Park Street Insider Podcast

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 win back hours in your week,  from condensing long email chains and preparing for vendor meetings to analyzing social media ROI without an agency.Then they go deeper, sharing practical frameworks for weaving AI into your brand's day-to-day. They'll give you an idea of how to write prompts that actually work using Justin's 'Brilliant Intern' framework, and how to structure your website so that tools like ChatGPT and Gemini start citing your brand as the authoritative source for spirits recommendations. If you've been curious about AI but unsure where to start, this episode makes the case for why it might be the most powerful marketing tool your brand isn't using yet.Featured Guest:Antonia Fattizzi, Founder and President of Cork and TinJustin Noland, Vice President of Digital Experience for Treasury Wine EstatesWatch on YouTube: AI for Spirits Marketing Pt. I: The Great Equalizer for Craft Beverage BrandsAI for Spirits Marketing Pt. II: Putting AI Into Practice for Small BrandsMentioned in this episode:Cork & TinTreasury Wine EstatesWant to stay in the know about new episodes from the podcast? Click the link here. Learn More About Park StreetSign up for our Daily Industry Newsletter.Sign Up for our Monthly Newsletter.Check out Park Street's Guide to Getting Started in the U.S. MarketFollow us for more industry insights onLinkedIn FacebookTwitterInstagram

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 his attention to a new challenge: becoming Partner and Chairman of the Board at Cygnet Distillery, where he's applying everything he's learned to building a super-premium gin brand from scratch.In this episode, recorded live at Bar Convent Berlin, Matteo shares his six-pillar blueprint for luxury spirits brand expansion: from building sustainable brand value and prioritizing the right markets, to why the smartest brands think in cities rather than countries. We explore the hard truths around funding and resource allocation, the people decisions that make or break international growth, and why the best advice he can give any brand looking to expand is to go fewer places, and go much deeper.Featured Guest:Matteo Fantacchiotti, Partner and Chairman of the Board, Cygnet DistilleryWatch on YouTube: The 6 Pillars of Luxury Spirits Brand ExpansionMentioned in this episode:Cygnet DistilleryCampari GroupDiageoCarlsberg GroupWant to stay in the know about new episodes from the podcast? Click the link here. Learn More About Park StreetSign up for our Daily Industry Newsletter.Sign Up for our Monthly Newsletter.Check out Park Street's Guide to Getting Started in the U.S. MarketFollow us for more industry insights onLinkedIn FacebookTwitterInstagram

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 biggest spirits companies, and when Pernod Ricard came calling, he didn't just take the deal, he took the wheel, going on to lead their whiskey program at the highest level.In this episode, Kaveh reveals what it really takes to build a bourbon brand with a creative mindset: from the founding principles behind Rabbit Hole Distillery, to the realities of being acquired by a global spirits giant, to how he architected a portfolio strategy that balanced heritage and innovation. We explore the surprising link between whiskey and human psychology, his approach to brand building that goes beyond the liquid in the bottle, and the leadership lessons learned from running one of the industry's most storied whiskey programs.Featured Guest:Kaveh Zamanian, Founder, Rabbit Hole, Mary Dowling, and Mash & Mallow Whiskey CompaniesMentioned in this episode:Rabbit Hole DistilleryMary Dowling Mash & MallowPernod RicardWant to stay in the know about new episodes from the podcast? Click the link here. Learn More About Park StreetSign up for our Daily Industry Newsletter.Sign Up for our Monthly Newsletter.Check out Park Street's Guide to Getting Started in the U.S. MarketFollow us for more industry insights onLinkedIn FacebookTwitterInstagram

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 his presentation at Bar Convent Brooklyn 2025. Felipe walks through the financial and strategic groundwork that separates brands that scale from those that stall: how to size your addressable market realistically, how to model capital requirements, and how to allocate marketing spend without burning through runway prematurely. The episode also tackles brand positioning with precision, examining how founders can identify and defend a differentiated position on the shelf in a category where retailer fatigue and distributor consolidation make first impressions increasingly important. Featured Guests:Felipe Gonzalez-Gordon, Partner & COO, Colangelo & PartnersMentioned in this episode:Colangelo & PartnersWatch on YouTube: How to Launch a Beverage Alcohol Brand: A Data-Driven FrameworkWant to stay in the know about new episodes from the podcast? Click the link here. Learn More About Park StreetSign up for our Daily Industry Newsletter.Sign Up for our Monthly Newsletter.Check out Park Street's Guide to Getting Started in the U.S. MarketFollow us for more industry insights onLinkedIn FacebookTwitterInstagram

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 where brand managers never appear, erode trust on both sides.Chris explores 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 DRINKSMentioned in this episode:MAFFEO DrinksWatch on YouTube: The On-Premise Playbook: A Guide to High-Value Bar PartnershipsWant to stay in the know about new episodes from the podcast? Click the link here.Learn More About Park StreetSign up for our Daily Industry Newsletter.Sign Up for our Monthly Newsletter.Check out Park Street's Guide to Getting Started in the U.S. MarketFollow us for more industry insights onLinkedIn FacebookTwitterInstagram

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.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 USAMentioned in this episode:Branca USAFratelli BrancaReyes Beverage GroupWant to stay in the know about new episodes from the podcast? Click the link here.Learn More About Park StreetSign up for our Daily Industry Newsletter.Sign Up for our Monthly Newsletter.Check out Park Street's Guide to Getting Started in the U.S. MarketFollow us for more industry insights onLinkedIn FacebookTwitterInstagram

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 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 FormanMentioned in this episode:Brown-FormanWatch on YouTube: The Hospitality Algorithm: A Playbook for On-Premise SuccessWant to stay in the know about new episodes from the podcast? Click the link here.Learn More About Park StreetSign up for our Daily Industry Newsletter.Sign Up for our Monthly Newsletter.Check out Park Street's Guide to Getting Started in the U.S. MarketFollow us for more industry insights onLinkedIn FacebookTwitterInstagram

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, 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 StrategiesHow Nosotros Tequila & Mezcal Navigated the RNDC CA Disruption and Returned to GrowthBeverage Alcohol Tariffs in 2025: Latest Developments & Industry ResponseWant to stay in the know about new episodes from the podcast? Click the link here.Learn More About Park StreetSign up for our Daily Industry Newsletter.Sign Up for our Monthly Newsletter.Check out Park Street's Guide to Getting Started in the U.S. MarketFollow us for more industry insights onLinkedIn FacebookTwitterInstagram

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 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 FoundationEd Dobbles, Chief Analytics Officer, OverproofMentioned in this episode:William Grant & SonsOverproofWatch on YouTube: The Evolution of Cocktail Trends in the Last 25 YearsCocktail Trends: How Bar Menus are ChangingWant to stay in the know about new episodes from the podcast? Click the link here.Learn More About Park StreetSign up for our Daily Industry Newsletter.Sign Up for our Monthly Newsletter.Check out Park Street's Guide to Getting Started in the U.S. MarketFollow us for more industry insights onLinkedIn FacebookTwitterInstagram

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 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 DistilleryMentioned in this episode:Glendalough DistilleryCobblestone BrandsWant to stay in the know about new episodes from the podcast? Click the link here.Learn More About Park StreetSign up for our Daily Industry Newsletter.Sign Up for our Monthly Newsletter.Check out Park Street's Guide to Getting Started in the U.S. MarketFollow us for more industry insights onLinkedIn FacebookTwitterInstagram