Episode 4

004 | Cracking the Drinks Value Chain: debunking the myth of bypassing the links of the chain | Part 2/3 of the Interview with Ilias Mastrogiannis from the Distillery Nation Podcast (Seattle, WA, USA)

In this episode, Chris Maffeo spoke to Ilias Mastrogiannis, host of ⁠Distillery Nation⁠ and founder of the ⁠Mastrogiannis Distillery and Winery⁠. They discussed how drinks brands should focus on winning in their backyard and build relationships with distributors, importers, and retailers instead of looking for shortcuts and hacks. They spoke about the importance of building Cost-of-Goods COGS from the glass to avoid becoming too expensive in the market. They discussed the hidden costs of direct-to-consumer (DTC) sales, such as margins and marketing costs, and the danger of scaling too quickly while not being cash strong to satisfy large orders. I hope you enjoy the conversation. Share it with friends, click follow and rate it if you liked it. About the Host: ⁠⁠Ilias Mastrogiannis⁠ About the Interviewee: ⁠⁠Chris Maffeo⁠⁠ All rights reserved: ⁠Distillery Nation

About the Podcast

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The MAFFEO DRINKS Podcast
Brands Are Built Bottom-up.

About your host

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Chris Maffeo

With 20 years of experience working for some of the biggest drinks brands across 30+ markets, I've developed a unique understanding of how brands grow in today's market.
Now, I help drinks brands build sustainable growth through bottom-up demand creation.
My methodology focuses on how brand demand spreads - from initial venue adoption to international expansion.
I teach brands how to create, convert, and sustain demand across the three critical stages of growth: from one bottle to one case to one pallet.
My expertise lies in understanding how brands grow through genuine advocacy, from bar to bar, city to city, and building foundations that enable natural scaling.
Through consulting, training, and speaking engagements, I help brands:
• Build sustainable demand from the ground up
• Systematize their approach to building brands city by city
• Navigate the path from local success to international growth
• Develop strategies based on occasions rather than demographics