With a rebranded and refreshed Strongbow set to hit shelves this month, the year is looking bright for Drinkworks.
Since becoming Managing Director of Drinkworks in 2019, Managing Director, Judd Michel says he has gathered the right people around him to create what he describes as “a challenger business with a disruptive mindset”.
Drinkworks signed as a Category One member to the Drinks Association late last year by which stage David Segreto was seated in the National Sales Manager chair, leading Customer Engagement across Field Sales, Grocery, Independents and Banner Groups.
Mr Michel had also established a strong sales force in each state, a dynamic and adventurous marketing team, and an experienced and super-efficient finance and supply chain teams.
He says that he has purposefully sought out a team that is fresh, passionate, that takes pride in its work and is committed to the Drinkworks’ brands.
“We’ve built a team for that mindset: to be agile, dynamic and entrepreneurial,” says Mr Michel.
“We’ll run our own race, servicing customers and driving innovation and disrupting the drinks landscape with our brands. Drinkworks is an entrepreneurial business with a customer first focus. The consumer is always at the heart of all that we do.”
In 2022, the star of the show for Drinkworks is Strongbow, brought back into the fold as part of Asahi’s divestment in January last year, along with the rights to Stella Artois and Beck's.
Strongbow is the world’s number one cider brand and the second biggest by volume in Australia. Drinkworks has re-invigorated and refreshed the brand with the new look to hit shelves in the middle of March. All five Strongbow flavours have been re-branded, and the Blossom Apple will be replaced by a delicious new Rosé Apple Cider.
Mr Michel says, “The new look Strongbow is a contemporary take on an old favourite brand with the same great flavours that Australians love, and we’re really excited for it to hit the shelves. The strong colour codes have been dialled up in the new packaging and will make it even easier for cider drinkers to find the flavour that they are looking for, whether that is in the liquor store aisle, or at a bar or restaurant. The clear flint bottles mean that our customers can see the beautiful refreshing liquid inside, and we’ve adopted the iconic global Strongbow apple logo, a well-known mark of premium quality.”
Drinkworks is also focussing on growing the premium international position of the business, primarily with Stella Artois, and also intends to disrupt the market in this Year of the Tiger, with Tiger Beer.
Mr Michel, said: “Our hope for the year is that we start to see the back of Covid, that we can all celebrate the joy of true togetherness again in the on-premise channel, and that we get the opportunity to execute the great strategies that we have in place for our exciting brands.”
The Drinks Association welcomes Drinkworks as a Category One member.
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