The CEO of Stock Italia presents the iconic brands that have made the history of the company, leader in Italian liqueurs and spirits for after meals, and the new distribution partnerships that complete the portfolio of international spirits.
Marco, can you introduce yourself, tell us a little about yourself: Who is Marco Alberizzi? Your education, your career path, your position today?
I am Milanese, a hybrid between Veneto and Puglia, in any case Italian even if for pleasure, study and work I have visited 55 different countries in the world to date. That's a good number, but I still have a lot to see. Professionally speaking, I am a marketing and communications man, who then broadened his horizons to the commercial area. I have worked for more than 25 years in the alcohol sector, starting with beer where I spent the first 20 with Heineken, both in Italy and abroad. After a sweet excursus in the Ferrero company I returned to the alcohol business by entering the world of spirits, first as General Manager in Bacardi-Martini and then in the last year and a half as CEO of Stock Spirits Italy.
What was the challenge that led you to become CEO of Stock Spirits Italia?
It is a wonderful mission to be able to relaunch a historic company in the Italian liqueur and distillation scene. I have traveled a lot and for this very reason, beyond the natural patriotic pride, I can say without any doubt that our land is the most beautiful in the world, our food and drink culture is something that has no equal. The steam distillery Camis & Stock was born in Trieste in 1884, founded by Lionello Stock. The company has survived numerous historical events: from the fall of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, a period in which its presence was expanded in Eastern European countries, to the Nazi persecution when the Trieste distillery was destroyed, up to the nationalizations of the regime communist in Czechoslovakia. We have the ability to be reborn in Stock right in our DNA, and this is my mission: to make Stock the reference company among liqueur and spirits companies with an Italian heart.
Among the historic brands of spirits and liqueurs that Stock Italia distributes, in your opinion, what are the company's main lines?
Stock Spirits' characteristic is that of being a leader or co-leader in the categories in which we operate. Starting from the Italian after meal, which in jargon we can define as thecoffee killer, I would first mention Stock 84, the brand from which the company takes its name. At the time when phylloxera was devastating French vineyards, while Italians were exporting wine across the Alps for the production of cognac, Lionello Stock decided to use it to distill Stock84 Medicinal Cognac, what is now our Stock84 Brandy. The rest is history: the bottles of stock84 portrayed in the paintings of De Chirico and Guttuso, the advertising posters of Dudovich and the television carousels with characters of the caliber of Sandra and Raimondo and Gigi Proietti. And who doesn't remember the football slogan of "all football minute by minute" which reads "Your team won, toast with Stock 84”.
The second historic brand is ours Limonce, undisputed leader on the limoncello market, produced with Sicilian lemons and natural 100%, which pays homage to the real Italian limoncello homemade by grandmothers. In fact, only bottling is industrial! We are also the volume leaders in grappa in Italy, with Piave, Julia and the recently acquired Franciacorta Distillery grappas.
And in the world of nightlife, our reference brand is Keglevich vodka, which in its white and fruity variants is the best-selling vodka in Italy. The 6 distillation process makes it perfect for mixing and its origin from Poland certifies its quality.
What development goals do you have for these products? Will there be any strategic changes in this regard?
I really believe in the return of Italianness. I believe in brandy versus cognac, like Materazzi against Zidane! During the pandemic period we had an increase of 10% on the sales of Stock 84, this forced return to the family has reborn the passion for the distillate at home. I define it as the distillate par excellence of perennials, those who never stop having fun despite their age. This is why the name of the brand new Stock84, aged 3 years in barrels, is "Bellavì".
I also believe in blending brandy. But above all I believe that Stock84 Riserva 20, aged for 20 years in oak barrels in Tuscany and recently awarded the Crystal Taste Award by the Taste Award Institute, is a sensational taste experience.
The pandemic has profoundly affected the social habits of all of us. For this reason we worked on the repositioning of Keglevich and Limoncè in communication.
Keglevich's "Skip The Ordinary" campaign is a hymn to everything that is not taken for granted and that goes beyond habit, as well as to respect for what is different. Not only the new normal becoming normal, but also the acceptance of the no normal. Street art, which has always depicted an irreverent, unconventional and colorful world, has become our elective communication territory, in particular thanks to collaborations with Milanese street artists Nerticanoodles.
And the new Limoncè TV and social media advert, which has always been an expression of sociality and the pleasure of being together, celebrates the importance of true relationships and bonds that really matter through the metaphor of a yellow ribbon. As underlined by the historic claim "Limoncè, whoever is there is there".
The company has developed through its own brands, it recently decided to have external acquisitions, such as with Distillerie Franciacorta, what do you think of this new opening?
Our goal is to become the reference company among spirits companies with an Italian heart. We want to strengthen our leadership in Italian after-meal, strengthening consumers' bond with our historic brands: Stock84, Limoncè and our grappas. Although technically incorrect, I like to say that grappa is "the Italian gin"!
We have revised the packaging and are working on the image and notoriety of "Borgo Antico San Vitale" and "La Corte", the grappas that have become part of our portfolio, which also includes Piave and Julia, following the acquisition of Franciacorta Distilleries.
Are we talking about the distribution partnership with Beam Suntory? Beam Suntory's portfolio includes brands of global stature, such as Jim Beam, Maker's Mark, Laphroaig, Roku and Courvoisier; What will this new acquisition lead to?
Italians yes, but with one foot in the world of international spirits. The Beam Suntory portfolio allows us to complete our offer for evening dining out and expand our presence in cocktail bars with leading products in their respective subcategories: Jim Beam the 1st bourbon in the world, Maker's Mark the most drunk premium bourbon in the world, Laphroaig the icon of peated whiskies, Roku the Japanese artisan gin. Without forgetting the very trendy Japanese whiskeys Yamazaki, Hibiki and Toki.
A further step in the collaboration with Beam Suntory was the acquisition of Sipsmith gin in your portfolio. What distribution strategy do you intend to undertake?
Sipsmith is a real gem, the real London dry gin, produced in a copper still as in the past, its botanicals are distilled together with the spirit and give it that uniqueness that differentiates it from others. It is a worthy complement to our premium gin portfolio, which includes Roku, Nordès and Colombian.
The collaboration with Bruno Vanzan with his innovative IOVEM was born less than a year ago, on which distribution channels did you decide to propose it?
IOVEM is a little gem that I am very fond of, I have followed his project since its inception with Bruno Vanzan and Adriano Costigliola. IOVEM differs from any other product for several reasons. First of all, it intercepts the trends of modern, low-alcohol mixing. It is a nectar, because it contains honey and not sugar. The ingredients are all natural, based on grape must, flavored with ginger and lemon. And finally it has a distinctive color: purple, which comes naturally from the enocyanin contained in the grape skin.
And then IOVEM's ace in the hole is Bruno Vanzan, for his genius and imagination as well as for the expertise of a two-time world champion. The stories in purple told on IOVEM's social networks have created huge demand so much so that, despite being for the moment a product dedicated to the world of Ho.Re.Ca, we have also started distribution on some e-commerce platforms to respond to requests for passionate consumers who want to be able to drink it at home too.
Are there any new projects or business strategies for the future?
Our strategy does not change: to strengthen the leadership of our Italian after-meal range and expand our offer of international spirits for evening outings. In this sense we will continue to explore opportunities to complete our portfolio in categories that we do not currently cover. We have included the figure of the Business Development Manager for the out-of-home channel in the structure to improve our distribution strategy and promptly adapt to the evolutions of a rapidly evolving market after the pandemic. Consumption habits, category trends and purchasing methods change. I believe that today more than ever we need to listen to the market.
Our last question is a bit of a final farewell ritual, what is your favorite cocktail?
My all-time favorite cocktail is the gin and tonic. It's not out of fashion but out of life experience, because since I was a boy, gin and tonic, or gin fizz, were good companions for evenings with friends. However, the choice of a cocktail always depends on the time of day, the place or person you are with and the barman in front of you. I'm better as a consumer than a barman, although at home I enjoy experimenting. I like to think that we sell a toy box with which professional bartenders can build beautiful and delicious things!
Clelia Mumolo
