The Tasting Panel magazine

March 2014

Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/271567

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 57 of 128

march 2014 / the tasting panel / 57 Over drinks at the famous Formosa Café in Hollywood— owned by the Jung family since 1925—Katarina Balalas, Blackheath's Western Regional Director and April Gallegos, Southern California Market Manager, talked of their work in words not often heard from a salesperson's lips: "I think of my brands as my family," said Balalas "and they get equal attention." Balalas and Gallegos held such a convivial rapport (call it "mind share") with Billy Ray, Formosa's resident mixologist, that the interview did feel a bit like being at home with family. Ray mixed up a round of Callie Belle, the bar's number- one-selling cocktail, made with Aviation Gin, bell pepper, lime and agave nectar, shaken and poured over ice. It was supremely balanced elevating the gin and its ingredients. Balalas recalled working for Diageo and VeeV before joining Blackheath. "At Diageo, I had many competitive brands within my portfolio, then I moved to a start-up with one single SKU (Veev), and what I love about Blackheath is that we have non-competing brands and we can leverage different accounts for different reasons. Here at Formosa, for example, we have every SKU in our portfolio behind the bar, because each SKU is a different category." In addition to marketing support from Blackheath HQ—a graphics department and design team are available to produce collateral for events and in-store tastings for all Regional Reps—Balalas and Gallegos look to each other for inspiration. Gallegos, who was previously Maker's Mark Brand Ambassador and Education Specialist for Beam, talked up her and Balalas's working relationship. "I learn a lot from Katarina and I bring a slightly differ- ent approach to the table; together we monopolize! We are both extremely passionate"—a prerequisite for all Blackheath employees. Since Aviation American Gin's inception roughly six years ago, the brand's mar- ket exposure was gaining ground but not at CEO Thomas Mooney's desired pace. In July of 2013, an Executive at Southern Wine & Spirits introduced Mooney to Jay Harkins, suggesting that the kind of strategic outreach Blackheath is capable of would be a good fit for Aviation. "What Blackheath did was give us category exclusivity," says Mooney, "and that was helpful. Our sales in the second half of 2013 were 76% higher than in the first half of the year." When signing on with Blackheath, Aviation downsized its internal sales team from nine to three but essentially gained a new team of 20 people with years of experience —including Balalas and Gallegos, who have struck home runs with placements. PHOTO: JONATHAN CRISTALDI Blackheath in Los Angeles Left to right: April Gallegos, Southern California Market Manager for Blackheath; Sara Southern, Sales Manager for Southern Wine & Spirits; and Katarina Balalas, Western Regional Director for Blackheath. t m we on - Aviation American Gin sales shot up 76% after signing on with Blackheath.

Articles in this issue

Archives of this issue

view archives of The Tasting Panel magazine - March 2014