ROOTS | The #3 Issue: "Premiumization through Innovation, Provenance & Traceability"

ROOTS THE ZINE

MAY 2022

#1

#3

Premiumization through Innovation, Provenance & Traceability

Word On The Street with Tom Scott, Erica Richards, Jack Stacey & Brad Price

BROUGHT TO YOU BY Fanny Hennequin Brand Advocacy Manager Int. Region

Meimi Sánchez Miguel Peñarrocha

Senior Manager, The Blend Global

Digital Community Executive - The Blend

Ambre Morin Rebekkah Dooley Business Partner The Blend Collective

Senior Digital Manager, The Blend Global

Symonds & why terroir really matters

Mezcal aficionado Melanie Symonds is the co-founder of London Mezcal Week and the Director of QuiQuiRiQui Mezcal.

A true entrepreneur, Melanie has worked in the hospitality industry for over 25 years, both front and back of house and as the owner of QuiQuiRiQui Bar and Brahms & Liszt (RIP).

Melanie is passionate about working directly with families who have been producing mezcal for generations and her products are all small batch, single palenque and hand crafted, with a focus on terroir, provenance, and traceability.

Why did you start QuiQuiRiQui? I opened a Mezcaleria in London in 2012 after spending 6 months in Oaxaca, falling in love with mezcal. At that time there were maybe only 3 brands in the UK of any quality and they were expensive (and my GP was horribly low) so I decided when the bar closed I would go back and visit some of the mezcal producing families I’d become friends with, and talk to them about starting a partnership to make a mezcal brand. I thought there was a market for an affordable but still traditionally made Mezcal in the UK that would help the mezcal category grow into something great.

Have you noticed a change in attitudes, when it comes to the bar industry caring about provenance and traceability?

Yes, in the last 5 years, many more bars are tuned into the story behind the brand and a few in how we support the communities we work with. Price wins out over quality more often than not but we have won some great accounts over brands with less ability to transparently show their process.

Mezcal came at that perfect moment, in the UK when bars started to ask more about provenance, as a spirit with true traceability, which is something fairly unique across many spirit categories still.

“We try hard to strike the right balance between affordability and traditional production, which is hard, but it’s how we have succeeded against some much bigger brands”

What type of questions do you get most commonly from the industry about provenance and traceability?

“Are we sustainable” is the most asked question but I don’t think many people truly know what they are asking.

Who makes the mezcal follows, and how it is made are the second most asked.

Many people hear something, focus on the buzz word and then just repeat it without really understanding what they are saying. It’s really easy for a brand to talk about being sustainable without any real detail and many bars don’t have the necessary training or knowledge to be able to pick up on when something is just a smokescreen designed to make the brand look like they are doing good work but actually it amounts to very little back in the communities where the product is made.

What do you list on your bottles, in terms of where the product comes from and how it’s made?

We have the “Mezcal Artesenal” standard which tells you the process we use as defined by CRM but, we also say we are traditionally made which adds a few more levels of a traditional handmade process than the “Mezcal Artesenal” covers.

We have the Mendez family details on the bottle, their NOM and the location of the palenque where QQRQ is made (They have 4 others). On our website, we go into more detail about the agave farmers, and other Mezcaleros and Mezcaleras that work for the Mendez family.

“Terroir is everything. The soil, the inclination of the hill, the water, the crops growing in the agave fields, what’s pollinating what at the time they are harvesting”

How important is terroir, in the production of QQRQ? All terroir components have an impact on the agave which translates directly to the flavour in the bottle, it’s ever-changing and this is reflected in the fact that none of our mezcal batches tastes the same.

Then the terroir where the palenque is, the water we use in production, the fauna and flora growing in and around the palenque at the moment we are making mezcal, the wild yeasts that ferment the agave, the temperature, the time of year we make mezcal, this is also ever-changing and it impacts the flavours of the mezcal - the best example is when the mango tree next to the palenque is fruiting we sometimes get a faint taste of mango in the mezcal batch, it’s magic!!

What are your hopes for the future of the Mezcal industry?

That everyone from the big industrial brands down to the tiny community cooperations selling their mezcal can find a way to collectively set out a decisive structure to look after the agave everyone relies on, and to protect the natural resources needed to make mezcal. There is so much infighting in the mezcal industry that is very unhelpful to the bigger picture. If we don’t come together and act now we will be facing some of the issues Tequila went through over the years and worse.

WORD ON Tom Scott Australia (NSW/ACT)

“

We have seen a shift towards a preference in premium spirit offerings, with even the humblest of old school pubs showcasing an impressive whisky list.

More than ever in a post covid world where the average punter was starved of good bar service, the joy of getting back out and about means everyone is happy to try new things A new generation of eager bartenders turned bar owners who have taken advantage of the small bar spaces that have become available are letting their imaginations run wild, with nothing to hold them back and patrons happy to be wowed they are pushing the boundaries of premium drinks. So put down that pint of bitter, try something different, and get ready for a world of amazing new cocktails.

“

Erica Richards

“

Australia (NT/SA) The creativity and inspiration of bartenders has never been greater.

COVID has meant that as a society we have by necessity begun to focus more on what is available in our own backyard, due to both supply chain issues and a refocusing on thinking local. When these new priorities are added to an already burgeoning emphasis on sustainability and reducing our carbon footprint, bartenders are challenging themselves to create their own spirits, and in many cases are establishing their own commercial brands.

These brands are being supported by the surrounding communities, including consumers, bar owners, and other bartenders, and are now winning prestigious awards. Such brands in the Adelaide market include Never Never, Three Fold, Ounce, and Needle and Pin to name a few, all conceptualised and produced by former bartenders who maintain strong links to their community.

“

THE STREET Brad Price

“

Drinks Specialist - UK

I would be remiss not to talk about the fantastic collaborations that Maker’s Mark are doing with influential and hand-selected bars around the world for their Private Select Program. This is where the bars create their own expression of Maker’s Mark through their truly unique wood finishing program. In the U.K we have several bars showcasing their own unique Private select. In London we have Scarfes bar showcasing their Private Select in a cocktail called Save the Date. Which include Maker’s Mark Private Select, Green walnut and Date wine, Mole Distillate.

Consideration of seasonality, sustainability and locality is imperative. In other words, we look to champion the best products in our creations. Not only will the proof be in the final product but it contributes to lowering carbon emission of transport of goods, and helps us to support our local communities and build relationships with the producers and the products we use.

“

Jack Stacey Australia (QLD)

“

Covid was something that we could have never anticipated, but as always, the hospitality scene has pivoted to stay afloat. As the drinking culture diverted away from your dimly lit, marble top bars, transferring to DIY bars at home, there was a need to be more open about how we do things as to train this new generation of “isolation” bartenders.

Ranging from ingredients and techniques to inspiration and perspectives, long kept secrets are finally on display to the public.

“

Most bars will be happy to explain their stories as they are excited to be back serving the public, all you need to do is ask!

“HOW TO”

No/Lo

SHERRYS! Sherry & Fortified wines are great! Try considering other bases for your drinks

GO BEYOND Move away from just recreating No/Lo versions of drinks - try something new!

ON THE SPOTLIGHT Make it part of the main menu!

COCKTAIL Through the innovative eyes of

COMPLEXITY We love Highpoint: kombucha-like, nonalcoholic beverage that adds complexity

BALANCE Balanced offering that works perfectly with lunchtime hours

GEM

PAR It’s what’s in the inside, not the outside

PAR is a concept wine and cocktail bar, looking to bridge the gap between the two disciplines, with a strong focus on minimalism and flavors through aromas. They have a no ice etho and as explained by the owner there are a multitude of factors involved such as controlled dilution/temperature, consistency and the ability to impart flavours into their dilution. They wanted to present drinks in a way that truly gave the cocktail a chance to be appreciated by each individual regardless of drinking preference, making sure the first sip is just as perfect as the last.

ALBA BAR & DELI Transparency at all costs

Alba has the feel of a neighbourhood bar in the middle of the city. It brings together delicious bites inspired by Spain, cocktails created by some of Brisbane’s most respected and a wine list that will keep you guessing. Dont let the t-shirts and sneakers fool you, there is some serious experience in there. After Covid they made some adjustments, they have their ferments on display (that they use for both food and drink) and are more than happy to talk to you about what goes into them.

MBA

“Premiumization is not always about the money, but about making mindful choices that enhance your drinking experience”

CALLOOH CALLAY High quality without pretention

An eclectic venue in which you´ll have fun, without compromising the quality of drinks and service. The cocktail list itself is that rare example of a menu which inspires excitement from hardened cocktail enthusiasts and first-timers alike and they are embodying their Maker´s Mark private select in a fantastic cocktail Serious Non- Sense consisting of Makers Mark Private Select, Cognac, Muscat, Chinotto Nero.

Maker’s Mark Private Select

SCHOFIELD’S

An art deco & eclectic venue for classic cocktails

In the north of England, we have Schofield bar in Manchester, it is the brothers’ first owned venue, their combined 26 years in hospitality have made them well known figures to the international bar trade. serving up incredible classic cocktails. It is an all-day venue, majoring on classic cocktails. On top of their classical cocktails, you will find seasonable ones, and a limited one made with Maker’s Mark Private Select, ginger, lemon and cider.

s

Z

NNOVATION

· 50ml Livener · 150ml Grapefruit Soda · 1 Grapefruit Wheel · Salt or Tajin seasoning 1. Wet the rim of a large highball glass with lime and dip the rim in crystal/flaky sea salt or Tajin.

2. Add Livener and fill the glass to the rim with ice cubes.

3. Top up with grapefruit soda

What’s the future for the No/Lo market?

It's only going to grow, young people have a completely different relationship to alcohol as well as physical and mental health now than they did 20-30 years ago.

I do think it will become more fragmented though, in spirits you have the imitation guys (Lyres, Clean Co) that are going after volume but with big players like Diageo with Gordons and Tanqueray 0.0 entering the fray it seems like mass volume and price sensitivity will come more into play and the smaller guys could suffer.

Then there's the functional or 'better for you' category where we fit which I think is only just getting started and finding its way but is super exciting with massive potential.

The other area to look out for I think is RTDs, there's so much opportunity there, and I think even more so for brands with a functional element to them, just look at the growth today of canned CBD drinks like TRIP.

BY THE

* Positive growth for global non alcoholic beverages and non-alcohol spirits predicted to have the

strongest growth

+26.8%

CAGR

over 19-25

**

33%

Of consumers state that compared to pre-Covid-19, NOW it’s more important their drinks are

* IWSR, 2021 ** CGA, 2021

HIGH QUALIT

NUMBERS

**

TY

21% Would pay

Of consumers

MORE for a healthy drink meaning a NEED for the right innovation

STRATEGY

ORDER

#3

You’ve been served by: The Blend Team MELANIE SYMONDSON TERROIR & PROVENANCE GEMBA BARS

PAGE 4

Low % NEGRONI 2X

16 $

PALOMA 3X

36 $

WORD ON THE STREETPREMIUMIZATION

PAGE 10

CLOVER CLUB x1

10 $

# OF ITEMS SOLD

6

PAGE 8

MAY

DATE

Issue #4 to be served

AUGUST 2022