13 October 2021, United Kingdom: After announcing their new partnership in June with Mangrove in the United Kingdom, True Believers international sales director Zdenek Kastanek has been touring the UK the past month promoting and pouring the True Believers portfolio of brands. In three weeks, he has visited Edinburgh & Glasgow, London, Bristol, Manchester and Birmingham, hitting a personal record of close to 100 presentations (and counting).
This tour was able to showcase the True Believers spirit brands to some important names in the industry, Zdenek being fortunate enough to present to venues such as Tayēer & Elementary, a cocktail bar In London ranked number five on the world’s 50 best bars of 2020 after landing on the scene in 2019.
Co-owner Alex Kratena says ”On Trade spirits have been packaged for decades to create a theatre that tells a story, but most of that packaging went straight to the bin 5 minutes after delivery. If it can’t be reused, recycled, or composted then it should be redesigned, it’s great to see brands like True Believers taking risks to deliver exactly that. Now when we have several first distillers taking full responsibility over its packaging, the bar community would love to see more brands adopting this thinking.”
Alex Kratena, Co-owner, Tayēer & Elementary.
Among the significant names that True Believers gained introductions with was KOL. A London based restaurant specialising in Mexican cuisine that overlays with the landscape of Britain. There they champion seasonality and sustainability and value quality and simplicity, as goes with the production of True Believers brands.
Maxime Schulte, bar manager at KOL’s Mescaleria.
Their newly formed partnership with Mangrove will continue to fan the flame for True Believers, created by Nick Gillet and John Coe, Mangrove is a premium spirits distributor who pride themselves on their alternative approach to building brands and is well known as a nursery for independent spirits in the U.K. They now carry the complete True Believers portfolio that includes Tried & True Straight Wheat Vodka, Widges London Dry Gin, Arquitecto Blanco Tequila and Mackintosh Blended Malt Whisky that are all currently available in the ecoSPIRITS low-carbon low-waste distribution technology with the exception of Arquitecto Tequila which will be available in ecoSPIRITS in a new Destilado de Agave edition in the coming months.
“Mangrove is constantly looking to partner with quality brands. True Believers set the benchmark for authenticity, transparency and sustainability and have been created by industry people for the industry. Their commitment to sustainability both with ecoSPIRITS and S.A.C.R.E.D. blazes a trail where others will undoubtedly follow. Mangrove is proud to partner with True Believers and lead the revolution.”
Nick Gillett, Managing Director, Mangrove Global Ltd.
Zdenek Kastanek, International Sales Director, True Believers
Despite having to operate this tour in a post covid world, Zdenek states “it was great to see the hospitality industry bouncing back quickly” as bars and restaurants reopen. Customers are just as excited to be back in the world sampling great quality food and drinks of which the True Believers brands are gladly contributing to. The launch has come at the perfect time to strike and lay down as many roots as possible. Not only have we been chatting with bars but we have also met with a number of major wholesalers around the U.K such as 31 Dover, Champers and Royal Mile Whiskies, who have all agreed to range the portfolio, making the brands more widely available across the country.
Overall the tour was a raging success and has laid the foundation for the future of high quality, sustainable booze. Kastanek mentions how great it was to be touring a country that feels like home, whilst watching the industry bounce back from such a tumultuous time.
There is more on the horizon for True Believers, including two more brands in two new categories to be announced in the next 6-12 months.
True Believers was conceived by Proof & Company co-founder Spencer Forhart as an innovation unit within the Proof & Company group. Its aim is to offer a range of craft spirits that bridges the gap between economical pouring brands, which often fall short in meeting modern consumer preferences for craft credibility, and super premium craft spirits, which are generally priced out of reach for house pouring programs.
To date, True Believers has released four spirits brands, including Tried & True Straight Wheat Vodka, Widges London Dry Gin, Arquitecto Blanco Tequila, and Mackintosh Blended Malt Whisky. Additional brands in further categories are expected to launch over the next two years. Forhart will stay on as a board director and advisor, but Walker will have full control over True Believers going forward.
Each of the True Believers brands was developed individually to serve as a versatile archetype of its category, suitable for cocktails and sipping alike. The spirits themselves are produced with authentic craft values by highly-regarded distillers. No additives are used in any of the brands and the team strives to steer away from gimmickry and questionable production practices. The range is price-positioned to be accessible to pouring programs for better bars and available in the ecoSPIRITS low-carbon, low-waste spirits distribution system.
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Jessica Slevin | Accela PR