HMWS Interviewing Mr. Jorgen Andersson - The selling approach

[mallios]

HMWS and whiskyforum.gr Tribute To DISTELL

The selling approach.

 

Dear Mr. Andersson,

On behalf of Hellenic Malt Whisky Society and Whiskyforum.gr, I would like to thank you for your kind interest to support our forum and contribute in our interview section.

It is both and honour and pleasure to have you in our interviews section and we will do our best to leverage on your knowledge.

For the first time in our forum we will introduce questions about selling and promoting whisky, thanks to You, and that will provide an additional flavour and approach to our interviews section.

Thank you for your time

 

Selling James Sedgwick Distillery / Bunnahabhain / Tobermory / Deanston whisky(ies).

 

1.     I. Mallios: Dear Jorgen it was a pleasure meeting you in Cyprus and it was an absolutely excellent and well-presented event. To start with, you are from Sweden, working for a South African company, selling – promoting Scotch Malt whisky and South African whisky and most probably, living in a plain with all these travels. Not to mention that is should be the first time I see a regional manager covering not related regions, Northern and Southern Europe. So, please provide a small description about your business week.

Mr. Jorgen Andersson reply: 

One great thing about being responsible for such a large region is the diversity of a business week, no week is the same. I prioritise being in market as much as I can to meet our partners and customers but of course I also work from the office doing planning, analysis, follow up on agreements and commitments and other work of more administrative character.

 

2.     I.Mallios: What really triggered my interest in Cyprus was that you did not present in a silo / vertical approach, but you manage to combine flavours first and then move from distillery to distillery. Do you think that presenting based on flavours works better than presenting one Distillery and then go to the next?

 Mr. Jorgen Andersson reply: 

To be honest I wasn’t planning to but when setting up the tasting I started to think on what   the best way would be to showcase the various styles and decided to group the non-peated whisky’s together and finish of with the peated as they have a bolder character. I think it also allows the audience to experience the style differentiation between our various distilleries

 

3.     I. Mallios: I spend some time on my professional life on presales and the common problem that I think we all face is that we need to make everybody happy. We have to sell what is produced, we have to make volumes, reach targets and make customers happy and on the other hand we are also the first line of defence for all complaints. How do you manage to keep clients, shareholders, Distillery production team happy? Moreover, how easy or difficult is your sales life when you have to sell different types of whiskies with totally different brand names and (of course) production volumes?

 Mr. Jorgen Andersson reply: 

That’s a million dollar question and I am not sure I am always keeping everyone happy. The most important thing from me is to understand the issue or need from the various stakeholders and to my utmost deliver a solution to those expectations. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t for various reasons but as long as you are honest, transparent and clear in your communication it seldom becomes a major issue.

I actually see our broad portfolio as a benefit as we, with our width and depth of portfolio, should be able to offer a solution to any market need. You just need to understand the market demand and what product or brand in our portfolio that is best suited to deliver on the expectation.

 

4.     I. Mallios: Bunnahabhain, Deanston, James Sedgwick, Tobermory. Different stories behind each distillery. Can you please provide us with the unique selling point of each? If it was that you needed to target once specific customer group (e.g. beginners, experienced, flavour profiles etc) where would each of the above belong to?      

 Mr. Jorgen Andersson reply: 

Well if I should keep it fairly short the key characteristics of each Distillery are:

• Bunnahabhain ,famous for making unpeated Malts whisky form Islay (Normally known for an area of peated whisky)
• Deanston, young distillery (first released whisky in 1974) – Entrepreneurial approach and willingness to challenge the conventions.
• Tobermory – One of the oldest distilleries in Scotland and the only distillery on the Island of Mull. We distil two whiskies, Ledaig that is peated and  Tobermory that is non peated
• James Sedgwick – The only commercial whisky distillery in Africa, producing award winning Malt whisky`s like Three Ships and the world’s best Grain Whisky Bain’s.

 Within each distillery we have a range of whisky’s offering that target various consumer depending on the style they are looking for on their journey to explore the world of whisky.

  

5.     I. Mallios: You also discussed about NAS during your presentation as well as the age statement. How easy is to sell a NAS whisky and what is your opinion about NAS? Are NAS here to stay of we will see them disappearing once Distilleries have enough “aged” supply to cover demand?

 Mr. Jorgen Andersson reply: 

That is hard to say but looking at the last years global growth trends in Scottish malt whisky I would say that NAS whiskies are here to stay but at what level or share of the category is hard to predict

 

6.     I. Mallios: We see whisky market as a booming market. Huge investment from Macallan, revivals for old Distilleries, new distilleries. What is your personal feeling, is this actually a booming market or just a bubble?

 Mr. Jorgen Andersson reply: 

Defining the malt category as a bubble would be a mistake, the category is for real and looking at the consumer trends in market especially in Northern Europe the consumer tends to drink less but better so I definitely see a positive future for Scottish Malt whisky

 

7.     I. Mallios: Talking about revivals and new Distilleries, pretty soon you will have newcomers and old-revivals on Islay. You will have Ardnahoe, Port Ellen, Gartbreck Elixir and possibly 1 more near Bridgend. How do you see your local competitors on Islay?

Mr. Jorgen Andersson reply: 

I only see this as positive, the new distilleries will create a further buzz on whisky`s from Islay and a healthy competition that we all will benefit from.

 

8.     I. Mallios: Talking about competitors and competition, can you please share or provide some information regarding Distell plans? Are we going to see Three Ships and Bain’s in Europe? Is there market and space for a South African Distillery in Europe and how you plan to compete with all those well-established brand names?

 Mr. Jorgen Andersson reply: 

Looking at how positive the markets has responded to Whisky form India, Japan and other “new market entries” I absolutely believe  there is an room for South African whisky as well. We are now introducing Bain’s as a first step and presenting the world best Grain whisky in our portfolio has gained very encouraging feedback so far from the markets.

 

9.     I. Mallios: I had to admit that it is not that easy to find a sales person actually helping so much and facilitating all these interviews without any obvious sales interest (as HMWS we are already familiar with your portfolio and we have also visited at least Bunnahabhain). That makes me think whether this is Jorgen Andersson who is an open and extrovert character, or this is Distell’s approach to new markets and clients. (or both). 

 Mr. Jorgen Andersson reply: 

That’s very kind of you, I am very fortunate to love what I do, and it helps having a portfolio which I am proud of representing.

 

10.  I. Mallios: I recall (hope I am correct) that you are not a fan of peated malts, you like better sherry influence and light aromas. Can you please provide us with your top 5 / top 10 whiskies? (no need to be Distell only)

 

Mr. Jorgen Andersson reply: 

Well you are not totally wrong but even though I personally enjoy Un peated Malt whiskies more, one of my best whisky moments was actually Ledaig 18YO (peated) one Thursday lunch in Port Ellen on Islay with some smoked cheese. That was a fantastic experience so who knows, I might eventually turn in to a peated whisky lover.

With regards to favourite whisky I don’t have a top 10 or even 5 list. The Whisky I enjoy the most frequently is Bunnahabhain 18YO and every now and then a dram of the last bottle of Tobermory 15Yo I have in the cellar.

[Uisge-Beatha]

Μπράβο @malliosκαι εδώ...

I would also like to thank Mr Andersson for his time and industry insights, I'm personal looking forward to be able to source Three Ships and Bains in the UK soon 

[sir mihas]

Διαβαζω με τη σειρα τα πονηματα του συμποτη μας και αποδιδω σεβασμο και απο αυτο το νημα

@mallios 

[Ρένα]

Thank you @mallios for your personal interest and for providing us these notable interviews, Mr Andersson was equally comprehensible as the other interlocutors in the previous interviews

after all....

In whisky we trust 

[DUCATI13]

Well done @mallios .