t r u t h i n v o d k a.c o m Sobieski Vodka Becomes The Fastest Vodka Brand To Reach Million Case Milestone SAKÉ It s New, It s Different, It s Catching On THE PROMISE OF PISCO Chilean Pisco Makes A Surge In U.S. Market PERNOD RICARD Taking Innovation To A Higher Level PLUS: FINEST CALL BIN ON THE TOWN NEW PRODUCTS & PROMOTIONS
Feature Chester Brandes at Inlet4 Jupiter FL store Photo Credit: Robby Antonio ONE MILLION DOWN, MILLIONS MORE TO GO Sobieski Vodka Becomes The Fastest Vodka Brand to Reach Million Case Milestone By Francine Cohen A million. It's a powerful and impactful number. A number you utter and it stands for something real. Something impressive. Something worth striving for. One million; it s a round figure against 12 BIN 2012 which all else is measured and everyone else is judged. In 2009, in this magazine, Chester Brandes, the President and CEO of Sobieski Vodka s U.S. importer and marketer, Imperial Brands, set an impressive goal for the new vodka brand as he was quoted as saying, "In our first year, Sobieski reached a 200,000- case sales milestone in the U.S. Our U.S. sales goal is one million cases in a calendar year, and we're setting our
Joanna Krupa at Sobieski event in NYC Chester Brandes and Timo Sutinen in Las Vegas sights on being the fastest vodka brand to achieve this important milestone." Three years later, Brandes and his team can pat themselves on their backs- they've achieved their goal. Now it's time to set another. Brandes notes, "Now we go to two million cases. When asked why hitting that first million case goal was so pivotal, Timo thrilled to have crossed the million case mark, they are not resting on their laurels. They know they've carved out a solid place in the market that's buoyed by consumer confidence as their sales reflect. There is still work to be done though. Brandes lays out the next phase of Sobieski development, "You need to Not only did we need a superior product and positioning but we also needed a marketing campaign that let folks know about Sobieski. We created a campaign which we call The Truth in Vodka, Sutinen explains. look like a million case brand to the trade. Though that numeric goal has been achieved, we still have a ways to go. The brand needs additional size distribution, more shelf facings, and an increase in floor displays. In summary, we need the retailer to believe that Sobieski is a winner, deserving of additional exposure and promotion at the store level." In states like California, which Sutinen and Brandes have identified as a market with huge growth potential, continuing to get support from chain channels remains a top priority. Brandes adds, "We believe the California market is on the verge of exploding; we need to stay the course, and continue to work closely with our distributors in an effort to maximize support in terms of features and display activity from this all-important segment of the market." With a million cases sold, the argument can be made to the offpremise retailers that, carrying and promoting the entire Sobieski line, is a win-win situation for both parties as it facilitates one stop shopping for the Sobieski devotee who wants to buy all their Sobieski at one location, says Brandes. The approach and conversation with on-premise decision makers is somewhat different than with the offpremise trade. Back bar distribution is another area that will help Sobieski Vodka reach the next milestone. In bars and restaurants, Sobieski s ap- Sutinen, the brand's Vice President of Marketing and Business Development, remarks, One million case sales indicates you are playing in the big leagues we just wanted to get there faster than anybody else. We are there now, but we have really just started. "Already a leading brand in Poland, produced in a distillery dating back to 1846, and made exclusively from the vaulted Dankowski rye, Sobieski Vodka had the requisite pedigree for success in the U.S. market. Thanks to a very creative marketing campaign, a great team at Imperial Brands, and a supportive distributor network, we achieved our goal, states Brandes. While Brandes and Sutinen are The Liquid Chef Junior Merino at a Sobieski event in NYC
t r u t h i n v o d k a.c o m 14 BIN 2012 SKINNY POMEGRANATE 1 1/2 Parts Sobieski Cytron Vodka 1/2 Part Honey Syrup 1/2 Part Fresh Lime Juice 1/2 Part Pomegranate Juice Shake With Ice Strain Into A Chilled Martini Glass Garnish With Orange Wedge Skinny Pomegranate was created by mixologist Jonathan Pogash EXPRESSION 1 1/2 Parts Sobieski Espresso Vodka 1 Part Sobieski Vanilia Vodka 1/4 Part Hazelnut Liqueur 1/2 Part Irish Cream 1/2 Part Fresh Espresso Shake With Ice Serve In A Chilled Martini Glass SIN CITY 1 Part Sobieski Cynamon Vodka 1/2 Part Sobieski Espresso Vodka 1 Part Irish Cream Shake With Ice Strain Into A Chilled Martini Glass Sprinkle With Cinnamon proach consists of a three-pronged message: taste, quality, and value. The Sobieski product line, which includes seven flavors plus the original flagship spirit, is available nationwide at about $11 a bottle. That value pricing opens up a lot of conversations; beginning with the point Brandes first brings forward as he asks, "Why are you using brands that cost more and taste inferior?" He quickly follows it up with a suggestion, "Do the taste test." Brandes and Sutinen agree that once buyers One million case sales indicates you are playing in the big leagues we just wanted to get there faster than anybody else. We are there now, but we have really just started. taste the quality and realize the value, they are hooked. Brandes adds that It is one thing to have Sobieski in the well, but the key is to get it featured on a menu and placed on the back bar so that it s in front of consumers. Visibility in bars is an important part of the purchase cycle. Brandes notes, "We need consumers to be aware of Sobieski so they buy it for their home. And when they buy it for their home and enjoy it there, it's more likely they'll be looking for it at their favorite watering holes too. The consumer purchase cycle and chatter is a good thing for distributors too; particularly the committed partners who have supported Sobieski since its U.S. launch in 2007. Sutinen explains, "Some are smaller family distributors who took the brand to heart and are working hard for Sobieski." He and Brandes appreciate this dedication and support and know they wouldn't have reached their first goal that quickly without the support. Distributors aside, the goal has always been to make an impact on the consumer. Though Brandes recognized there was an opportunity to enter the marketplace with a quality vodka that brings great flavor and the history and authenticity that is backed by the Polish Product Origin Control System, he also knew he had to offer something else. He notes, "to play in this market and get people s attention, we had to over-deliver on quality at an affordable price point." The product also had to suit every taste; hence the flavor expression roll-out. Brandes saw the future as he says, "To be in the flavor game you must appeal to different pallets in different regions and markets. To address specific demands, Sobieski first introduced Vanilia and Cytron, followed by Karamel, Raspberry and Orange as these are flavors that sell around the country. Next came Espresso, Cynamon, and Bizon Grass a favorite
MILLION, SCHMILLION. WE RE PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THAT WE HAVE REACHED OUR GOAL OF SELLING 1 MILLION CASES, IN RECORD TIME. BUT HEY, WE RE JUST GETTING STARTED. t r u t h i n v o d k a.c o m
Top Left: Brad Coughlin, Timo Sutinen, Chester Brandes Bottom left: Lake Bell at movie premier in LA, CA Bottom middle and right: Bruce Willis at a Sobieski Vodka event on the Intrepid in NYC among the mighty Polish communities and Grape and Black Cherry are on tap for later this year." Not only did we need a superior product and positioning but we also needed a marketing campaign that let folks know about Sobieski. We created "We believe the California market is on the verge of exploding; we need to stay the course, and continue to work closely with our distributors in an effort to maximize support in terms of features and display activity from this allimportant segment of the market." a campaign which we call The Truth in Vodka, Sutinen explains. We talk about the industry and our product with real terms and perhaps make it a little bit easier for consumers to understand the differences between brands. They appreciate being told the truth about vodka, they are perhaps a bit wiser with how they spend their money and want to drink like a king without breaking the bank. Consumers have enthusiastically embraced the brand s individuality, and that good feeling continues with Sobieski's commitment to the community. Though Brandes admits, "We don't have millions to give to charities," the brand has found a way to make a real difference. Sobieski has embarked on a yearlong program with Bruce Willis in supporting Fisher House Foundation, an organization that provides homes to injured members of the military and their families while they are recovering. Sobieski has committed to donating a minimum of $250,000 to the Fisher House Foundation over the duration of the program from proceeds of bottle sales and private fundraising events. This program really resonates with our customers. They are proud to be part of a program that supports the troops. Everybody wants to help wounded soldiers and their families when they return from service Sutinen remarks. With their charitable endeavors well underway, and broad brand exposure permeating primary markets, Sobieski can stop chasing the big leagues and congratulate themselves on membership. The importance of selling a million cases in one calendar year in the U.S. is evidence enough to retailers and trade alike. Brandes concludes, "We took a page out of Svedka s playbook; but at the end of the day, we got there faster. 16 BIN 2012