Rob Garafalo of Brand Evolution, LLC
An in the Mix Promotional Interview
December 15, 2022
Rob Garafalo, Co-Founder of Brand Evolution, LLC
Rob Garafalo
Co-Founder, Brand Evolution, LLC
In this in the Mix promotional interview, Rob Garafalo, Co-Founder of Brand Evolution, LLC, reveals the philosophy behind Brand Evolution, industry changes and working with celebrity clients such as Kenny Chesney, owner and founder of Blue Chair Bay Rum, Eva Longoria, co-founder of Casa Del Sol Tequila, and Brother’s Bond Bourbon celebrity co-founders, Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley.
in the Mix: Hello, Rob. To start, would you give us a bit of your team’s background in the Beverage Hospitality industry?
Rob Garafalo: Brian Rieke and I co-founded Brand Evolution to provide strategically focused national channel representation for our supplier partners. Our team has over 90+ years combined experience in national account beverage management. Each of our team members brings a complementary level of expertise. Whether it be distributor, supplier, or field execution, we know what it takes to collaboratively win in National Accounts.
itM: Coming out of the past two historical years, how have changes in the industry made it feasible to start Brand Evolution and what motivated you to make the move?
RG: Great question: we identified an opportunity gap for suppliers to garner the attention of national chains in a meaningful way. More than just bringing “relationships.” Our deep understanding of the stress points within the 3-Tier System allows us to streamline the gap between our partners, distributors & buyers, resulting in a more efficient/productive way of working in this channel.
itM: Describe the primary philosophy and goals of Brand Evolution?
RG: We aim to fully integrate with our suppliers the same as any internal team member would. We support all aspects of the chains including price planning support, wholesaler engagement, buyer sales and logistical execution. Because of our experience, we’re able to efficiently assume the management of the process and allow our clients to comfortably focus on other aspects of their business.
itM: What is Brand Evolution’s strategy for on-premise?
RG: We see the consumer drinking less but better, and premiumization moving back toward pre-covid levels. In addition to covering all price points, we’re working with talented mixologists and trade marketing teams building custom programs and events tailored toward our concepts to truly engage their consumers in unique ways.
itM: What sets you apart and brings value to your customers?
RG: Simply put, because we love and have dedicated so much of our careers to this channel, we come pre-programmed with the needs of our buyers and wholesalers. While the proverbial “it’s not rocket science” is true, there is a value to understanding every aspect of the chain on and off channels. We speak that language well.
itM: What are the key steps in launching a new brand?
RG: We’ve been fortunate to be a part of the launch process with several of our partners. Of course, every path is unique. In our experience relative to the chains, what has worked historically still works today. Engage your customers early and often. Educate them on the brand. Listen to their needs and consider the challenges they outline. Have a sound, consistent price strategy nationally. Develop trade marketing tools relevant to your target accounts and in keeping with brand strategy. Be present throughout the process; you aren’t there for a quick win, you’re there for the long-term growth of the brand and consequently their business. Also, ensure that you’re collaborating and celebrating with your wholesaler partners every step of the way.
(Left to Right) Brian Rieke and Rob Garafalo, Co-Founders of Brand Evolution, and Keith Bryson, National Account Director
Kevin Lauderbach, Senior Director of Brand Development and National Accounts
itM: What are the key steps in launching a new brand?
RG: We’ve been fortunate to be a part of the launch process with several of our partners. Of course, every path is unique. In our experience relative to the chains, what has worked historically still works today. Engage your customers early and often. Educate them on the brand. Listen to their needs and consider the challenges they outline. Have a sound, consistent price strategy nationally. Develop trade marketing tools relevant to your target accounts and in keeping with brand strategy. Be present throughout the process; you aren’t there for a quick win, you’re there for the long-term growth of the brand and consequently their business. Also, ensure that you’re collaborating and celebrating with your wholesaler partners every step of the way.
itM: How has each of your brands “evolved” in their partnership with you?
RG: We’re equally proud of all our brands. Each provides unique wins and challenges.
The Share a Splash Wine portfolio makes dynamite wines with a fantastic female wine maker, Ondine Chattan, that garner great reviews and trend ahead of the category. We’ve been able to share these exceptional wines across multiple channels and look forward to watching its continued success.
Blue Chair Bay Rum holds a special place as our first client. With their unique flavors, quality liquid and eye-catching packaging, we’ve been able to expand placements and increase sales in the on and off premise arenas. Extra visibility we get from our owner and founder Kenny Chesney is added value.
Our partnership with Eva Longoria, co-founder of Casa Del Sol Tequila, separates itself from other tequilas and even celebrity brands for that matter. In less than a year, they garnered 11B+ impressions. Eva is so passionate about the brand, but the liquid is the real star. With its unique finish in Cognac barrels, we’ve found that tasting the product is the best way for us to expose it to our customers.
Brother’s Bond Bourbon celebrity co-founders, Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley, are intimately involved in everything from production to promotion. Their passion for the brand shines through and they’re a blast to work with. The brand has garnered some incredible press and scores, ultimately becoming the #1 most followed brand on Instagram making it a hot topic for our buyers.
Even our recent foray into the Bag-In-Box segment with our Tap3 Innovations partner has been rewarding and a lot of fun. As we expand into new flavors, the unique patented box is something we know the consumer is going to love.
itM: What is the best part of your job?
RG: Choosing our co-workers! We get to spend time with talented people who we enjoy working with. What more can you ask for?
itM: What’s next on the horizon for Brand Evolution?
RG: We’re fortunate that our phone continues to ring with cool, new, innovative brands every month. Our current clients are priority #1. We want to ensure we’re scaling in a responsible, efficient manner to maintain and grow the level of success they’ve come to expect. Ideally, as we add a client, we expand our team which means added benefit for everyone. There are definitely some more categories we’d love to explore. I’m confident that IMI will be among the first to know when we begin our next partnership!
It was such a pleasure getting the chance to speak with Rob Garafalo about all that Brand Evolution has accomplished since the start of their journey in the industry. We look forward to seeing what the new year holds in store for them.
Reach out to Rob Garafalo directly for national accounts on-premise needs:
Rob Garafalo, Co-Founder
Brand Evolution, LLC
rob@brandevolution-llc.com
310-956-5542
