Cheers is dedicated to delivering hospitality professionals the information, insights and data necessary to drive their beverage business by covering trends and innovations in operations, merchandising, service and training.
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/121046
Six strategies for marketing the blue agave-based spirit By Monica Kass Rogers GREG POWERS ne good thing about the frenzied flurry of new tequilas introduced in the last few years: It���s sparked plenty of interest among mixologists and consumers. Total tequila brands have increased 80% since 2006, reaching about 1,300 at the end of 2012, according to Mexico���s tequilagoverning Consejo Regulador del Tequila (CRT) agency. And while it���s unclear how many of those new tequila brands will survive the glut, operators say the explosion of options has piqued customer curiosity. ���The number of guests who know or want to know more about tequila has significantly increased,��� says Chuck Meyer, managing partner at La Condesa, a St. Helena, CA, farm-totable restaurant and tequila bar specializing in the cuisine of Mexico City. ���So education is crucial.��� Selling tequila involves doing your homework, staying active and engaged to build and understand a better selection, ���and then training your staff so they can interest guests in trying what you have on offer,��� Meyer says. ���It doesn���t matter that you have a great tequila selection if it just sits there on the back bar.��� In paying attention to what���s new and what the guest wants, ���you have to keep your eyes and ears constantly open,��� says Nichelle Ritter, beverage director for Dallas-based Consolidated Restaurant Operations (CRO). ���There���s no coasting.��� CRO operates more than 100 casual theme restaurants, including the Cantina Laredo and El Chico Caf�� concepts. Keeping abreast of new offerings while appealing to guests with tequila programs that look good, taste great and retain an element of fun isn���t easy. We talked to several top tequila bar and restaurant operators about trends and best practices for selling the spirit. Here are six tips for increasing tequila sales. Strike a balance between big-brand tequilas and up-andcoming brands you and your staff are excited about. ���It���s all about balancing the known vs. the unknown and encouraging guests to try something new by the power of suggestion,��� says Mike Juarez-Sweeney, general manager in charge of the tequila program at one of St. Paul, MN-based Barrio Tequila Bar���s three locations. ���Sometimes the uniqueness of your selection builds loyalty,��� Sweeney says. ���We have people that come in because we have some tequilas that are only offered here.��� www.cheersonline.com The Polanco at Washington D.C.���s Barmini, made with reposado tequila, maraschino, pineapple syrup, and Hum liqueur. Daryl Freeman, bar manager at Carnivale in Chicago, agrees. ���People want the name brands, and it���s easy for them to just order Patron or Don Julio, but there are other things that are just as cool that the average person might not be used to seeing,��� he notes. ���It���s up to us to find the familiar flavor profile and then use the brand-name product as a lead in, like, ���If you love Patron, then you���ll love this, too!��� It���s important to select tequilas with the guest���s palate in mind, not just your own. ���I have to remind myself that I���m not just buying for myself,��� says Meyer of La Condesa. It has to be a good tequila to be considered, he adds, ���but beyond that, I have to think about the flavor profiles my guests are interested in, and not just buy what I like.��� APRIL 2013 | 17