of Louisville. So he bubbled up an idea — a caffeinated sparkling water brand. In 2018 alongside co-founder Tom O’Grady, Phocus was born + it recently landed John on Forbes’ Next 1000 list. Though John currently lives in New York City handling Phocus’ distribution, he’s beginning a transition back to Louisville + we got to chat with him while he’s back in his hometown.
We asked John Mittel 10 questions about Derby City. Keep reading to find out what John thinks the city’s Phocus flavor would be + the last three things he did locally.
Describe your perfect day in Louisville in two sentences.
I think Derby is the culmination of all the best aspects of Louisville — it’s without a doubt my favorite time of year. If you want the real Louisville, it’s that first Saturday in May.
You’re originally from Louisville. Where did you go to high school?
I went to a high school that no one’s ever heard of, actually, it’s called St. James Academy. It’s a really small Catholic school. It’s currently located close to Churchill Downs.
Is there one Louisville restaurant you still think about while living in New York?
I love Joella’s. It’s probably one of my favorite chicken places that I’ve ever been to. I swear, that’s the one thing that I’ve missed being in New York is that — even though there’s a Southern restaurant next to my place up there — nothing feels like home. That one does.
What local movers + shakers, influencers, or business leaders are you keeping up with, if any?
Being in touch with the business community and getting involved is something I wish I had done sooner because people have been so willing to help.
Launching in Louisville is one of the best things we could have done because my co-founder Tom and I — and the first people we hired — had no beverage experience. We learned everything from scratch and Louisville was a place that was so helpful for us to launch the product. I’ve actually begun a transition back to Louisville to spend more time here than in New York and definitely on my list of things to do is to get more involved with entrepreneurs and other business leaders in the city.
What were the last three things you did locally?
I went to Gertie’s in NuLu + Repeal Oak-Fired Steakhouse — that was so good. The steak is one of the best in the city.
The one thing that I probably do almost every time I come back — because it was such a thing I did all the time in med school — is the walking bridge. I think it’s one of the coolest things that we’ve added. That area has gotten so cool with the expansion of NuLu closer to the river. I also went to Frankfort Avenue Liquors and I love that place. It’s such a cool spot. It’s probably my new favorite bar in Louisville.
Before you started Phocus, you were studying for your MD + had a Bachelor’s already in Industrial Engineering. What did you want your career path to be before Phocus?
I fell in love with ophthalmology, which is what I was going to do. I still love it, so that’s what made the decision to defer residency so hard for me. I love what I do but I still miss the medical side. The roots of Phocus come from my time in medicine — we knew it had to be something that was clean and something you could feel comfortable drinking multiple times throughout the day but wasn’t an energy drink, didn’t have artificial or natural sweetener, something that was close to sparkling water but was a guilt-free experience.
What flavor of Phocus do you think Louisville would be?
Mint. We recently launched a mint flavor online and that’s something that we will do in a much bigger way in the coming months as we prep for Derby. We’re making that a big part of displays and placement in stores — kind of being that great combo for mint juleps. That was really the inspiration for it.
Have you ever considered doing a CBD-infused Phocus flavor in the future?
We’ve always got multiple formulations running — whether that’s CBD or a higher/lower caffeine content, or different supplements that we’re trying. Any line extensions or formulation changes we’d do in addition to Phocus would probably come on the back of growth from Phocus — when it becomes more of a household name.
What’s something that every Louisvillian should know about?
People should definitely understand how fortunate we are to have such a diverse and delicious selection of restaurants. We are in a place in which you can walk down the street in NuLu and you can get a great burger, or get some great Cuban food. Food will not be a thing that I miss about New York. It makes me happy to be back here.
What do you think Louisville will be known for in 10 years?
I think you’re just seeing the beginning of the beverage side of Louisville, and you’re also seeing a really great startup scene — whether it’s El Toro or Fresh Fry, Phocus, etc. I think we’re just at the beginning of what I would call a hopefully sustainable, and giant lift in the bourbon market. You’re seeing this become an area that’s not just famous for that first Saturday in May, or the Louisville Slugger. You’re seeing a lot of things that bring us closer to a bigger city.
