Beer school

Modern Brewery Age, March 13, 1995 by Jack Kenny

Wholesalers in the Forefront

Though it can be a struggle for small specialty brewers and importers to get the attention of wholesalers, some distributors out there can't wait to get their hands on these products.

"Our aim is to learn all about the products and educate ourselves and our sales force," says Bobby Roberts, president of Specialty Beverage, a distributor based in Richmond, VA. "Nightly we sit here and study, and taste and read. My people are extremely knowledgeable, and on the street they know how to create excitement."

Roberts sees the profile of the specialty beer consumer changing. "It's not just the yuppie anymore, the dual income. We're starting to see the fringes of the blue collar step up to the plate and go for beer with some color and body to it."

Like the brewers who talk to waiters, Roberts' company is out among the rank and file. "We do wait-staff training. We take samples to our accounts, taste it with them. Seldom do we just leave the bottle there. We'll taste it and talk about it, let them ask questions and try to feel that they understand what the beer is all about. We've had some real success stories from people who never even sold microbrews. If you can get their ear, and tell them that they're going to make money and higher margins, you're in."

John Hicks, of Northern Virginia Beverage, oversees a 40-member sales force. Every other week they have a general sales meeting to talk about incentives, meet with suppliers, discuss progress and goals. "But for a long time we never got around to product knowledge," Hicks says. "Now we meet in off weeks just to learn about the beers, for about 45 minutes. One week we'll do new beers, another week we'll do a style of beer, or a family of beers, or all examples of beer from one brewer, or from one importer. We don't get into the technical stuff, that's useless to my guys. What we talk about is flavor, packaging, styling, pricing, marketing. That's what sells beer.

"We talk about romance," Hicks adds. "Romance is a term I use a lot. I'm talking about the history of the brewery, the countryside, the owners, the credentials, the little brook that runs under the floor of the brewery. We're working on little shelf tags to put with the beers as a way of selling and marketing.

"Were also doing a connoisseurs selection," he says. "This will be a full-color, slick-finished list of our best beers, the beers with infinite romance. When the talk gets very serious, my people pull out that book. 'You want to step up to the plate?' we'll say, 'We have it for you right here'."

The thrill of learning, says Roberts of Specialty Beverage, is rubbing off on the retailer. "The retailer is dying for the knowledge," he says. "Five years ago you couldn't get them to stock anything but the big commercial beers. It's all different now. They key is education. As long as you're dealing with an educated clientele, you get treated gloriously."