Hotels aim at wine profits

Cheers, Jan-Feb, 2005

Making wine sales a core and profitable component of the hotel food and beverage business has not been an easy task. But at the end of last year, 30 industry leaders from 20 major hotel groups went to Providence, RI, for a chance to share thoughts and brainstorm solutions at the first Hotel Executive's Beverage Summit, hosted by wine consultancy WineQuest and culinary university Johnson & Wales University.

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In an industry where staff turnover is high, margins are squeezed and resources are at a minimum, the hotel execs who attended took on the search for a business answer to a lingering and multifaceted beverage problem: how to increase revenues and increase guest satisfaction while holding outlet managers responsible for costs and implementation.

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FELLOW FEELINGS

During the conference, attendees collaborated with their peers, education experts and representatives from some of the leading wine suppliers--E.J. Gallo, Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, Trinchero Family Estates, Schieffelin & Co., Robert Mondavi, Kendall-Jackson, Constellation Wines US and Diageo. Gathered into groups, attendees created new business plans using the beverage business roadmap created exclusively for the event by WineQuest.

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The beverage roadmap creates a path to achieving the overall business goals of the organization--from analyzing business issues, defining and ranking strategies and programs to be implemented at every outlet (catering, in-room bar and restaurants). The goal: creating a proactive approach in a business normally dominated by putting out the latest fire, according to WineQuest.

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WineQuest also presented a "best practices" session and a vision of the hotel training world where the impact of corporate training standards could clearly be seen in results, a fundamental element of the consultancy's solution approach often missing in corporate beverage programs.

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In addition to the information and processes presented by WineQuest and JWU, attendees--beverage execs including Fernando Salazar, Omni Hotels & Resorts; Richard Schneider, Trump Atlantic City; Rob Hood, Ocean Properties Hotels and Resorts; Giovanni Dante, Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts; and Brian Avel, Starwood Hotels & Resorts--also heard about the power of consumer analytics from Constellation Wines US and E.J. Gallo Winery.

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Dante says, "The WineQuest Solution presentation was very insightful. It presented a process that could be successfully converted into practical terminology. I was impressed by the way it defined present conditions and the way it developed a path to the desired conditions so you can see where you are and where you are going at all times, and the way it uses analytical tools and processes to create a model for decisions to put into practice."

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Salazar calls it a great event in a phenomenal setting, with the business focus separating the summit as a winner. "We cannot wait for next year's event."

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WELL HOSTED

Culinary and hospitality students from JWU showcased their best during the summit as well at sponsored events on campus. Edward M. Korry, department chairman of the College of Culinary Arts, headed up the university's efforts at the summit.

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WineQuest was founded in 1998 and is now a leading supplier of wine program solutions to the hospitality industry, partnering with chain restaurants, hotels, and cruise lines to define, implement, and manage their wine programs. WineQuest is currently expanding its products and services beyond wine to deliver to its customers a complete beverage program solution.

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WineQuest customers include The Ritz-Carlton, Marriott Hotels, Starwood Hotels, Interstate Hotels and Resorts, Intercontinental Hotel Group, Omni Hotels (2004 winner, Cheers Best Hotel Beverage Program), Mimi's Cafe, Outback Steakhouse, Ruth's Chris Steakhouse, and PF Chang's (2002 winner, Cheers Best Chain Wine Program).

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