in the Mix Fall 2019 IMI Anniversary issue by in the Mix

Vol. 61

BUILDING BETTER BEVERAGE BUSINESS ™

Game Changer

THE

was one of the ﬁrst Proseccos imported to the U.S., upending the sparkling category forever. We’re changing the game again with a new look and a new attitude. Introducing our innovative PEEL and REVEAL label and custom bottle.

Because we don’t just play the game, we

CHANGE THE GAME FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT NationalAccountsON@winebow.com

in the Mix Magazine

PUBLISHER’S LETTER We Are Building Our Future The Present Defines Our Future And Builds On The Foundation Of The Past

Don Billings Publisher, in the Mix Media

“The bottom line is people seek answers and direction, not messages or sales pitches.”

As our parent company reaches its 30th year and our magazine achieves a respectable 15th anniversary, we can look back with pride at all we have accomplished. In our summer issue, I did a little looking back on our magazine (“Mixing It Up and Looking Back”). In this issue, I am interviewed by Mike Raven, our Managing Editor, about how IMI Agency came to life. And Mike then interviews Larry McGinn, President of IMI, on what strides we have made and what the future may hold. In this issue I also want to share the future for our media business, which is so closely linked to our parent company. The magazine was originally created as a public relations platform to promote IMI’s services to our customers and the on-premise at large. Over the years it has evolved into an independent resource that the on-premise operators and the brand companies have learned to rely on. We do not report the news of the industry — there are plenty of trade publications that do that. Our focus has always been on how to help the on-premise achieve greater ROI on marketing and production challenges through creative promotions, product knowledge, training and education, along with data analysis and through the latest technology service tools available. We like to showcase successful operators, new supplier offerings and industry trends with emphasis on the on-premise. And we push the barriers by sponsoring the B4 Summit every few years. Great things happen when we look forward. Our goals will remain the same but we will be utilizing new ways of communicating to the industry. We will continue to produce a print publication because that is what our readers like. We will also continue to improve our website along with our other digital assets through ITMMAG.COM. Our goal for the future is to continue to “mix it up” and shine a light on the on-premise for all to see, and to strive for excellence in all that we do. – Don Billings

Fall 2019 • itmmag.com

Contents Interviews

18. 36.

Don Billings, Founding Partner, IMI Agency, giving the history of IMI Larry McGinn, President and Partner, IMI Agency

Features 22. 24. 50.

Turn Your Bar Manager into a Beverage Director, by Adam Billings, Founder of PayBev in the Mix – Past, Present and Future Party On With Dessert Cocktails, by Sherry Tseng, Datassential

IMI 30th Anniversary Articles 10. 34. 40. 54. 56.

IMI Class of 2019 The IMI Muse – A hand-painted office mural representing IMI’s vision of on-premise hospitality using a Parisian café scene. IMI photo collage – over the years. A look back at IMI’s B4 Summits. IMI’s Creative Services Department

Recipe Articles

60.

Fall Inspirational Cocktails from Monin featuring Brian Loukmas.

Bright Color, Bold Flavor Turn your creations into gold with Monin Golden Turmeric Syrup. This vibrantly colored syrup delivers a sweet, earthy turmeric root profile with hints of cinnamon and cardamom. Easily deliver the superfood packed health halo customers are craving to your beverage and culinary creations.

Golden Penicillin Cocktail Glass Size: 12 oz.

• 1½ oz. Monkey Shoulder® Blended Malt Scotch Whisky • ½ oz. Monin Golden Turmeric Syrup • 6mL Monin Ginger Concentrated Flavor • ¼ oz. fresh lemon juice Fill serving glass with ice. Pour ingredients into mixing glass with 2/3 ice in order listed. Cap, shake, and strain into serving glass with ice. Spritz with smoky scotch. Add garnish and serve.

Visit monin.com for more information.

EDITOR’S LETTER

Mike Raven

Our fall issue is a special one — it marks IMI Agency’s 30th anniversary and in the Mix magazine’s 15th anniversary. We have interviews with Don Billings, Founding Partner of IMI, and IMI’s President, Larry McGinn, with some fascinating dialog about this unique company and its history. “in the Mix — Past, Present and Future” is a look at the history and people who make this magazine we call in the Mix. It also chronicles all the covers we have created through the years. There are multiple articles about IMI and its 30th anniversary, all of them inside waiting for your reading enjoyment. They include a piece by Adam Billings, founder of the revolutionary business resource, PayBev, called “Turn Your Bar Manager into a Beverage Director”; 30th anniversary testimonials from IMI’s customers and supplier partners; a look at the past B4 Summits; and, a photo 6

in the Mix Magazine

collage from years past and of the current IMI team. I want to thank all of our advertising partners over the past 15 years for their support of IMI’s national account magazine. Enjoy the fall season! Mike Raven Managing Editor, in the Mix Media Our cover illustration was done by Ken Faulkenberry of Faulkenberry Certain Advertising, Inc. Its inspiration was derived from IMI’s website. A big “Thank You” to IMI’s Creative Services Department, especially Tonya Rains, CSD Manager and Ashly Collins, Senior Graphic Designer for supplying many of this issue’s spreads.

Add some sparkle to your celebration! B O I S S E T C O L L EC T I O N S PA R K L I N G W I N E S

J CB B Y J E A N - CH A R L E S B O I S S E T • B U E N A V I S TA L A V I C T O I R E H A U T E C O U T U R E • M A I S O N F O R TA N T • C H A R L E S D E F E R E • J E A N - L O U I S I C E B O I S S E T C O L L E C T I O N.C O M

For more information on how to get these highly acclaimed wines in your area, contact mark.drake@dlgconsultants.comSpring 2019 • itmmag.com 7

Contributing Writers BUILDING BETTER BEVERAGE BUSINESS Known as “The Modern Mixologist,” Tony is an accomplished bar chef, speaker and consultant who has created several original cocktail recipes, including the Cable Car, Sunsplash and Starlight. He has recently authored his second book, Vodka Distilled (Agate Surrey, publisher).

Tony Abou-Ganim

Larr y McGinn, Par tner Celeste Dinos, Par tner Don Billings, Founding Par tner

Hospitality and travel writer, Helen Benefield Billings has been with in the Mix since its inception in 2004. Helen lives in her native childhood home of Sea Island, Ga. when not traveling or attending industry functions with her husband, Don.

PUBLISHER

D o n B illin g s E D I TOR I A L A N D D E S I GN

Helen Benefield Billings

Managing Editor – Michael Raven Designed by – Kester Chau of Kester Creative Copy Editor & Proofreader – Christine Neal Associate Editor – Celeste Dinos Associate Editor – Helen Benefield Billings A DV E RT I S I N G S A L E S

Rebecca Wilkie – Advertising Manager Rebecca@ITMmag.com 916-412-6142 E D I TOR I A L A N D BU S I N E S S OFFIC E 1 1 9 6 B u c k h e a d C ro s s in g Wo o d s t o c k , G A 3 0 1 8 9 P H O N E 7 7 0 - 9 2 8 - 1 9 8 0 | FA X 7 7 0 - 5 1 7 - 8 8 4 9

Sherry Tseng Sherry Tseng is a publications specialist at Datassential, a supplier of trends, analysis and concept testing for the food industry. She enjoys combining her background in research with her passion for food and beverages, to cover the latest trends in foodservice, from alcoholic beverages to global cuisines and flavors.

the Magazine Mix Magazine 8in thein Mix

Edward Korry Edward is an As s oc iate Professor and Department Chairman, College of Culinary Arts, Johnson & Wales University, Providence, R.I. Edward carries many certifications as well as being past President of the Society of Wine Educators and an executive board member of the U.S. Bartenders’ Guild Master Accreditation program.

E M A I L m ike @ it m m a g .c o m WE B I T M m a g .c o m i n t h e M i x is p u b lis h e d q u a r t e r ly. R e p ro du cti o n o f a ny p h o t o g r ap hy, a r t wo r k , o r c o py p re p a re d by in the Mix is s t r ic t ly p ro h ib it e d w it h o u t p r io r w r i tte n p e r m i ssi o n o f t h e p u b lis h e r. T h e a d ve r t is e r s a n d p u b l i sh e r a re n o t re s p o n s ib le o r lia b le fo r m is in fo rm a ti o n , m i sp r i n ts, o r t y p o g r ap h ic a l e rro r s . A ll e le c t ro n ic fi l e s su b m i tte d to in t h e M i x b e c o m e p ro p e r t y o f t h e m a ga zi n e . © 2 0 1 9 in the Mix a n d B u ild in g B e t t e r B eve r a g e B u s ine ss™ 1 1 9 6 B u ck h e a d C ro s s in g , Wo o d s t o c k , G A 3 0 1 8 9 . A l l R i g h ts R e se r ve d.

in the Mix is exclusively operated and owned by Incentive Marketing Inc . Submissions: Incentive Marketing Inc. assumes no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts or photographs.

MAKE YOUR HOLIDAYS SPARKLE WITH WINEBOW Winebow Imports offers carefully selected, comprehensive portfolios of estates committed to excellence. We bring decades of experience, a vast distribution and support network, and specialized teams dedicated to exceptional service.

Connect with us @Winebow © Imported by Winebow, Inc., New York, NY.

winebow.com

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT NationalAccountsON@winebow.com Spring 2019 • itmmag.com 9

Don Billings CEO 30 years

Adam Billings

Founder, Paybev 15 years

Tina Nalazek

Senior Accountant 10 years

Lisa Mooney

Administrative Assistant 5 years

in the Mix Magazine

Helen Billings

Associate, Editor & Writer In the Mix 12 years

Lauren LaViola

Director of Development, CORE 7 years

Mark Greenhalgh

Senior Account Manager 5 years

Larry McGinn President 19 years

Mike Raven

Managing Editor, In the Mix 12 years

Jaclyn Mitchum

Special Events Manager 6 years

Sarah Alegria

Senior Project Manager, Flavors of Hilton 5 years

Celeste Dinos Vice President 20 years

Patrick McGinn

Director of Accounts 11 years

Rachel Morgan

Director of Technology & Innovation 6 years

Tonya Rains

Creative Services Manager 5 years

Sherry King Chief Financial Officer 16 years

Cindy Mullins Bookkeeper 10 years

Brandon Wise

VP of Operations Sage Restaurant Group 5 years

Amanda Miles

Account Manager 4 years

Hilary Leister

Senior Beverage Coordinator, Interstate Hotels 5 years

Ashley Collins

Senior Graphic Designer 4 years

Connie Allen

Jason Lawrence

Director of Account Administrative Coordinator Management, Marriott Intl. 4 years 4 years

Heather Elmes

Account Manager, Marriott Intl. 2 years

Taylor Buffington

Accounting Project Manager 2 years

Meagan Glover Operations Manager, CORE < 1 year

Gabe Fore

Account Manager, Hilton Hotels 3 years

Jason Macon

Application Support Specialist, Paybev 2 years

Alexa Dejesus

Account Support Specialist, Paybev 1 year

Ashley Best

Beverage Support Marriott Intl. < 1 year

Kelly Tenedini

Senior Project Manager 3 years

Jeanette Rolla

Account Manager, Adult Beverage Category, Aramark 2 years

Evan Traub

Account Manager 1 year

Cory Alberto

National Luxury Beverage Trainer, Marriott Intl. < 1 year

Nicole Walton

Project Manager, Flavors of Hilton 3 years

Kristen Davis

Program Director, CORE 2 years

Jasmine Presley

Melissa Kelley

Account Manager 2 years

Wes Gray

Human Resource Administrator 1 year

Data Analyst, Interstate Hotels 1 year

David Miller

Sarah Jane Curran

Corporate Director of Beverage < 1 year

Meetings & Events Beverage Coordinator, Marriott Intl. < 1 year

Bhisma Bakhai

Support Specialist < 1 year

Isabel Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Cathey

Beverage Project ManageR < 1 year

Fall 2019 â&#x20AC;˘ itmmag.com

OUR PARTNERS

in the Mix Magazine

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OCTOBERFEST 5.3% ABV | 16 IBUs

FALL’S BEST FEST Summer 2019 • itmmag.com

IMI Testimonials “I have thoroughly enjoyed our partnership with IMI. Together we have built an industry-leading beverage program that continues to elevate our brands and drive outsized performance for our company. On behalf of Marriott, we thank IMI for the strong partnership and unwavering commitment to excellence.”

“I have had the pleasure of working with the team at IMI for over 25 years. Their professionalism and the support they show to both their client base as well as the vendors is second to none. The IMI team is always there to help, provide direction and they strive to ‘Build Better Beverage Business’ for their clients. Thank you, IMI and congratulations for 30 great years! Wishing you continued success well into the future!”

Matthew Von Ertfelda, Senior Vice President, Food and Beverage, Global Operations, Marriott International

Joe Smith, Senior Vice President Sales, Monin Gourmet Flavorings

“Our best-in-class beverage program at Marriott International continues to thrive with IMI’s expertise in building and nurturing a strong beverage business. Their ability to create dynamic and authentic relationships with our partners is unparalleled and we look forward to our continued partnership with IMI.”

“In my time in the industry, IMI is and has become so much more than a marketing agency to me. They’re supportive friends, innovative partners and dependable family. Larry, Don, and the whole team are in constant service and play a vital role in the development of the on-premise industry. I’m proud to call them friends and partners, and look forward to the next chapter together. Congratulations on 30 years of service and friendship.”

“My relationship with IMI goes back to the early ‘90s when I was at Robert Mondavi in Tampa. I subsequently moved to Atlanta, settling into a Vinings condo complex near a young lady with blond hair and an amazing personality. Her name was Helen Benefield. Helen kept asking me if I knew any good men so I introduced her to Don Billings — can you imagine? It was love at first sight for the two of them, and the rest is history. I had first become associated with IMI through the Marriott Gold Standard program, which was the benchmark of all hotel beverage programs, thanks to Rob Gillette (who is still with Marriott and now the GM of the Renaissance in Austin, Texas). It has been a decadeslong friendship with IMI, including highlights like the wedding of Adam and his wife Brittany. I would also like to give a special thanks to Celeste Dinos for her help along the way. I find that IMI is a trustworthy, admirable company that represents the industry with integrity and class. Thank you, IMI, for all you have done for me over the 30 years.”

Troy Conklin, Vice President, National Accounts On Premise, Winebow Imports

Jamie M. Conahan, National Accounts Manager U.S. and Partner, Folio Fine Wine Partners

“It has been my pleasure to work with IMI over the past three+ years. Their approach to supporting large national accounts like Landry’s is second to none. IMI’s ability to thrive in many areas including driving sales and guest traffic into our restaurants, collateral creation, ideology, training and responsiveness, has been extremely helpful and refreshing when working with an agency.”

“IMI is innovative and collaborative with their business partners to deliver results.Heineken USA values the dynamic partnership we have established with IMI and their clients. We thank you for all your support and the results you continually deliver. Cheers to another 30 years!”

Angela Kuzma, Vice President Restaurant + Bars, Global Operations, Marriott International

“IMI has been a valued partner and a vital part of our business for numerous years. Larry, Patrick and Brandon continue to raise the bar for professionalism, and are the epitome of what a good relationship looks like.” Brent Berkowitz, Chief Operating Officer, Sage Restaurant Group

Brian Webb, Corporate Beverage Divisional Vice President, Landry’s Inc.

in the Mix Magazine

Julia Vaninger, National Sales Director, Resorts, Casinos & Emerging Business, Heineken USA

“I have been lucky to work with IMI since day one. Other than becoming lifelong friends, they have continued to grow to become one of the most creative and innovative agencies around.” Jeff Bartfield, Vice President National Accounts, Proximo Spirits “For the past six years, I have been honored to work with the IMI team on multiple projects and events. From RFP collaboration and cocktail development, to helping manage our Macallan events at Aspen Food & Wine the past two years, we at Edrington couldn’t be more impressed with the outstanding customer service, attention to detail, rapid response and professionalism from the entire IMI team. Their B4 Summit is one of the best conferences in the industry and shows their leadership and commitment to their customer, supplier and distributor partners. Their long-standing and enthusiastic support of CORE puts them at the top of giving back to our industry and those in need. We are privileged to work with IMI and wish them another successful 30 years!” Catherine Stanton Schiff, Director, National Accounts On Premise, Edrington “Working with IMI makes our beverage program and partnerships possible and very approachable. The support we receive through IMI is tremendous — personalized focus and always quick to turn around request market analytics and more.” Mark Weiss, Senior Vice President Food and Beverage, Loews Hotels

“I have worked with the IMI Agency since it was in the basement of Don Billings’ home and they only had three employees. I have seen remarkable growth in the agency and in their team over the years. They have become a full service beverage agency with so many great resources, allowing them to stay ahead of the curve in this everchanging industry. They have also been able to hire some amazingly talented people as well. They do a great job of understanding the customer’s business and offering support wherever needed. Happy 30th Anniversary!” Donna Frederick, Senior National Account Manager On Premise, Beam Suntory “IMI has always been the standard of professionalism in our channel. IMI’s leadership and entire team are always 100 percent dedicated to driving mutual success and driving ‘Better Beverage Business’. Heartfelt congratulations to IMI on achieving such an important milestone, and cheers to the next 30 years!” Mark Gmur, CWE, CEO & Senior Vice President of Sales, The Mark Wine Group “I have worked closely with IMI for 20 years. From the beginning I have trusted and enjoyed the partnership offered and created by their leadership team, as well as their everexpanding group of professionals with whom I work practically every day. I want to thank them for changing their name to all caps seven years ago — having to constantly override my autocorrect feature from ‘IMI’ to ‘iMi’ was a mighty, seemingly daily chore.” Robert Bickford, Director of National Accounts On Premise, Copper Cane Wines & Provisions

“Congrats to an amazing 30 years, IMI! It has been a wonderful ride and a genuine pleasure working with the IMI team building beverage programs that drive sales, awareness and most importantly, loyal consumers! Looking forward to what IMI comes up with next!” Eric Lake, Deutsch Family Wine & Spirits “We raise our glass to toast IMI as they approach a milestone 30-year corporate anniversary and reflect on their steady course to pursue ‘Building a Better Beverage Business’ as the cornerstone for their organization. Over the years, they have brought companies and people together in lasting, rewarding relationships. We thank them for their partnership, professionalism, creativity and their role in moving our business forward. IMI, take pride in the accomplishments behind you and continue to elevate our future. Cheers!” Sonia Winters, Jackson Family Wines “IMI has been instrumental in assisting Q Mixers with the explosive growth and brand awareness in the national on-premise sector. It has been our pleasure and privilege to work with such an innovative group of individuals who are meticulous, always looking forward, extremely strategic, but more importantly loyal and fair to both suppliers and operators.” The Q Mixer team

Fall 2019 • itmmag.com

IMI Testimonials “Since CORE’s inception in 2004, IMI has been such an integral part of our growth and success as we’ve granted support to over 700 food and beverage service industry families. Without IMI’s support, CORE would not be where it is today. We join the hospitality community in celebration of IMI’s 30th Anniversary! Cheers to 30 more!”

“There is nothing more extraordinary than when two family-owned businesses come together to build better programs that benefit our customers and consumers. Thank you Team IMI for always being innovative, impactful and insightful with your partnership approach. Cheers to 30 more years of continued partnership and friendship along the way.” Love, Team Tito’s

Lauren LaViola, Executive Director, CORE

“IMI has defined professionalism and set the bar for defining business strategy, planning and expectations within the beverage industry. I can always rely on their team for a smooth and accountable process in managing their supplier and operator relations. Everyone on their team is engaging and leaves no communication open to interpretation. Clearly the best!” Mark Tiberia, National Account Manager, Infinium Spirits

“IMI has been a great partner with Cooper’s Hawk for several years. IMI and their resources have been instrumental in Cooper’s Hawk’s growth with our beverage program. We look forward to many more years with IMI as a key partner. Congratulations on 30 years!” Bob Fitzgerald, Director of Purchasing, Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurants

“As a distributor working in the national account hotel business channel, I have the pleasure of working with many agencies. IMI is by far the most proactive, inclusive and communicative agency partner I have. This is key to ‘Building Better Beverage Business’ for all the stakeholders!” Chris Pedersen, CSW CSS, Director of National Accounts, Young’s Market Company “Over the last 30 years, IMI Agency and its employees have been valued colleagues throughout my career in the hospitality industry. Relationships are our most valued asset and when HEE was created and launched, in the Mix magazine was there to support us as our media partner from the very beginning, sharing our messaging within their pages for the past 11 years. Truly, it is an honor to have both IMI and in the Mix as part of the HEE family. Congratulations on your many accomplishments and successes, and thank you for always inspiring, leading the way and looking toward the future with insights that are truly ahead of the curve. From the entire HEE family, we raise a glass to toast your contribution to the hospitality industry. Cheers!” Jen Robinson, CEO/Duchess, Hospitality Executive Exchange (HEE)

in the Mix Magazine

“IMI has been an invaluable partner to my business career over the last 25 years. As we all move in 40 different directions, IMI keeps the line straight and helps attain programming and resources for a huge variety of tasks and solutions. I have asked them for help with something as simple as directions to their office in Atlanta (and they didn’t bill me!) to pulling together successful events that have never been executed before in the world. The answer is always “Yes” and they are able to take burdensome roadblocks out of your way so you can complete whatever mission it is you have. Like any business that has lasted for 30 years, it all starts with the incredible people born from hospitality. Don, Helen, Larry, Patrick, Celeste, Amanda, Adam, Mike and many more, all sincerely care about their clients and will fight for them, but more importantly will celebrate like family with them on all of our successes. They are the pinnacle in their business channel. I raise a toast and am looking forward to the next 30 years.” Tylor Field III, Divisional Vice President of Wine and Spirits, Landry’s, Inc. “Congratulations to the IMI team on a wonderful 30 years. Thank you for our partnership together and we look forward to many years to come.” Grazie Mille, Santa Margherita USA

The Renaissance of the Noble Malbec is is the tale of the noble Malbec, Beloved wine of kings and queens. Crowned by Napoleon III in 1855, A fi r s t o f fi r s t s a m o n g B o r d e a u x g r a p e s . Escaping the damp of heavy French rains, M a l b e c w a s r e b o r n i n t h e N e w Wo r l d , Finding a home in Argentine soil, E m b r a c e d b y t h e Ca t e n a fa m i ly i n 1 9 0 2 . To d a y, t h e d e l i c a t e g r a p e o n c e k n o w n a s b l a c k w i n e , Bred in the mountains, blessed by the land, rives in the high-altitude peaks of Mendoza. A renaissance from European to American gold. Lovingly cared for by Catena’s fourth generation, e n o b l e M a l b e c , a fi r s t o f fi r s t s , r e t u r n s t o t h e s k i e s … Where it belongs.

Laura Catena

Adrianna Catena, fourth generation vintner.

I m p o r t e d b y W i n e b o w, I n c . , N e w Yo r k , N Y w w w. M u n d o V i n o I m p o r t s . c o m w w w. C a t e n a W i n e s . c o m

Fall 2019 • itmmag.com

Interview on the history of IMI with DON BILLINGS, Founding Partner, IMI Agency

Mike: Don, it’s been 30 years — are you ready to talk about the journey? Don: Yes, but I am encouraged to imbibe in a drink or two as I recall the good, the bad and the “I don’t want to talk about it” of my past. Because as everyone knows, no great story ever started with someone eating a salad! Mike: What did you do in the years before starting IMI? Don: I departed college with no real plan for the future. So, the first thing of interest that came along was to be an international auditor for Bank of America. I liked to travel so that seemed interesting. They send you to different branches and departments to learn the compliance and regulator lending practices. However, it was tedious analytical work. Travel and hospitality continued to play into my future. I eventually moved over to the airline business. I ended up going to work at Continental Airlines for five years and had many great positions and experiences. I then switched over to a cruise ship line for the next five years and then to Maritz Motivation Company for 10 years. During that 10-year period, I traveled all over the world, which included working on some great beverage brand company accounts, specifically Anheuser-Busch and Bacardi, all between 1978 and 1988.

I moved the company to Atlanta while helping to plan and implement brand promotions for the Olympics to be held there that summer. the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games.

We deepened our brand creative, marketing and incentive program relationships within AlliedDomecq and relocated to Southfield, Michigan.

1989

Incentive Marketing, Inc. opens in Irvine, California as a brand creative and incentive agency for Kahlua coffee-flavored liqueur.

in the Mix Magazine

u 1992

1994

Together with Marriott Hotels and Resorts, we created and brought to life the lodging industry’s first national brand standards initiative, the Gold Standard Beverage Program.

u 1996

2000

Larry McGinn joins the company to develop investment-worthy programming for the Gold Standard Program, while also looking to grow our reach and services within the chain hospitality channel. We also started to spread our messaging across hospitality by introducing Drinks magazine, the predecessor to our award-winning in the Mix publication.

Mike: When did you start IMI? Don: IMI was born in November 1989 in Irvine, California and started as Incentive Marketing, LLC with two friends, Bob Eissfeldt and Robb Capielo. Both had multimedia backgrounds and we did a lot of business theater sales conferences for companies like Southern Wine & Spirits, Canadian Club and Shell Oil. Years later, we would go different ways and Incentive Marketing, Inc. would become the parent company to what many of you know as IMI Agency today. Our first client was Maidstone Wine & Spirits and our first account was Kahlua. My first real industry mentor was Jim Flaherty, a stand-up guy. His wisdom helped me navigate the early years for our company. For the first few years we worked exclusively on Maidstone Wine and Spirits brands like Kahlua. But like all things, change is just a question of time. As the winds blew, Maidstone was brought under Hiram Walker’s umbrella. This required IMI to relocate from sunny Southern California to Southfield, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit, to be close to Windsor, Canada and the Hiram Walker HQ. After a couple years, they were brought under the Allied-Lyons house and they eventually merged with Domecq and became Allied Domecq. That’s the short version — it was a roller coaster ride but exciting.

TIMELINE

IMI celebrated our 25th anniversary by on-boarding our 25th chain hospitality operator client. With the support of technology, we continued driving beverage sales through training and education platforms, custom menu design portals, and guest and staff engagement initiatives.

2008

We are ecstatic to be celebrating the 30th anniversary of Incentive Marketing/IMI Agency by welcoming our 50th chain hospitality client. None of this growth in 30 years would have been possible without our beloved clients, beverage company investors and team. Thank you all for your loyalty, support and friendship!

The recession delivered a hit to our 12 chain hospitality operators, causing us to invest in and embrace emerging opportunities in creativity and technology. Our focus for our clients and investors became “Creativity Meets Technology,” to drive beverage sales.

u 2014

u 2019

2016

Recognizing the opportunity to service smaller emerging chains with creative and investment management services, we introduced the PayBev™ platform in major markets across the U.S. Fall 2019 • itmmag.com

Mike: Where did that roller coaster end up? Don: Around 1994, IMI entered a new era — our first big wind change. We were asked to help Marriott International develop the first corporate hotel-based beverage program to be called “The Gold Standard Brands Program.” An initial group of 12 beverage suppliers came together to support the effort. By 1996, IMI was a free agent and was once again on the move, this time to Atlanta, Georgia to help out with the Olympics and it was a personal opportunity to get back to the Sunbelt. By now our services were expanding and programs were getting more technical. Celeste Dinos was my first new hire in Atlanta in 1998 and I threw her to the wolves. Her first assignment was the Canadian Club Society and President’s Club for top-producing distributor salesman, and the venue was in Charleston, South Carolina. She survived but not without a few tears being shed. The best part was she decided to stay and do it all over again the next year — that turned into 21 years and counting. She is now a Vice President and business partner. Mike: So where does Larry come into the picture? 20

in the Mix Magazine

Don: So by 2000, I was looking for help. And there on a white horse was Larry McGinn. Larry had been one of the original supplier contributors to the Gold Standard Brands Program and he was looking for a new challenge. By 2002, he had taken over sales responsibilities at IMI and we started growing our relationships with new operators and expanded supplier contacts. Larry’s background on the supplier side was invaluable as we grew the company and he became a business partner. In 2012 he took over as President to steer the ship for future growth. Mike: And Sherry King? Don: Also around 2000, it was apparent that we needed a fulltime accountant and Sherry King, who had been doing our tax accounting, took on the task and would eventually become our CFO and business partner. Mike: Sounds like you had a solid group started. What was your plan of attack? Don: We were now on a very steady growth curve. Some of our new customers were demanding fresh solutions to some of their most immediate needs. Technology and data management skills had to be developed. Not only was

OPPOSITE PAGE TOP LEFT: At Sea Island Resort from left: Lorne Cousins, Balvenie Whiskey Ambassador, Don Billings, Wendy Dunlap, William Grant & Sons, Kester Chau, in the Mix designer, Mike Raven, Managing Editor in the Mix. OPPOSITE PAGE TOP LEFT: Don and Adam Billings at the Master’s Tournament. OPPOSITE PAGE BOTTOM LEFT: Don receiving a CORE Lifetime Support Award from Joe Smith. OPPOSITE PAGE BOTTOM RIGHT: Larry and Don at a Jimmy Buffett concert where they took the whole team. ABOVE: From left,Don, Mike and Carl Bradford look over the layout of an early magazine. RIGHT: Helen and Don’s wedding, November 24, 2001.

there need for statistical information but also new software programs for the first menu management systems, online training programs and data analysis to use in future sales and marketing decisions. 2002 was a banner year — we moved into our new Atlanta office building and opened our new Chicago office. The bad news was it was right after 9/11 and the industry, along with the rest of the economy, took a time-out for a while. Although there was a lull, we were still able to continue to grow and move forward.

As the world turned and the great crash/recession/ financial crisis — whatever you wanted to call it — of 2008 was on us, the hospitality industry was one of the first to feel its punch. We all held on for a wild four-year ride. During this time, IMI and our industry were able to hold the line, review our operations, and find new skills and new ways of doing things. So in many ways, it was like a renaissance period for us.

Mike: Your son, Adam — when did he get involved?

2008 was also the year that Patrick McGinn came onboard, after he graduated from college, and fell right into the operations as a Program Manager, just like Adam did four years earlier. Patrick is now Director of Account Management. So by 2013, we were a company that was stronger, smarter and more efficient than ever, and growing. We had a staffing complement of 24 team members. The IMI staff has since doubled to 48 team members and we have added new service tools and products that provide the change and innovation our customers are looking for. The motto of this story is “we cannot change the wind, but we can adjust our sails to take us where we want to go,” and we are on that journey.

Don: By 2004, Adam Billings had graduated from college and I enticed him into coming out to Atlanta from California to work in the company. He started as a Program Manager, learning the trade. All of a sudden, the future direction of the company was born — this would be a family-driven business. And last year we spun off a separate LLC under Adam’s management. Over the next five years we enjoyed a steady growth of business and our staff grew to more than 24 team members. Our services covered almost all aspects of hospitality beverage marketing. All was well with the world once again — or was it?

When did Patrick come aboard full time?

Fall 2019 • itmmag.com

Turn Your Bar Manager into a Beverage Director By Adam Billings, Founder of PayBev Last year, there were 302,989 full-service, independent restaurants in the U.S. (according NPD’s Spring 2018 ReCount® census). With more restaurants closing than opening from the year prior, the restaurant business can be very challenging, and the percentage that are promising enough to turn into successful small chains is miniscule. These restaurateurs are as brave as they come. There are land mines waiting for unprepared restaurateurs around every corner: food safety, staffing, accounting, advertising, legal and the list goes on. The most important decision a leader can make is to build a strong team, and it’s no different within the beverage category. A beverage director can be a huge asset to the success of the restaurant group, and hopefully it is an individual who has been hired from within. This new position usually starts as a part-time gig with this individual pulling double duty as a bar manager at one of the restaurants. It’s important for them to carve out a proportional amount of time for their new responsibilities. Developing this person’s skills and experience will help them best navigate the challenges ahead. A common issue with small chains is the inconsistencies of beverage offerings by restaurant due to regional differences, wholesaler selections or manager preferences. This can lead the beverage director down the thorny path of menu versioning, recipe management and frayed inventory reports. These differences can turn into uncontrolled nightmares when there is a lack of proper leadership and strong organizational skills. The key to success is a strong core brand list, stated flexibility and proper approvals for product alternatives. This will communicate a strong brand message to the team. Turning individual success into shared success is the job of the beverage director; the quicker they are able to identify and replicate the desired behavior, the faster your chain will grow. A well-defined promotional calendar is crucial to building a culture of guest engagement and brand activation. However, simple calendar 422

in the Mix Magazine

reminders aren’t the answer. A promotional calendar should forecast future promotional opportunities as well as document past promotional effectiveness. A post-mortem report pulled from the restaurant POS is just as important as the promotion itself. POS systems are an essential tool of any restaurant operation but more often than not, they are in eternal flux. As a restaurant chain grows, very often POS buttons are being cloned and the reports become messy (think “Steve” in the movie “Multiplicity”). While it’s never a bad time to reprogram the POS, an overhaul should certainly happen around ten restaurant openings or after five years. An experienced industry professional should be able to provide the guidance and layout within a week’s work. The beverage director should be keen to learn from these proceedings as that person will be responsible for ongoing management. Restaurateurs would be right to set an example of innovation, and an important step in this process is supporting industry conferences and the application of trend data. There is no lack of amazing food and beverage events throughout the U.S.; the question is deciding which ones are the most beneficial. Trend data is also quite accessible throughout the industry as a whole, especially from supplier partners. These efforts should lead the beverage director to a healthy environment of training and education. When a growing restaurant chain cultivates an effective beverage director, sales and check averages will rise. This is the right environment for unit growth and expansion. PayBev is a business designed to assist growing restaurant chains with tools to develop their beverage program. We empower beverage directors to work with their supplier partners to meet sales goals and service standards. Please check out PayBev.com and let us help drive beverage success!

Spring 2019 â&#x20AC;˘ itmmag.com

in the Mix – PAST,

PRESENT and FUTURE in the Mix magazine has grown into a national media business solutions publication that includes print, digital, video, web, event and mobile service applications. We use a rifled approach to reach our audience of national hospitality buyers, F&B managers, unit general managers and executive chefs. Our subscribers include approximately 7,000 restaurant units, 2,200 hotels, 400 concessions and casino venues, as well as 400 corporate headquarters. This is extraordinary for a niche-market B2B publication that is exclusive to the on-premise national accounts segment of the hospitality business.

THE PAST

The precursor to in the Mix was a publication called IMI Drinks. “Drinks” ran for two years. In the spring of 2007, we changed the name to in the Mix and created a whole new magazine and companion website.

in the Mix Magazine

THE AWARDS Back years ago, we entered many magazine award programs, including MAGS and the Eddie & Ozzie awards. Not being one to brag, but we killed it! If we didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t win a category we were in, we were very disappointed. After a while, we just lost our mojo for award shows. We knew we had a winner and just concentrated on our product instead of spending so much energy trying to get recognition.

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THE PRESENT The ITM People People are what make a magazine work. Behind the scenes we have had a fantastic crew throughout the years. Our Designer, KESTER CHAU, has done the majority of the magazine and website designs throughout the years. She is a great friend and we are lucky to have her.

Our copy editor, CHRISTINE NEAL, has been an invaluable asset to the cause going on 11 years now. You may think you know the Queenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s English until you meet with her. She allows everyone in the magazine to have perfect English and grammar! 26

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CINDY MULLINS, who manages our mailing list.

REBECCA WILKIE, our Advertising Manager, who has been a great help in giving our clients great service.

CELESTE DINOS, Vice President & Partner, also wears another hat in the company as an Associate Editor.

HELEN BENEFIELD-BILLINGS, is one of our Associate Editors. Helen has written countless articles for us on travel and hospitality, recently displayed in her “Making the Rounds with Helen Benefield Billings.” Helen’s love of travel and the finer things in life is shared by her husband, Don (left). Their experiences make for great articles. And there is also the whole IMI team, who help us with everything from content to accounting. Fall 2019 • itmmag.com

Then there is Don. DON is the driving force behind in the Mix. He has a passion for the magazine and media business and his energy is contagious. He has been a great friend and an even better publisher to work for. On behalf of everyone involved in the magazine and website, we say, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thank you!â&#x20AC;? BELOW FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: Mike Raven, Managing Editor, Kester Chau, Designer, Don Billings, Publisher. BOTTOM: A year of art in 2009 by Thomas Arvid.

in the Mix Magazine

THE LONG-TIME CONTRIBUTORS TONY ABOU-GANIM (above), The Modern Mixologist, has been in every magazine from the start. His “Adventures of George” has been our most popular series since its inception. ED KORRY (top right), CHE, CSS, CWE and Associate Professor at the College of Culinary Arts, Johnson & Wales University, has been with us for many, many years. From his perch at the university, Ed has provided us with educational contributions in every magazine, many of which come from personal travel destination experiences. I’m not sure I know anyone who knows more about the subject of wine and spirits than Ed. Ed is retiring from Johnson & Wales and will continue to write for us from his new post in Winter Park, Florida. Datassential and SHERRY TSENG (right), Publications Specialist, have contributed their informative, trendy and fact-filled fun articles for years. Their interpretation of current trends backed up by research has created a series adored by many. We always look forward to hearing their topics for upcoming articles. Other Contributors Through the years we have had many industry icons write for us. Some of them include F. Paul Pacult, Jack Robertiello, Kathy Casey, Elyse Glickman, Katie Kelly, Maeve Webster, Paul Wagner, Maggie Hoffman, Igor Stills, Tim Hanni, Lou Trope, Kelly Magyarics, Katie Bell, Gary Vega, Ned Barker and more.

THE FUTURE As in any business, we cannot predict the future. We still have a positive outlook for the print version — everyone loves to hold and read a magazine. We are also working to make our website version and ISSUU flipbook version more accessible to readers across the board. We will continue to concentrate on the on-premise national accounts, the trends, the people and products that make up this special A truly unique portable beer cart. area of the hospitality business. Fall 2019 • itmmag.com

BELOW: BevShots is licensed from Florida State University and Michael Davidson, but the man who keeps the party going is Lester Hutt, President of BevShots MicroArt, LLC. This series featured liquor under a microscope.

in the Mix Magazine

THE COVERS For issues through the winter of 2008, our covers focused on cocktail art, most of it shot in a studio in Atlanta. By 2009, we went into a year of art by THOMAS ARVID. In 2010, we started mixing it up pretty good, always surprising our subscribers with a new look. We did two covers featuring original paintings by JILL DEGROFF, the “Saloon Artist.” Yes, she is the wife of “King Cocktail” Dale DeGroff. We had a lot of fun in this period. Two of my favorites are from 2012. “The True Treasure of the Caribbean” cover was a photo illustration by BRITTANY MISRA and depicted our Designer Kester Chau’s husband, SONNY, as a pirate finding the greatest treasure of the islands, Rum! In the summer cover, Kester created a Photoshop composite of South American vineyards. I even snuck in my own dog, Chief, running with the female gaucho checking the vineyards with the Andes in the background. My favorite cover? Winter 2010 depicting a glass of Rosé Champagne (below). The glass and bubbles were diepressed so they were raised up. The glass was smooth and the bubbles were individually raised, giving it sensory aspects of touch as well as sight. The background was a small portion of the bubbles inside the glass. The cover was actually made up of several different pieces and came out beautifully.

TOP: Original paintings by Jill Degroff. ABOVE: Photo illustration by Brittany Misra featuring pirate Sonny Chau. LEFT: A Photoshop composite by Kester Chau of South American vineyards featuring a female gaucho and Mike’s dog, Chief. Fall 2019 • itmmag.com

We first started putting people on the cover in the fall of 2013, when we used local Atlanta artist SUZI SELMAN, to paint a wonderful watercolor of Tony Terlato. This is also the time in which we started our cover story interviews, with a fascinating meeting with Tony at the Terlato mansion headquarters, “Tangley Oaks.” Tony, to this date, is still one of the interviewees I’ve most respected — he is a true self-made entrepreneur and gentleman.

in the Mix Magazine

In the summer of 2014, MICHAEL GODARD, the famous artist from Las Vegas, graced our cover with one of his paintings from his “Beaches” collection (above right). Michael is a devoted philanthropist to many causes, one of which is CORE (Children Of Restaurant Employees). We met him at a CORE fundraising party in Las Vegas. In the spring of 2015, we had Tony Abou-Ganim on the cover in front of the stunning Bellagio Hotel. I still think this is one of our best covers. Tony has written his “Adventures of George” column in every single in the Mix! Tony has always held his front spot in the magazine with real and crazy stories of his life told through the eyes of his character, George. I want to personally thank him; he has been a great friend to IMI as well as in the Mix.

We have continued to put many more personalities on the covers, from suppliers to operators, even the country music star Zac Brown, in the spring of 2018.

I hope you enjoy looking over the 60 covers we have done. We’ve had a lot of fun making them.

Fall 2019 • itmmag.com

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In 2004, IMI commissioned Summer Viljoen, a nationally recognized artist, to come in and create the mural that represented our vision of on-premise hospitality, using a Parisian café scene as the backdrop. In the upper right-hand corner is the original CORE logo; this was the year COREgives.org was founded. The mural stands 12 feet tall and 28 feet long within our corporate headquarters in the Atlanta suburb of Woodstock, and is a symbol of what we wanted to emulate within the hospitality service industry on a global scale.

Spring 2019 • itmmag.com

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Interview with Larry McGinn, President and Partner, IMI Agency Mike: IMI Agency is celebrating its 30th anniversary

and you are coming up on your 20th year of working with IMI. How does it feel?

Larry: Mike, I am just as excited to get to work every morning now, as I was when I joined Don and Celeste (above) in early 2002! The beverage alcohol industry, our team, our chain hospitality clients and our supplier investors make every day more fun, challenging and unique than the day before. After 42 years in the industry, I am having more fun than ever before! Mike: How did you get a start in the industry? Larry: Probably can’t be considered an “official” start, but I got my first taste while I was bootlegging 36

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beer onto campus during college. My activities were the worst kept secret in town, and they attracted the attention of the Dean of the Business School, who hired me after graduation. My first project was searching for college grads for a fledgling young adult task force for AnheuserBusch. While I was doing that, I started thinking “huh … sell beer, travel the country, drink beer – I can do that.” I recommended myself to AB and it was off to the races. Mike: How did you end up in the chain hospitality channel? Larry: As I worked my way through the AB system, one of my assignments was to spearhead what “category management” might look like

in their new National Accounts department. From overseeing software development for computerized shelf space management at retail, to developing product selection and promotions for chain hospitality, I knew National Accounts was the environment for me.

Mike: When did you meet Don and get involved with IMI? Larry: Whether I was in National Accounts for AB, Paddington, IDV/UDV/DIAGEO or Island Oasis, these companies were supporting the merchandising, training and promotion of their brands that were in Marriott’s Gold Standard Brands program, which was being managed by Incentive Marketing/IMI Agency. Having worked with printers and other promotional agencies in my supplier roles, I immediately recognized the robust merchandising, promotional, training and staff recognition services being provided by IMI and they were all about driving beverage sales. I thought “what a fun space to be in — helping suppliers custom market their brands with chain hospitality operators who want to grow beverage sales.” I got to know Don through

the Gold Standard projects and we found that we shared a vision for this model working in other hospitality chains. Mike: So how did you guys get the model to work elsewhere? Larry: What we have learned from day one is that every beverage program is unique, and every beverage business-building component is custom. Every hospitality client runs their beverage marketing operations differently, has differing guest demographics, needs for custom guest-facing creative, visions of branded staff training and education, etc. Combine that with beverage supplier needs for their brand visibility and promotion within the client’s marketing operations, and we gladly find ourselves tasked with delivering programs and programming that meet all beverage stakeholder’s objectives. Mike: That takes a lot of commitment. Larry: Absolutely. We have to be nimble; we have to be quick; we have to have the people talent; we

Fall 2019 • itmmag.com

have to be creative; we have to innovate; we have to develop and use technology; and, we have to prove every single day that IMI adds value to our hospitality clients and beverage supplier investors. Over the years, as we have assembled a tremendous team at IMI and developed innovative platforms, technology tools and award-winning creative services; we have aligned with a single description of what IMI is all about: Building Better Beverage Business™.

Mike: There is a lot of regulatory activity going on in the industry today. Any thoughts? Larry: As you know Mike, with your distributor background, the basic “rules” haven’t changed in 86 years (since the end of Prohibition). Enforcement of these rules has ebbed and flowed over time. With consolidation in all tiers of the beverage alcohol industry, more eyes are on the activities of fewer subjects. From day one, Don and I embraced three core values for the company and every single team member: one, personal and professional ethics in everything we do; two, financial transparency on all programs and programming; and three, legal compliance, adhering to federal and state guidelines and restrictions with every beverage business-building initiative we activate.

our clients and supplier investors, building and arming the IMI team for success, looking for new channels for exploration and growth, and fostering an environment amongst all of our stakeholders of “work hard and play hard”! IMI is truly a family company, with the next generation of Patrick and Adam in the wings and our extended team family continuing to grow and evolve. Mike: Any last thoughts? Larry: A big “thank you” to Rob Gillette and Marriott (our first client) and to all our hospitality clients who continue to believe in and subscribe to the beverage building services of IMI Agency. And thank you also to our supplier investors, who trust their brand marketing to IMI in our client custom programs and programming. Thank you as well to the IMI team for supporting the vision and backing that vision with hard work and long hours.

I would be remiss if I failed to take this opportunity to promote Children of Restaurant Employees (CORE). Now 15 years old, CORE has long been a personal and professional passion for me and the IMI team. Thanks to many of ITM readers who support CORE in a myriad of ways. Please continue your support and continue to spread the word.

Thanks, Mike, and thanks to everyone in the industry for your support!

Mike: What’s next for IMI? Larry: We have a lot on our plate, Mike. Our priorities lie in continuing to provide best-in-class value and beverage sales-building solutions and services for 38

in the Mix Magazine

Duckhorn Portfolio: Cabernet Sauvignon for every occasion. This acclaimed collection of wineries includes Duckhorn Vineyards, Paraduxx, Goldeneye, Decoy, Migration, Canvasback, Calera and Kosta Browne, each with its own dedicated winemaker. In 1978, Dan and Margaret Duckhorn released their inaugural vintage of Duckhorn Vineyards Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Today, the Duckhorn Portfolio produces Cabernet Sauvignon of distinction from four-different wineries: Duckhorn Vineyards, Paraduxx, Decoy, and Canvasback.

With seven estate vineyards in Napa, Duckhorn Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon is a true Napa Valley classic. Our Cabernet Sauvignon benefits from a robust estate program and sources Cabernet from some of Napa Valley’s top growers. This wine expresses the complexity of the valley, while offering a seamless balance between fruit, oak and tannins. Paraduxx is dedicated to crafting wines inspired by the iconic blends of the world while embodying the Napa Valley styles. Our Proprietary Red Wine blends 50% Cabernet Sauvignon with Zinfandel and Petit Verdot to craft a bold and expressive wine that features a rich a silky texture. Decoy wines offers a rich and appealing expression of Cabernet Sauvignon crafted to be ready-uponrelease. Ridgeline Vineyard in Sonoma’s Alexander Valley serves as the backbone of one of the industry’s most popular Cabernet Sauvignons. Canvasback was born out of the quest to find a new great terroir for Cabernet Sauvignon. In 2012 Duckhorn Portfolio ventured into Eastern Washington, the new frontier for luxury wine and established roots in Red Mountain, the region’s premier location from growing Cabernet Sauvignon. Contact Jessie Griggs for more information at: 314.537.7757 or jgriggs@duckhorn.com.

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Summer 2019 â&#x20AC;˘ itmmag.com 41

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In our transient industry with a staggering 74.9% employee turnover, Dave & Buster’s, the brainchild of two entrepreneurs who merged their arcade-bar and restaurant concepts in the early ‘80s, is continuing to create employee loyalty, from bartenders to their COO Margot Manning, who started with the actual Dave and Buster 20 years ago. This culture has been vital for the company’s recent rapid expansion and long-term success. If you get a chance to sneak into their trainings, you’ll see their incredible culture and energy. Boasting 130 locations and counting, Dave & Buster’s is mastering scale in “Eatertainment” (think Topgolf, SPIN, Punch Bowl Social, Alamo Drafthouse, and AMC’s MacGuffins Bar) with one of their competitive focuses being people. “We live and die by our culture being our differentiator. From day one, our goal has been to get all staff to realize the potential of a real career in this industry with us, provide them the tools and support to perform at their peak in their role, and then push them to grow and stay challenged. Investing in operational efficacy and staff ’s success is a win-win and results in business success,” states Dave & Buster’s Ryan Nowicki, Senior Director, Operations Excellence. From the company’s unique Blue and Orange leadership training program to

competitive pay, Dave & Buster’s innovates to attract the best talent, increase retention and empower employees, for the best guest experience and long-term success. However, no matter how big or small — from Dave and Buster’s and mega-casino resorts to the small businesses and the world’s most popular craft cocktail bars — everyone in this industry suffers from labor shortages and rising costs. Dave & Buster’s knows that to tackle these challenges, especially at the scale of their size, the industry needs to think outside the box. Amidst the current rising wages, Dave & Buster’s had been looking for ways to cut costs without sacrificing quality. And that’s when inventory crossed Nowicki’s desk. Stores were spending an average of 15 labor hours per inventory on a Bevintel weight-based system and reportedly couldn’t get the support they needed. Corporate almost considered reducing inventory to just once a month. “Inventory is unsexy, so our industry doesn’t give it a second thought, but we realized there had to be a better way,” says Nowicki. Isn’t it crazy how we count the few hundred dollars in the register multiple times a day, and how just $10 missing from the register can be a fireable offense, but so many organizations only count the hundreds of thousands,

Inventory, Ordering, and Analytics in Minutes: “We never imagined an inventory system this user-friendly. We needed a tool that could easily scale and empower a novice to be a savvy bar manager,” states Dave & Buster’s Ryan Nowicki, Senior Director, Operations Excellence. “Since Partender allows us to count our millions of dollars of liquid cash faster and accurately, we can count it more frequently and make a ton more money.” Fall 2019 • itmmag.com

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if not millions, dollars in oncecash a month if not of millions, of liquid dollarscash in just liquid just if at all? Everyone wants to count the hundreds of thousands in liquid cash more often — but inventory has always been a long, complicated, inaccurate, and hard process, and the importance of inventory takes lower priority, perpetuating the industry’s loss of $28 Billion in on-premise alcohol sales each year. Nowicki and his nimble team put out feelers for a beverage inventory solution and found buzz around Partender, both within the organization and externally. Partender’s slick and patented solution promised inventory, ordering, accounting, and trends in minutes, “which sounded too good to be true,” reflects Taylor Bonnewell, Operations Support Specialist, who started as a bartender at Dave & Buster’s five years ago and now leads training and technology as part of Nowicki’s corporate team. Bonnewell goes on to say, “Still, if we could cut inventory time by half and reduces stress, it’d be worth it, and we’d be much better off compared to what we were doing.” Dave & Buster’s decided to pilot Partender at three stores. With the top three goals of speed, accuracy and world-class support and training, the company also opted for Partender’s new “Onboarding 2.0” Package, which entailed On-Site Implementation, scalable “train the trainer” materials, and high-touch consulting from the Partender National Accounts Team. After the first Partender On-Site at the Fort Myers store, the staff and corporate were blown away by results. By the end of the first day of the Partender On-Site in Fort Myers, team members: • Were trained on the importance of inventory; • Organized every shelf, well, and rail for faster speed-of-service and faster inventory time (critically important to building the right habits at a New Store Opening); • Set up the entire Partender system on mobile and web; • Had all of their pricing audited and corrected by Partender’s team; • Completed a full 1st inventory with an Instant Value On-Hand and Auto-Suggested Purchase Orders, in less than 45 minutes. “Kick-off, training, organization, implementation and full inventory with an automatic beverage cost were all completed in less time than it was taking stores to do just one inventory count with Bevintel,” Bonnewell says. “Word traveled fast, and 46

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Typical street in Jerez, Spain

other stores were already starting to ask when they could get Partender.” A month after the first On-Site, Nowicki, Bonnewell, and Vice President of Operations Ed Forler added nine more stores to the original three-store pilot, and loved the impact and immediate ROI of the on-site onboarding so much that they opted for the Partender Onboarding 2.0 Package for each store. “As we rolled out, the stores kept telling us they had their minds blown; we did, too,” reflects Bonnewell. In fact, Dave & Buster’s top three goals were accomplished during each store’s first day of Partender’s On-Site Implementation, which is included in Partender’s Onboarding 2.0 Package. “We never imagined an inventory system this user-friendly. With the number of units we have, we needed a tool that’s as easy to use as Facebook, and can easily scale and empower a novice to be a savvy bar manager,” states Nowicki. With beverage inventory for just the 12 stores nearly equaling $500,000 in liquid cash per month, Nowicki and Bonnewell attended the Partender On-Site Implementations as opportunities to deep-dive into how stores currently handle and could improve the management of one of the company’s largest assets. “When we’d organize the bar and back of house for Partender,” Bonnewell says, “I was surprised by the amount of dead stock and the opportunity to improve, given the high bar we set for our stores. I realize that our staff didn’t have time in the week or a tool like Partender to prompt strategic conversations.” With Partender, stores cut down average inventory time from 15 labor hours to 45 minutes (including recounts, orders, and COGS calculation). She adds, “Now with Partender’s speed and accuracy, stores can do inventory more often, and also get more reliable, actionable, and user-friendly real-time data. With this transparency, managers can course-correct in real time, and also rally all staff, from the barback to the GM, to engage in the beverage program strategy and create a stronger and more profitable operation.” While Partender integrates with Compeat and several other ERPs, stores are using Partender’s simple-touse suggested ordering and analytics tools on their own to identify what’s trending and missing in real time, without the standard delay you’d expect for any corporation’s back office team to update and maintain. Partender is selfmaintainable. Nowicki reiterates and attributes the importance of Partender’s Onboarding 2.0 and On-Site Implementation to the success Dave & Buster’s has seen so quickly. “We’ve celebrated wins from day one of onboarding and beyond, thanks to the Partender team coming on-site. They’ve helped us learn so much we’re not always privy to by being our true partners and providing simple solutions and consulting from day one.”

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Since the 12 stores were able to count their $500,000 of monthly liquid cash more often and accurately, Dave & Buster’s experienced additional ROI well-beyond its top three goals for inventory. In less than three months, by inventorying with Partender, stores: • Reduced an average of 12 labor hours per inventory, • Reduced standing Inventory Value On-Hand by $29,972, • Increased perpetual cash flow by $9,990 per month (or Annualized ROI at $119,880). “When Partender allows us to count our millions of dollars of liquid cash faster and accurately, we count it more frequently, and we get earlier data, increased profits, and can help all stakeholders — from the bartender to regional manager to C-levels executive — make better decisions for the business,” Nowicki summarized. “We went from thinking about scaling back to once-a-month inventory due to time

… to some of our stores doing it daily, and in less time overall. That’s incredible ROI.” With the industry upgrading focus on bar education yet still turning to generalized — and expensive — data sources to revamp menu items and drive training, an innovative food and beverage strategy that is powerful and cost-efficient has become an even greater focus for forward-looking organizations like Dave & Buster’s. Utilizing the new time back from Partender, operators can use its real-time consumer insights from within their own four walls to drive menu innovations that prove ROI (and quickly — with real data), increase employee productivity and retention, and reduce costs, dead stock, and inefficient ordering, all of which increase cash flow to maximize sales and deliver the ultimate guest experience. To bring it back to our original question: How can we come out on top in an industry with an employee turnover rate just shy of 75%? Sometimes, it might just be investing in the right tools, workflows, and simplest of solutions for your staff to feel invested, more productive, and happier. Fall 2019 • itmmag.com 47

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Birthday Cake Martini by Jenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and Friends in Savannah, Georgia

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Party On With Dessert Cocktails

With this fall marking the 30th anniversary of in the Mix, we’re in the mood to celebrate – and what’s a more fitting way to celebrate than with a toast? But rather than traditional glasses of Champagne, we’ve got something a little sweeter in mind: dessert cocktails. To be clear, we’re not talking about dessert wines here, although those may be used in some dessert cocktails, too. Rather, we’re homing in on alcoholic beverages featuring flavors and ingredients typically found in actual desserts (think cakes, pies, puddings and more) as well as actual desserts that are infused with alcohol for a boozy after-dinner treat. With holiday season fast approaching, it can pay for operators and mixologists to plan ahead and consider ways they can leverage their alcoholic beverage offerings to take full advantage of the festive atmosphere. Put More Than Just A Cherry On Top

By now, just about everyone has heard of freakshakes – the viral, highly-Instagrammable, over-the-top milkshakes that come adorned with seemingly every sweet thing under the sun. Freakshakes embody the intersection of food and drink, something that could be, and in some ways already is, mirrored on alcoholic beverage menus. Consider the trend of over-thetop Bloody Marys that sport practically an entire meal’s worth of garnishes. The same concept could be applied to dessert cocktails and, in fact, some operators are already taking the freakshake concept and adding a boozy twist. Holsteins Shakes and Buns in Las Vegas, for instance, offers a line of Bam-Boozled Shakes that are essentially alcohol-infused freakshakes. The Black Hole Shake, a customer favorite, features Patrón XO Cafe and is topped with black coffee chocolate cake, chocolate sauce, Oreo candy canes, sugar footballs, vanilla frosting and sprinkles. There’s even a vegan option called the Vegas Vegan (Stoli Strasberi Vodka, vegan ice cream, pretzels, banana, peanut butter, raspberry sauce, raspberry candy stick, vegan brownie bites and banana Laffy Taffy) for those who are following a plantbased diet but still want something fun and indulgent. While mixologists in general may not usually have to worry about customers following plant-based diets, remember that many dessert cocktails rely on products like cream for flavor or texture. The majority of consumers (86 percent, in fact) are interested in pursuing dairy-free diets according to Datassential’s 2019 New Healthy Keynote Report, so it may be worth keeping that in mind and offering a dessert cocktail option that’s totally dairy-free or vegan, as Holsteins does. Not every drink has to come with an entire candy store’s worth of garnishes to be considered a dessert cocktail, though. In the case of operators who just offer regular milkshakes, simply adding the option to “make it boozy” can play to the trend. And in contrast to over-the-top freakshake-like creations, some alcoholic beverage establishments are offering slightly more scaled back options. Jen’s and Friends in Savannah, Georgia for example, offers a Birthday Cake Martini that comes garnished with a cube of birthday cake and a lit candle for extra pizzazz. Other unorthodox cocktail toppers that can be found at Jen’s include Rice Krispies Treats, Pixy Stix and half a Reese’s Klondike

Bar, all ingredients that lean into the dessert cocktail trend while also capitalizing on consumers’ nostalgia for the foods of their childhood. According to Datassential’s Dessert’s Sweet Spot Keynote Report, nostalgic dessert flavors like Rice Krispies Treat and cookie dough are trending; as a result, mixologists looking to incorporate desserts into their creations can leverage those items as garnishes to add a familiar yet refreshing twist to cocktails.

Craft A Drinkable Dessert

Of course, not all drinks have to come with actual pieces of cake or pastries to be considered dessert cocktails. Leveraging flavors that call to mind classic desserts can work just as well, and there are a number of syrups, spirits and bitters available today to help mixologists achieve just that. Take RumChata, for example – its flavoring of cinnamon and vanilla can be leveraged to form the base for cocktails designed to taste like, say, cakes or cookies. In fact, Bally’s Wild Wild West in Atlantic City, New Jersey, has in the past offered a Girl Scout cookie-inspired shot called the Saloon Samoa that combines Amaretto, RumChata and chocolate syrup, with a shredded coconut rim. Similarly, chocolate bitters can also be used to add notes of cacao, while fruit liqueurs or shrubs provide an aromatic, slightly sweet punch. Take inspiration from operators who are finding creative ways to reinvent desserts in cocktail form, like Haberdish in Charlotte, North Carolina. The restaurant’s I Want S’mores! cocktail stars graham cracker-infused Maker’s Mark, marshmallow root, cocoa nib gomme syrup (essentially simple syrup with gum Arabic added for a silkier texture), dark chocolate-washed Angostura bitters and a cocoa powder toasted marshmallow topping. As Haberdish demonstrates, infusing spirits with dessert-related ingredients can be an effective way to introduce those flavors into a drink. In a similar vein, for the month of August, New York-based Butter and Scotch released a cocktail menu based around HI-CHEW, a chewy Asian candy that comes in flavors such as grape, strawberry or green apple. Butter and Scotch’s menu will feature beverages made with HI-CHEW-infused liquors. The Acai Cobbler, for instance, will feature acai-infused lime juice, coconut milk, cream and Sherry. Fall 2019 • itmmag.com

Mix Ice Cream And Alcohol For A Cool Combo While the dog days of summer are largely behind us, ice cream still has its place on the menu and in alcoholic beverages, too. Consider sgroppino, for example, which is a traditional Italian cocktail made by combining chilled Prosecco, Vodka and lemon sorbet. At Osteria Morini in Washington, D.C., sgroppino is available in seasonal fruitflavored variations, from Morello cherry to lemon to strawberry lavender. Other operators are playing off the frozen cocktail trend by turning the drink itself into an icy treat. The Rosé Slushie at Walnut Street Café in Philadelphia is essentially a cocktail of Rosé, hibiscus tea and St-Germain that’s been transformed into a sippable or scoopable slushie. In some cases, leveraging frozen desserts in alcoholic beverages can be as simple as topping a cocktail with a popsicle or adding a scoop of ice cream to make an alcoholic ice cream float. New York’s Loopy Doopy Rooftop Bar, located on the roof of the Conrad Hotel, plops a boozy ice pop (in flavors like Raspberry Lime Paloma or Mango Mai Tai) into a base of either Rosécco or Prosecco. Similarly, at Disneyland’s California Adventure Park, adults can enjoy a Hard Float – an ice cream bar served in either hard soda, hard root beer or dark beer. A number of operators are also making ice cream with alcohol as an ingredient. Austin-based Prohibition Creamery is a pro when it comes to offering spiked frozen treats, with ice cream flavors ranging from Prickly Pear Mezcal (starring El Silencio Espadín Mezcal) to Signature Bourbon to Whiskey Chocolate. Even trendy Thai rolled ice cream, which is loved by over 60 percent of consumers who have tried it (Datassential FLAVOR), is getting a boozy twist. An outpost of Luigi’s Ice Cream in Jersey City menus rolled ice creams in flavors like Tequila Rose Strawberry Shortcake (fresh strawberries, Tequila Rose, Nilla Wafers and whipped cream) as well as typical scoops starring Japanese Whiskies and Sakes (like yuzu or apple pie flavors).

Celebrate With Something Sweet When it comes to alcoholic beverage innovation, look to blur the lines between food and drink. Not only could dessert cocktails potentially encourage customers to reach for one last after-dinner beverage, but they could also be a more appealing option to those who may not necessarily have room left for dessert, but still want something sweet to celebrate at the end of the meal. And although we’ve mostly covered the use of dessert flavors in cocktails, the crossover between the two can really go both ways. Just as cocktails that star familiar dessert flavors can bring something unexpected to the table, so too can spiking classic desserts – think infused cakes, puddings or pies, or even simply adding a splash of Vodka or Rum to caramel or chocolate sauces. Regardless of how operators choose to go about melding desserts and cocktails, alcoholic sweet treats can create unique and memorable experiences for those looking for something a little more celebratory.

This article has been provided by Sherry Tseng, Publications Specialist at Datassential, a leading consulting firm and supplier of trends analysis and concept testing for the food industry. TOP and CENTER: Prohibition Creamery’s Prickly Pear Mezcal ice cream. Photo by Tara Miko Grayless. RIGHT: I Want S’mores! cocktail by Haberdish in Charlotte, North Carolina. Photo by Drew Clark

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FROM PAST YEARS

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Fall Inspiration from Brian Loukmas

Twenty-five years of hospitality experience have given Brian Loukmas, Beverage Innovation Director for Monin, a keen insight into up and coming flavor and cocktail trends. Highly regarded throughout the beverage industry, his creative expertise makes him one of the most prolific drink innovators in the world. Over 300 of his distinctive cocktails can currently be found on menus from New York City to Hong Kong. Among his many credentials and accolades, he is proud to have twice earned the coveted “Best Chain Signature Drink of the Year” award. For fall menus, Brian draws on the classic cocktails for inspiration and incorporates seasonal fruits like blood orange, pear and cranberry, as well as turmeric and warm spice notes. “Low ABV cocktails and mocktails are here to stay, gaining popularity and their own category on drink menus,” says Brian. “Aperol Spritz is still the brunch drink. Its low ABV content is great for those looking for a lighter, more refreshing option.”

Aperol Cranberry Citrus Spritz “For this autumn Aperol Spritz, I added cranberry syrup for color and flavor. The grapefruit brings all of the bitter and sweet flavors together into a perfect brunch cocktail.” 2 oz ½ oz 6 mL 1 oz 3 oz 1. 2. 3. 4. 60

Aperol® Apéritif Monin® Cranberry Syrup Monin® Grapefruit Concentrated Flavor club soda Prosecco white wine

Fill 16 oz. goblet with ice. Pour ingredients into serving glass in order listed. Stir gently to mix. Garnish with cranberries and an orange slice.

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Autumn Blood Orange Bitter

“The Garibaldi (Campari and freshly squeezed orange juice) is a popular drink in Italy. I did a twist on the original with the addition of blood orange and topped with club soda, to keep this drink light and refreshing.” 1 oz ½ oz 2 oz 2 oz 1. 2. 3. 4.

Campari® Apéritif Monin® Blood Orange Syrup fresh orange juice club soda

Fill 16 oz. goblet with ice. Pour ingredients into serving glass in order listed. Stir gently to mix. Garnish with mint sprig and orange peel.

Golden Pear Cocktail

“Using the classic Manhattan as inspiration, I incorporated Golden Turmeric to brighten up this cocktail with a bright yellow color. I also added pear that mixes perfectly with Bourbon and turmeric and is a classic fall flavor that I see making its way back onto cocktail menus.” 1 ½ oz ½ oz ½ oz ½ oz 2 dashes 1. 2. 3. 4.

Bourbon orange liqueur Monin® Golden Turmeric Syrup Monin® Pear Syrup orange bitters

Fill 8 oz. coupe with ice to chill. Pour ingredients in order into mixing glass with 2/3 ice. Shake vigorously to chill, and strain into chilled coupe with one large ice cube. Garnish with powdered turmeric-dusted pear slice.

Maple Spice Rosemary Tonic

“Seasonal maple spice pairs with rosemary to give this mocktail a nice fragrant evergreen note that is a perfect beverage for when you still want a fall-flavored drink but without the booze.”

½ oz 3 mL ¾ oz 5 oz 1. 2. 3. 4.

Monin® Maple Spice Syrup Monin® Rosemary Concentrated Flavor fresh lemon juice tonic water

Fill 16 oz. Collins glass with ice. Pour ingredients into serving glass in order listed. Stir gently to mix. Garnish with lemon slice, pomegranate seeds and rosemary sprig. Fall 2019 • itmmag.com

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