Park Street Insider Podcast
Park Street Companies
The Park Street Insider Podcast is dedicated to understanding the business strategies of the most interesting and successful thought leaders in the alcohol beverage space. In each episode we discuss the moves that shaped their careers, how they built some of the brands we all know and love, and some of the tools they can’t live without.The podcast will also feature shorter episodes with commentary from industry leaders on time-sensitive topics.
- 50 minutes 48 secondsBranca USA CEO Chris Watt: How to Accelerate Spirits Brand Growth
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
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Follow us for more industry insights on28 January 2026, 10:00 am - 14 minutes 57 secondsBrown-Forman’s Algorithm for Unlocking Hospitality Growth— Expert Talks
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:
Watch on YouTube:
The Hospitality Algorithm: A Playbook for On-Premise Success
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Follow us for more industry insights on14 January 2026, 10:00 am - 51 minutes 13 seconds2025 Spirits Industry Review: Top M&A, Stories & Trends
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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Follow us for more industry insights on17 December 2025, 10:00 am - 22 minutes 21 secondsCocktail Culture for Alcohol Brands: History, Trends, and On-Premise Strategy— Expert Talks
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:
Watch on YouTube:
The Evolution of Cocktail Trends in the Last 25 Years
Cocktail Trends: How Bar Menus are ChangingWant to stay in the know about new episodes from the podcast? Fill out the form below: https://share.hsforms.com/1MEb-81x2TXi3f15qO_yEpA4tip1
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Follow us for more industry insights on26 November 2025, 10:00 am - 45 minutes 46 secondsGlendalough Distillery Co-Founder Kevin Keenan— What it Takes
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
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Follow us for more industry insights on12 November 2025, 2:00 pm - 8 minutes 19 secondsPernod Ricard Northern Europe CEO Julien Hémard: 6 Questions Shaping Spirits— Expert Talks
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
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Follow us for more industry insights on29 October 2025, 9:00 am - 47 minutes 12 secondsBeverage Alcohol Distribution 101: What Today's Brands Need to Know
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:
Erica Duecy, Founder and Co-host, Business of Drinks
Scott Rosenbaum, Co-host, Business of Drinks
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Follow us for more industry insights on15 October 2025, 9:00 am - 41 minutes 54 secondsWhat RTD Market Growth Tells Us About Gen Z Values & Drinking Habits
The 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 Podcast, host Emmett Strack sits down with Ruby Honerkamp and Rob Minucci, Co-Founders of Talkhouse Encore, a spirits-based canned seltzer rooted in the legacy of Stephen Talkhouse, the iconic Long Island music venue. What started as a way to extend a family's 50-year entertainment legacy during the pandemic has evolved into a brand achieving over 101% year-over-year sales growth—without the massive marketing budgets of their larger competitors.
Honerkamp and Minucci share exclusive findings from their Gen Z research, revealing unexpected insights about how this generation discovers, purchases, and consumes alcohol. They also break down how brands can leverage alternative distribution strategies to achieve sustainable growth.
Featured Guests:
Ruby Honerkamp, Co-Founder, Talkhouse Encore
Robert Minucci, Co-Founder, Talkhouse EncoreMentioned in this episode:
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Follow us for more industry insights on1 October 2025, 9:00 am - 50 minutes 56 secondsThe Original Pickle Shot Co-Founder John King— What it Takes
Back 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 recognition on Impact Databank's prestigious Hot Prospects list.
On this episode of the Park Street Insider Podcast, John King sits down with Andres Correa to reveal the blueprint behind his remarkable success. Discover how King built a high-growth spirits brand from scratch without a single investor, pioneered an entirely new category, and stayed ahead as the market became increasingly crowded.
King shares his strategies for protecting intellectual property in a competitive landscape, leveraging influencer marketing to capture Gen Z's attention, and what it really takes to build a modern spirits brand in today's market.
Featured Guests:
John King, Co-Founder & President, The Original Pickle ShotMentioned in this episode:
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Follow us for more industry insights on17 September 2025, 9:00 am - 51 minutes 36 secondsInside the Tequila Category with Fortaleza: Additive Free Tequila, Tariffs & Truck Heists
The 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 Street Insider Podcast welcomes back Billy Erickson, sales and marketing manager at Tequila Fortaleza and member of the brand's founding family, to examine these industry dynamics from a craft producer's perspective. Fortaleza, a premium family-owned brand with strong bartender loyalty and on-premise presence, offers unique insights into navigating regulatory restrictions while maintaining traditional production methods.
From CRT policy conflicts and class action litigation to tariff impacts and premiumization trends, we explore how these converging forces are affecting both established brands and craft producers. The conversation also covers some unexpected operational challenges—including literal product theft—that highlight the unique realities facing today's tequila industry. Whether you're tracking regulatory developments, assessing transparency trends, or understanding market shifts, this episode provides critical insights into the tequila category's evolving landscape.
Featured Guests:
Billy Erickson, Sales & Marketing Manager, Tequila FortalezaMentioned in this episode:
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Follow us for more industry insights on27 August 2025, 9:00 am - 37 minutes 5 secondsWhat Tasting Competitions Reveal About Emerging Spirits Categories
Tasting 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 market is heading.
The Park Street Insider Podcast welcomes Amanda Blue, President of the Tasting Alliance, which oversees eight of the industry's most prestigious spirits competitions. The Tasting Alliance's data reveals surprising developments in both traditional and entirely new market segments, thanks to its high growth in submissions across diverse categories.
This episode examines the top trends emerging from the results and entrants in tasting competitions over the last year, from breakthrough innovations redefining established categories to unexpected regional producers outperforming legacy brands. Whether you're tracking market opportunities or anticipating consumer preferences, this episode delivers the competitive intelligence you need to stay ahead of rapidly evolving spirits trends.
Featured Guests:
Amanda Blue, President, Tasting AllianceMentioned in this episode:
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