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How Blue Shark Vodka Landed on Marine Corps Bases Nationwide →
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Mark Bloomquist dreamed up the idea of Blue Shark Vodka in early 2011. Later that year he traveled to Maui and discussed with his daughter Brooke. The pair decided to create a vodka so smooth it would iterate their deep sea diving adventures and they enlisted the rest of their family to help. From Mark’s Naval career to their family’s deep love of the ocean, marine life and life on Wrightsville Beach, all signs pointed to making their vodka focus on bottling life at sea.
The first bottle of Blue Shark Vodka was produced and sold in 2019. Above creating a top shelf spirit, Blue Shark Vodka is helping conserve blue sharks by partnering with research organizations tagging blues around the Atlantic.
Blue Shark Vodka’s newest chapter centers on the leadership and vision of Niki Bloomquist, whose rise to president has transformed the brand from a coastal craft spirit into an east coast sensation defined by authenticity, conservation, and community engagement.
Niki Bloomquist graduated from the University of Southern California with a Bachelor’s degree in Transportation Safety Administration. After college, she worked in the food service arena with Nestlé and spent 25 years with Solo/Dart cup. She started out as a commission sales representative and worked her way up the ranks. In 2024, Niki stepped into the role of president after years as the public face of Blue Shark Vodka. She was always known for her hands-on approach with customers and partners and for favoring personal relationships over traditional executive distance. With decades of experience in corporate sales, Niki brought both strategic expertise and genuine passion for sharing the family-owned company’s ocean-inspired story with each launch and market expansion.
When Blue Shark Vodka was founded, Niki was responsible for corporate sales of a large multinational company. Despite a full-time job, she always found time to attend Church, exercise, and assist many non-profits in the Wilmington community. Nonetheless, she also immersed herself in the spirits business, learning the nuances of distilling and assisting on numerous Blue Shark Vodka promotions, along with overseeing Special Events. Her title was Director of Customer Service, but she was much more than a title. She was the person most responsible for shaping the Blue Shark Vodka brand from its conception. Niki was also the Chief Label Designer. Her eye for color and flow was instrumental in Blue Shark Vodka winning so many medals in design competitions. Symmetry was always foremost on her mind when working with the company’s two artists. Her leadership style centers on strong deeds and gentle words—a model reflecting the blue shark itself: powerful in character, yet non-aggressive unless provoked. Blue Shark Vodka also mirrors her style; remarkably smooth and approachable in taste.
Niki worked closely with the Chief (Mark Bloomquist) on developing the plan to address building a brand in the spirits industry. This task was even more challenging given the proliferation of Celebrity Brands. Many were trying to emulate George Clooney’s success with poor results; however, their pop culture status assured that distributors would bring in their signature products. This resulted in the spirits supply chain and store shelves being clogged with merchandise that did not sell. Most importantly, Niki kept the focus on retail stores and fewer assets being applied to on-premise accounts as she built a loyal customer base.
Since Niki assumed leadership, Blue Shark Vodka has rapidly expanded from its North Carolina base into Virginia, South Carolina, Florida, Maryland, and beyond. Each new market responds to the company’s philosophy: “craft a vodka that not only delivers exceptional quality but also tells a meaningful story about family, sustainability, conservation and the beauty of our coastal waters”. Working with organizations like the Atlantic Shark Institute, Blue Shark Vodka actively funds shark research, beach cleanups, and community conservation efforts, making its bottle more than a collectible—it’s a commitment to marine stewardship. Niki’s goal is to “own the coast” with a well-defined expansion plan to the entire eastern seaboard. With each new state added to the distribution network, she seeks out local conservation groups to partner with.
Under Niki’s guidance, Blue Shark Vodka has become known for its hand-blown glass shark bottle, introducing new artist labels in limited edition bottles, and winning awards for both taste and design. The brand’s latest collaborations, including the Equalise Flavored Vodka series with profits benefiting the Wyland Foundation, illustrate Niki’s drive to merge art, advocacy, and ultra-premium spirits in each release. These efforts position Blue Shark Vodka as a leader in sustainable business, blending innovation with purpose and pioneering new ground in the spirits sector.
With Niki Bloomquist at the helm, Blue Shark Vodka will remain a solid family-owned business that continues to make waves—celebrating local heritage, ocean conservation, and heartfelt connections with every bottle sold. Her story demonstrates that with vision and authenticity, a coastal craft brand can become a symbol of pride and possibility, inspiring others to join the journey, one glass at a time. Niki’s intent is to maintain focus on North Carolina so as not to lose sight of the initial customer base, continue to expand to other states in a strategic manner, and eventually growing the customer base to the entire eastern seaboard. continue to commission guest artists for limited edition Blue Shark Vodka bottles, remain active in local charities like Family Promise and Weekend Meals on Wheels, and be an ardent supporter of Make-A-Wish and the Wyland Foundations.
Niki Bloomquist’s Story and Impact
Niki Bloomquist graduated from University of Southern California with a Bachelor’s degree in Transportation Safety Administration. After college she worked in the food service arena with Nestles and spent 25 years with Solo/Dart cup. She started out as commission sales representative and worked her way up the ranks. In 2024, Niki stepped into the role of president after years as being the public face of Blue Shark Vodka. She was always known for her hands-on approach with customers and partners and for favoring personal relationships over traditional executive distance. With decades of experience in corporate sales, Niki brought both strategic expertise and genuine passion for sharing the family-owned company’s ocean-inspired story with each launch and market expansion.
When Blue Shark Vodka was founded, Niki was responsible for corporate sales of a large multinational company. Despite a full-time job, she always found time to attend Church, exercise and assist many non-profits in the Wilmington Community. Nonetheless, she also immersed herself in the spirits business; learning the nuances of distilling and assisting on numerous Blue Shark Vodka promotions along with overseeing Special Events. Her title was Director of Customer Service, but she was much more than a title. She was the person most responsible for shaping the Blue Shark Vodka brand from its conception. Niki was also the Chief Label Designer. Her eye for color and flow was instrumental in Blue Shark Vodka winning so many medals in design competition. Symmetry was always foremost on her mind when working with the company’s two artists. Her leadership style centers on strong deeds and gentle words—a model reflecting the blue shark itself: powerful in character, yet non-aggressive unless provoked. Blue Shark Vodka also mirrors her style; remarkably smooth and approachable in taste.
Niki worked closely with Chief on developing the plan to address building a brand in the spirits industry. This task that was even more challenging given the proliferation of Celebrity Brands. Many were trying to emulate George Clooney’s success with poor results; however, their pop culture status assured that distributors would bring in their signature products. This resulted in the spirits supply chain and store shelves being clogged with merchandise that did not sell. Most importantly, Niki kept the focus on retail stores and lesser assets being applied to on-premise accounts as she built a loyal customer base.
Since Niki assumed leadership, Blue Shark Vodka has rapidly expanded from its North Carolina base into Virginia, South Carolina, Florida, Maryland, and beyond. Each new market responds to the company’s philosophy: “craft a vodka that not only delivers exceptional quality but also tells a meaningful story about family, sustainability, conservation and the beauty of our coastal waters”. Working with organizations like the Atlantic Shark Institute, Blue Shark Vodka actively funds shark research, beach cleanups, and community conservation efforts, making its bottle more than a collectible—it’s a commitment to marine stewardship. Niki’s goal is to “own the coast” with a well-defined expansion plan to the entire eastern seaboard. With each new state added to the distribution network, she seeks out local conservation groups to partner with.
Under Niki’s guidance, Blue Shark Vodka has become known for its hand-blown glass shark bottle, introducing new artist labels in limited edition bottles, and winning awards for both taste and design. The brand’s latest collaborations, including the Equalise Flavored Vodka series with profits benefiting the Wyland Foundation, illustrate Niki’s drive to merge art, advocacy, and ultra-premium spirits in each release. These efforts position Blue Shark Vodka as a leader in sustainable business, blending innovation with purpose and pioneering new ground in the spirits sector.
With Niki Bloomquist at the helm, Blue Shark Vodka will remain a solid family-owned business that continues to make waves—celebrating local heritage, ocean conservation, and heartfelt connections with every bottle sold. Her story demonstrates that with vision and authenticity, a coastal craft brand can become a symbol of pride and possibility, inspiring others to join the journey, one glass at a time. Niki’s intent is to maintain focus on North Carolina so as to not lose sight of the initial customer base, continue to expand to other states in a strategic manner eventually growing the customer base to the entire eastern seaboard. continue to commission guest artists for limited edition Blue Shark Vodka bottles, remain active in local charities like Family Promise and Weekend Meals on Wheels and be an ardent supporter of Make-A-Wish and the Wyland Foundations.
At the inception of Blue Shark Vodka, we imagined recreating a ship-in-a-bottle. What translated was a Blue Shark circling the bottom of a bottle, created with hand-blown glass. Our original shark-in-a-bottle design won a SIP design award in 2020 and stands out on every bar shelf.
But our bottle wasn’t built in a day. It took four prototypes to reach the final product you see today.
The goal was always to create a bottle that matched the excellence of our vodka and after four tries, we finally arrived.
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Blue Shark Vodka, 40% Alc./Vol. Blue Shark Vodka and its affiliated trade dress are registered trademarks of Daytoon, Inc. All Rights Reserved. All other trademarks and trade names are properties of their respective owners. Distilled and bottled by Daytoon Inc., Wrightsville Beach, NC.
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©2025 Blue Shark Vodka, 40% Alc./Vol. Blue Shark Vodka and its affiliated trade dress are registered trademarks of Daytoon, Inc. All Rights Reserved. All other trademarks and trade names are properties of their respective owners.
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