Park Street Insider Podcast
The Park Street Insider Podcast is a spirit industry-focused podcast dedicated to bringing you closer to the key brands, topics, and trends driving the drinks business. Hosts Emmett Strack and Andres Correa interview influential leaders and entrepreneurs in the spirits category, uncovering business strategies, stories, and brand-building tips. The podcast covers various categories including Agave spirits, whiskey, ready-to-drink, low & no, and more. Each episode discusses the moves that shaped guests' careers, how they built well-known brands, and the tools they use. The podcast also highlights the hottest subjects in beverage alcohol, keeping listeners updated on industry trends.
Episodes
Diageo's Essential Bar & Consumer Trends Every Brand Needs to Know in 2026— Expert Talks
Send us Fan MailBar trends don't wait for brands to catch up, and in 2026, the gap between brands that understand what's driving consumer behavior and those that don't is only widening. In this episode, Tom Cavanagh, Advocacy Manager at Diageo, breaks down the flavor trends, category shifts, and on-premise dynamics set to define bars this year. From the martini's striking resur
What the World's Top Bartenders Want: How Brands Can Land Placements and Win the On-Premise in 2026
Send us Fan MailLanding a placement at a top bar program doesn't happen by chance. It's the result of trust, timing, and understanding what the people behind the bar actually need from a brand partner. Recorded live at Bar Convent London, this fireside chat brings together Nidal Ramini, Advocacy Director for the EAA Division at Brown-Forman, Emanuele Mensah, Director of Liquid Nation, Gi
2026 Spirits Market: Category Shifts, Flavor Trends & What They Mean for Your Brand— Expert Talks
Send us Fan MailThe 2026 alcohol market is bumpy, but for brands paying attention to the right signals, the opportunities are real. In this episode, Giuseppe Gallo, Founder and CEO of Italicus Rosolio di Bergamotto and Savoia Americano, delivers a data-driven talk on the category and flavor shifts quietly reshaping what consumers reach for on the shelf and at the bar.He gets specific about the cat
AI in Spirits: The Tools and Strategies Every Brand Needs to Know— Expert Talks
Send us Fan MailAI is reshaping the spirits industry, and for founders willing to embrace it, the opportunity is real. In this episode, recorded through Park Street University's AI for Spirits Marketing series, Justin Noland, Vice President of Digital Experience for Treasury Wine Estates, and Antonia Fattizzi, Founder and President of Cork and Tin, get specific about where AI can immediately
Former Campari CEO's 6 Steps for Spirits Brand Expansion— Expert Talks
Send us Fan MailBuilding a spirits brand in one market is hard. Building one across multiple continents, at the highest level of the industry, is a different game entirely, and few people have played it better than Matteo Fantacchiotti. A 25-year veteran of the drinks industry with senior leadership stints at Diageo and Carlsberg, Matteo briefly took the helm as CEO of Campari Group before turning
Former Pernod Ricard Chief Whiskey Officer Kaveh Zamanian on Building a Bourbon Brand— What It Takes
Send us Fan MailNot many people can say they've founded a bourbon distillery and run one of the world's largest whiskey programs. Kaveh Zamanian isn't most people. A prolific whiskey brand founder and former Chief Whiskey Officer at Pernod Ricard, Kaveh built Rabbit Hole Distillery from a creative vision into a brand compelling enough to catch the eye of one of the world's bigg
How to Launch a Beverage Alcohol Brand: A Data-Driven Framework— Expert Talks
Send us Fan MailBefore you invest in liquid, labels, or a launch strategy, the most important question any founder can ask is: does this brand actually have a viable path to market?This Expert Talk features Felipe Gonzalez-Gordon, Partner and COO of Colangelo & Partners, delivering a data-driven framework for launching a spirit, wine, or RTD brand in today's saturated market, drawn from h
The On-Premise Playbook: A Guide to High-Value Bar Partnerships— Expert Talks
Send us Fan MailAs on-premise venues navigate an increasingly fragmented spirits landscape, the relationship between brands and bars has reached a critical inflection point. This Expert Talk features Chris Maffeo, the Founder of MAFFEO DRINKS, to examine why most brand-bar partnerships fail before they begin, and how misaligned incentives, from listing fees that deliver no ROI to guest shifts wher
Branca USA CEO Chris Watt: How to Accelerate Spirits Brand Growth
Send us Fan MailWhen a 175-year-old Italian heritage brand decides to double down on the American market, the playbook isn't always obvious. But Christopher Watt, CEO of Branca USA, has cracked the code, delivering a 5% volume increase for Fernet-Branca, an explosive 91% growth for Borghetti coffee liqueur, and helping Carpano Antica Formula become the number-one sweet vermouth by value in U.
Brown-Forman’s Algorithm for Unlocking Hospitality Growth— Expert Talks
Send us Fan MailAmidst a volatile economic landscape marked by significant job losses in the hospitality sector, the alignment between spirits brands and on-premise venues has never been more critical. In this episode, we join Brown-Forman Advocacy Director Nidal Ramini to unpack the "Hospitality Algorithm," a strategic framework that helps suppliers and entrepreneurs understand the oper
2025 Spirits Industry Review: Top M&A, Stories & Trends
Send us Fan MailIn 2025, the beverage alcohol sector saw significant evolution across its regulatory, distribution, and investment landscapes. In this comprehensive Year in Review, Park Street Insider hosts Emmett Strack and Andres Correa sit down to analyze the year’s defining moments through three key lenses: top industry news, emerging market trends, and major M&A activity.In this episode,
Cocktail Culture for Alcohol Brands: History, Trends, and On-Premise Strategy— Expert Talks
Send us Fan MailThe spirits industry has fundamentally changed. While brands once viewed bars as non-negotiable, many of today's most successful brands have achieved success through a targeted approach at retail and e-commerce. Yet the on-premise isn't just surviving, it's evolving into a channel where brands need to be more strategic than ever.On this episode of the Park Street Ins
Glendalough Distillery Co-Founder Kevin Keenan— What it Takes
Send us Fan MailKevin Keenan, co-founder of Glendalough Distillery, has played a pivotal role in introducing authentic Irish craft spirits to American consumers at a critical juncture in the category's evolution. Glendalough distinguished itself as a trailblazer, helping to expand the category beyond traditional players and introducing American drinkers to a new generation of innovative Irish
Pernod Ricard Northern Europe CEO Julien Hémard: 6 Questions Shaping Spirits— Expert Talks
Send us Fan MailJulien Hémard, CEO of Pernod Ricard Northern Europe, oversees operations for the world's second-largest spirits company, home to iconic brands including Absolut Vodka, Jameson Irish Whiskey, and The Glenlivet. Managing a diverse portfolio across multiple markets, Hémard's unique position, balancing heritage craftsmanship with emerging consumer trends, provides rare insigh
Beverage Alcohol Distribution 101: What Today's Brands Need to Know
Send us Fan MailIn 2025, navigating beverage distribution has become one of the most critical challenges facing drinks entrepreneurs. From the end of Prohibition to today's consolidated three-tier system, the distribution landscape has fundamentally shaped which brands scale and which stall — yet many suppliers still don't fully understand how the second tier actually works or where it&a
What RTD Market Growth Tells Us About Gen Z Values & Drinking Habits
Send us Fan MailThe RTD category has already experienced massive momentum, yet there's still significant room for growth as new brands and products continue entering the market. Gen Z is driving much of this expansion—but what does their enthusiasm for RTDs reveal about this generation's values, purchasing habits, and consumption behaviors? On this episode of the Park Street Insider Podc
The Original Pickle Shot Co-Founder John King— What it Takes
Send us Fan MailBack in 2018, when The Original Pickle Shot co-founder John King first launched his brand, pickle-flavored spirits were only just emerging. Fast-forward six years, and what started as a niche experiment has exploded into a booming category—with King's brand leading the charge. The Original Pickle Shot has not only survived the influx of competitors but thrived, earning recogni
Inside the Tequila Category with Fortaleza: Additive Free Tequila, Tariffs & Truck Heists
Send us Fan MailThe tequila industry faces mounting regulatory and legal challenges with Mexico's Consejo Regulador del Tequila (CRT) restricting additive-free marketing claims while high-profile lawsuits are questioning major brands' "100% agave" labeling practices. These developments are reshaping how producers operate in an increasingly transparency-focused market.The Park S
What Tasting Competitions Reveal About Emerging Spirits Categories
Send us Fan MailTasting competitions have become a convergence point for top suppliers and emerging challenger brands to showcase the key innovations driving the spirits market. Submission data provides early signals of emerging consumer trends months before they appear in retail sales reports. As such, the judging rooms of premier competitions have become an unexpected window into where the marke
Beverage Alcohol Tariffs in 2025: Latest Developments & Industry Response
Send us Fan MailThe global trade and tariff landscape is constantly evolving, making it imperative for beverage-alcohol brands to stay in step with the latest updates on U.S. policy. What began earlier in the year as focused measures on Canada, Mexico, and China has expanded into a comprehensive global tariff strategy with far-reaching implications for the beverage alcohol industry.The Park Stree
Diageo's Take on the Moderation Movement— Expert Talks
Send us Fan MailIn 2025, the moderation movement has evolved from a niche wellness trend into a defining force reshaping the entire drinks industry, embraced by global spirits suppliers like Diageo. As consumers increasingly prioritize quality over quantity and seek meaningful experiences in emerging "fourth spaces" beyond home, work, and traditional social venues, luxury spirits brands
What RNDC, Breakthru & Winebow Want from Spirits Brands in 2025
Send us Fan MailIn 2025, the spirits distribution landscape has become increasingly competitive, with traditional powerhouses like RNDC, Breakthru, and Winebow facing new market pressures while brands struggle to secure distribution partnerships in an oversaturated environment. As distributors become more selective about their portfolios, the brands that are successfully breaking through the noise
How Beverage Brands Can Navigate Financial Headwinds— Expert Talks
Send us Fan MailHow can emerging spirits brands thrive even when economic conditions get tough? Smart financial strategy makes all the difference. In this episode, Brian Rosen, Chairman of InvestBev, shares his proven playbook for building resilient beverage brands that can weather any storm. Drawing from his extensive experience guiding brands through various market cycles, Rosen reveals the esse
818 Tequila's 3 Pillars of Brand Building— Expert Talks
Send us Fan MailHow did 818 Tequila rise above being "just another celebrity spirit brand'? Beyond Kendall Jenner's star power, the brand's success stems from deep industry expertise. In this episode, David Yan Gonzalez, Director of Tequila Operations at 818, shares his proven framework for building premium spirits brands. Drawing from decades of experience crafting successful
2025 Bar Trends: Spirits Spending & Consumer Insights from CGA by NIQ
Send us Fan MailBars, restaurants, and venues form the foundation of drinking culture. However, the factors driving spending and visitation within the on-premise sector have evolved significantly due to COVID disruptions, economic pressures, and shifting category dynamics.In this episode, we're examining what's happening inside bars and restaurants in 2025. Matthew Crompton, Vice Preside
Brother's Bond Bourbon CEO & Co-Founder Vincent Hanna— What it Takes
Send us Fan MailWhen Vincent Hanna and his co-founders, Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley, launched Brother’s Bond Bourbon, they didn’t just introduce another celebrity whiskey—they found a new way to build a modern whiskey brand based on passion and authenticity. In the process, Brother's Bond has become one of the fastest-growing premium bourbon brands while building the largest social media
Inside Spirits Innovation with Maurice Doyle & Morten Stengaard— Expert Talks
Send us Fan MailIn today's spirits market, crowded with endless options, meaningful innovation has become essential for brands seeking to establish their identity amid evolving consumer tastes. Yet mere novelty rarely drives success in an industry where everyone claims to be doing something new. The most effective innovations—whether introducing distinctive flavor profiles, highlighting uniqu
Simon Ford on Growing Fords Gin from Startup to Brown-Forman Acquisition— What It Takes
Send us Fan MailOver the 2010s, Fords Gin transformed from a bartender-driven startup to a cocktail culture staple, securing a key position in Brown-Forman's prestigious portfolio. Co-founder Simon Ford built his career immersed in the cocktail scene that his brand would later come to represent.In this episode of the Park Street Insider Podcast, Simon Ford discusses his journey working alongs
Beverage Alcohol Tariffs in 2025: Where We Stand & What’s Ahead
Send us Fan MailThis March, new U.S. tariffs targeting Canada, Mexico, and China are set to send shockwaves through the beverage alcohol industry. With wine, beer, and spirits brands bracing for major financial impact, how can businesses prepare?The Park Street Insider Podcast welcomes Alison Leavitt, Managing Director of the Wine and Spirits Shippers Association (WSSA), for an essential insider b
What It Takes— Teremana Tequila CEO Richard Black
Send us Fan MailWhen Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson and his team of co-founders (Dany Garcia, Ken Austin, and Jenna Fagnan) partnered with industry powerhouse Mast-Jägermeister, they didn't just launch another celebrity tequila – they broke records, becoming the fastest premium spirits brand in U.S. history to reach 1 million cases. In the process, they were able to sidestep the growing
The Top Beverage Alcohol M&A Deals of 2024: Unpacking Investors Strategic Playbook
Send us Fan MailFrom billion-dollar buyouts to strategic portfolio plays, beverage alcohol's dealmaking landscape tells a fascinating story of power, strategy, and evolution. While the post-pandemic M&A frenzy may have cooled, 2024's high-stakes transactions revealed how the industry's biggest players are placing their bets on the future of drinks.Join host Emmett Strack as he
What It Takes— Building a Category-Leading Brand with Seedlip’s Emma Wykes
Send us Fan MailLaunching an unproven concept into an untapped market segment requires exceptional courage. For Emma Wykes and Seedlip, the vast potential they saw in the non-alcoholic spirits category transformed this calculated risk into a pioneering opportunity. Join host Andres Correa as he sits down with Emma Wykes, the former COO of Seedlip Drinks. As a figure who played a pivotal role in bu
What's Trending— Additive-Free Tequila
Send us Fan MailThe battle over "additive-free" tequila labeling has exposed a deep rift between tradition and transparency in Mexico's most iconic spirit. When Tequila Matchmaker's data revealed widespread additive use despite contrary claims, it didn't just challenge the CRT's regulatory authority – it forced a reckoning with consumer trust in an industry built on a
What's Trending— Inside the EU and UK Spirits Markets
Send us Fan MailThe Park Street Insider Podcast is ending the year with an exploration of the EU & UK alcohol markets. Europe leads the world in alcohol consumption, with eight of the top ten biggest alcohol-consuming countries being European. Despite its distribution makeup taking a different form than in the U.S. market, EU and UK distributors remain at the center of the spirits industry lan
What's Trending— The Potential of Low & No Alcohol
Send us Fan MailLow & No is one of beverage-alcohol's spotlight categories in 2024. Many projections indicate that the segment will continue to expand its influence in terms of shelf presence, case volumes, and overall consumer awareness. But while the category's forecast is bright, low & no represents only a marginal share of total beverage alcohol. In this episode, Emmett Stra
Essential Talks— The Financial Basics for Brand Building
Send us Fan MailEstablishing a sound financial model in a business's early days is crucial for spirits brands to set a foundation for sustainable growth. A well-crafted financial plan helps brands minimize surprises and accurately forecast the capital-intensive aspects of the spirits business. In this episode, you'll hear two presentations on financial modeling. First, former Pernod Rica
What It Takes— Surfside CEO Clement Pappas
Send us Fan MailBrands are often founded with the purpose of aligning with a given trend and exploiting a perceived white space in the market. In the mid-2000s, introducing a premium bourbon may have seen high growth, likewise for rolling out a specialty high-end tequila in the early to mid-2010s. But when founders really get it right, and their offering is able to align with multiple trends at on
What's Trending— How Spirits Brands Can Build Connections With Bars
Send us Fan MailThe landscape of on-premise spirits consumption has undergone significant shifts in the past few years, challenging the long-held view that primary drivers of growth for spirits brands take place on-premise. The aftermath of the pandemic has seen consumers engage differently with bars and restaurants, learn to be at-home bartenders, display increased health consciousness, and grapp
What's Trending— How Du Nord Drove Growth Through Partnerships
Send us Fan MailAt one point or another, every person in the spirits industry is almost certain to have their career altered, influenced, or shaped by personal relationships. On a business-to-business level, many brands the Park Street Insider Podcast has hosted over the years echo similar sentiments around the crucial role partnerships have played in their trajectory. No brand is constructed in a
What It Takes— Michter's President Joe Magliocco
Send us Fan MailIn the late '90s, Joe Magliocco made a small investment to become the sole owner of the Michter's whiskey trademark, a historic brand originally founded by a Swiss Mennonite farmer in the 1700s that had since fallen into obscurity. The trademark only cost Magliocco $245 to snap up at a time when consumers and distributors wanted nothing to do with the category. Thanks to
What's Trending— Tracking Spirits in the Modern M&A Market
Send us Fan MailFrom the start of the 2020s, beverage alcohol's merger and acquisition sector has proved to be a dynamic lens through which the wider spirits market can be evaluated. The last four years have seen the M&A market go through phases of high growth, diversification, and contraction. At this year's American Craft Spirits Association Convention in Denver, Emmett Strack was
What it Takes— Ilegal Mezcal Founder John Rexer
Send us Fan MailThe spirits market is constantly driven by new trends that rise, fall, and reinvent themselves. While brand success is relative to the goals of each founder, the extent to which a business can commercially blossom in the spirits category is often determined along the lines of good timing and a laser focus on aligning with the trends of the moment.Of the many positive elements John
What's Trending— Spirits Distributors' Tips for Brands in 2024
Send us Fan MailBeverage alcohol distributors sit at the epicenter of a cluttered product landscape where, according to Mark Harmon of the Independent Distributor Network, “God isn’t making any more shelf space.” Distributors only have so much time and attention they can give to each spirits brand. What’s left is for brands to do everything in their power to make a compelling case that their produ
Essential Talks— 5 Alcohol Trends Shaping the Industry
Send us Fan MailThe rate of change seen in beverage alcohol over the last couple of years has been nothing short of impressive. We’re fast approaching the midway point of 2024 and have started to see some trends that emerged over the last two years begin to cement themselves. In this speech given at Bar Convent Berlin, Spiros Malandrakis, International Head of Research—Alcoholic Drinks at Euromoni
What's Trending— ReserveBar CEO Derek Correia on Unlocking E-commerce
Send us Fan MailE-commerce in beverage alcohol has historically lagged behind traditional CPG sectors, but thanks to the pandemic and the gradual loosening DTC shipping laws, we're seeing this channel assume a meaningful share of alcohol sales for the first time. In this episode, the Park Street Insider Podcast welcomes ReserveBar CEO, Derek Correia. He and Emily Pennington evaluate how bev
Podcast Special— 2024 Industry Trends
Send us Fan MailBrand building in the spirits industry is always context dependent. What might drive sales in one market may have little relevance in another. The result is a necessity for brand's to understand the performance drivers, consumption habits and key trends in their target markets and channels. On this special crossover episode, Chris Maffeo, host of the Maffeo Drinks Podcast,
Essential Talks— Selling in Control States 101
Send us Fan MailControl states can feel like a weighty subject. They're one of the main reasons that the U.S. should be taken as fifty individual markets as opposed to a unified entity. But with the right context and know-how, making sales in these states won't seem like such a large hurdle. On this episode of the Park Street Insider Podcast, Ashley Glickman, Executive Vice President o
What It Takes— Blue Run Spirits Founder Mike Montgomery
Send us Fan MailGoing from founding a brand to selling it to a strategic acquirer in less than three years is an achievement worthy of celebrating. But for Mike Montgomery, founder of Blue Run Spirits, this milestone was only the start of the hard work. Now backed by Molson Coors, Montgomery is more motivated than ever to make waves in the trending bourbon category. On this episode of the Park Str
Essential Talks— The Future On-Premise Consumer
Send us Fan MailAs larger portions of Gen-Z reach legal drinking age, their impact on the alcohol industry is becoming more pronounced and the segment's preferences have come into full view. What's become increasingly clear is that how this demographic interacts with alcohol is dramatically different from each generation that's come before it. Strikingly, Gen-Z is more inclined to
What It Takes— BuzzBallz CEO & Founder Merrilee Kick
Send us Fan MailIn the early days of laying the groundwork for her brand, Buzzballz, Merrilee Kick received a call from a distributor who informed her that, despite having a contract in place, they would be canceling their order, asserting that ready-to-drink products were a "fad." In 2024 it's almost impossible to imagine that her now iconic brand was ever in such a position, but
What's Trending— Why Ready-to-Drink Is Taking Over Beverage-Alcohol
Send us Fan MailThe impact of ready-to-drink beverages on the beverage alcohol landscape has been profound, and by all accounts, their influence is only set to increase. Over time, the category has gone from being on the fringes of drinking culture to guiding the core strategies of some of the world's largest beverage companies. So, what does this trend say about consumers in 2023 and beyond
Essential Talks— Preparing Your Finances For Year End
Send us Fan MailIf you're new to running a business, getting your books in order for year-end can seem like a sizable hurdle. But with the right organizational tools and know-how brand owners can cut down on the stress of this process. Maria Pearman, a CPA specializing in beverage alcohol, joins the Park Street Insider Podcast to shed some valuable insights and strategies that will help strea
What It Takes— Maison Ferrand Owner & Master Blender Alexandre Gabriel
Send us Fan MailFew entrepreneurs have built a portfolio of brands quite like Alexandre Gabriel. His vision helped transform a once dormant cognac house into the leading global supplier that is Maison Ferrand today. Join Emily Pennington as she examines what it takes to build a leading global portfolio of alcohol brands through the eyes of one of its most beloved entrepreneurs. Gabriel will share
Essential Talks- Building a Modern Marketing Model With Juliet Wine
Send us Fan MailVery few categories have as much heritage and tradition as wine, and innovators in the space often fight an uphill battle. In this Essential Talk from Alison Luvera, Founder & CEO of Juliet Wine, she discusses the brand's journey to becoming an industry disruptor in boxed wine. She explains the brand's three pillars of marketing and how authenticity and intentionality
Essential Talks— The Real Cost of Spirits Production
Send us Fan MailMany of the Park Street podcast guests extoll the importance of vision to the brand-building process. But before a vision can materialize, an understanding needs to form around the actual cost of goods that will be incurred during the production process. With this Essential Talk from Paul Monahan of Matchbook Distilling, a contract distillery based in Long Island, we're taking
What It Takes— Tanteo Spirits President Neil Grosscup
Send us Fan MailAcross the industry, beverage alcohol brands are looking to sure up their long-term prospects by investing along the lines of high-growth categories. So when cult favorite whiskey brand Ole Smoky decided it was time to invest in their future, they didn't have to look much further than high-flying tequila maker Tanteo Spirits. On this episode, Neil Grosscup, President of Tante
Essential Talks— Cole Clark On Creating A Label That Connects With Consumers
Send us Fan MailConsumers aren’t all alcohol connoisseurs; many rely on labels to inform their in-store purchase decisions. In this Essential Talk, Cole Clark, President of AmygdaLaunch, wants to help brands optimize their approach to labeling to help drive purchase decisions. Clark discusses the implications of label data and how beverage alcohol brands can interpret the findings. In this episo
What's Trending— Impact Investing & Brand Development
Send us Fan MailWe're thrilled to release our Impact Investment seminar recorded at Bar Convent Brooklyn 2023. On the Park Street University stage, Emily Pennington sat down with some of the leading impact investors for a high-level discussion about what they're doing to make a positive social impact while boosting their bottom lines in the spirits industry. In this episode you'll
What It Takes— Tequila Fortaleza
Send us Fan MailNot many alcohol brands can claim to have taken a nearly 30-year hiatus from producing their spirit, only to revive it and build their business into a category leader. However, Tequila Fortaleza is not your average brand. It entered the U.S. market during the early stages of tequila's popularity boom and rapidly became one of the most celebrated agave spirit brands in the indu
Essential Talks - Carlos Ochoa on the Economics of Mezcal Production
Send us Fan MailThe popularity boom of agave spirits over the past decade needs no introduction. The category saw a volume increase of 13% between 2021 and 2022 alone, according to IWSR, and is poised to take an ever-increasing share of the total spirits market. In the latest Essential Talks episode from the Park Street Insider Podcast, you'll hear from Carlos Ochoa, the COO of Mezcal El Sile
Essential Talks - Ryan Lake on the Current Trends Driving Mergers & Acquisitions in Beverage Alcohol
Send us Fan MailMergers and acquisition deals often make for good headlines, but to take a step back and look at the sum of these deals often reveals larger insights in the state of beverage alcohol. This perspective can prove useful in helping brands shape their own strategies. In this Essential Talk, Ryan Lake, Managing Director at Arlington Capital Advisors, provides an overview of the current
What It Takes— Ten To One Rum's Marc Farrell
Send us Fan MailFor years rum has been forecasted to be the next spirit category to undergo a major renaissance, and only in the last few years did that seem like it could be true thanks to a handful of innovative premium rum producers. Marc Farrell, the founder, and CEO of Ten To One Rum, is among those producers seeking to elevate the category. When he founded Ten To One Rum in 2019 he leaned
Essential Talks— How Hendrick’s Gin Approaches Brand Activation
Send us Fan MailWhen Charles Gordon tasked Lesley Gracie with creating the quintessential English gin in 1999, there were no constraints on the level of experimentation she could employ to get the job done. It was only with a true sense of curiosity that the brand's flagship gin came to market infused with cucumber and rose. Now a leader in the craft spirits movement, Hendrick's achieved
What It Takes— Empirical's Lars Williams
Send us Fan MailLars Williams first started his distilling journey by experimenting with what he saw as a gin made of foraged pin needles. But when sharing the spirit with a friend they told him that without using juniper berries it couldn't really be called a gin. After more spirits testing, Lars would soon learn that his affinity for experimentation and unique ingredients would rule his bra
What's Trending— The State of Independent Distribution in the U.S.
Send us Fan MailConsolidation at the top of the distribution tier in recent years has resulted in higher levels of competition among smaller, independent distributors and suppliers alike. While at one time the U.S. market maintained around 3,500 wholesalers, this figure has been cut by more than two-thirds in the present day. Meanwhile, the number of wineries and craft distillers has exploded, na
Essential Talks— Stephen Gould on Trends in Key World Whiskey Markets
Send us Fan MailThe world of whiskey is expanding, and producers across the globe are coming up with new ways to innovate and drive the category forwards. With the demand for these spirits continuing to reach new heights, even established markets are finding ways to keep consumers engaged. On this episode of the Park Street Insider podcast, you'll be hearing from Stephen Gould, the founder, C
Essential Talks— Route to Market Strategy with Robin Robinson
Send us Fan MailWe get it, entering the U.S. market can feel like staring up at a looming mountain, but it doesn't have to. Robin Robinson, a brand consultant and spirits industry author, has been at the basecamp of the brand-building climb for years, giving brands the tools they need to succeed in the U.S. market. In this episode, Robinson brings his expertise in guiding small brands to U.S
What It Takes— Italicus Founder Giuseppe Gallo
Send us Fan MailWhen Giuseppe Gallo founded Italicus Rosolio di Bergamotto in 2016, he had dreams of creating a culturally iconic symbol for Italy, like Armani or Ferrari. It's this vision that guided his decision-making while he was building the brand and ultimately caught Pernod Ricard's eye in 2020. On this episode of the Park Street Insider Podcast, Emily Pennington and Gallo explore
Essential Talks— U.S. Market Entry 101 With Chris Ladas
Send us Fan MailIntroducing a beverage-alcohol brand to the U.S. market requires a nuanced understanding of the regulatory landscape. Each state in the U.S. regulates beverage alcohol in its own unique way and each major city in the U.S. has its own drinks culture. While your brand might have a high-quality product that's well differentiated, you won't make it very far without doing your
What It Takes— Tequila Komos Founder Richard Betts
Send us Fan MailOn the Park Street Insider Podcast, we often explore the underlying ethos that guide a brand concept to concrete success. For Richard Betts, the founder and CEO of Casa Komos Brands Group, the brands he's developed throughout his career—including Betts & School, Astral Tequila, Sombra Mezcal, and Tequila Komos among others—have always lived at the intersection of enthusia
What's Trending— How the Low & No Category is Transforming the Drinks Industry
Send us Fan Mail On this episode of the Park Street Insider Podcast, we're taking a dive into a trending category that’s been picking up steam over the last few years and now sits on the edge of mainstream consumer adoption. We’re talking of course about low-and-no alcohol.What was once a fringe category adopted by abstainers is slowly being incorporated into the weekly practices of alcoholic
Essential Talks— Jeff Menashe's Beverage Alcohol Business Model 2.0
Send us Fan MailAny beverage alcohol brand owner developing a model for long-term growth is likely looking for more insight into the world of mergers and acquisitions. In this episode, Jeff Menashe, CEO of Demeter Advisory Group, takes you through the mindset of prospective buyers when sizing up acquisitions. Menashe explains why the traditional business model beverage alcohol brands have used t
What It Takes— Gin Mare Founder Alfonso Morodo
Send us Fan MailAlfonso Morodo, the founder of Gin Mare and CEO at Vantguard, was quick to find success when he brought the brand to market in 2010. A well-differentiated product and an engaged founder team meant that Gin Mare had the foundations to make the brand a profitable venture but Morodo's team had another thing on their side: timing. In a period where gin was starting to blow up acr
What's Trending—Theresa Dorr's Do's and Don'ts of Membership Clubs
Send us Fan MailClub membership programs were once a boutique service for luxury products, but the rise of direct-to-consumer models now has many brands opting to implement club membership programs as a new way of engaging consumers. Enter, Theresa Dorr, a strategic relationship & business development leader known as "the Queen of Clubs" for her extensive experience setting up clu
What's Trending—Andrew Merinoff on What Impact Investors Are Looking For
Send us Fan MailImpact investing is an investment strategy that is built on the intention to generate positive social or environmental impact through business investments. On this episode of the Park Street Insider podcast, Andrew Merinoff, the founder of DisPact Ventures and Co-founder and Chairman of Chinola Passion Fruit Liqueur, sits down with Emily Pennington to discuss the intersection of i
Essential Talks—Campari America's Andrea Sengara on the Power of E-Commerce
Send us Fan MailWith as much as 50% of retail sales—both on and off-premise—influenced by the experience consumers have online, e-commerce marketing serves as a viable brand-building opportunity. In the latest edition of Park Street University's Essential Talks series, Andrea Sengara, Head of Marketing at Campari America, shares her best tips for brands to harness the power of e-commerce.
What's Trending—St. George's Dave Smith on the American Single Malt Category
Send us Fan MailOn the latest episode of the Park Street Insider Podcast, Andres Correa sits down with Dave Smith, Head Distiller at St. George Spirits to break down his distillery's whiskey-making approach. Recorded just before the TTB issued its official definition of American Single Malt Whiskey, this episode traces the history of this category from the perspective of one of its earliest
Essential Talks—Beam Suntory's Heather Boyd on RTD Innovation Strategy
Send us Fan MailIn this episode of the Park Street Insider Podcast, Heather Boyd, Managing Director of U.S. RTD at Beam Suntory, overviews the paradigm shifts that the ready-to-drink space is causing in the beverage alcohol industry. Boyd breaks down the major players and innovations driving the RTD segment, the guiding forces behind the trends in the category, and how emerging brands can navigat
Live From Bar Convent Brooklyn—Diversity in Drinks Roundtable
Send us Fan MailIn recent years, we’ve seen an increased focus on diversity conversations in the wider beverage alcohol industry, but have these calls for equality moved the needle from a sales and funding perspective? In this episode, a group of esteemed industry members tackle the impact of diversity in drinks, and how to continue to effectively market and share the stories of diverse founders.
What It Takes—21 Seeds Co-Founder Kat Hantas
Send us Fan MailOn the latest episode of the Park Street Insider Podcast, Emily Pennington sits down with Kat Hantas, Co-Founder of 21 Seeds Tequila, to discuss the brands meteoric rise and recent sale to Diageo. The two will dive into how Hantas used her personal experience to craft a brand that appealed to a previously overlooked consumer base. Listeners can expect to learn about 21 Seeds route
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