From brainstorm to bottle— the makings of a good idea Award-winning distillery Boyd & Blair shares success tips behind their ideation process p4
How Major League Baseball is helping dreams come true this summer p10
How brands are making mail fun with monthly deliveries and more p12
—Matshona Dhliwayo
What does insurance have to do with adventure? At Berkley One, everything. One Adventures is a celebration of the things that keep you moving forward, with stories from entrepreneurs, foodies, designers, travelers, artists, athletes and more. At home or abroad, at work or at play—there’s adventure to be found, everywhere.
4From brainstorm to bottle—the makings of a good idea
Award-winning distillery Boyd & Blair shares success tips behind their ideation process
How Major League Baseball is helping dreams come true this summer
Thinking outside of the box How brands are making mail fun with monthly deliveries and more
Boyd
It was during a tour of the Jack Daniels distillery that Barry Young realized he could meld his background in science with his passion for spirits.
“I thought to myself, ‘I could do this; I could start my own company. How difficult could it be?’” he says, laughing and turning to face his wife and business partner, Jennifer.
While Barry and Jennifer would never call the journey easy, they had a plan from the start for Boyd & Blair, an award-winning distillery that recently earned the coveted top spots for both vodka and rum in the 2020 Ultimate Spirits Challenge. They would enter the spirits market with a vodka, the best-selling product in the sector. They also knew they would make every effort to set themselves apart in the category. “We wanted to do a potato vodka because they’re harder to ferment than the corn and grain vodkas of the world,” says Barry. “There’s an extra conversion step in there, and that’s what gives them a smoother mouthfeel and a sweeter flavor.” The fact that potatoes were a prized local crop (Pennsylvania ranks as the 6th largest potato grower in the United States) only confirmed their decision.
It wasn’t the only differentiating factor the couple set out to offer. About six months into their journey, Barry realized that adding Champagne yeast to the fermentation process was a game changer—it helped to hone in on the natural starches of the product. Then there was the a rather unprecedented route the couple took in their distillation process— nixing the “tails,” or alcohol distillate, altogether.
“When you distill, you get three segments of alcohol from the still—the heads, the hearts, and the tails,” says Barry. He notes that it’s the hearts alone that comprise the pure alcohol needed for the product, while the heads and tails don’t serve the end result in a desirable way.
“Most vodka distilleries include the tails but try to mask them,” notes Barry, who credits tails with the harsh aftertaste people so often associate with vodka. “I never understood why I’d want to put something back into my product that would degrade the flavor profile.”
Instead of calling upon a continuous still that automatically recycles the tails into bottling, Barry and his team decided to use a hand-built German still that allows them to cut the heads, hearts, and tails at key points in the process—and taste plenty along the way to ensure accuracy.
“When people try our vodka, even at room temperature, they often can’t believe they’re drinking vodka on its own because of how clean the finish is,” notes Jennifer, who cautions vodka enthusiasts to beware of competitor labels boasting claims like “13-times distilled,” as this only references the number of times the tails are recycled back into the recipe, never accounting for their actual removal.
It’s an added step the team wanted in place to ensure the kind of high-quality vodka they themselves sought out—one that could stand up just as well on its own or in a martini as it could in a shaken cocktail. Cocktail creation, too, was not far off— just last year, the team launched a line of ready-to-drink drams, featuring options like a Blood Orange Cosmo and Chai Tea Mule, along with their Daiquiri. The latter uses their house BLY Rum, the only other spirit they produce besides vodka. The reason, Barry offers, is one of restraint: “I could make everything, but it doesn’t mean I should make everything.”
It’s just one of the lessons Barry and Jennifer have learned in 13 years with the company—more than a decade of insights into the imbibing world and their own ideation process. Here, we learned a few more tried-and-true tips that have come in handy in their entrepreneurship pursuits.
“I could make everything, but it doesn’t mean I should make everything.”
In addition to altering their respective trajectories—both Barry and Jennifer worked in healthcare before switching gears to the spirits industry—they aren’t afraid to be pioneers in several areas of their work. Case in point with the specific decisions they made when crafting their star product, including a dedication to potato vodka, inclination to use a high-quality yeast, and the resolve for a distillation process that would yield a better taste, despite the extra time and energy it required. “Just because everyone else is doing something one way doesn’t mean that you will only be successful if you do it that way, too,” says Jennifer, who notes that although Barry had been trained to include the tails in the distillation process, it was questioning that approach that led them to where their product is today. “In order to really set yourself apart in chasing what you’re after, you can’t be afraid to change course.”
“To paraphrase record producer Jimmy Iovine, racehorses wear blinders for a reason—so that they can’t look left or right, they can only look straight ahead,” says Barry, who notes that such wisdom was particularly helpful for the launch of their craft cocktail line. “When every other brand was coming out with canned cocktails, we wanted to offer something that better exemplified the cocktail and the elegance that it contained for us,” he said. Their team debuted a line of craft cocktails that they bottled in flasks, a way to practically serve some of their favorite concoctions, while also paying homage to the craft cocktail’s storied history. “We wanted to offer something simple and sophisticated, so it was important for us to put a lot of thought and time into the presentation,” says Jennifer, who also notes they followed a similar focus with their liter packaging, which serves up to 11 guests. “We wanted to appeal to the person who really celebrates the complexity of a craft cocktail— it was just one more way in which we tried to find our niche in a crowded market.”
When it comes to the impetus to act, Jennifer credits collaboration with the team, yes—but also, the promptings of sage family and friends. “We had been making a lemon lavender cocktail for years, and our family and friends were always urging us to package and sell it,” she says. “We weren’t sure it was the direction we wanted to take—we wanted to remain disciplined so as to solely focus on our flagship products.” It wasn’t until a conversation with Jennifer’s uncle, a chef who she notes as being typically reserved in opinion, that the couple knew they had something to work with. “He told us it was ‘the best cocktail he had ever had in his life,’ and that we would be ‘crazy not to sell it,’” she recalls. “His comment cemented what we were hearing and was our push to action.”
The team knew they didn’t want to rush anything to market, so they took their time in perfecting the recipe for a bottled lemon lavender cocktail, one that required consistency in large-format renditions. They also knew that unlike the cocktail they could concoct and consume within one evening, they would have to provide a takeaway version that offered flexible timing. “When we made it on our own at home, it would lose its freshness within a couple of days—but now, we’ve figured out a way to bottle it so that once opened, you have up to 10 days to enjoy it,” says Jennifer. With the ready-to-drink sector hotly on the rise,
she’s thankful they made the leap—and recognizes their close circles for much of that success. “Our friends and family have supported us from the very beginning, so when they offer feedback— positive or negative—we know they are genuinely seeking our best interest and we want to listen.” It’s a lesson that has led to successful—and delicious—results.
“In order to really set yourself apart... you can’t be afraid to change course.”
· 2 ounces Boyd & Blair Potato Vodka
· ½ ounce ginger-rosemary simple syrup
· 4 ounces freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
In a shaker filled with ice, combine the vodka, simple syrup and grapefruit juice. Garnish with fresh ginger or a sprig of rosemary.
Ginger-rosemary simple syrup
· 1 cup water
· 1 cup sugar
· 3 sprigs rosemary
· Chunk (about the size of your thumb) fresh ginger root, cut into slices
In a small pan over medium-low heat, dissolve the sugar into the water. Allow to cool slightly. Place the rosemary sprigs and ginger in a glass jar, and pour syrup into jar, allowing the mixture to steep for about 1.5 hours. Strain. Refrigerate reserved syrup in a sealed container and use within one week.
A farm in Dyersville, Iowa seems an unlikely place for a baseball blockbuster—except, of course, in the case of 1989 hit flick Field of Dreams. It’s that farm that serves as the very foundation for Ray Kinsella’s enigmatic baseball field after he hears “the voice”—one with a message that ranked so loud and clear across America as to earn itself the title of the 39th top film quote of all time: “If you build it, he will come.”
This summer, Major League Baseball continues the narrative. On August 12th, the Chicago White Sox and the New York Yankees will head to Lansing Farm in Iowa—the site of the original movie—where they’ll play ball in a game that commemorates the film and serves as the first of its kind. Those who know the original storyline will recognize that the real-life rendition closely follows that of the flick: The White Sox and the Yankees are the two favorite teams of Kinsella’s father, a dedicated baseball fan with a key role in the film.
The Lansing Farm has garnered attention ever since the movie’s release, but it wasn’t until 2011 that a woman named Denise Stillman bought the property with the intention of preserving the site and cultivating a special place for baseball buff s. In 2015, Stillman began talks with MLB for this event, which, just like the film, has required a bit of time travel (though originally scheduled for 2020, the pandemic pushed it back by one year).
| adventure awaits | august
MLB began construction on the new ballpark in 2019 and completed it last May, using Chicago’s Comiskey Park as a source of inspiration (the team paid particular attention to the outfield shape and center field bullpens during design).
And while the replica playing field is worlds bigger than the original ballpark—this one seating up to 8,000 fans—much of the movie site’s magic remains: Windows alongside the right field wall overlook the landscape beyond the park, and access to the field is especially stirring, requiring fans to walk through the film’s iconic cornfields via a newly-built walkway.
It’s in those fields that Kinsella first heard his calling to act, one that took him on a journey that spanned miles and decades before culminating in a ballpark built for former players to realize their dreams. The fact that this iconic scene has become a reality now, in today’s quickly changing world, may further point to what we all require most: time-honored and unifying treasures like baseball.
“Field of Dreams is an iconic, generational baseball story built upon a deep love of the game that transcends even the most impossible of circumstances,” notes Chicago White Sox Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf. “It seems fitting that 30 years after the film’s debut, MLB will build a ballfield here for a game to capture everyone’s imagination, allowing for fans to create their own cherished memories.”
New York Yankees Managing General Partner Hal Steinbrenner agrees. “I fully expect that showcasing our great game in such an intimate setting will exemplify why baseball remains a cherished American pastime.”
A celebration of competition, camaraderie and the enduring magic of sports, the event—which is also the first-ever Major League Baseball game to be played in Iowa—is currently scheduled for August 12th, 2021—though fans are encouraged to check the Major League Baseball site for updates.
Information within this article sourced with permission from Major League Baseball News Release: Bourne, Matt and Teevan, Michael. Major League Baseball News Release. “Yankees, White Sox to Meet in “MLB at Field of Dreams.” 8 August 2019. Accessed 5 February 2021.
There’s nothing better than receiving a package in the mail—especially one that feels tailored just for you.
Enter the subscription box, the customizable delivery tool that has now established itself as a staple in the marketing strategies of thousands of brands across the globe. As of February 2018, there were close to 7,000 subscription box companies in the world—with nearly 70% of those based in the U.S.1
When Dollar Shave Club, Birchbox and Blue Apron launched nearly 10 years ago, they paved the way for many companies to follow suit. Recent years have shown the industry’s massive growth: the market has increased more than 100% each year, jumping from $57 million in sales in 2011 to $2.6 billion in 2016. In the past six years alone, the sector has grown by a whopping 890%. 3
With more people doing their shopping from home than ever before, the past year has only increased that interest. Of more than 1,000 shoppers surveyed, one in five had purchased a subscription box to have products easily accessible during the pandemic—making it easy to stay put and postpone a multitude of in-person visits to the store. 4 The boxes with the biggest appeal? Those featuring meal kits or clothing and fashion. Another survey, which charted the categories that have ranked highly over time, reported a particular fondness for the categories of food and beverage and hobbies, with beauty and leisure trailing just behind.1
Beyond an array of ready-to-go meals, the food and beverage vertical spotlights brands focused on specialty, niche finds—from coffee and cookies to olive oils and wines. There are also the globally-inspired, those boxes that showcase the best bites, sips, and seasonings from a particular country. Take, for example, Eattiamo (for Italy enthusiasts), Tienda (for lovers of Spain) or Bokksu, a monthly box boasting a medley of fun, premium Japanese snacks (think yuzu sake candy, mochi, and seaweed tempura). time,
Then there’s the hobbies category, which encompasses brands catering to a variety of lifestyle interests (including items inspired by and created for all things travel), while today’s beauty and leisure boxes highlight choices that are curated to address the biggest trends and needs surrounding self-care and the shopping experience. One example of the former is GlobeIn, a box comprised of several handmade products from artisans around the world (such as handpainted Moroccan mugs or fair-trade scarves from Thailand). Those seeking the latter can turn to options like OuiPlease, a Francophile’s dream box of jewelry, perfumes and accessories from luxury French brands.
The purchasing emphasis on certain categories makes even more sense when considering the reasons people subscribe to such services to begin with—a varied response that included those looking to try something new (51%), those who enjoy receiving items in the mail (39%) and those who found the delivery system easier than shopping (37%)—especially during pandemic times. 5
And users will likely find more reasons yet to love this trend, as the number of subscribers to curated boxes is only expected to grow. Research reports that by 2023, as many as 75% of business-to-consumer brands will offer some form of subscription-based service, as brands continue to grasp this uptick in the industry and change in consumer behavior. 4
According to Tien Tzuo, CEO at subscription management platform Zuora, the growth in the industry is a sign of the times—and an indication of what is ahead. “If these moments of time tend to accelerate underlying trends, we believe the current crisis will only accelerate the shift of the modern global economy towards digital services and subscription models,” he says. 4 “It’s [less] about the physical product, [and more] about what the customer is trying to do. And that inversion of thinking is at the root of everything.” 2
If Tzuo is right, consumer behavior data would point to two core desires: one of gaining firsthand experience, and one of establishing a sense of well-being. And if those two habitual pursuits can be met with some monthly “me-mail?” Well—it might just check all of the boxes.
1. Ramasamy, Ashin. “What is the future of global subscription in the e-commerce industry?” Entrepreneur.com. 28 May 2018. Accessed 18 February 2021. https://www.entrepreneur.com/ article/313813
2. Luna, Jenny. “Why every business will soon be a subscription business.” Graduate School of Stanford Business. 17 August 2018. Accessed 18 February 2021. https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/insights/why-every-business-will-soon-be-subscription-business
3. Kestenbaum, Richard. “The subscription box business continues to grow and change.” Forbes.com. 20 May 2018. Accessed 18 February 2021. https://www.forbes.com/sites/ richardkestenbaum/2018/05/30/the-subscription-box-business-continues-to-grow-andchange/?sh=730d134f2c3e
4. Moore, Kaleigh. “Retail subscriptions thrive during COVID-19.” Forbes.com. 15 July 2020. Accessed 18 February 2021. https://www.forbes.com/sites/kaleighmoore/2020/07/15/retailsubscriptions-thrive-during-covid-19/?sh=6d04c71c2a0b
5. “Exploring the ROI of subscription boxes.” Couponfollow.com. 17 July 2020. Accessed 18 February 2021. https://couponfollow.com/research/roi-of-subscription-boxes
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