Key Takeaways from Austin and Oaxaca
Last week, we took on a week-long journey to both Austin, TX and Oaxaca, Mexico and had a productive and inspiring time with teams Deep Eddy Vodka (DEV) and Samson & Surrey (S&S). We asked you to stay tuned for more photos and highlights about what we learned and we won’t keep you waiting any longer:
Austin, TX Market Visit
Regional Manager, TX Josh Chaput and Market Manager, TX Cat (Catherine) Thompson took the two of us and Executive Chairman Max Shapira on an amazing market visit around the Austin area, showing us around key accounts. We were excited to see great shelf presence of brands across portfolio. We never miss an opportunity to be out and about, experiencing what our consumers see in stores firsthand. At one retail business, we were able to meet the owners who turned out to be husband and wife – sound familiar? It was a great chance to celebrate our mutual connection and foundation of leading a family business.
Buda Plant Tour
We greeted our family Board of Directors and headed over to the Deep Eddy Vodka Plant in Buda, TX for a facility tour. Seeing the scale of Deep Eddy production through the eyes off of the board members who had never been there before was invaluable. The brand is made with rich authenticity, and it’s obvious that the quality is due to the work happening at Buda. After the tour, we had the chance to catch up with employees, some of whom we had met before and others who are newer to our organization. We gave a presentation on where we’re headed and our strategic plan to Raise the Bar, reiterating how DEV is an important piece of the puzzle, and then were able to answer some questions! The culture at Buda is one of a kind and is built on recognition. In addition to the CHEERS! recognition platform, Buda also selects an employee of the month from their team. Aldo Robles was the latest employee to receive the honor. We got to meet him and get a glimpse into the great work he is doing for Deep Eddy.
Advisory Board Meeting at DEV Tasting Room
As advisory board members continue their onboarding, each meeting has an added layer of education surrounding a spirit category. The first meeting was in Kentucky, so they learned about Bourbon and the meeting after that, we talked Tequila. While we were in DEV’s home state, we knew there was no better place for them to learn about Vodka! To quote the brand, “Bourbon is for thinking. Tequila is for trouble. But Vodka is for something bigger. Vodka is for fun.” We did have a lot of fun, including some incredible Deep Eddy cocktails thanks to the awesome work of Manager, DEV Tasting Room Michelle Jenschke and Sales & Marketing Manager, DEV Visitor’s Center Eustacio Lara. We also learned a lot. The advisory board continues to add such valuable perspective and thought to our business. We are thankful for their input, dedication, intelligence and kindness.
Journey to Oaxaca, Mexico
Wednesday morning marked the second half of our trip, beginning with a thorough and beautiful tour of the city of Oaxaca, Mexico, home to Mezcal Vago. Oaxaca exudes charm. It is made up of colorful buildings and there we got to sample many yummy treats (that all of us, but especially Max, really enjoyed). Getting to know the heart of Oaxaca through its local delicacies and open-air markets was a really great part of the trip, but our favorite part of being in the city was getting to attend the Samson & Surrey events that followed.
Samson & Surrey All-Hands Meeting
The S&S meeting was definitely one to remember. From sales team members, some of whom made international trips, to production team members who traveled across North America, it was wonderful to see the entire S&S team under one roof. S&S Co-Founders Robert Furniss-Roe and Juan Rovira shined as leaders, sharing their vision for the future and reiterating S&S’s goal for growth: “3x by 2027,” which means they’re striving to triple business over the next few years. There were many other engaging presentations at the meeting, including updates on the commercial side of the business and previews of plans for innovation in FY25 (hint: there are some exciting special releases coming across the portfolio including Widow Jane, Few and Tequila Ocho). One of the most exciting announcements at the meeting included the official rolling out of the Spirited Commitment amongst the S&S team. We are so excited for how this will continue to evolve our ways of working and collaboration!
Grand Opening of Vago Tasting Room/Visitor’s Center
To cap off the trip, attendees of the meeting got to witness the ribbon cutting ceremony for the grand opening of the new Vago Tasting Room and Visitors Center. It was a beautiful, celebratory affair that really showcased the pride of the brand and the city of Oaxaca. After the ceremony and a farewell dinner, the two of us packed our bags to return home, full of learnings and key takeaways from a truly amazing week.
Thank you again to all who hosted us. We are excited to continue investing in the many and continuously-growing parts of our organization that span across the country and beyond!
