Lyle Kan

When you select a wine, do you care about the winery's power? It's an interesting brand positioning strategy by Viña Santa Carolina - Carolina Wine Brands. On a bottle of inexpensive wine, there's a gold stick that says: "World's Most Powerful Wine Brands 2022." Personally, that doesn't make an impact. I don't care about power, I care about taste and quality. It's why I'm swayed by stickers on bottle featuring the scores of reviewers. If it's above a 90, it has to be good wine, right? A key part of positioning is making it relevant to prospects and customers. Does it matter to them? Will it have an impact personally or professionally? A powerful wine brand matters to some target audience but I'm not sure it works on a wine bottle. #wine #brandpositioning #marketing #branding

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16 sentences of wisdom from bond trader turned restaurateur, Sean Feeney, that will make you a better person, friend, and leader. 1. The most important ingredient is the one that’s left out. 2. The greatest gift is courage. Give someone the courage to be themselves. 3. Success is doing something every day for the rest of your life, happy to do it. 4. Everyone has genius inside them. 5. Truly showing belief in others will buy them a ticket to someplace they never knew. 6. Hospitality is creativity plus compassion. 7. “That’s just the way it is,” tells you there’s money to be made. 8. It is tempting to have something for everyone but there is preciousness in not filling demand. 9. Create a brand that people chase, don’t chase people with your brand. 10. Make others feel a part of something. 11. You are one of us, whether you work with us or you're dining with us. 12. Treating others well is good for business. 13. Finish the day, asking, “How did I impact someone in a positive way?” 14. Know what works and be honest with what doesn't and don't do that. 15. Block out all the noise and keep it simple. 16. Believe every day is a good day. But don’t think it’ll be easy.

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GOT SCORES? (Updated with link to PDF of full document): https://lnkd.in/enBx4WX6 Here's this year's post of all the information you need to enter wine and spirits into the competitions that matter in the U.S. market. The first question suppliers, importers, retailers will often ask is "Got Scores?" And there's only one answer to that question. Because if you say "No" the conversation can stop right there. So the procedure I recommend is for my clients to enter the competitions that make sense for your brands and hype the results that matter to the market (90+ scores, Gold/Double Gold etc.) and ignore the rest. The competitions listed here are the ones that are most recognized by the trade. And I've presented them with a key column identifying whether they accept not-currently-imported brands. Since many of my clients are just starting their U.S. market entry. That's because you'll need scores before you can even start conversations. If you can't access the link to the Excel sheet, connect with me on LinkedIn or email me a request at [email protected] and I'll send the file directly to you. Best to all for a successful O/N/D and fiscal 2025 Steve

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Trade Promotion Excellence is Critical for an Emerging, Small or Midsize Brand It's clearly recognized here and in virtually every brand, that gaining control & capitalizing on the opportunities within the +20% of gross revenue is a major challenge. This includes everything from OI's to slotting/free-fills, MCB's, scans, display & ad allowances, you name it. And the deductions are killers. It does not need to be this way - and it should be fun, productive and a winning proposition! From a resource perspective, I provide a focused, disciplined, process-driven approach to capitalizing on your trade promotion opportunities. After decades in the space, and more than dozens of referenceable clients of all sizes, you can address your opportunities with a trusted, fractional team member, or an occasional partner for some key initiatives you need to address. If you're starting out, that's an even better time to engage - before any issues begin! This will never be an issue. Your investment will payout at least 10-fold - most likely significantly more. Shoot me a DM here, email me at [email protected] or call me at 908.296.6429 and schedule a 15-to-30-minute call - your business will benefit.

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Great points below from MiO Marketplace partner Connectivity Media Strategy and the rapid pace at which consumer behavior has changed across multiple verticles. Through their partnership with YouConnex - A Digital Media Marketplace and their seat on The Trade Desk they’ve been helping brands all year to build hyper-targeted local campaigns at the on and off premise level. One of their more interesting campaigns was Geo fencing around specific retailers for smaller brands to drive mobile ads in-store and to split test that to potentially supliment an existing retail media network campaign. Strategic scalpel precision is often what’s needed to survive mixed in with potential new types of partnerships like Swish Brand Experiences. Sri Rajagopalan and Peter V.S. Bond what are you seeing from a The CPG Guys perspective? Eric Dopkins, Sean Eckhardt, Jamie Miller, Brandon Cason, Tim Carter what are you seeing? Diana Haussling, Vinny Rinaldi, Adam Stave what do you feel like consumer CPG brands figured out earlier in that consumer shift that other verticles could learn from?

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How does a 98% open rate sound in order to get your buyers' attention? Think about that next tradeshow (North American Association of Food Equipment Manufacturers (NAFEM) anyone??) or that test kitchen event you are hosting in a month. Use SMS (texting) marketing to get attendees through the door AND engaged! With an incredibly high open rate, it’s the perfect way to send last-minute reminders, agendas, booth locations, and exclusive offers. HubSpot makes SMS a very affordable communication option. Make sure to take advantage of it and keep your audience in the loop without breaking the bank. Here's a link below to our comprehensive SMS marketing guide! Are you ready to engage your audience in real-time? Let’s talk (or text - hee hee hee) about how TMC Digital Media, LLC can implement SMS to level up your next event! #SMSMarketing #digitalmarketing #growth

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The National Restaurant Association Show this year had a clear and major theme – easy, impactful changes to minimize labor costs and maximize consumer spending. The shift in focus from high-end aspirational changes and million-dollar equipment to practical, cost-effective solutions seems indicative of a shift in operator needs. Innovation at its Simplest: This year's show featured more startup equipment suppliers showcasing ingenious, homemade solutions. From mop cleaners made from five-gallon buckets to devices for slicing bar garnishes, these inventions were not only affordable but also offered significant labor savings. The absence of sleek, expensive robots highlighted a critical reality: operators need to reduce labor costs but can't afford high upfront investments. If last year was the year of the robot, this year was the year of the five-gallon bucket. Doing More with Less: Cooking demonstrations pivoted from creating complicated new dishes to upskilling labor. They showcased how fewer kitchen staff could still produce high-end meals through cross-training, simple equipment solutions, and simplified recipes. The focus was on practical inspiration, like rotating garnishes and sides to keep menus fresh without needing new techniques. Enhancing Customer Experience: Bartending mixology demos shifted from crafting complex cocktails to boosting sales through simple techniques. One standout tip was for bartenders to shake a cocktail shaker full of ice water early in the evening. The sound of ice being shaken creates a vibrant ambiance, encouraging customers to order more cocktails. It's a small hack with a big impact on sales. The foodservice industry's ability to quickly pivot and address operators' needs continues to impress me. This year's NRA trade show demonstrated the industry's resilience and adaptability, showcasing relevant product offerings and sales strategies that meet current demands. The speed at which this industry evolves is truly remarkable. #foodservice #nationalrestaurantassociationshow #peergroup

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I'm looking forward to joining my talented The Hain Celestial Group board chair, Dawn Zier for the NextUp Executive Forum to share our collective experiences in navigating strategic and operational transformation to deliver a step-change in sustained high performance. As we prepare for our session "Power Skills for Transformational Leaders", what's your best advice on the power skill that has most enabled your success? Share in the comments below! #Lessonsinleadership #changemakers

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Value menus are making a comeback in the fast food sector and it's gaining the attention of conscious spenders, boosting traffic at some of your favorite #restaurant brands. But what does the future of meal deals look like? Read more in Restaurant Dive:

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CMOs have long served as chief dot connectors, and they can use the strength of their cross-functional and often cross-geographic relationships to help drive effective change. CMOs have always had accountability for the brand promise, and the challenge has been to deliver that brand promise across a customer journey owned by many other functions — from supply chain to customer care. The reality causes marketers to adapt as leaders and become strong integrators of experience across the organization. The nature of a CMO’s job requires strong leadership and cross-functional collaboration, preparing them uniquely as leaders for broader transformation efforts. #chiefdotconnector #transformation #leadership

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I look forward to seeing you all at the Digital Food & Beverage conference on June 24-26 at the JW Marriott Desert Springs Palm Desert, CA, where I'll be speaking with Alex Tummons from Tyson Foods in a very insightful and informative Fireside Chat. We’ll be discussing key strategies for optimizing B2B eCommerce to drive growth. B2B sales are a critical path of eCommerce growth, and the food service industry is rapidly catching up on digital transformation. This is a significant growth opportunity for brands. Find out how to engage mission-driven, multi-generational buyers to drive strategic growth, including: - Designing a B2B site and customer journeys that drive conversion - Leveraging existing capabilities and technologies for the B2B buyer - Engaging independent retailers to enable digital conversions - Personalization for the B2B buyer Use code DFB24SPEAKER for $10 off your registration. #DigitalMarketing #B2BeCommerce #GrowthStrategies #FoodAndBeverage #Leadership #Innovation #Marketing

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Leo, Mattson's user-friendly, voice-activated AI agent, is just one example of how we've transformed this game-changing technology into a simple and approachable tool for innovation. Take a listen and hear for yourself!

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Working in the spirits industry for 24 years, I've had the pleasure of being the voice that amplifies many highly desired bourbon brands. This insightful piece from Food & Wine gives more background on allocated bourbons, and also contains one of my favorite quotes ever, "Buzz doesn’t hurt either. These days, listing the technical details of a great whiskey simply is not enough,...𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗥 𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗲. Of course, these whiskeys are going to be great, but if bourbon influencers start to go nuts over a new product, then true demand does tend to balloon much more." 𝗜 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹 𝗦𝗘𝗘𝗡! #bourbon #publicrelations https://lnkd.in/eakiFrjY

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When should you send food back? I answer that question and talk further about what is the social contract between consumers and the industry, a final review of the latest season of The Bear, and for paid subscribers we get into the Michelin of it all. All subscribers are welcome, listen to either version and subscribe to the podcast below:

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Taste of Summer in every jar! Our Pomodoro sauce reminds me of my grandparents and those Summer nights when they used to cook their simple garden tomato sauce. We are blessed to preserve their recipe and bottle it for everyone to enjoy! The very best tomatoes, simple ingredients, and a fresh taste… what more could you ask for? Interested in wholesale, write our team a quick message: [email protected]

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Loyalty programs are so important. Think about Starbucks program or this new CAVA program. I’ve had loyalty programs before where I bank rewards and then they disappear or can’t use them. Who could an emerging brand use to help create the best loyalty programs?

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Tequila!   Many large players such as White Claw, and The Boston Beer Company (maker of Truly) are expanding their offerings and releasing tequila-flavored ready-to-drink (RTD) cocktails as consumers are increasingly turning to tequila offerings in the beverage alcohol sector.   I had the opportunity to share my insights and thoughts on this surging trend with The Food Institute. In the article, I emphasized how innovations in ready-to-drink (RTD) formats, including tequila-based seltzers and margaritas, are meeting consumer demand for novel flavors. Additionally, I pointed out that tequila production has remained stable despite global supply chain disruptions and highlighted the increasing consumer preference for high-quality artisanal spirits.   Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/gB9f-3Ci   #Tequila #BeverageIndustry #MarketTrends #ConsumerInsights #RTDCocktails

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