Episode Deep-Dive Analysis Available at maffeodrinks.com

The family had been making wine in the Chablis region for 35 years. Looking at that grape pomace every harvest, Alex Watson saw what everyone else missed: repurposing it making Gin.

In this conversation, Alex (who co-founded Renais with his sister Emma Watson) reveals the counterintuitive path from London's most exclusive cocktail bars to Waitrose shelves and why both require completely different strategies for the same gin.

We dig into:

• Why prestigious bars that love you most often move the least volume

• The unexpected channel that actually builds premium brands

• How wine sommeliers became his secret weapon in Michelin restaurants

• The Instagram strategy that works when you're "naturally private"

• Why he leads with flavor, never sustainability (even though the sustainability story is incredible)

• The specific moment he knew the traditional gin playbook was broken

This isn't about choosing between credibility and volume. It's about something more interesting.

Listen to find out what.

Timestamps:

• 00:00 Introduction: The grape distillation opportunity
• 02:30 Renais origin story: From Chablis winemaking to spirits
• 05:45 Leading with flavor over sustainability in brand messaging
• 08:15 Provenance, terroir, and wine culture in spirits storytelling
• 12:20 B Corp certification and circular economy positioning
• 15:45 Building early credibility account by account in London
• 19:30 The role of bartender advocacy in brand building
• 26:15 Social media approach for naturally private founders
• 28:40 Scaling from independent bars to national restaurant chains
• 32:10 Drink strategy differences: Martinis vs spritzes by venue type
• 35:20 Navigating serve complexity across different bartender skill levels
• 38:25 Hybridization of hospitality venues and menu evolution
• 40:15 Premium positioning strategy: Ultra-premium gin challenges
• 42:50 Market agility and testing new initiatives at consumer events

Interested in Group Subscriptions, Keynote Presentations or Advisory? You can get in touch at bottomup@maffeodrinks.com or find out more at maffeodrinks.com

Welcome to MAFFEO DRINKS. For many years, I've been known as the "build bottom-up" guy.
But many people misunderstand what bottom-up actually means. It's not about small, slow, anti-growth, anti-corporate.
Bottom-up means building at a pace that doesn't jeopardize your future.
Doing the right things on the ground while managing expectations from above.

That's it.

It doesn't matter if your brand is small or big.
It's a mindset.

I'm Chris Maffeo, Drinks Leadership Advisor. 20 years in drinks across 30+ markets.
I've been in the boardroom but chose to stay connected to the field.

I help drinks leadership bridge the gap between bottom-up reality and top-down expectations. Stakeholders want numbers. Your team wants direction. You are caught in the middle. And that's where I come in.

This podcast is about honest conversations with drinks builders: founders, distributors, commercial directors, CEOs, F&B directors. But this isn't a show about biographies. Every guest is here to show their thinking, not their resume.

We talk commercial strategy, route-to-market, distributor relationships, trade marketing, and all the plumbing of brand building that nobody discusses on stage. How the industry actually works, not the conference version. How to master the unscalable things while building scale.

Beyond the podcast, we offer Bottom-Up Intel & Principles: episode deep dives that you can buy for a monthly subscription (Patterns from drinks builders for the leaders building with them).

And for leadership teams who want a thought partner who has been in their chair and still walks the field, we offer advisory.

I
nsights come from sitting at the bar. And remember: brands are built bottom-up.

Find out more at maffeodrinks.com.

Episode Deep-Dive Analysis Available at maffeodrinks.com

Maurice Doyle returns to MAFFEO DRINKS to dissect the drinks industry's inflection point, where COVID's artificial peak has given way to a "new reality" of capital constraints and complexity.

Drawing from his veteran experience across major spirits and scale-up companies, Maurice reveals how brands can achieve growth without abundant funding by focusing ruthlessly on strategy, particularly what NOT to do.

The conversation explores the tension between principles and tactics, why "I don't know" might be the most powerful leadership phrase, and how misaligned expectations between bottom-up brand building and top-down objectives create systemic friction.

Maurice's core insight: in a world where 95% of your target market isn't buying at any given moment, success comes from matching physical availability with mental availability while resisting the siren call of premature retail listings.

Timestamps:

• 00:00 Introduction and Industry Veterans Discussion
• 02:30 Current State of Drinks Industry - The Inflection Point
• 08:15 Capital Challenges and New Reality Post-COVID
• 12:45 Strategic Focus: The Power of Saying No
• 18:20 Principles vs Playbooks - Beyond Cookie Cutter Approaches
• 25:10 Getting Out From Behind the Desk Philosophy
• 32:40 Capital-Efficient Growth Strategies
• 38:55 Balancing Long-term Strategy with Short-term Pressures

Interested in Group Subscriptions, Keynote Presentations or Advisory? You can get in touch at bottomup@maffeodrinks.com or find out more at maffeodrinks.com

Episode Deep-Dive Analysis Available at maffeodrinks.com

Brodie Meah, co-founder of Top Cuvée, reveals how one neighborhood restaurant in Highbury became the foundation for a "wine for everyone" movement that achieved national distribution.

Starting in 2019 with 40 covers nightly, Top Cuvée's journey from restaurant to retail to wholesale exemplifies bottom-up brand building.

Having witnessed fine dining's intimidation tactics firsthand in Melbourne, Brodie flipped the industry's most exclusive phrase:"top cuvée" (wines deemed too good for regular guests) into a symbol of accessibility.

The COVID pivot unlocked game-changing insights: wine labels matter enormously in retail but not restaurants, £8 glasses translate to £22 retail bottles, and wine's aversion to "openly commercial" marketing creates opportunity.

By building trust glass by glass, turning regulars into brand ambassadors, and proving neighborhood hospitality can scale, Top Cuvée transformed from one Highbury restaurant to shops to national wholesale—keeping "wine for everyone" real.

Timestamps:

• 00:00 From Fine Dining to "Wine for Everyone" Philosophy
• 03:00 One Restaurant to National Distribution Journey
• 06:00 Wine Intimidation and the Leather Entrance Story
• 09:30 Flipping "Top Cuvée" from Exclusive to Inclusive
• 12:00 Why Wine Bars Shouldn't Feel Educational
• 15:00 Building Community - The T-Shirt Customer Story
• 18:00 Labels Matter in Shops, Not Restaurant Lists
• 21:00 The £8 Glass = £22 Bottle Sweet Spot
• 24:00 Wine's "Dirty Word" Marketing Problem
• 27:00 Trust Engines and Part Two Preview

Interested in Group Subscriptions, Keynote Presentations or Advisory? You can get in touch at bottomup@maffeodrinks.com or find out more at maffeodrinks.com

Episode Deep-Dive Analysis Available at maffeodrinks.com

In this episode of MAFFEO DRINKS, host Chris Maffeo speaks with Hunter Gregory, Bar Manager at Maybe Sammy in Sydney, Australia, about scaling cocktail culture beyond the usual suspects and making premium cocktails accessible to everyday drinkers.

The conversation explores Sydney's cocktail scene positioned "10 years behind London" despite having quality bars that rival global standards, but revealing how average consumers struggle with understanding enhanced cocktail experiences just like other cities.

Hunter shares the origin story of Maybe Sammy's transformation from a serious hotel-style bar to an energetic showmanship destination when founder Stefano Catino bought a bubble gun from Kmart and decided "f**k it, let's have some fun."

We examine the strategic use of mini martinis during happy hour as a trust-building gateway that gradually brings guests on a cocktail journey from classics to experimental drinks like milk-washed Negroni, Americano with Vegemite macadamia milk.

The discussion covers how Asian cocktail trends increasingly influence Australian bars as European bartenders migrate eastward, the philosophy of "your guests are not always right, but they're always your guests," and why the shift from serving gin and tonics at 10pm to serving complex cocktails throughout the night represents six years of earned trust.

Hunter provides insights on breaking down intimidating cocktail menus, managing consumer expectations around "serious" bar environments, and understanding that people seek experiences that make them feel better rather than just drinks.

Timestamps:

• 00:00 Introduction: Scaling Cocktail Culture to Wider Audiences
• 02:15 Sydney Cocktail Scene: 10 Years Behind London
• 06:30 Australian Drinking Culture: Amazing Bars vs Everyday Pubs
• 09:45 The Demographic Challenge: Experience vs Getting Drunk
• 13:20 Asian Influence on Australian Cocktail Trends
• 17:40 Maybe Sammy Origin Story: From Stuffy to Fun
• 21:25 The Bubble Gun Moment: Breaking Hotel Bar Barriers
• 24:50 Show Business Philosophy: Serious About Craft, Not Ourselves
• 28:10 Mini Martini Strategy: Building Trust Through Happy Hour
• 32:15 Guest Journey: From Classics to Experimental Over Six Years
• 35:40 Wrap up: Making Cocktail Culture Accessible and Fun

Interested in Group Subscriptions, Keynote Presentations or Advisory? You can get in touch at bottomup@maffeodrinks.com or find out more at maffeodrinks.com

Episode Deep-Dive Analysis Available at maffeodrinks.com

In this episode of MAFFEO DRINKS, host Chris Maffeo speaks with Matilda Andersson, Managing Director at Truth Consulting, about transforming how drinks brands approach consumer insights and market research.

The conversation explores why traditional focus group research fails to capture authentic consumer behavior, and how ethnographic research (observing people in bars, homes, festivals, and unexpected locations) reveals the cultural truths that drive brand success.

Matilda introduces "the trend of ignoring trends," explaining the critical difference between fast-moving fads (TikTok dances, viral flavors) and slow-changing cultural fundamentals (rituals, occasions, social connections) that brands should actually focus on.

We examine the premium positioning trap where every brand claims to be premium, creating bland homogenization rather than differentiation.

The discussion challenges conventional wisdom about Gen Z drinking habits, revealing they're drinking differently rather than abstaining, and explores why generational commonalities matter more than manufactured differences.

Why occasions and rituals as more valuable strategic frameworks than demographic targeting, showing how brands must earn relevance in existing consumer moments rather than creating artificial ones.

Key topics include participant observation methodology, brand self-awareness, cultural rituals in modern context, qualitative research integration with quantitative analysis, and how brands can actively shape culture rather than passively follow trends.

Timestamps :

00:00 - Introduction: Insights, Rituals & Cultural Role of Drinks

02:15 - Matilda Andersson Background: Career in Consumer Insights & Drinks Industry

05:30 - Cultural Role of Drinks: Historical Context & Modern Rituals

08:45 - The Trend of Ignoring Trends: Fast vs Slow Cultural Change

12:20 - How Brands Can Differentiate What's Worth Pursuing

15:40 - Brand Self-Awareness & The Premium Positioning Trap

19:10 - Understanding Your Brand's Core vs Chasing Competition

22:35 - Probable Futures: Active Cultural Participation vs Passive Reception

25:50 - The Spritz Example: When Trend-Chasing Goes Wrong

28:20 - What is Ethnographic Research? Definition & Methodology

31:15 - Real Insights Happen at the Bar (and McDonald's)

34:25 - The Laziness Problem: Why Brands Don't Observe Enough

36:50 - Gen Z Drinking Myths: They're Drinking Differently, Not Less

39:20 - Generational Commonalities & Occasions Over Demographics

42:10 - Wrap-up: Key Takeaways on Cultural Insights & Ethnographic Research

Interested in Group Subscriptions, Keynote Presentations or Advisory? You can get in touch at bottomup@maffeodrinks.com or find out more at maffeodrinks.com

Episode Deep-Dive Analysis Available at maffeodrinks.com

Continuing our previous conversation, Guillaume Lambrecht explains his trade fair strategy for building global presence with Supasawa, focusing primarily on his BCB Berlin approach.

With distributors across 55 markets, through strategic trade show investments rather than individual country visits.

This episode details his methods for maximizing trade fair ROI, including relationship-focused meetings, community building at industry events, and using trade shows as cost-effective alternatives to extensive international travel.

Guillaume outlines how he leverages events like BCB Berlin to maintain distributor relationships and establish global brand presence.

Covers trade show networking strategies, international distributor management through industry events, and approaches to global brand building via strategic fair participation.

Timestamps:

-00:00 Introduction: International Scaling Strategies for Small Beverage Brands

- 05:37 Community-Driven Growth: Social Media and Organic Brand Advocacy Systems

- 11:35 Relationship-Based Sales: Human-to-Human Business Philosophy for Global Markets

- 19:31 Trade Show ROI Strategy: BCB Berlin Investment and International Networking Optimization

- 38:04 Global Distribution: Route to Market and International Distributor Management

- 45:12 Market Adaptation: COVID-19 Opportunities and Business Resilience Strategies

- 52:30 Sustainable Expansion: Quality Relationship Management Across 55 Markets

Interested in Group Subscriptions, Keynote Presentations or Advisory? You can get in touch at bottomup@maffeodrinks.com or find out more at maffeodrinks.com

Episode Deep-Dive Analysis Available at maffeodrinks.com

In this episode of MAFFEO DRINKS, Guillaume Lambrecht explains his approach to creating market demand for Supasawa, a shelf-stable sour mixer, focusing primarily on his category creation methodology.

We go through how he developed the product through 60-70 recipe iterations and managed customer validation through direct bar visits rather than traditional market research approaches.

This episode details his methods for educating customers about operational problems they may not recognize, including face-to-face conversations, hands-on demonstrations, and using customer discovery as cost-effective alternative to extensive market analysis.

Guillaume outlines how he leverages direct customer feedback to establish new product categories and build market awareness from zero recognition.

Timestamps:

• 00:00 Introduction: Market Validation for Unknown Categories and Invisible Problems

• 05:37 Product Development Process: 60-70 Recipe Iterations and Customer Feedback Loops

• 11:35 Customer Discovery: Face-to-Face Bar Visits and Problem Identification Techniques

• 19:31 Market Segmentation: Skill-Based Bar Typologies and Operational Complexity Analysis

• 32:45 Workflow Innovation: Pre-Batching Systems and Extended Shelf-Life Benefits

• 38:04 Customer Education: Problem-Awareness Creation and Solution Positioning

• 45:12 Market Creation Strategy: Category Establishment and Demand Generation Tactics

Interested in Group Subscriptions, Keynote Presentations or Advisory? You can get in touch at bottomup@maffeodrinks.com or find out more at maffeodrinks.com