Business of Drinks

What actually makes a buyer say yes?In this episode of Business of Drinks, we sit down with Erik Segelbaum, founder of Amalfi Beverage Company and creator of Certo Cocktails, to break down how sales actually happen in the drinks industry when you’ve been responsible for a $100M+ beverage program across nearly 50 venues, trained top-tier sommeliers, and now have your own product on the line.This is a look at selling from the buyer’s seat — how decisions get made, what gets ignored, and why so many pitches never land.His starting point challenges how most people approach sales: “It is not about your product strengths. It is about understanding the buyer’s needs.”From there, Erik walks through how strong reps approach accounts differently — often long before they ever introduce a product.Why top performers spend time in accounts first, observing how they operate before ever asking for a meetingHow buyers evaluate products in terms of time, revenue, and ease of execution — not just taste or storyWhy leading with discounts or accolades can weaken your position instead of strengthening itThe conversation also gets into how relationships actually work in this business. As Erik explains, a single order is one thing. Being the person a buyer calls first — and keeps coming back to — is something else entirely. That difference is what determines who gets placements, and who keeps them.Erik also pushes on how the industry thinks about pricing and profitability: “You don’t put percentage points in the bank.” He explains how buyers think about total dollars, repeat orders, and turnover — and why those factors often matter more than hitting a target margin on a single sale.One of the most memorable moments comes from a stadium example. Watching a bar take minutes to produce each drink, Erik calculated how much revenue was being left behind simply due to speed of service. The gap ran into the tens of thousands of dollars over a 20-minute window. Throughout the episode, Erik returns to a simple idea: Strong salespeople make themselves useful to the buyer. “Make the case for why this makes sense for them.” Resources mentioned in the episode:Improving Revenue Through Transactional Psychology, Part 1 (p 14) Improving Revenue Through Transactional Psychology, Part 2 (p 14) Improving Revenue Through Transactional Psychology, Part 3 (p 14) Improving Revenue Through Transactional Psychology, Part 4 (p 16) Improving Revenue Through Transactional Psychology, Part 5 (p 16) Tips to Maximize the Profitability of Your By-The-Glass Program (p 20) How to Price Pours and Control Costs by The Glass (p 16)Understanding Blended Cost of Goods and Sales Frequency (p 16)For the latest updates, follow us:Business of Drinks website (sign up for our newsletter!)Business of Drinks YouTubeBusiness of Drinks LinkedInInstagram @bizofdrinksErica Duecy, co-host: Erica Duecy is founder and co-host of Business of Drinks and one of the drinks industry’s most accomplished digital and content strategists. She runs the consultancy and advisory arm of Business of Drinks and has built publishing and marketing programs for Drizly, VinePair, SevenFifty, and other hospitality and drinks tech companies.Erica Duecy LinkedInInstagram @ericaduecyScott Rosenbaum, co-host: Scott Rosenbaum is co-host of Business of Drinks and a veteran strategist and analyst with deep experience building drinks portfolios. Most recently, he was the Portfolio Development Director at Distill Ventures. Prior to that, he was the Vice President of T. Edward Wines & Spirits, a New York-based importer and distributor.Scott Rosenbaum LinkedInCaroline Lamb, contributor: Caroline is a producer and on-air contributor at Business of Drinks and a key account sales and marketing specialist at AHD Vintners, a Michigan-based importer and distributor.Caroline Lamb LinkedInInstagram @borkaline

Wine may be under pressure — but some brands are still growing. The question is how.In this episode of Business of Drinks, we sit down with Jeff Ngo, EVP, Chief Growth Officer at The Duckhorn Portfolio, to break down how Decoy has scaled into a multi-tier platform brand — and why it continues to gain share in a flat category.The numbers tell the story. For the 52 weeks ending January 25, 2026 (Circana):Decoy Core: ~1M cases, +4.6% volume, +3.5% dollarsDecoy Limited: ~144K cases, +24% volume, +18.7% dollarsDecoy Featherweight: ~28.6K cases, +80% volume, +74.7% dollarsImpressive results by any measure — but this isn’t incremental growth. It’s a case study in how to build a platform inside a mature category, with each tier playing a defined role:Core ($15–$20): Scale, consistency, and national distributionLimited ($25–$30): Premium trade-up and margin expansionFeatherweight ($20–$25): Moderation and new consumer entryJeff explains how this was built intentionally — not as SKU expansion, but as consumer-led architecture. Each line targets a distinct audience and occasion, from socially influential “tastemakers” to younger consumers seeking lower-calorie options that still deliver on taste.Key takeaways for operators:Scaling requires saying no — to discounting, SKU sprawl, and short-term volume grabs that erode brand equityAt 1M+ cases, consistency becomes the brand; sourcing, production, and execution must align across every channelPlatform thinking beats product thinking; growth comes from structure, not just innovationPremiumization still works, but only when brands clearly overdeliver on valueDistribution follows demand; brands that pull win more support than those that pushJeff also shares how private equity ownership has shifted the focus toward long-term value creation, and how cross-category learnings are shaping digital and growth strategy.For founders, this is a clear look at what changes when you move from early traction to true scale — and why most brands struggle to make that leap.For the latest updates, follow us:Business of Drinks:YouTubeLinkedInInstagram @bizofdrinksErica Duecy, co-host: Erica Duecy is founder and co-host of Business of Drinks and one of the drinks industry’s most accomplished digital and content strategists. She runs the consultancy and advisory arm of Business of Drinks and has built publishing and marketing programs for Drizly, VinePair, SevenFifty, and other hospitality and drinks tech companies.LinkedInInstagram @ericaduecyScott Rosenbaum, co-host: Scott Rosenbaum is co-host of Business of Drinks and a veteran strategist and analyst with deep experience building drinks portfolios. Most recently, he was the Portfolio Development Director at Distill Ventures. Prior to that, he was the Vice President of T. Edward Wines & Spirits, a New York-based importer and distributor.LinkedInCaroline Lamb, contributor: Caroline is a producer and on-air contributor at Business of Drinks and a key account sales and marketing specialist at AHD Vintners, a Michigan-based importer and distributor.LinkedInInstagram @borkalineIf you enjoyed today’s conversation, follow Business of Drinks wherever you’re listening, and don’t forget to rate and review us. Your support helps us reach new listeners passionate about the drinks industry. Thank you!

What does it actually take to win — and keep — placement inside one of the largest hospitality systems in the world?In this episode, we sit down with Gary Gruver, Director of Global Beverage Strategy at Marriott International, who helps shape beverage programs across 30+ brands, 130+ countries, and a system approaching 10,000 hotels.If you’ve ever thought, “If we could just get into Marriott,” this conversation might change your thinking, because there is no single “Marriott.” There are fundamentally different business models — from luxury properties like Ritz-Carlton and St. Regis to high-volume select-service concepts — each with its own economics, velocity expectations, and operational constraints.And, as Gary shares, most brands underestimate what happens after placement.It turns out that getting on the menu is maybe 20% of the work. The rest is execution — distribution, inventory reliability, training, and boots-on-the-ground activation. Without that, even great liquid disappears.Key insights:🔶 Why “getting into Marriott” is the wrong goalEach tier — luxury, premium, select — requires a different product, story, and service model. In select-service, drinks need to be made in under 60 seconds. In luxury, it’s about theater and storytelling.🔶 The real KPIs are velocity and operational reliabilityOut-of-stocks, weak distributor alignment, or lack of sales support will kill a brand’s placement. If a product can’t be consistently ordered and sold, it becomes a liability.🔶 Placement does not equal success — activation doesMarriott doesn’t “sell your brand” for you. Without education, bartender engagement, and ongoing programming, even standout products stall.🔶 How emerging brands can break in (without scale)Start local, build traction at a single property, and over-communicate wins. Then expand regionally. Corporate programs follow proven demand — not the other way around.🔶 Back bar math: What gets cut (and why)Shelf space is finite. Slow movers get displaced. New products win only if they outperform on velocity or bring a compelling new POV.At its core, this episode is about operational excellence. Hospitality is one of the most demanding environments for a beverage brand. If you can win here, you’re not just visible, you’re viable.For the latest updates, follow us:Business of Drinks:YouTubeLinkedInInstagram @bizofdrinksErica Duecy, co-host: Erica Duecy is founder and co-host of Business of Drinks and one of the drinks industry’s most accomplished digital and content strategists. She runs the consultancy and advisory arm of Business of Drinks and has built publishing and marketing programs for Drizly, VinePair, SevenFifty, and other hospitality and drinks tech companies.LinkedInInstagram @ericaduecyScott Rosenbaum, co-host: Scott Rosenbaum is co-host of Business of Drinks and a veteran strategist and analyst with deep experience building drinks portfolios. Most recently, he was the Portfolio Development Director at Distill Ventures. Prior to that, he was the Vice President of T. Edward Wines & Spirits, a New York-based importer and distributor.LinkedInCaroline Lamb, contributor: Caroline is a producer and on-air contributor at Business of Drinks and a key account sales and marketing specialist at AHD Vintners, a Michigan-based importer and distributor.LinkedInInstagram @borkalineSubscribe to the Business of Drinks channel for more insights on how brands, retailers, and operators are unlocking growth across beverages. And please rate and review us. Your support helps us reach new listeners. Thank you!

What happens when you rebuild French wine from scratch — without appellations, without traditional grapes, and without the assumption that younger consumers care about either?In this episode, we sit down with Antonin Bonnet, co-founder of Pierre & Antonin, a fast-growing French wine brand scaling a very specific idea: Natural wine at a true mass-premium price point.The numbers and positioning are what make this story compelling. Pierre & Antonin produced ~350,000 bottles last year and is targeting ~400,000 this year, expanding across 20+ export markets. But the real unlock is how they got there — by rethinking everything from grape selection to packaging to brand storytelling.At the core is a contrarian bet: Hybrid “resistant” grape varieties. Long dismissed by the traditional wine industry, these grapes dramatically reduce vineyard inputs — less spraying, lower labor, lower cost — enabling the brand to hit a $15–$20 price point while maintaining margins.That economic model is paired with a sharp read on the consumer. Their average drinker is 26–27 years old — a cohort that prioritizes taste, price, sustainability, and story over varietal pedigree or appellation.And critically, the business is built around velocity, not tradition:Product-market fit: Pet Nat was the breakout SKU, driving ~60% of volume globallyRetail unlock: Landing Trader Joe’s doubled revenue and validated U.S. national demandGo-to-market: Instagram collaborations outperform paid ads for reaching urban Gen Z consumersBrand strategy: Simplified labels and back-label education reduce friction at shelfThere’s also a deeper industry question running through this conversation: Is wine overbuilt for the next generation?While the trade debates appellations and varietal purity, Pierre & Antonin is building for accessibility — in price, in messaging, and in experience. The result is a brand that’s growing by aligning sustainability with economics, not just storytelling.For drinks founders, this episode is a case study in identifying white space, challenging category assumptions, and designing a business model that actually works at scale.For the latest updates, follow us:Business of Drinks:YouTubeLinkedInInstagram @bizofdrinksErica Duecy, co-host: Erica Duecy is founder and co-host of Business of Drinks and one of the drinks industry’s most accomplished digital and content strategists. She runs the consultancy and advisory arm of Business of Drinks and has built publishing and marketing programs for Drizly, VinePair, SevenFifty, and other hospitality and drinks tech companies.LinkedInInstagram @ericaduecyScott Rosenbaum, co-host: Scott Rosenbaum is co-host of Business of Drinks and a veteran strategist and analyst with deep experience building drinks portfolios. Most recently, he was the Portfolio Development Director at Distill Ventures. Prior to that, he was the Vice President of T. Edward Wines & Spirits, a New York-based importer and distributor.LinkedInCaroline Lamb, contributor: Caroline is a producer and on-air contributor at Business of Drinks and a key account sales and marketing specialist at AHD Vintners, a Michigan-based importer and distributor.LinkedInInstagram @borkalineIf you enjoyed today’s conversation, follow Business of Drinks wherever you’re listening, and don’t forget to rate and review us. Your support helps us reach new listeners passionate about the drinks industry. Thank you!

What does it actually take to raise angel capital in today’s drinks market?In this episode, we sit down with Katie Dunn, Principal at Masthead Strategies and an active angel investor across consumer brands, to unpack how early-stage investors are really evaluating beverage companies right now — and where founders are getting it wrong.Today’s funding climate is no doubt challenging: Capital is tighter, the category is more crowded, and raising money requires far more than a compelling story. Katie shares a clear look at what angels expect — starting with returns. TL;DR - This isn’t passive money. Angel investors are underwriting for 5–10x outcomes, which means founders need a credible path to scale, strong margins, and a clear view toward exit. Katie breaks down why most early-stage drinks brands should be raising $250K–$500K to fund 12 months of runway — and tying every dollar to revenue-driving activities like inventory, sales, and market expansion. Overpaying yourself, cleaning up old debt, or raising more than you need? Those are immediate red flags.We also get into the structural mistakes that kill deals, like messy cap tables, too many small investors, and stacked SAFEs at different valuation caps. These are common in beverage — and often make brands uninvestable before they even reach scale.At the early stage, though, it’s less about the liquid and more about the founder. Katie explains why she prioritizes customer obsession, category expertise, and coachability — and how she tests for it. Founders who don’t deeply understand their competition, their numbers, or their path to margin expansion rarely make it through diligence.There’s also an important message on product-market fit: Prove it in the market, not the deck. The brands that win are iterating quickly, listening to customers, and resisting the urge to scale into large retail before they’re operationally ready.If you’re raising capital — or planning to — this episode is a tactical look at how investors actually think, what they’re looking for, and how to position your brand to win.For the latest updates, follow us:Business of Drinks:YouTubeLinkedInInstagram @bizofdrinksErica Duecy, co-host: Erica Duecy is founder and co-host of Business of Drinks and one of the drinks industry’s most accomplished digital and content strategists. She runs the consultancy and advisory arm of Business of Drinks and has built publishing and marketing programs for Drizly, VinePair, SevenFifty, and other hospitality and drinks tech companies.LinkedInInstagram @ericaduecyScott Rosenbaum, co-host: Scott Rosenbaum is co-host of Business of Drinks and a veteran strategist and analyst with deep experience building drinks portfolios. Most recently, he was the Portfolio Development Director at Distill Ventures. Prior to that, he was the Vice President of T. Edward Wines & Spirits, a New York-based importer and distributor.LinkedInCaroline Lamb, contributor: Caroline is a producer and on-air contributor at Business of Drinks and a key account sales and marketing specialist at AHD Vintners, a Michigan-based importer and distributor.LinkedInInstagram @borkalineIf you enjoyed today’s conversation, follow Business of Drinks wherever you’re listening, and don’t forget to rate and review us. Your support helps us reach new listeners passionate about the drinks industry. Thank you!