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The Park Street Insider Podcast is a spirit industry-focused podcast dedicated to bringing you closer to the key brands, topics, and trends driving the drinks business. We host the spirits category's most influential leaders and entrepreneurs to uncover the business strategies, stories, and brand-building tips behind some of the biggest brands in the industry. Whether you're interested in Agave spirits, whiskey, read-to-drink, low & no, or any other category, our hosts will bring you closer to the heart of what's happening in each.
In each episode, hosts Emmett Strack and Andres Correa speak to spirits industry thought leaders to discuss the moves that shaped their careers, how they built some of the brands we all know and love, and some of the tools they can’t live without. They'll also zero in on the hottest subjects taking hold of beverage alcohol, keeping listeners up to date on the trends shaping spirits.
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88 Episodes
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Send us a text The RTD category has already experienced massive momentum, yet there's still significant room for growth as new brands and products continue entering the market. Gen Z is driving much of this expansion—but what does their enthusiasm for RTDs reveal about this generation's values, purchasing habits, and consumption behaviors? On this episode of the Park Street Insider Podcast, host Emmett Strack sits down with Ruby Honerkamp and Rob Minucci, Co-Founders of Talkhouse Encore...
Send us a text Back in 2018, when The Original Pickle Shot co-founder John King first launched his brand, pickle-flavored spirits were only just emerging. Fast-forward six years, and what started as a niche experiment has exploded into a booming category—with King's brand leading the charge. The Original Pickle Shot has not only survived the influx of competitors but thrived, earning recognition on Impact Databank's prestigious Hot Prospects list. On this episode of the Park Street Insider Po...
Send us a text The tequila industry faces mounting regulatory and legal challenges with Mexico's Consejo Regulador del Tequila (CRT) restricting additive-free marketing claims while high-profile lawsuits are questioning major brands' "100% agave" labeling practices. These developments are reshaping how producers operate in an increasingly transparency-focused market. The Park Street Insider Podcast welcomes back Billy Erickson, sales and marketing manager at Tequila Fortaleza and member of th...
Send us a text Tasting competitions have become a convergence point for top suppliers and emerging challenger brands to showcase the key innovations driving the spirits market. Submission data provides early signals of emerging consumer trends months before they appear in retail sales reports. As such, the judging rooms of premier competitions have become an unexpected window into where the market is heading. The Park Street Insider Podcast welcomes Amanda Blue, President of the Tasting Allia...
Send us a text The global trade and tariff landscape is constantly evolving, making it imperative for beverage-alcohol brands to stay in step with the latest updates on U.S. policy. What began earlier in the year as focused measures on Canada, Mexico, and China has expanded into a comprehensive global tariff strategy with far-reaching implications for the beverage alcohol industry. The Park Street Insider Podcast welcomes back Alison Leavitt, Managing Director of the Wine and Spirits Sh...
Send us a text In 2025, the moderation movement has evolved from a niche wellness trend into a defining force reshaping the entire drinks industry, embraced by global spirits suppliers like Diageo. As consumers increasingly prioritize quality over quantity and seek meaningful experiences in emerging "fourth spaces" beyond home, work, and traditional social venues, luxury spirits brands are discovering that moderation doesn't mean diminished demand—it means elevated expectations. In this episo...
Send us a text In 2025, the spirits distribution landscape has become increasingly competitive, with traditional powerhouses like RNDC, Breakthru, and Winebow facing new market pressures while brands struggle to secure distribution partnerships in an oversaturated environment. As distributors become more selective about their portfolios, the brands that are successfully breaking through the noise are taking fundamentally different approaches to partnerships and market positioning. In this epi...
Send us a text How can emerging spirits brands thrive even when economic conditions get tough? Smart financial strategy makes all the difference. In this episode, Brian Rosen, Chairman of InvestBev, shares his proven playbook for building resilient beverage brands that can weather any storm. Drawing from his extensive experience guiding brands through various market cycles, Rosen reveals the essential capital planning framework that separates thriving companies from those that merely survive....
Send us a text In 2025, major spirits suppliers like Tito's and Brown-Forman have made strategic pivots to beer distributors, accelerating a trend that's been reshaping alcohol distribution for years. This cross-category distribution model has become increasingly attractive for beverage alcohol suppliers of all sizes, but what's driving this industry-wide shift, and what does it mean for the future of spirits distribution? In this episode of The Park Street Insider Podcast, we're joined by Ke...
Send us a text How did 818 Tequila rise above being "just another celebrity spirit brand'? Beyond Kendall Jenner's star power, the brand's success stems from deep industry expertise. In this episode, David Yan Gonzalez, Director of Tequila Operations at 818, shares his proven framework for building premium spirits brands. Drawing from decades of experience crafting successful tequila brands, Gonzalez unveils his three-pillar approach to authentic brand building. Find out his critical ta...
Send us a text Bars, restaurants, and venues form the foundation of drinking culture. However, the factors driving spending and visitation within the on-premise sector have evolved significantly due to COVID disruptions, economic pressures, and shifting category dynamics. In this episode, we're examining what's happening inside bars and restaurants in 2025. Matthew Crompton, Vice President of CGA by Nielsen IQ for On Premise in the Americas, brings his expertise to this conversation. Our disc...
Send us a text When Vincent Hanna and his co-founders, Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley, launched Brother’s Bond Bourbon, they didn’t just introduce another celebrity whiskey—they found a new way to build a modern whiskey brand based on passion and authenticity. In the process, Brother's Bond has become one of the fastest-growing premium bourbon brands while building the largest social media following in the spirits industry. Find out how Hanna's career in beverage alcohol and a keen eye ...
Send us a text In today's spirits market, crowded with endless options, meaningful innovation has become essential for brands seeking to establish their identity amid evolving consumer tastes. Yet mere novelty rarely drives success in an industry where everyone claims to be doing something new. The most effective innovations—whether introducing distinctive flavor profiles, highlighting unique production methods, or unveiling striking packaging—connect authentically with drinkers' genuine inte...
Send us a text Over the 2010s, Fords Gin transformed from a bartender-driven startup to a cocktail culture staple, securing a key position in Brown-Forman's prestigious portfolio. Co-founder Simon Ford built his career immersed in the cocktail scene that his brand would later come to represent. In this episode of the Park Street Insider Podcast, Simon Ford discusses his journey working alongside major spirits industry brands before founding Fords Gin—a company now synonymous with premium gin....
Send us a text This March, new U.S. tariffs targeting Canada, Mexico, and China are set to send shockwaves through the beverage alcohol industry. With wine, beer, and spirits brands bracing for major financial impact, how can businesses prepare? The Park Street Insider Podcast welcomes Alison Leavitt, Managing Director of the Wine and Spirits Shippers Association (WSSA), for an essential insider briefing on the changing tariff landscape. In this critical episode, Leavitt provides a clear brea...
Send us a text When Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson and his team of co-founders (Dany Garcia, Ken Austin, and Jenna Fagnan) partnered with industry powerhouse Mast-Jägermeister, they didn't just launch another celebrity tequila – they broke records, becoming the fastest premium spirits brand in U.S. history to reach 1 million cases. In the process, they were able to sidestep the growing pains that new-to-market brands often undergo during periods of massive growth. In this episode, CEO Richard Blac...
Send us a text From billion-dollar buyouts to strategic portfolio plays, beverage alcohol's dealmaking landscape tells a fascinating story of power, strategy, and evolution. While the post-pandemic M&A frenzy may have cooled, 2024's high-stakes transactions revealed how the industry's biggest players are placing their bets on the future of drinks. Join host Emmett Strack as he sits down with Ryan Lake, Managing Director of Arlington Capital Advisors, to decode the year's most conseq...
Send us a text Launching an unproven concept into an untapped market segment requires exceptional courage. For Emma Wykes and Seedlip, the vast potential they saw in the non-alcoholic spirits category transformed this calculated risk into a pioneering opportunity. Join host Andres Correa as he sits down with Emma Wykes, the former COO of Seedlip Drinks. As a figure who played a pivotal role in building the world's first non-alcoholic spirits brand that caught the attention of industry giant...
Send us a text The battle over "additive-free" tequila labeling has exposed a deep rift between tradition and transparency in Mexico's most iconic spirit. When Tequila Matchmaker's data revealed widespread additive use despite contrary claims, it didn't just challenge the CRT's regulatory authority – it forced a reckoning with consumer trust in an industry built on artisanal heritage. For many independent brands, an "additive-free" certification from The Additive Free Alliance became a corner...
Send us a text The Park Street Insider Podcast is ending the year with an exploration of the EU & UK alcohol markets. Europe leads the world in alcohol consumption, with eight of the top ten biggest alcohol-consuming countries being European. Despite its distribution makeup taking a different form than in the U.S. market, EU and UK distributors remain at the center of the spirits industry landscape. This episode offers a window into the current dynamics driving the EU and UK spiri...
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