If you’ve worked in the service industry it’s likely you’re familiar with Fernet-Branca, the Italian amaro brand gracing the backbars of dive bars to upscale restaurants. In its nearly 200-year history the brand has made itself the herbal darling of bartenders around the globe. We chatted with Chris Watt, CEO of Branca USA, about how to leverage an organic following, where the elixir found new opportunities in a post-pandemic bar world, and what makes someone who isn’t a bartender pick up a bottle. Answers have been lightly edited for clarity and length.
Fernet-Branca’s U.S. reputation as the ‘bartender’s handshake’ was largely built in San Francisco in the 1990s through the service industry, how have you aimed to spread that fervor beyond?
The U.S. is the third largest market for the group, but ultimately there’s a tremendous opportunity to scale the brand in the U.S. just due to its size and prominence. The trade gatekeeper has really expanded Fernet-Branca, both in terms of its lore and its distribution across the U.S., as folks have moved from San Francisco to New York or to Troy, New York or Madison, Wisconsin. And that’s the beauty of this brand: it really is the bartender’s brand. Obviously, we’re working very hard, but the brand has organic momentum and that’s always exciting from a marketing standpoint.
On that note, you recently released the brand’s first limited edition bottle on the heels of Fernet-Branca’s five-month Secret Handshake Tour, how are you balancing marketing activations with that natural culty, community feeling?
The first point with the secret handshake tour was that it was really a reward to our fans. And it was highly focused on local, and bringing the local music scene to light through the lens of Fernet-Branca. It was low-key, focused on enjoying Fernet-Branca in the traditional way, through a shot and a beer. And that was the energy that we brought to different cities, and we also adapted the acts to different cities in the U.S., just the way bartenders have really made Fernet-Branca their own depending on where they have grown up or have landed throughout their journey in the industry.
The pandemic shook up the bar industry, a lot of veterans left and changed careers – what does that mean now for a staple of the on-premise?
The first thing is that the pandemic brought a new wave of bartenders to the industry, so a lot of them are having Fernet-Branca for the first time, which is very much still an induction into working in that side of the trade. But to my understanding, I don’t think that the core reasons for folks to be excited about bartending have changed. A lot of it is about the love of brands and the love of creating fantastic drinks. A lot of it is about community and that’s really what we serve to be a facilitator of.
What does innovation look like for a historic brand, why a new edition now?
This bottle really marks a bold new chapter for the U.S., blending our tradition from the last 180 years with the innovation of today and the passion points of our consumers. Ultimately, it celebrates the brand’s iconic taste while bringing world media culture and mischief to life. There is a very cool, unique experience beyond just the liquid itself, we’ve incorporated some augmented reality, allowing fans to interact with the brand in some more dynamic ways. Regarding future expansions, we’re excited to build on this model and continue surprising consumers in the U.S. market.
You’ve been with the company for a few years, what have been the most important lessons learned?
We think long and hard about how we can continue to speak to our core audience in a way that continues to excite them. We recently executed an activation at Tales of the Cocktail, where we essentially opened up a Fernet-Branca store selling limited edition merch, inviting the trade to a unique event and also bring to life am initiative called ‘The Order Of The Know,’ which is very unique and very specific to the folks that really helped build this brand grow. It’s all about rewarding and paying homage to where we’ve come from.
So, who drinks Fernet in the U.S. besides bartenders?
We often talk about engaging the trade and friends and family of the trade. As we all know, bartenders often don’t stay bartenders forever, and they certainly don’t only hang out with bartenders. So from our standpoint we’re excited about bringing new consumers into an authentic, distinctive brand, which certainly has a memorable flavor profile, but one that is ultimately about building communities.