Episode 35

035 | Thinking long-term when developing a new drinks brand | Part 1/2 with Sebastian Barnick from Pleasant Land Distillery (Kent, UK)

In Episode 035, I chatted with Sebastian Barnick, Director at Pleasant Land Distillery. Starting life in the Royal Navy, he became a certified distiller and WSET educator with a wealth of experience in wines and luxury spirits. He is an NPD professional and runs a sustainable contract distillery in the UK. I hope you will enjoy our chat.


Timestamps

(1:36); Origins of a Liquid and Brand

(7:48); Rectifying Vs Distilling

(11:10); Disconnect between Pricing and Quality

(18:42); The Bottom Up Era

(20:04); Value Chain Construction

(27:01); Where Do The First 10,000 Pounds Go



About The Host: Chris Maffeo

About the Guest: Sebastian Barnick

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About the Podcast

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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