in the Mix Fall 2021

Vol. 68

© Fall 2021

BUILDING BETTER BEVERAGE BUSINESS ™

Alicia Woznicki Vice President

Design & Development Sports & Entertainment

Aramark

CRAFTSMAN’S COLLECTION

Balanced, foodfriendly wine exclusively crafted for restaurants

JoshCellars.com

the Mix Magazine 2Pleasein Enjoy Responsibly. ©2021 Deutsch Family Wine & Spirits, Stamford, CT.

Please reach out to your Deutsch Family Wine and Spirits Supplier

PARTNER WITH A LEADER The largest custom beverage program management agency in the hospitality channel • Developer of creativity meets technology tools that drive beverage sales, margin, and operational excellence • Proven programming excellence across all hospitality channels and industry acclaim for ethics, financial transparency, and legal compliance • A Total Team approach to Building Better Beverage Business™ for our Clients and Investing Brands for 30 years

CONTACT US TODAY! Larry McGinn, President larry@imiagency.com

ATLANTA

IMIAGENCY.COM

CHICAGO Fall 2021 • itmmag.com

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PUBLISHER’S LETTER

Don Billings Publisher, in the Mix Media

As I scanned the Internet for theme ideas to address this past year, I also looked at which 2020 song might best describe our experience.

I chose “Never Break” by John Legend.

We got a good thing, babe.

Whenever life is hard We’ll never lose our way ‘Cause we both know who we are.

Who knows about tomorrow?

We don’t know what’s in the stars.

I just know I’ll always follow The light in your heart.

We will never break We will never break Built on a foundation Strong enough to stay.

We will never break As the water rises And the mountains shake Our love will remain.

Letra: https://geniuslyrics.net/johnlegend/never-break/

Climate of Change We are now going into the seventh seasonal change of the pandemic, and the effects it has had on the hospitality industry, our communities and our own personal businesses have been challenging at best. We are in a game-changing moment. To paraphrase Heraclitus, a Greek philosopher, “the only constant is change itself.”

So rather than rehash the past two years, let’s focus on what it all means for us moving forward.

There are a lot of things that we can embrace — the most obvious ones are changing habits, changing mindset and changing perspectives that we can and are acting on. We are in the crosswinds of a lot of change. The question is, can we adapt and make the right decisions. Of course, we can. Consumers have already made major changes in their dining habits, forcing the restaurant industry to make major adjustments much more quickly than at any time in the past.

This has financial consequences, to say the least.

The coronavirus and its variants like Delta have restaurants, hotels, workers and suppliers, as well as government agency regulators, making constant adjustments in their operations. A lot of innovation and technology has played out through 2020 and 2021 to allow some positive gains. The full-service restaurants and hotels face the greatest challenges looking forward into 2022.

In closing, we have heard from our brand partners and suppliers that this past year was an unparalleled challenge, but this year the numbers are coming back, and the climate of change is moving in our favor. Please take a close look at some of the services and systems that IMI’s Creative Services and IT departments have to offer to help navigate those changes. Again “the only constant is change itself,” so acknowledge it, embrace it and move forward.

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Here are a few words, themes and taglines used in our industry this year.

There are a lot of bloggers out there who put out Word of The Year. I’ll just list the ones that leap out to me:

Grounded, Wisdom, Reflect, Invest and Homecoming.

Best industry ad campaign themes 2021 in my opinion were “The Talk,” “Stand by You” and “The Wonder of Us.” You can guess the brands.

Most-used hashtags for dining out for 2021 are: #MadeFromScratch, #FoodInTheAir, #EatingForTheInsta, #Instachef, #tastethisnext, #eattheworld, #appetitejournal, #buzzfeedtasty.

For cocktails: #classiccocktail, #bestcocktails, #signaturecocktail, #craftcocktail, #specialtycocktail, #frozencocktails.

For wine: #winetasting, #vino, #winetime, #winelovers, #winestigram, #love, #redwine, #whitewine, #foodandwine.

For Beer: #beer, #craftbeer, #beerstram, #love, #friends, #beerporn, #instabeer, #instagood, #cerveza, #bier.

For Food: #food, #foodporn, #foodanddrink.

di

t u o g n i n

COCKTAILS

WINETIME Fall 2021 • itmmag.com

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EDITOR’S LETTER

Mike Raven

I’m living back in Florida, where I belong, and it hardly feels like autumn as I write this. We are more concerned with getting through hurricane season than feeling the change of seasons.

But fall presents a chance to offer new libations and creations to the ever-growing customer base coming out to enjoy their favorite bars and restaurants.

We have a great cover story interview for you this issue with Alicia Woznicki, VP Design & Development, Sports & Entertainment for Aramark.

She gives us a firsthand look into the thoroughly modern marketing concepts that Aramark is bringing to their venues.

UP on the Roof has come out with their second location in trendy Alpharetta, Georgia. Sizzling Steak Concepts kills it again in this rooftop gem with their cocktail-centric vibe.

Look inside to discover what it is all 6

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about, as well as being turned on to two of their signature cocktails.

Joseph Wagner is a busy guy between his Copper Cane Wines & Provisions winemaking operation and his new AVOW Restaurant, but we got him to take the time to have an interview with us. He reveals his amazing outlook on the business as well as many of his methods that this fifth-generation Napa Valley winemaker uses. An incredible read!

On a personal note, the next issue, Winter 2021, will mark my last magazine as Managing Editor of in the Mix. I have had a great career in the wine and spirits business as well as 15 great years with IMI Agency and in the Mix. Thank you to all our loyal subscribers and I look forward to the next issue.

Mike Raven Managing Editor, in the Mix Media

The Essence of Place, Expertly Crafted J. LOHR VINEYARD SERIES Legendary J. Lohr Hilltop Cabernet Sauvignon. Our very best vineyard blocks and artisan craftsmanship result in one of the appellation’s flagship reds. Simply put, our Vineyard Series’ Hilltop release has, for twenty-five vintages, defined Cabernet from Paso Robles.

@JLohrWines | jlohr.com © 2021 J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines

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Contents

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24

Cover Story

42.

Interview with Alicia Woznicki, Vice President, Design & Development, Sports & Entertainment for Aramark

Features

14.

18.

20.

52.

56.

58.

IMI’s Creative Services Department IMI’s Technology Services Department How Not to Get Sued — Or, at Least, How to Mitigate the Losses by Dr. Joel Feigeheimer, Ph.D. The Future of “Hard” Beverages by Samantha Des Jardins, Datassential How Will the Gig Economy Disrupt the F&B Industry? by Brandon Wise, VP Sourcing and Strategic Partnerships, Sage Hospitality Group Sizzling Steaks Concepts to Open Their Second UP on the Roof Restaurant

Events

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16.

24.

IMI Spotlight on Ashley Akley, Junior Project Manager IMI Spotlight on Jen Lougee, Beverage Marketing Project Manager Interview with Joe Wagner, Owner and Operator of Copper Cane Wines & Provisions

Interview

12.

16.

24.

IMI Spotlight on Ashley Akley, Junior Project Manager IMI Spotlight on Jen Lougee, Beverage Marketing Project Manager Interview with Joe Wagner, Owner and Operator of Copper Cane Wines & Provisions

Recipe Articles

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Monin Versatility Beyond Beverage — Through the Eyes of a Chef

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The Duckhorn Portfolio’s Acclaimed Cabernets Our Cabernet Sauvignon portfolio has expanded since our inaugural vintage of 1978 Duckhorn Vineyards Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Today, The Duckhorn Portfolio crafts several highly sought-after Cabernet Sauvignons from the most renowned growing regions in California and Washington. These highly acclaimed wineries include: Duckhorn Vineyards, Paraduxx, Postmark, Decoy Limited and Canvasback.

Duckhorn Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon is a true Napa Valley classic. With a dynamic estate program and fruit sourcing from the finest vineyards, Duckhorn Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon embodies the complexity of the Napa Valley. Offering a seamless balance between fruit, oak and tannins, this wine is approachable in its youth, yet worthy of cellaring.

traditionally stamped on letters to indicate a significant place and date, much like a good bottle of wine does.

Building on a rich winemaking heritage, The Duckhorn Portfolio invites you to experience Decoy Limited, crafted using grapes from some of the most acclaimed Napa Valley vineyards and our own robust estate program. This is the ultimate expression of Decoy Cabernet Sauvignon, displaying a silky texture and lush, alluring layers of blackberry, cassis, violets and dark chocolate.

Named for the Canvasback duck which is native to the Pacific Flyway, this Cabernet Sauvignon was crafted using grapes cultivated from our Longwinds estate vineyard and some of Red Mountain’s finest growers. With Canvasback, we aim to express and develop the depth, structure and sophistication that define wines from this Paraduxx blends inspiration from some of the most young and exciting appellation. iconic wines of the world with Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. The Paraduxx Proprietary Napa Valley Red For more information, please contact Jessie Griggs Vice President, On-Premise National Accounts Wine is a bold and expressive Cabernet Sauvignon-based (314) 537-7757 or JGriggs@Duckhorn.com blend, with a rich, silky texture, perfect for enjoying alongside your favorite meal, or on its own.

The Duckhorn Portfolio has partnered with the finest growers in Paso Robles to craft Postmark. This wine reflects the character of its roots, yielding a beautifully concentrated, well-structured wine with layers of depth and complexity. The name pays homage to the official seal

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Contributing Writers BUILDING BETTER BEVERAGE BUSINESS

Chad Lance, Director Known as “The Modern Mixologist,” of Culinary Innovation Tony is an accomplished bar chef, speaker and consultant who has at Monin. His broad created several original cocktail recipes, experience ranges from including the Cable Car, Sunsplash and Starlight. He has recently authored his fast casual to fine dining second book, Vodka Distilled (Agate and catering, and he has Surrey, publisher). a true affinity for flavor and bringing out exceptional taste in ethnic dishes. He Abou-Ganim is 15Tony year veteran of the foodservice industry.

Andrew Pollard

Mike Kostyo is the resident Trendologist at Datassential, the food industry’s leading market research firm. For more information about Datassential’s 2021 trends or the Future of Drink repor t, contact Kostyo at mike@ datassential.com.

PUBLISHER

D o n B illin g s E D I TOR I A L A N D D E S I GN

Mike Kostyo

Samantha Des Jardins

Samantha Des Jardins is a copywriter and author for Datassential which is the leading market research agency helping food & beverage Helen Benefield companies of all sizes Billings and segments innovate, and Travel sell, Hospitality andandplan writer, creatorfor of the “Making the Rounds,”by the future, backed Helen Benefield Billings besthasdata in inthe been with the industry.

Mix since its inception in 2004. Helen lives in her native childhood home of Sea Island, Ga. when not travelling or attending industry functions with her Magazine 10 in the Mixhusband, Don.

Larr y McGinn, Par tner Celeste Dinos, Par tner Don Billings, Founding Par tner

Dr. Joel Feigenheimer

Managing Editor – Michael Raven Designed by – Kester Chau of DFE Media Copy Editor & Proofreader – Christine Neal Associate Editor – Celeste Dinos Associate Editor – Helen Benefield Billings

E D I TOR I A L A N D BU S I N E S S OFFIC E 1 1 9 6 B u c k h e a d C ro s s in g Wo o d s t o c k , G A 3 0 1 8 9

Dr. Joel Feigenheimer is a former operator and an Assistant Professor at The Chaplin School of Dr. Hospitality, Joel Feigenheimer Florida International University.

Dr. Joel Feigenheimer is a for mer oper ator and an Assistant Professor at The Chaplin School of Hospitality, Flor ida Inter national Univer sity.

P H O N E 7 7 0 - 9 2 8 - 1 9 8 0 | FA X 7 7 0- 5 1 7 - 8 8 4 9 E M A I L m ike @ it m m a g .c o m WE B I T M m a g .c o m i n t h e M i x is p u b lis h e d q u a r t e r ly. R e p ro du cti o n o f a ny p h o t o g r ap hy, a r t wo r k , o r c o py p re p a re d by in the Mix is s t r ic t ly p ro h ib it e d w it h o u t p r i o r w r i tte n p e r m i ssi o n o f t h e p u b lis h e r. T h e a d ve r t is e rs a n d p u b l i sh e r a re n o t re s p o n s ib le o r lia b le fo r m is in fo r m a ti o n , m i sp r i n ts, o r t y p o g r ap h ic a l e rro r s . A ll e le c t ro n i c fi l e s su b m i tte d to in t h e M i x b e c o m e p ro p e r t y o f t h e ma g a zi n e . © 2 0 1 9 in the Mix a n d B u ild in g B e t t e r B eve r a g e B u si n e ss™ 1 1 9 6 B u ck h e a d C ro s s in g , Wo o d s t o c k , G A 3 0 1 8 9 . A l l R i g h ts R e se r ve d.

in the Mix is exclusively operated and owned by Incentive Marketing Inc .

Submissions: Incentive Marketing Inc. assumes no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts or photographs.

Discover Delicious Fall Flavors Clean Label & Authentic Flavors for your Next Seasonal Cocktail

Clean Label, No Artificial Ingredients | Gluten Free | Kosher | Dairy Free | GMO Free | Plant-Based

monin.com

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SPOTLIGHT ON Ashley Akley Junior Project Manager

What are your responsibilities within IMI? I work on the Sizzling Steak Concepts account, which is the largest franchisee of Ruth’s Chris Steak House. I am excited to also be assisting with their expanding concept, Up on the Roof. Within IMI, I also support Account Managers who work on various accounts such as Landry’s, Four Seasons, Hyatt Lifestyle, Crescent Hotels and Aspen Food and Wine.

What is a recent accomplishment you achieved in Building Better Beverage Business™ for and an IMI client?

My client, Wilson Oswald and I just completed our annual RFP meetings in Alpharetta, Ga., where we gained additional insights on our beverage partners’ portfolios. I look forward to incorporating the key take-aways into the new Up on the Roof restaurant and the existing beverage program of Ruth’s Chris.

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I started with IMI about a year and a half ago after eight years as a managing partner at Adore Hair Studios, a booth rental hair salon.

Before that I worked supporting the sales and marketing team for Hansen’s, a beverage company that introduced Monster Energy drink. While completing my journalism and public relations degree at Georgia State University, I worked at Kevin Rathbun’s Krog Magazine 12 Barin the in Mix Atlanta, Ga. It was there that I gained

a love of the restaurant industry and an extensive knowledge of Spanish, Italian and French wines.

What are your hobbies outside of work?

When I’m not working, I love spending time with my family and friends. I enjoy yoga, cooking, hiking, decorating and spending time with my six-month-old son Jackson. He is the light of my life!

What is your favorite adult beverage?

It depends on the setting and cuisine, but I love a crisp and effervescent Vinho Verde in the summer. In the cooler months I prefer spicy and fuller-body red blends. For cocktails I prefer anything herbaceous and not too sweet. I love trying and experimenting with new cocktails!

What is your favorite travel destination?

My favorite place to travel is Fripp Island, South Carolina. My family has a beach house there and I’ve been visiting ever since I can remember. Everything is just simple — not much to do but relax, enjoy nature and spend time with family and friends.

MADE WITH WATER ENRICHED

BY PACIFIC MINERALS Create a smoother vodka soda

CONTACT YOUR CAMPARI AMERICA SALES REPRESENTATIVE TODAY

SKYY® Vodka distilled from grain. 40% alc./vol. (80 Proof). ©2021 Campari America, New York, NY. Please enjoy responsibly.

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CREATIVE SERVICES

IS HERE FOR YOU IMI’s in-house creative services department – AKA CSD – is ready and available to elevate your beverage marketing deliverables! CSD offers a full range of creative services from brand development and concept ideation to photo and video shoots to production, merchandising and fulfillment – plus website development and social media tools.

From menus, social media, table tents, posters, beverage program guides and more, CSD can be the design and production partner you need. Review CSD’s capabilities and let us know how we can help drive your beverage business.

RUTH’S CHRIS Photoshoot

DID YOU KNOW...

WHEN:

This contest we are giving away $15,400 in cash prizes (the most yet!!)

May 4th – Sept 6th ( 17 weeks to win Amazon Gift Cards while also making Money ! ! ! )

WHO:

Servers, Bartenders eligible for weekly drawings for $100 (or USD equivalent) in Amazon Gift Cards.

DID YOU KNOW...

This is the longest contest we have featured (most are 8 weeks)

WHAT:

Hard Rock Cafe contest during the Spring and Summer months centered around increasing both souvenir beverage sales and spotlight cocktail sales.

• Each week 8 winners will be drawn (4 bartenders & 4 servers) • Top 50 bartenders/top 100 servers – will be entered into the drawing • Souvenir percent conversion: Total number of souvenir beverages divided by all beverages.

Spotlight cocktail sales - total number of cocktails

www.imiagency.com/create

TIP...

Suggestively sell souvenir spotlight cocktails to every Guest! This way you are getting credit in both categories.

Having two categories to win from, means servers & bartenders can have two chances to win each week should they be in the drawing pot.

The 4 Top performing Rockers from each category (2 servers & 2 bartenders) leading after 17 weeks will win a $250 gift card each. Winner’s will be announced in Plugged In on Tuesdays

HARD ROCK CAFE Rock The Register LTO

ARAMARK Modelo Promotion Banner & Table Tent

An ice cold can of Modelo dressed up with bold Cholula® Original Hot Sauce, a shake of Tajin seasoning and a lime wedge.

TOP GOLF Summer LTO Menu 14

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UNITED CLUB Cinco De Mayo LTO Table Tent

HIGHGATE Beverage Guide

RED BULL On-premise Sales Binder & Booklet

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SPOTLIGHT ON Jen Lougee Beverage Marketing Project Manager

What are your responsibilities within IMI? As a Beverage Marketing Project Manager, I work closely with three vastly different accounts — Topgolf, American Airlines Admirals Club and Dickey’s Barbecue — to curate the best beverage program to offer to their guests. I work closely with each beverage team to provide assistance by becoming an extension of their group.

Can you tell us a little about yourself?

I grew up in a suburb of Boston with my parents and younger brother, Matt. I traveled down to Washington, D.C. for college and ended up spending five additional years there following school. My career in food & beverage began over 10 years ago as a drink runner for Topgolf in Alexandria, Virginia. I grew my career and moved to Dallas, Texas to work in the Topgolf corporate office until COVID hit. Luckily for me, I was quickly picked up by the IMI team to assist on the Topgolf account. I love taking my knowledge from being in the trenches of a restaurant and using it with my clients today!

What are your hobbies outside of work?

Outside of work, I love trying new restaurants, working out, and being with friends and family. My guilty pleasure is watching trashy reality shows!

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What is your favorite adult beverage?

Aperol Spritz.

What is your favorite travel destination?

My parents purchased a condo in Sunset Beach, North Carolina and I love to make trips down there as often as I can. The area is beautiful and not overly crowded. The pace is much slower down there — it’s very relaxing!

What is a recent accomplishment you achieved in Building Better Beverage Business™ for an IMI Client?

Most recently, we have worked with the Topgolf team, in conjunction with IMI Technology, to create their own training website called iManageBeverage. This site is a one-stop shop for all training materials and can be updated as often as needed. With the current conditions of the world, training new associates is key to ensuring that the guests are well taken care of! This will save the Topgolf team from multiple reprints and ensures that all material is as accurate and current as possible.

Drink Honorably™ Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey, 50% and 46.5% Alc/Vol, Nearest Green Distillery, Shelbyville, TN. © 2021 Uncle Nearest Inc.

WWW.UNCLENEAREST.COM 17

HOW CAN YOU

Put Digital Solutions To Work For Your Beverage Program?

With your National Beverage Program launch, let IMI modernize and refresh your approach with digital tools to share your program, training, cocktail recipes, and more! iManageBeverage™ is a mobile-friendly website and app tool that let’s your team access information on all your beverage initiatives on one single platform. With a single click, your company’s associates all over the world can access your approved cocktail recipes, training and education assets, and more.

You and your supplier partners put valuable time and resources against creating promotions for your guests.

Let IMI help your teams sell more and stay motivated! iManagePromo™ provides an online tracking platform for sales data and a participant dashboard to encourage a little friendly competition amongst your teams.

CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO 18 in the Mix Magazine

IMANAGEBEVERAGE

CONTACT US FOR A DEMO

IMANAGEPROMO

INCREASE

Employee Engagement And for a little extra motivation…add some gamification elements! IMI’s Prize Wheel has a proven success record and unprecedented employee engagement, and our Virtual Scratch-off can be used to incentivize your staff or reward your guests!

There is no time like the present. Reach out to your IMI Account Manager, it@IMIagency.com or Celeste@IMIagency.com to get started today!

VIRTUAL SCRATCH-OFF

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How Not To Get Sued — Or, at Least, How to Mitigate the Losses

By Joel Feigeheimer Ph.D., Assistant Professor The Chaplin School of Hospitality Florida International University joel@realeats.org Training, Training, Training!

I have enjoyed working in many facets of the restaurant and hospitality business over the years, from dishwasher to owner operator and now as a professor and an expert hospitality witness. What is an expert hospitality witness, you ask? I am the guy that gets hired by the attorneys and/or the insurance companies to assist in either prosecuting or defending restaurant 20 2

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operators and hoteliers in common lawsuits such as slip-and-falls and liquor liability, which are the two largest portions of my expert consultant business.

Every single case is different, and they each have their own unique circumstances that brought the litigants into this position where they need to go to court to hammer out some agreement. I have, however, noticed many similarities in the cases as they are brought against operators, and in the way that operators can best ensure the safety of their guests as well as obtain release from negligence claims stemming from whatever issue occurred at their property.

In our business, which includes hopefully many people eating, drinking responsibly

and enjoying themselves at your location, operators are often at risk. The problem is, what happens when someone slips and falls at your place or has too much to drink and causes some terrible situation that results in your operation being sued? An operator cannot ensure that nothing will ever happen to anyone at their place of business. Whether that is hospitality, or retail or a courthouse hallway, there is always the possibility of a slip and fall.

One might think that these lawsuits are inevitable and that you cannot actively work to protect your name, business and reputation as a quality operator without being sued occasionally. Unfortunately, almost anyone can sue your business with little more than a story and some filing fees. How far that case moves forward is dependent upon many things. However, below are some tips that hopefully will keep your organization on the good side of the checklist ledger, to protect your guests and employees from any issues generated at your location.

Slip and fall cases are a large part

of my practice. I’ve observed that training and corporate culture provide some of the key differences between an operator who is tagged for negligence or even worse, gross negligence, and an operator who avoids that scenario. It is imperative for your operation to have, and reinforce regularly, policies and procedures related to not just what happens when someone slips and is injured at your facility, but also what the daily cleaning procedures are to keep your floor surfaces clean, free of debris and dry.

Questions to ask yourself include: What have you done proactively on a daily or by shift-by-shift basis, to train your staff to be aware of and immediately address any hazards generated over the course of the business day? Has anyone trained the cleaning crew that you use to clean your facility? Have they been trained by corporate trainers or third-party trainers?

Are they your employees or third-party contractors? Please note simply because you have an outside contractor to clean your hotel or restaurant, that may not excuse you from liability.

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Slip and fall cases often have big payouts because some operators don’t put in writing these very basic procedures. As operators, we make sure that we train our staff on hospitality and proper food and service procedures. However, even though it is one of the biggest liability risks that we have as operators, we do not give nearly as much attention to training our floor cleaners and maintenance staff to follow all safety policies and procedures on a faithful basis.

All employees must know how to address an emergency on the property.

These are not one-size-fits-all kinds of concerns. But after a customer fall, operations that follow policies and procedures on how to properly report on the issue as well as taking care of the physical well-being of the guest, have a better likelihood of proving a culture of care and concern for the guest. Training that includes the use of daily cleaning logs, bilingual training prompts or even pictographs that show how to fix the chemicals or mop the floor or dry up the

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spill, show concern and preparedness on the part of the operator.

It is not enough to simply have a manual, amazing video training, online resources and whatever new training options that come our way, if they are not actively reinforced by management. These resources are of no use unless every employee that has some type of responsibility to the guest regarding floor or table maintenance, is not only familiar with these training materials but also understands how their work as a bus boy, dishwasher or floor maintenance person is important every single day.

Will you get sued? Hopefully not, but as we are a high-volume, high-traffic industry, the likelihood of being sued over the course of your business tenure is pretty good. How you have trained your staff and your management about guest safety procedures will go a long way in minimizing or avoiding what could be costly damages to your bottom line and more importantly to your reputation for guest safety.

JOSE CUERVO® TEQUILA. 40% ALC./VOL. (80 PROOF). TRADEMARKS OWNED BY TEQUILA CUERVO LA ROJEÑA, S.A. DE C.V. ©2019 PROXIMO, JERSEY CITY, NJ. PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY.

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Photo by M. Woolsey

An Interview with Joe Wagner

Owner and Operator of Copper Cane Wines & Provisions

As a fifth-generation Napa Valley winemaker, Joseph Wagner has been immersed in every aspect of the wine industry his entire life. At age 15, he planted his first Pinot Noir vineyard, which sparked his love for the lesser-known variety. He established his first brand, Belle Glos, in 2001, focusing on vineyard-designated Pinot Noirs. This led to his taking a different approach to vineyard decisions and winemaking by deciding to make California coastal-style of Pinot Noir, which meant going against the grain of the many who tried to emulate Burgundian Pinot Noir. Taking the risk of separating from tradition would prove a wise choice for Joseph and the brand, while shaping a philosophy he carries to this day of “Go With Your Palate” — a simple way of empowering people to drink what they enjoy and not be swayed by the sommeliers and critics of the world. At the end of the day, wine is about 24 2

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exploration and enjoyment.

In 2014, Joseph started his blossoming company, Copper Cane Wines & Provisions, to expand his farming footprint throughout the West Coast. Since then, he has launched numerous new wines, each with a purpose for being, expressing the land and showcasing his signature style.

Taking a hands-on approach to cultivation, winemaking and marketing with each of the brands, Joseph created his Copper Cane portfolio, which includes Belle Glos, Elouan, Napa Valley Quilt, Böen, Steorra and others.

In addition to Copper Cane Wines & Provisions, Joseph has expanded his business into the hospitality world. Always an entrepreneur, he opened AVOW Restaurant and more recently Quilt & Co. Tasting Room & Lounge, both located in the heart of downtown Napa.

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1. How has opening your restaurant, AVOW, and tasting room, Quilt & Co., further supported the growth of your portfolio of wines?

We opened AVOW in downtown Napa towards the end of 2018, and things were lining up well with our vision.

That vision was to showcase the full portfolio of Copper Cane Wines and their pairability with a broad array of cuisines. Due to the restaurant closures and regulations put in place in California because of the pandemic, we had to reinvent what we were doing at AVOW last year. Fortunately, we were able to keep the team working and the community fed. With the reopening, we have been able to dial in our vision for AVOW more definitively than before.

While we don’t focus on Copper Cane Wines alone (between 10 and 15 percent of the wine offerings), we bring in a number of interesting wines and support our neighbors, friends and family on the list heavily. We are detail-driven on every element that the customer loves about the food and wine world: ambience, service, great food and of course, an amazing array of wines and beautiful cocktails to be enjoyed. Overall, it’s a great way to introduce our wines to new customers while showcasing our vision for hospitality to our current customers.

Next door to AVOW, we have our newest addition in the Quilt & Co. Tasting Room. There you will find all of our wines that you may have experienced across the nation, and a handful of experimental wines that we continuously play with in the cellar. With Quilt & Co., we aim to provide the classic tasting experience while also showcasing our innovation, which is a major part of our 26

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Photos by Paul Dyer

grape growing and winemaking focus. I strongly believe that our industry continues to evolve, and we want to be on the front end of that. For example, while it is not very normal for a winery to put a tasting room in a downtown area, I felt like it was something that the next generation was looking for. I wanted to create a place where you can retire to after a long day of wine tasting around Napa Valley, and have a great meal and a nightcap with friends. Things like that help differentiate us from the normalcy of the industry.

Education is always key to both our staff and the customers. Both AVOW and Quilt & Co. offer trade entertainment and training opportunities as our customers and wholesalers come back to wine country.

Photos by M. Woolsey

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Frank Gutierrez Photography

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Frank Gutierrez Photography

2. As a winemaker with a lot of onpremise focus for your brands, what are some changes you would like to see in the on-premise in the next few years?

How do you think the past year (2020) has altered the industry?

For us, on-premise creates a link from consumers to our wines, so it has always been a major priority for us. We built our brands in restaurants, from Belle Glos and Elouan to Böen and Quilt, and have continued to focus our pricing on efforts towards the onpremise channel. But then 2020 hit, and it altered everything in our wine world and especially the entire world of hospitality, which continues on today. Staffing is a key component to providing excellent service, and we will continue to fight to get back to what our customers and guests expect, and more! One significant challenge will be getting the right people at the right jobs within the corporate and operational sides of restaurants and hotels. I would like to see increased awareness of how serving wine improves the guest experience. The silver lining is that our consumers are currently in a forgiving mood. They know restaurants are understaffed, that we can’t have huge menus and that we will need to reduce by-the-glass options. That won’t last forever, but neither will the hiring crisis we face currently. As things have gotten back to normal, the creativity needed to survive 2020 and 2021 has truly set the stage for the next generation for food and beverage operations. It is actually really exciting, and as a restaurant owner and winemaker, I see it as a new beginning!

On the wine side of things, onpremise educators are important to

our business, and we really enjoy partnering with them. In fact, I have started digging caves at my property in Calistoga, where we will build a small winery that I hope to turn into a training and discovery center. We plan on fermenting grapes all year round so that visitors can have the most hands-on experience in the world, participating in activities that usually happen only two to three months a year. Cold soak, fermentation and barrel aging will be available to see and experience any month of the year. It’s been a pet project, and I look forward to seeing how this will elevate the trade and customers’ understanding of winemaking.

I’ve always expected our wholesaler partners and our Copper Caners to be on-premise educators.

The new normal is virtual presentations and customized videos, which we do all in-house. We also look at what the consumer wants to buy and why.

We create tools and communicate those to our team, including National Account partners and Independent buyers. Rob Bickford has been working on that approach with us for the last five years. The great thing about wine is there isn’t just one way to influence an individual to try, buy and hopefully enjoy your wines. I find that exciting and why I always say “go with your palate” and don’t always be swayed by the critics of the world. It is such a positive, forward-leaning message.

You at in the Mix are a great example, with the readership based in the National Account arena, and I’m proud that we are strongly engaged within it.

A truly unique portable beer cart.

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Frank Gutierrez Photography

3. You’ve said that Pinot Noir is the most versatile varietal when it comes to food pairings. Why do you feel this way and what are some key points for somms, servers and bartenders to know about this?

The challenge with pairing wine with food is that we live in a diverse world of cuisines and fusions of those cuisines. Many of the spicier dishes and sweeter preparations we see today were not part of traditional winecentric euro cuisines. So, as we encounter these preparations, it is good to look for wines that offer a balance between structure and acidity with a ton of phenolic concentration but moderate tannin. Pinot Noir is primarily an acid-driven wine and does exceptionally well with many dishes due to its low tannin and firm acidity. Because of this, it pairs very nicely with everything from fatty fish and creamy pastas, on up to charred or grilled proteins, and has enough acid to handle slightly sweeter sauce preparations. Pinot Noir is the quintessential food wine. I always 30 8

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encourage people to chill a Pinot Noir down and try it with some spicy Thai cuisine or even simple carne asada street tacos. The results might surprise you.

Pinot Noir makes up the middle ground where the two dominant varieties of Cabernet and Chardonnay simply cannot deliver. Cabernet is challenged with lower natural acidity and higher tannin levels, creating a narrower array of cuisines and foods that can pair well with Cab. Chardonnay can be bright and mineraldriven or butter on oak, but both styles have a place working well with creamy dishes or seafood.

Our Pinot Noirs at Copper Cane are unapologetically West Coast: big, mediumfull intensity, and opulent wines with subtle tannins and perfect acidity. We view this style as having an even greater advantage when pairing with many fusion or any traditional preparations. That said, as always, there are no personal preference mistakes. Wine and food are subjective. Go with your palate!

4. As a fifth-generation winemaker you’ve been immersed in this industry your whole life. What are some trends/techniques in the industry that you think are timeless? What do you think comes next?

Lifting up farmers and winemakers: Sharing, supporting and helping others within the industry because we are stronger together. Farming will always be timeless and there are many elements of it that may never replace the handwork and physical connection with the vineyard. In the winery, it’s quite similar to being physically a part of every aspect. Our senses guide us and that is not something that can be replaced by technology.

Innovation in winemaking: Through trial and error, Copper Cane has developed a unique winemaking style, which we continue to evolve each year.

Extended hang time: The name of my company is Copper Cane, a description of waiting for the entire cane to lignify and turn a beautiful copper color, which is a sign that

the vine has purged the green and harsh phenolics from the grapes. Essentially, it is extended hang time and is one of the key indicators we look at when determining when to harvest.

Destemming the grape clusters but not crushing the grapes: This reduces the opportunity for harsher tannins and bitterness to be in the wine while maintaining the full composition of the berry for more thorough extraction.

Cryo-extraction: We use dry ice at the time of harvest before transiting to the winery, then again while filling the fermentation tank. Our goal is to get near a freezing temperature where the skins of the grapes are frozen. This allows the cell walls to rupture as the liquid freezes. These skins are where all of the color and phenolic compounds are found so this, in effect, is an augmented cold soak. Cryo-extraction gives us the foundation to extract everything Mother Nature gave us during fermentation, allowing us to express the vineyard to a higher level.

Photo by M. Woolsey

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Extended cold fermentation: Once we begin our fermentation, we keep the temperatures very low. Typically, a fermentation of Pinot Noir may last three to five days, where we are able to get up to two weeks of active fermentation at lower temperatures. This extended time gives us the ability to slowly coax out all of the elements we are looking for and create a much broader mouth feel in the wine.

Barrel Stripping: Everyone likes new barrels as they add so much to wine. But I don’t like the harsh astringency a new barrel can contribute to a wine. Fifteen years ago, we created a stripping regimen where we soak all the new barrels in SO2 water for two to three months. This removes the harsh tannins while keeping the delicious toasty, spicy and vanilla flavors associated with barrel fermentation and aging. I recall learning that in Burgundy a traditional method of doing this was to use new barrels for fermenting a grower’s Chardonnay.

After the two- to three-month Chardonnay fermentation, they would be ready for the more delicate Pinot Noir wines. It makes sense to me and it has given us the ability to

focus the wine on the place and time of the growing of the grapes rather than the barrel being the flavor thumbprint.

5. Where do you see Copper Cane in five years? Are you working on any innovations in winemaking that you can share with us?

We still have the goal of being the largest luxury wine supplier in the U.S. We also are continuing to grow as far as more vine acreage is concerned. We are getting more entrenched in the agricultural side of winemaking; growing the brands more sustainably is really important to us. We’ve done a lot of launches in the last five years, so now it’s time to hunker down, focus on the brands that we have and be able to drive those home. I love playing with new things and new packaging to help expand the brands out in a bigger way. We are now offering wines in 20-liter kegs as well as 375 mL screw cap Elouan Oregon Pinot Noir and Quilt Napa Cabernet.

We are also looking forward to expanding within on-premise National Accounts and within hotels as well. As the

Photo by M. Woolsey

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Photo by M. Woolsey

country has started to open up these past few months, we have seen a big boom in consumers traveling and staying in hotels again. We are feeling great about our existing wine brands, and we are working hard to have a bigger Copper Cane presence in hotels in the next few years.

6. As you know, in the Mix is part of IMI Agency and our business is National Accounts. You have one of the best representatives in the business, Rob Bickford. What would you like to say to all his hotel and restaurant customers about your commitment to them?

As I mentioned earlier, the National Accounts world is critical for our long-term success. I have six kids, and I want them to have the opportunity to choose to be in the wine business in whatever capacity they feel is right for them. To do that we have to survive as a business as well as grow and expand our

knowledge and partnerships. Leading the charge is Rob Bickford. Rob is a gem of a human being. He brings some of the deepest wine knowledge globally I have ever seen, while understanding the business side. I’d call him a cork dork with business acumen and a love for mutual success with our onpremise partners. He has been a lot of fun to have on the team — five years and counting — and his wine knowledge and creative approach to consumer preferences using objective data is so unique and something I never would have expected. His approach is a great example of how we need to view our future — he is the on-premise “king.” I hope your readers get a chance to pick his brain at some point over a glass of Elouan Pinot or Quilt Cabernet!

National Account contact Rob Bickford Email: Rob.Bickford@coppercane.com Phone: 804 873 7332 Fall 2021 • itmmag.com 33

Photo by Luke Abiol

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ENJOY A BOTTLE

HELP GIVE MEALS

Together with No Kid Hungry, Böen Wines is committed to ending childhood hunger in America by providing up to 1.5 million meals to kids in need.

Fifth Generation Winemaker

Joseph Wagner

About No Kid Hungry: No child should go hungry in America. But in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, 1 in 4 kids could face hunger this year.

No Kid Hungry is working to end childhood hunger by helping launch and improve programs that give all kids the healthy food they need to thrive. This is a problem we know how to solve. No Kid Hungry is a campaign of Share Our Strength, an organization committed to ending hunger and poverty.

Promotional dates: May 28, 2021 – May 31, 2022, United States. Böen Wines is committed to providing a minimum guaranteed contribution of $150,000 to No Kid Hungry. $1 can provide up to 10 meals. Meal equivalency varies during COVID-19 relief. Learn more at NoKidHungry.org/OneDollar.

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© 2021 COPPER CANE LLC, ST. HELENA, CA

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Monin Versatility Beyond Beverage — Through the Eyes of a Chef

Chad Lance, Director of Culinary Innovation Ever since the inception of Monin in 1912, the company has had a focus on beverage innovation. As the years went by, the innovative minds at Monin decided to expand the business into culinary, a natural adjacency. The innovation team began to build recipes using Monin ingredients in all types of meals, from sauces and marinades to salad dressings and desserts. The versatility of the Monin portfolio broadened almost immediately, as the culinary team on staff was now able to complement the beverage innovation with exceptional and flavorful food recipes.

“Versatility is incredibly important when it comes to SKU rationalization for the operator,” says Chad Lance, Director of Culinary Innovation at Monin. “Being able to rely on one SKU for multiple applications allows for a better organized and more streamlined 362

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inventory, less training and more savings.

Monin products meet all of these needs, allowing customers to take one SKU and use it to enhance multiple menu items.”

With more than 200 flavors, the Monin portfolio can serve an even greater purpose in the F&B industry than versatility alone; the products can also serve as a substitute for unreliable, off-season and often expensive ingredients — herbs, for example. Also, produce, which is commonly used in restaurants, can be very inconsistent depending on various factors, such as time of year or weather conditions. By having a product such as a purée or a concentrated flavor on your pantry list, these challenges of consistency, high cost and questionable quality are lessened if not mitigated. In addition, Monin products offer a longer lasting alternative to ingredients with a short shelf life. These alternatives require less replenishment and provide more versatility.

Monin’s purées and concentrated flavor product lines are the team’s top choices when working with food as a complement to a beverage presentation.

From dipping sauces to pancake toppings, the variety of culinary applications is endless, especially with the wide array of flavors to choose from.

Chad Lance, Director of Culinary Innovation at Monin, along with Chelsea Albright, Innovation Coordinator, developed a three-course meal that is inspired by the seasonal characteristics of autumn. Crisp, cool air and the holiday seasons peeking right around the corner were the backdrop for this culinary team as they worked up this menu with several on-trend and popular flavors from the Monin portfolio.

Recipes

To kick off this three-course culinary adventure, the Monin team starts with a beverage and soup duo. The first course is reminiscent of a brisk fall day and cozying up to a crackling fire in the evening. “This soup was inspired by one of my first menu placements at a fine dining restaurant I worked at in Michigan,” says Lance. “The original recipe was a butternut squash bisque with apple butter and toasted pistachios, and the Monin Caramel Apple Butter Syrup was a simple way to recreate the dish and still deliver excellent flavor.”

Caramel Apple Butternut Squash Soup Yield: 1 quart Ingredients: 2 Tbsp canola or vegetable oil 1 cup diced Vidalia onion ½ cup diced carrot ½ cup diced celery 2 Tbsp chopped garlic 2 lb roasted butternut squash 1 (32 oz) container vegetable broth ¼ cup light brown sugar, packed ½ tsp ground cinnamon ½ tsp ground allspice ¼ tsp ground nutmeg 1 cup heavy cream ¾ cup Monin Caramel Apple Butter Syrup

Preparation: 1. Heat the oil in a sauce pot set over medium heat. Once hot, add the onion, carrot, celery and garlic and sauté until softened and fragrant, about 10 minutes.

2. Add the squash, vegetable broth, brown sugar, spices and cream and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally.

3. Gently simmer the mixture for 15 minutes.

4. Carefully purée the mixture, using an immersion blender, until the consistency is smooth. Remove from the heat.

5. Add the Caramel Apple Butter Syrup and thoroughly mix in.

6. Serve immediately, while warm, or place into a container and refrigerate until use.

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Caramel Apple Cider Champagne “The complementary cocktail, also made with Monin Caramel Apple Butter Syrup, is fun and sophisticated yet incredibly simple to craft,” Albright says. “The bubbles work nicely with the sweet and savory from the soup, and the caramel and apple flavors are the perfect fall pairing with the butternut squash.”

Glass Size: 12 oz. Champagne Ingredients: ½ oz Monin Caramel Apple Butter Syrup 6 oz Top with Champagne Preparation: Add a cinnamon sugar rim garnish.

Pour ingredients into serving glass in the order listed and stir.

The journey continues through this fall-inspired menu with a savory entrée course. Both recipes feature the Monin Spiced Pumpkin Purée, which is always a crowd-favorite flavor and incredibly iconic of the autumn months. “When you make this dressing, it’s best to take your time with the brown butter,” Lance recommends. “Heat it slowly so that the milk solids cook just enough to give off a toasted, nutty depth of flavor and turn a dark golden brown color without burning the butter. I recommend a salad with some hearty fall produce such as kale, swiss chard, roasted carrots, radishes or cauliflower. Those will pair quite nicely with the richness of the pumpkin dressing and can be complemented with the addition of some cooked farro or lentils, fresh goat cheese and toasted pecans. And don’t forget the protein — ideally a roasted game bird, but chicken will work as well.”

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Brown Butter Spiced Pumpkin Dressing Yield: 2 Cups Ingredients: ¾ cup Monin Spiced Pumpkin Purée ½ cup apple cider vinegar 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard 1 Tbsp sorghum syrup ½ tsp salt ½ cup canola oil ½ cup clarified brown butter Preparation: 1. In a blender combine all ingredients except for the oil and butter, and blend together.

2. With the blender running, slowly drizzle in the oil and butter until fully emulsified.

Season to taste with salt and black pepper as needed.

3. Place into a container, cover tightly and refrigerate until use.

The Great Pumpkin Cocktail

“The Bourbon cocktail that we’ve paired with the hearty salad is multidimensional, well-balanced and easy to sip,” says Albright. “The Spiced Pumpkin Purée, coupled with a kick of ginger, is always a good flavor combo and very on-trend behind the bar. Then, the cranberry and fresh lemon juices give the drink a pleasantly refreshing fall flavor.”

Glassware: 12 oz. Double Old Fashioned Ingredients: 1 ½ oz Bourbon 1 oz Monin Spiced Pumpkin Purée 1 pump (3mL) Monin Ginger Concentrated Flavor ¾ oz fresh lemon juice 1 oz cranberry juice Preparation: Fill mixing glass full of ice and add ingredients. Cap, shake and strain into the serving glass with ice. Garnish and serve.

The fall menu is finished with a sweet dessert cocktail paired with a sweet potato pie, both incorporating Monin Spiced Brown Sugar Syrup. “Sweet potato pie always reminds me of an old friend and culinary mentor who introduced me to it one year at a Thanksgiving dinner,” says Lance. “This recipe is a twist on the traditional pie, and it’s also an homage to my friend, whom I will always think of when it comes to baking. What’s so great about this recipe is that it takes a very nostalgic and traditional dessert and adds a twist of on-trend, new-age flavor.

Plus, a little added bonus is incorporating the Spiced Brown Sugar into the whipped topping, extending the flavor even further into the recipe.”

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Spiced Brown Sugar Sweet Potato Pie Yield: 2 pies Ingredients: 1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk 2 cups roasted sweet potato 1 cup Monin Spiced Brown Sugar Syrup, divided ¼ cup fresh lime juice ¼ cup dark brown sugar 2 large eggs 2 large egg yolks ¼ tsp kosher salt 2 (9-inch) premade frozen pie crusts 2 cups heavy whipping cream ¼ cup powdered sugar Preparation: 1. Preheat oven to 300° F. 2. In a food processor combine the sweetened condensed milk, 3/4 cup of the spiced brown sugar syrup, lime juice, dark brown sugar, eggs, egg yolks and salt, and purée the mixture until smooth and well incorporated.

3. Divide the pie batter evenly between the 2 pie crusts.

4. Place the filled pies onto a sheet pan and bake in the oven for 30 – 40 minutes, or until the custard has almost fully set and the pie crust is golden brown.

5. Remove from the oven and allow to cool at room temperature for 15 minutes, then cover and refrigerate until fully chilled and set.

6. Using an electric mixer, combine the heavy cream, powdered sugar and remaining 1/4 cup of spiced brown sugar syrup and whip until it reaches medium peaks.

7. Top the chilled pies with the spiced brown sugar whipped cream and serve as desired.

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Frozen Irish Cold Brew

“The blended and spiked ice cream cold brew is a refreshing little nightcap with a pop of caffeine,” Albright remarks. “The coffee and cocoa notes in this drink pair nicely with the savory pie, and the kick of Irish Whiskey elevates the flavor that much more.”

Glassware: 16 oz. Specialty Ingredients: 1 ½ oz Irish Whiskey 1 oz Monin Cold Brew Coffee Concentrate 1 oz Monin Spiced Brown Sugar Syrup 1 oz milk 3 scoops vanilla ice cream Preparation: Pour ingredients into blender cup in the order listed and blend until smooth. Pour back into serving glass, add garnish and serve.

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Cover Story

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Alicia Woznicki Vice President

Design & Development

Sports & Entertainment

Mike Raven: Thank you for your time, Alicia. Can you give us a brief overview of the Design & Development team you manage for Aramark Sports & Entertainment? How do they perform as a function of marketing and data analytics?

Alicia Woznicki: The Design & Development team is really the innovation engine for the Sports & Entertainment Division. We take guest interactions from transactional to experiential, developing meaningful connections with every guest through concepts, programs and branding that brings cuisine and merchandise to life! Our team pushes the boundaries of innovation with a keen focus on what really matters: our clients and their customers.

We work hand in hand with our Data Science team of analysts, researchers and data engineers who delve deep into data and insights that drive our business to ensure that what we develop not only looks great, but ultimately drives revenue.

MR: Aramark has partnered with IMI over the last 10 years to grow and develop the adult beverage program for venues. How have you seen it evolve over the last three years since it became a function and part of your team?

AW: With adult beverage making up such a large portion of our sales mix, having oversight of the program made perfect sense.

We wanted to apply the same methodology to our adult beverage Fall 2021 • itmmag.com 43

program that we do to all other categories of our business. We wanted to not only develop a program that spoke to the various types of guests we serve, but also to drive adoption through the development of scalable beverage programs and proprietary brands within our portfolio. It was also important to us to be able to partner with suppliers to bring both product and experiential innovation to our venues.

knowledge to our suppliers, which has really strengthened our relationships. She has also been able to work hand in hand with our operations team to implement our programs and grow their beverage sales. She has developed so many fun, beverage-centered programs with us, including signature souvenir cocktails and mobile solutions, like airline-cart bottle service and bikes that serve beer or alcoholic popsicles.

MR: How has the collaboration with Jeanette Rolla, Senior Account Manager for IMI and former Aramark S&E Operator supported your beverage initiatives?

MR: What is your approach to beverage category management and selecting the right brands and products to appeal to such a diverse guest and fan base in your 100+ venues?

AW: Jeanette is a rock star and we consider her a key member of the D&D team. She understands our business and is able to effectively translate that

AW: We live in a sponsorship-heavy mar k e tp l ace , s o i t i s i mpo r t a n t f o r u s to have a keen understanding of

Alicia and Jeanette Rolla, IMI Senior Account Manager.

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REAL COCKTAILS. NOW.

Made with

PREMIUM SPIRITS

&

LIVE PASSIONATELY. DRINK RESPONSIBLY. WWW.RESPONSIBLEDRINKING.ORG ©2021. BACARDI, THEIR TRADE DRESSES AND THE BAT DEVICE ARE TRADEMARKS OF BACARDI & COMPANY LIMITED. BACARDI U.S.A., INC., CORAL GABLES, FL. DISTILLED SPIRIT SPECIALTIES – ALC. BY VOL. RANGE FROM 4.5% TO 5.9%.

N AT U R A L F L AVO R S Summer 2021 • itmmag.com 45

guest preferences to achieve the best balance of product to drive revenue.

We have market specific planograms and recommendations for our different beverage concepts to guide our operations teams, but also allow for flexibility. We want to make sure that we build a tiered program across all categories so we can serve the masses in concessions with quick, convenient options and deliver the highest-end experience in our exclusive clubs and suite experiences with super premium and handcrafted options.

MR: A lot of the technology and innovation you had focused on implementing prepandemic has become even more necessary and adoptable in the last year.

I know Empower Field where the Broncos play is using contactless payment and self-checkout. Can you give us an insight to that technology and explain what your core strategy has been coming out of COVID? AW: Before the pandemic, our Data Science and Design & Development teams studied technology and consumer trends like touchless and frictionless vendor experiences. We had already developed, tested and proven innovations that could improve speed of service and also happened to limit close contact and reduce congestion. With a pipeline of solutions at the ready, we were poised to help our clients bring visitors back as soon as they safely could, minimizing the potential for disease exposure, while elevating venue capabilities and expanding amenities to keep crowds coming back.

Throughout the pandemic we have seen an uptick of adult beverage sales, 46

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driven by a changing demographic and increased distribution points. It is now more important than ever to sustain that growth as things return to normal, so our key strategy is to do everything we can to speed up transaction times to serve more guests in our peak periods. We have gone cashless, broadly deployed kiosk ordering, mobile ordering and AI-powered self-checkout and checkoutfree locations. The important thing for us is to make sure these technologies aren’t just plugged into the operation as is. Rather, we develop concepts around the tech with both the customer journey and operations in mind so we end up with an amazing guest experience that also drives revenue.

MR: Kiosk Ordering and Mobile Ordering — I read it has shown to lead to increased sales by as much as 18 percent. How does it work and have fans begun to adapt to it as venues begin to resume full capacity?

AW: So truth be told, adoption of these service styles has definitely lagged in the sports and entertainment world, compared with what we have seen throughout the pandemic in the broader marketplace. That said, once people use them, they spend more (typically around 20 percent) and become repeat users. We truly see the best results when we pair these technologies with highly desirable products and drive orders solely through mobile and kiosk channels. A great example of this is our Hall of Favs concept, which I describe as a virtual food hall. Guests can order from a mobile device or kiosk and pick up all the most popular items in the building at one convenient location.

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MR: The ZIPPIN Drink Market — I love this one. You pick what you want and simply walk out. How does it work?

AW: So, we are rapidly deploying our checkout-free Drink MKT locations. In fact, we will have 11 of them at Empower Field, home of the Denver Broncos, this season. You swipe your credit card or scan the QR code from the mobile app to enter the store. Camera vision and shelf sensors track what you pick up, and you simply walk out with your items and your card is billed without having to check out.

MR: Mashgin combines self-serve and self-checkout. What exactly is Mashgin; is it a market of sorts?

AW: Mashgin is a technology that similarly uses camera vision the way that our check-out free stores do. You walk into to an environment where you shop

on your own, pick up your items, and place them all at once on the device. It simultaneously recognizes all the items, gives you a total, and you simply insert your credit card and are on your way.

We have built three concessions brands around this technology: Fan Favorites Express (where you can quickly get your standard stadium fare), Walk Thru Bru (the next generation beer portable) and Drink Mkt (a walk-in market with unbelievable beverage variety). What I love about these concepts is that traditionally in our world, you have to sacrifice variety for speed of service. But not with these! You get incredible variety with minimal transaction times.

MR: How do you see contactless age verification technology affecting traditional staffing models? Are major league sports responding to this option with confidence?

Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia

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AW: We have piloted biometric age validation, and I definitely think that is the future as more states adopt digital IDs. We will still need the human element to verify that we are complying with our service policy and not overserving any guests.

seltzer in our world though; that is still driving the bulk of our sales.

MR: The Ready to Drink Category has exploded. Are spirit and wine RTDs in cans or alternate formats popular in your venues, or are the hard seltzers and beer the true revenue generators?

AW: So this is something that as a wine drinker myself, I am super passionate about. The adage is that wine doesn’t sell in concessions. But I think it is because we aren’t offering the products that wine drinkers expect. We have implemented our Buy the Bottle program in order to improve our product variety and quality in concessions. Two people can buy a bottle to split and we offer them a souvenir carafe to bring back to their seats.

AW: From a speed of service perspective, we see a lot of application for RTDs. Prior to COVID, guests didn’t have a lot of brand awareness around these products.

I think now with the proliferation of really great products with well-known spirits, we’ll see sales jump. We have definitely expanded this category of our beverage program in anticipation of that. We can’t overlook the importance of beer and in the Mix Magazine

MR: I hear you have piloted selling premium wine by the bottle in concessions. What is the sales strategy behind this?

Cover and internal shots of Alicia Woznicki by Philip Gabriel Photography

MADE BRIGHTER

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The Future of “Hard” Beverages

By Samantha Des Jardins, Datassential “Hard” seltzers have been the menu darling of recent years, creating a new category that brought in millennials who craved the flavor choices of seltzer water, the low calories of a light beer, and the ease and portability of a cocktail in a can. And the segment shows no signs of slowing down. That’s because hard seltzer makers are not only answering a call for boozier beverages but also making other “hard” options for consumers to experiment with, and ones that could take this typically heavily summer-skewed beverage well into other seasons.

Just like the explosion, and then the evolution, of the seltzer water market, so went the rapid rise of hard beverages. Brands like LaCroix led the way as an alternative to soda and sugary drinks, and now the market has swelled with a number of competitors that offered diversity in sweetness, carbonation or flavor. There was soon something for everyone. Except perhaps, one with that boozy kick.

Enter hard seltzer. White Claw came on the market in 2016, and since then the hard seltzer market has exploded and brought on a myriad of new brand competitors including Truly, made by Sam Adams maker 52

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Boston Beer Co., and High Noon, made by E & J Gallo Winery, the company behind the folksy, porch-sitting 1980’s advertising icons Bartles and Jaymes, and their popular wine coolers. (The company re-launched those iconic wine coolers soon after debuting High Noon).

But established brands are also making their mark in this relatively new category, capitalizing on a shift in consumer preferences from beer and hard liquor. Brands like Pabst Blue Ribbon, Bud Light, Corona and Smirnoff have entered the category, creating their own versions of hard seltzer in hopes of catching the wave of this new and extremely popular beverage, while also in some cases catching some of the consumers they lost from their other signature beer and liquor.

As tastes change and the momentum shifts toward ready-to-drink options that have fewer calories and more flavor o ptions, h ard s eltzer h as m ade i ts way into the mainstream. According to a Datassential survey last year, 40 percent of drinking age adults had a hard seltzer in the past month. Thirty-four percent are considered heavy hard seltzer drinkers (those who consume more than one per week), while 49 percent are light seltzer drinkers and enjoy a hard beverage less than once a month. Seventeen percent of consumers lie in the middle, enjoying a hard seltzer once or twice a month.

The hard seltzer segment has grown on the heels of the canned pre-mixed cocktail category, which has also seen explosive growth in recent years. Cocktails in a can allow for mixed drinks to be enjoyed with the same ease as a beer, but with a wide range of flavors and mixins to sample. Take for example, Bacardi USA’s selection of mixed drinks, including a mojito, rum punch, gin and tonic and margarita versions. These allow consumers to experience the full flavor of a mixed drink with the pop of a can, which is a draw for many.

With the prevalence on menus growing rapidly, this shows there’s ample opportunity to increase consumers’ frequency while enjoying a strong awareness across the public. Consumer affinity for hard seltzer is strongest among females and millennials, the largest demographic group in the U.S. Offering a variety of flavors and brands, along with mix-in suggestions, can stretch the traditional summer hard seltzer season into a winner for a fall menu.

Hard beverages are seeing rocketing growth on menus, far surpassing the growth of any other form of alcohol. And they’re far from done. In fact, the hard seltzer market is expected to grow faster than 99 percent of all other foods, beverages and ingredients over the next four years. It’s already shown a remarkable gain of Fall 2021 • itmmag.com 53

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nearly 3,900 percent over the last four years. The secondfastest growing among popular alcohol categories is cider, at 11 percent. And that’s not just in their traditionally most popular season of summer. As more brands emerge and existing booze brands extend into this red-hot category, there will be more options for consumers and more incentive than ever for operators to offer hard beverages year-round.

While hard seltzer can be seen as a predominately off-premise beverage because it’s portable and premixed, there are plenty of avenues for growth in all areas of on-premise imbibing. Currently, the widest disparities between hard seltzer and all on-premise alcohol are in casual bars, where hard seltzers take up the smallest relative portion of beverages sold. Hard seltzer is most popular relative to other beverages in upscale restaurants and nightclubs.

Hard seltzers are the strongest sellers for those consumers in situations of casual socializing, family gatherings or entertainment events, and they can translate well for occasions where consumers crave a social occasion or special moment with a drink but may still be nervous about sharing a drink with tablemates as COVID variants persist. They also could serve as a familiar and welcome mixer for some drinkers who prefer a stiffer drink, or traditional mixed drinks with the flavor range of hard seltzer.

New iterations of hard seltzer this year have filled in the gaps for some consumers who wanted more alcohol by volume in a single beverage. Both Truly and White Claw released 8% ABV versions earlier this year. Both brands have also released iced tea versions of their hard seltzers, signaling another way this booming market is expanding.

Other beverages that are getting the “hard” treatment include coffee, lemonade and kombucha, creating a way for consumers to blend their favorite everyday beverages with a spike of alcohol.

Truly and Sam Adams maker Boston Beer Co. recently showed how far this category has to expand. In August, Boston Beer Co. teamed up with PepsiCo Inc. to create a boozy version of Mountain Dew. The sugar- and caffeine-free beverage is expected to debut early next year in three flavors. Brands like Rebel Hard Coffee, with flavors like mocha, vanilla and Bourbon caramel lattes, highlight the brand extensions that will bring hard seltzer into more of a year-round occasion. That brand has also introduced a pumpkin spice flavor, showcasing perhaps better than anything that “hard” drinks are ready for a prominent spot on menus, even when the weather cools down.

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How Will the Gig Economy Disrupt the F&B Industry?

It’s no secret that the hospitality industry has suffered greatly since March of 2020. From national chains and independent restaurants to suppliers and distributors, the entire food and beverage industry is reeling from the effects of the pandemic.

One thing that has become clear is that we are at a pivotal point when it comes to the talent, hiring and labor.

The next few years mark a crossroads as the gig economy picks up momentum.

It’s proven to be a paradigm-shifting, disruptive force in other industries, such as ride sharing or grocery delivery, and we seem to be heading in that direction as well. We’ve all been solving one crisis after another for close to two years and we’re doing it with far less support than we’re used to. When headcount is reduced, permanently or temporarily, bringing on short term or project-based support may be the only viable way to keep moving forward.

One tactic many have found to be effective is bringing in “mercenaries” to help get through some of the toughest times. From hiring freelance chefs, mixologists or managers, businesses are becoming much more open to creative ways of staffing using emerging digital platforms.

For many years one of the hardest roles to fill in a restaurant or hotel has been dishwashers and stewards. It’s one of the hardest jobs around, not to mention one of the most thankless, and it historically hasn’t been one of the highest paid. But in an economy based on supply and demand, a role that’s in such short supply and such high demand has the potential to become one of the higher paid positions in the business.

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Brandon Wise VP Sourcing and Strategic Partnerships Sage Hospitality Group

Good dishwashers are hard to find — so are good managers, chefs, bartenders, marketing leaders, content creators and hospitality experts. And in the new era of tech and remote work, these roles might just be a perfect fit for freelancers.

One thing is certain, the gig economy is here to stay. It will find a way into just about every industry; and with the hospitality industry on the heels of a pandemic, it could be a perfect opportunity to explore the virtues. I hope to see operators and suppliers increasingly open to bringing in outside talent, fresh perspectives and new ideas. I’m enthusiastic about creators and under-represented segments being valued at their true worth.

After more than 25 years in the business, I continue to learn, be humbled and appreciate the wonders of the industry I’ve dedicated my professional life to. I can’t wait to see how we will adapt to the rapidly changing landscape and how new ways of working might lead us to a more sustainable future.

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Sizzling Steaks Concepts to Open Their Second UP on the Roof Restaurant

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Featuring unparalleled views, highrise hand-crafted cocktails, artisan wines, craft beers and a small plates menu that highlights locally sourced seasonal ingredients, UP on the Roof is a unique rooftop experience. Whether you’re looking for the perfect brunch retreat with friends, want a romantic date night dinner spot, or are ready to sit back, relax and cozy UP around an outdoor fire with a cocktail in hand, the sky’s the limit at UP on the Roof.

In September 1986, Jim and Phil Brooks brought the very first Ruth’s Chris Steak House to Atlanta. What started off as a single restaurant has now expanded into an ever-growing restaurant portfolio under the Sizzling Steak Concepts (SSC) umbrella. Today, SSC franchise partners Mark Oswald, Nancy Oswald, Jim Brooks and Phil Brooks own and operate the largest Ruth’s Chris Steak House domestic franchise group with four restaurants in metro Atlanta as well as locations throughout Alabama, South Carolina and Tennessee (totaling 11 Ruth’s Chris branded restaurants in all).

UP on the Roof, founded by Wilson Oswald (CEO) and Kirk Watkins (COO), was recently celebrated as one of the nation’s “Best Rooftop Restaurants” by Food Network and is the newest concept to join the SSC family of restaurants. UP in Alpharetta, Ga., opening fall 2021, will be the second outpost for the highly successful, independently owned-andoperated modern restaurant concept; the first location is in downtown Greenville, S.C., above the Embassy Suites at Riverplace.

Perched atop the tallest building in the downtown area, UP on the Roof’s expansive wraparound outdoor terrace 60 4

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features unparalleled views of downtown Alpharetta and the City Hall green. In addition to a vibrant restaurant scene, the area has the perfect mix of upscale residences and high-end retail, drawing thousands of locals and visitors alike to shop, dine and live in Alpharetta. UP on the Roof is excited to join such a modern, sustainable and growing community.

Complementing the cocktail-centric vibe, the menu focuses on small plates and shareable, comfort-led twists on Southern culinary classics that highlight locally sourced, seasonal ingredients in a lively atmosphere, which includes traditional indoor dining as well as a year-round outdoor oasis with stunning panoramic views.

Guests can expect to enjoy a progressive bar and craft beverage program featuring a repertoire of handcrafted cocktails — including a selection of signature bottled cocktails — as well as local and regional beers and worldly wines. The Barrel Bar, whose bar front is made of authentic, repurposed Jack Daniels barrel staves, will be the central gathering place for UP Alpharetta’s seasonal pop-ups. Themed pop-ups are planned and executed quarterly. The most recent pop-up, Surf’s UP, brought tiki-inspired island vibes to the rooftop in Greenville, S.C., featuring Castaway Cocktails, Fishbowls, Frozen Drinks, Beachcomber Beers, Boozy Pops, and Beachy Bites. The return of Elf’d UP this December is much anticipated in both Greenville and Alpharetta. Don’t miss out on this festive and fun way to celebrate the holidays, complete with seasonal drinks and over-the-top Christmas décor. instagram.com/upgreenville/ Summer 2021 • itmmag.com Summer 2014 • itmmag.com

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It’s Strawberry Thyme

Night Moves

1 ½ oz 1 ½ oz ½ oz 3

½ oz 1 ½ oz ½ oz ¾ oz ¾ oz ¼ oz

Fords Gin lemon sour Cointreau large muddled strawberries

In a mixing glass, add all spirits and mixers; non-alcoholic mixers first. Add ice and shake vigorously. Garnish with strawberry and thyme sprig.

Tanteo Jalapeno Tequila Luzanal Blanco Tequila lime juice lemon sour agave cucumber water

In a mixing glass, add all spirits and mixers; non-alcoholic mixers first. Add ice and shake vigorously.

Featured Cocktails

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