Episode 30

030 | The Future of Insights is sitting at the bar | with Paul Thomas, Global Insight Director at Beam Suntory (London, UK).

In episode 030, I had the pleasure of talking to Paul Thomas. He is the Global Head of Shopper Insights at Beam Suntory. He has previously worked for Asahi International, Diageo, Ferrero, and Ipsos. He has an incredible global experience in Drinks Industry Insights. It was a pleasure to discuss it with such pragmatism and common sense. I hope you will enjoy our chat

(00:50); Insights in the Field
(13:43); Adapting to Market Conditions
(19:40); Chasing Trends; A Very Bad Idea
(23:30); Why Do We Have To Chase Gen Z?
(34:26); What A Bar Tender Needs To Know About Your Brand
(36:18); Penetration Vs Spread
(42:47); How Much Localization Is Good?
(51:25); Bridging Categories
(55:47); Insights At The Bar Level


About The Host: Chris Maffeo

About The Guest: Paul Thomas

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The MAFFEO DRINKS Podcast
Brands Are Built Bottom-up.

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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