Episode 6

006 | Hunting Bars: how to start selling a new Drinks Brand in a city | Part 1/2 of the Interview with Mike McGrail from the Drinks Noise Podcast (Edinburgh, UK)

In this episode, Chris Maffeo spoke to Mike McGrail, host of ⁠⁠Drinks Noise Podcast⁠⁠ and Digital Marketing Controller at Whyte & Mackay. They spoke about the importance of On-trade as a channel to build brands. They focused on how you create demand for your new brand, how to select the right bars to sell to and what are the first steps to sell the first bottle. They closed by talking about building a relationship with all the links of the bar from the bar back up the owner in a bottom-up way as they all play a role in the decision-making process. I hope you enjoy the conversation. Share it with friends, click follow and rate it if you liked it. About the Host: ⁠⁠⁠Mike McGrail About the Interviewee: ⁠⁠⁠Chris Maffeo⁠⁠

About the Podcast

Show artwork for The MAFFEO DRINKS Podcast
The MAFFEO DRINKS Podcast
Brands Are Built Bottom-up.

About your host

Profile picture for Chris Maffeo

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