Bacardi Taps Former Exec To Lead Rum Push
Roberto Ramirez Laverde has returned to Bacardi as global senior vice president of Bacardi rum, the company announced yesterday. Laverde took on the role following the promotion of Ned Duggan to global chief marketing officer of Bacardi and president of Bacardi Global Brands Limited.
Bacardi recently launched a series of annual cask-finish offerings to boost its premium and aged portfolio.
During his previous tenure at Bacardi from 2013 to 2019, Laverde helped build the premiumization strategy for the company’s aged Bacardi rums and Facundo rum collection. He was involved in the launches of smaller-batch Facundo, which was released in 2014, and Bacardi Gran Reserva Diez, which debuted in 2018.
Laverde joined Bacardi in 2013 as marketing director for Mexico and led the rums category for Latin America and Caribbean region. As marketing director for Mexico, he supported the company’s other brands across the portfolio, including Bacardi rum, Grey Goose Vodka, Patrón Tequila, and others.
“In addition to being a brilliant marketer, Roberto understands the value of consumer mindsets, and equally important, he gets Bacardi,” said Duggan in a statement. “He knows our people, our culture and brings a strong track record of collaborating that is key to continue unlocking even greater growth for the brand across the globe.”
Laverde rejoins the brand from Mastercard in Latin America and the Caribbean where he served as senior vice president of marketing and communications for the last four years. He has received several accolades, including “1 of the 10 most Effective Marketers in Latin America” and most recently, “Best Regional Marketer in Latin America” by Adlatina, an AdAge partner.
“Building on the brand’s success in recent years, I hope to further the extraordinary results achieved by the Bacardi team while strengthening the engagement of the brand and its diverse portfolio with today’s increasingly dynamic consumers,” he told BevNet.
Distilled Spirits and Sales Expert Joins Barrell Craft Spirits
Barrell Craft Spirits (BCS), an independent blender of aged, cask-strength whiskey, has brought on a distilled spirits and sales veteran Chris Riesbeck as its chief commercial officer.
Riesbeck recently served as vice president of sales for Westland Distillery in Seattle where he built and oversaw the commercial strategy for all global markets. Previously, he spent five and a half years with Classic Imports in Boston after working in various roles at Connecticut distributor Slocum & Sons.
Riesbeck had spent nearly a decade speaking with BCS founder Joe Beatrice about the evolving marketplace and the challenges that face brands growing rapidly, he said.
“Each of those talks made me increasingly excited about the potential at BCS and the chance to build the commercial strategy,” he told BevNet.
As first priority, Riesbeck will work to reinforce the importance the company’s whiskeys have had in the last 10 years on the broader spirits industry, he said.
Since 2013, the Louisville-based producer has sourced, finished and blended bourbon, and bottled them at cask strength, in addition to producing other spirits like rye and rum. The core bourbon lineup has been accompanied by high-end whiskeys, a category that has experienced growth in recent years. In January, the company announced it will be expanding into a historic rickhouse to increase its capacity.
Riesbeck will take on overseeing the route-to-market strategy in addition to all operational aspects of sales activities. He will also join the BCS executive team, reporting directly to Beatrice.
“I’ve known Chris for several years and have been highly impressed with his strategic thinking, management style and overall track record,” Beatrice said in a statement. “Given his background and proficiency within both sales and distilled spirits, he’s tailor-made for this critical role.”
Mike Glennon Spearheads Tequila Launch, Whiskey Growth for Grain & Barrel Spirits
Charleston-based Grain & Barrel Spirits has appointed Mike Glennon as the company’s new chief sales officer to help expand and scale the distribution of its portfolio of brands nationally and internationally. Grain & Barrel’s portfolio ranges from Dixie Vodka, to Elvis Whiskeys, a duo of Elvis Presley-inspired whiskeys.
Glennon brings more than 25 years of experience building global beverage brands like Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Sidney Frank Importing, and most recently Western Spirits Beverage Company.
“We’re excited to have Mike join our team to further improve the presence of Grain & Barrel’s brands in the United States and abroad,” said Grain & Barrel founder Matti Anttila in a statement. “Mike brings extensive industry experience and relationships, so we’re lucky to have him.”
First up on Glennon’s docket will be accelerating the growth for Chicken Cock Whiskey and expanding distribution for the newly launched Tequila Eterno Verano. Chicken Cock Whiskey, first established in Kentucky in 1856, launched a special cognac barrel-finished version last year that retails for $499. Tequila Eterno Verano hit the market last summer with three expressions of an ultra-premium tequila.
Earlier this year, the company appointed Will Woodington as its first National Whiskey Brand Ambassador.
Wall Street and Startup Veteran Joins Siempre Spirits
Sivan Cotel joined tequila producer Siempre Spirits Limited as chief financial officer last month.
Cotel was previously the chief financial officer and chief operating officer of WhistlePig Whiskey, and co-founder of Stonecutter Spirits, which was acquired in 2020. Previous to his stints in the alcohol industry, Cotel worked for Bear Stearns, JPMorgan Chase and Bank of America Merrill Lynch. He joins Siempre from SC Strategy & Consulting, a growth strategy, CFO services, and management projects company, which he founded in 2021.
“I first joined the Siempre team in an interim role, but immediately fell in love with the company,” Cotel said in a statement. “Siempre’s two co-founders work tremendously hard, the company is expanding at a rapid pace, and Siempre fans are wildly passionate about the fantastic tequila we produce.”
The new CFO also cited his enthusiasm for tequila’s growth and anticipated projection to outpace vodka sales in the U.S.
“Sivan joins the Siempre Spirits leadership team at an exciting time as we transition from start-up to a medium sized enterprise,” said Alex Lacroix, Siempre’s co-founder and CEO, in a statement.
The company also announced it has developed a team of contracted industry veterans who will assist Siempre with distributor management, national pricing management, building market strategies, and accomplishing sales and revenue goals. The team includes Britt Amsler, previously director of sales at Stoli Group USA; Wycliffe Lovelace previously of Patron Spirits; and Scott Banks, who spent more than 25 years at Beam Suntory.
Siempre has positioned its ultra-premium tequila as a high quality, yet casual, affordable option that is an antidote to celebrity tequilas. The company has grown from 150 cases of tequila to more than 70,000 cases sold since 2016, and the products are now distributed in 42 states.