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As 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 where brand managers never appear, erode trust on both sides.

Chris explore's the disconnect between boardroom strategy and bar-floor execution, introducing a practical "if-then" framework for sustainable partnerships that balances bartender personal brand building with genuine brand advocacy. Chris reveals why treating activations as transactions rather than relationships undermines everyone's bottom line, and demonstrates how accountability gaps, from finance teams demanding immediate returns to bartenders rotating between competing portfolios, can be transformed into long-term value creation.

Featured Guests:

Chris Maffeo, Founder, MAFFEO DRINKS

Mentioned in this episode:

Brown-Forman

Watch on YouTube:

The On-Premise Playbook: A Guide to High-Value Bar Partnerships

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When 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.S. retail. In an industry where heritage brands often struggle to stay relevant, Watt has proven that legacy and innovation aren't mutually exclusive; they're the foundation for breakthrough growth.

In this episode, Watt reveals the strategic moves behind Branca USA's remarkable performance: from democratizing Fernet-Branca beyond high-end mixology into college towns and neighborhood bars, to riding the espresso martini wave with Borghetti, to capitalizing on the vermouth renaissance with Carpano Antica. Join us as we unpack his "pilot fish" distribution strategy, the data-driven approach that guided a lean team to outsized results, and why partnering with Reyes Beverage Group was the right strategic move for the portfolio.

Featured Guest:

Christopher Watt, CEO, Branca USA

Mentioned in this episode:

Branca USA

Fratelli Branca

Reyes Beverage Group

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Amidst 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 operational mindset of successful bars.

We explore how Ramini evolves Danny Meyer’s "Enlightened Hospitality" into a roadmap for business resilience, demonstrating why "culture eats strategy for breakfast". We also discuss key entrepreneurial lessons, from distinguishing between passion and vision to prioritizing community investment, and analyze why treating awards as a result rather than an objective is the key to sustainable brand growth.

Featured Guests:

Nidal Ramini, Advocacy Director - EAA Division, Brown Forman

Mentioned in this episode:

Brown-Forman

Watch on YouTube:

The Hospitality Algorithm: A Playbook for On-Premise Success

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In 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, we review the headlines that mattered most, including the implications of RNDC's exit from California, the shifting tariff environment, and notable CEO turnover among major suppliers. We also examine broader structural changes, from the complexities of the THC bill to the increasing migration of suppliers toward beer distributors, and break down the year's investment climate, highlighted by AB InBev’s acquisition of Beatbox. We’ll explore the practical takeaways from these developments and discuss how they set the stage for the industry in 2026.

Mentioned in this episode:

Navigating Beverage Alcohol Tariffs: Short-Term Tactics & Long-Term Strategies

How Nosotros Tequila & Mezcal Navigated the RNDC CA Disruption and Returned to Growth

Beverage Alcohol Tariffs in 2025: Latest Developments & Industry Response

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The 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 Insider Podcast, we explore why understanding cocktail culture remains essential for achieving brand success. With on-premise sales up 4% year-over-year and venue counts rising as we enter the peak holiday season, the bar world continues to serve as the critical channel ground where consumer trends are born, not just observed.

Charlotte Voisey, Executive Director at Tales of the Cocktail and former Global Head of Ambassadors at William Grant & Sons, reveals how the most significant shifts in cocktail culture took root and why direct dialogue with bartenders delivers strategic intelligence that shapes smarter brand decisions. Then Overproof's Chief Analytics Officer Ed Dobbles breaks down exactly what's winning in the 2025 on-premise: which cocktails dominate menus, what flavors consumers crave, and why emerging brands have a unique advantage right now.

Featured Guests:

Charlotte Voisey, Executive Director, Tales of the Cocktail Foundation

Ed Dobbles, Chief Analytics Officer, Overproof

Mentioned in this episode:

William Grant & Sons

Overproof

Watch on YouTube:

The Evolution of Cocktail Trends in the Last 25 Years
Cocktail Trends: How Bar Menus are Changing

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Kevin 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 distillers before its sale to the Mark Anthony Group in 2019.

On this episode of the Park Street Insider Podcast, Kevin Keenan sits down with Andres Correa to share the story behind Glendalough's rise and its role in shaping the modern Irish whiskey landscape in America. Discover how Keenan and his team built a distinctive brand rooted in Irish heritage and wild botanicals, navigated the complexities of breaking into the competitive U.S. spirits market, and carved out a unique position in the fastest-growing Irish whiskey category.

Keenan shares his best brand-building advice, from crafting an authentic brand identity that resonates with consumers to forming strategic distribution partnerships that drive sustainable growth. Whether you're an emerging brand founder or an industry veteran, this conversation offers invaluable insights into what it takes to build a spirits brand with lasting impact.

Featured Guest:

Kevin Keenan, Co-founder, Glendalough Distillery

Mentioned in this episode:

Glendalough Distillery

Cobblestone Brands

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Julien 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 insight into industry transformation.

In this Expert Talks episode, we shine a spotlight on Hémard's presentation at Bar Convent Berlin in 2025, where he addresses six critical questions that define the industry's present and future. Whether you're an industry professional, aspiring entrepreneur, or fascinated by the business of beverages, Hemard offers listeners an executive-level perspective on where the industry is headed and what it takes to succeed.

Featured Guests:

Julien Hémard, CEO Pernod Ricard Northern Europe, Pernod Ricard Deutschland GmbH

Mentioned in this episode:

Pernod Ricard

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In 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's headed next.

In this special collaboration episode, Park Street Insider host Emmett Strack teams up with Business of Drinks co-hosts Erica Duecy and Scott Rosenbaum to decode the distribution tier for beverage alcohol brands. Together, we break down the past, present, and future of distribution in the U.S. — explaining the nuts and bolts of the three-tier system, revealing the different distributor types and partnership models available to suppliers, and identifying the key dynamics that will define the next decade of the industry. We'll explore what brands need to know to successfully navigate this complex landscape and share the strategies that separate those who break through from those who get left behind.

Featured Guests:

Scott Rosenbaum, Co-host, The Business of Drinks Podcast

Erica Deucy, Co-host, The Business of Drinks Podcast

Mentioned in this episode:

The Business of Drinks

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