Episode 20

020 | Decoding Cocktail Bars: Translating Between Consumer, Bar and Brand | Part 1/2 with Alex Frezza from L' Antiquario (Napoli, Italy)

This is the first part of the chat I had the honor of having with Alex Frezza. He is the Owner and Founder of L' Antiquario in Napoli, currently number 46 on the Global list of 50 Best Bars. He is a bar legend in Italy and internationally. I hope you will enjoy our chat.


Main topics discussed:


From 0 to 1 bottle

• Understanding the thought process of a bar owner being pitched to

• The Wholesaler Paradox (Why bars have an aversion to brands without a wholesaler)

• The Importance of the Target Occasion


From 1 bottle to 1 case

• What attracts bar owners to a product

• Communicating your brand identity to consumers through bartenders

• Being approachable to consumers for bars and brands


From 1 case to 1 pallet

• Big brands vs. Small brands approaches

• Localization Failures

• Building Distribution Networks


About the Host: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Chris Maffeo⁠⁠⁠ 

About the Guest: Alex Frezza




Next Episode All Episodes Previous Episode

About the Podcast

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

Listen for free

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