Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/188061
Ryan Sanford of Republik and Derek Yeung of Young's Market Company agree on Mount Gay Black Barrel 1703 Barbados Rum and Larceny 1870 92 proof as new additions to the bar menu. "These fit Republik,"says Ryan. "We have award-winning bartenders here, and we're a cocktail lounge, not a wine bar. We create from scratch, and these kinds of products are what we're known for. Derek keeps me on-task, and on-time." Republik: The Next Great Thing Worth Discovering Ryan Sanford has been Bar Manager at Republik since it opened a year ago. The business is a perfect combination of upscale, very hip cocktail bar, with moveable walls which can, and oftentimes each week do, open into a 1,000-person-capacity live music venue, boasting the best sound system on the island of Oahu. "The majority of my cocktail clientele expect us to have the next great thing worth discovering. They want something they can have a conversation about," explains Ryan. "We need to be ahead of the curve at all times, and that's where Derek and Joey come in. They keep me interesting," he jokes. Joey Gottesman and Derek Yeung of Young's Market Company and Ryan Sanford of Republik at the venue's bar, discussing the perfect fit for Republic that is La Paloma Tequila, neat. Philana Bouvier (center) with her Senior Team (left to right): Alan Suzuki, Vice President/General Sales Manager Estates Group; Melody Yurth, Vice President/ Sales Manager Chain Division; Michael Russell Vice President Pricing & Programming; Hugh Duncan, Vice President/General Sales Manager. Young's Rule of Business: Invest in Your Team Trade is good if you're Young's Market Company Hawaii. In 2012, the branch enjoyed a record breaking year with fewer brands, up six percent over 2011. On a recent visit to the company's enviably located division offices on the island of Oahu, Philana Bouvier, EVP , General Manager, Young's Market Company, Hawaii, told THE TASTING PANEL: "Specifically, on-premise came in over five percent in cases and reached double-digit growth in dollar volume, at just over ten percent last year. " The top ten revenue producers are from the hotels and large restaurant groups, while off-premise represented 6.58% in cases and 8.81% in dollar volume, she " elaborated. These are impressive numbers, and have been achieved with fewer brands than preceding years, begging the question: How? "Young's Market Company Hawaii has invested heavily in our infrastructure, trucks, heavy equipment, technology and people, explains Bouvier, proving the old adage: You " get back what you put in. "Year-to-date, we are tracking to be up again, double-digits over last year. " With an extensive background in the distributor end of the alcohol beverage industry, Bouvier has done her fair share of pounding the pavement on sales calls while feigning indifference at doors slammed in her face. "It's an essential part of the learning curve" she beams. "It's a , fast-paced business and there are a million ways to build a brand—the task is figuring out which ones work best for your brands, and what will affect success long term? The only way you can answer that is by knowing your customers' customers. " Perhaps that explains why Young's Market Company and Bouvier make a formidable team. She puts it plainly: "This company is built on close relationships with licensees. It listens, and adapts to change rapidly. There is so much you can do and achieve when operating within a company like this. And I have a team that executes on target every time. Young's invests in quality people and it really makes an incredible difference. " 126 / the tasting panel / october 2013 TP1013_104-152.indd 126 9/23/13 10:35 PM