Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/35876
UP David and Marc Taub Up Front with by Martin Bihl / photos by Doug Young With more than 50 suppliers from four continents in the Palm Bay International family, the first question you have to ask Chairman David Taub and his son, President and COO Marc Taub, is, “Are you sure you’re a small importer?” “Compared to a Diageo or a Bacardi, sure, we’re small. But that’s to our advantage. It lets us be more patient, lets us allow the brands to grow,” Marc explains. “A lot of the bigger companies need to make their numbers very quickly, so they need a new brand in their portfolio to hit the ground running. We need to make our numbers too, of course, but because of our size—and a few other things—we can afford to let the brand take a little more time to find its audience.” Taub, the third generation running Palm Bay, points to two new brands that they’ve just introduced as examples: Fontanafredda from the prestigious producer of the legendary Barolo, and Trimbach, one of the most esteemed names in fine wines from Alsace since 1626. “Both of these estates have what we like to call the ‘awe of authenticity’—brands that have a distinct point of view. One shaped by origin, terroir and winemaker. Something unique that will capture the imagination—and palate—of the consumer, the retailer and the distributor.” This is a quality shared by many estates within the portfolio, such as Planeta, Col d’Orcia, Rocca delle Macie and Poliziano from Italy, and S. A. Prüm from Germany. It’s a smart strategy, and it’s probably one of the reasons why among the 50 producers Palm Bay imports, several brands lead their respective categories. Cavit is not only the number-one Pinot Grigio but also the number-one Italian wine in the U.S. Santa Rita leads the 750-ml. Chilean category, Citra is the number-one Montepulciano and Lunetta Prosecco is the top-selling Prosecco. But it’s not something that happens overnight; / the tasting panel / july 201 1