Sid Patel

Here’s my midweek drinks business insight 🍷 on “What Real Selling Looks Like for a Wine & Spirits Rep”. Everyone talks about “sales”… but very few actually understand what real selling looks like in wine & spirits. It’s not about taking orders on brands that already move. It’s about getting listed when no one knows you.
It’s about creating demand where there is none.
It’s about making a buyer believe your SKU will rotate. This post breaks down what real selling actually looks like for a wine & spirits rep — in the trade, on the floor, and inside buyer meetings. Here are 20 things to watch out and focus on when building a sales rep, sales team or your sales engine for your wine, beer or a spirits brand. If you are building a brand, this is the kind of sales team you need. #DrinksBusiness #WineIndustry #SpiritsIndustry #Sales #OnTrade OffTrade BeverageIndustry

Here is my this week’s drinks insight. Someone asked me on my last post “what would be the 9 things brands should have ready before signing a distributor”. Here you go. I will also do a follow up in the next one on budgets. As that was also a good question asked.

A good day 🥂🍺 #chicago

#chicago Some super meetings with #Sommeliers and #Bartenders today in the city🍸🍷

Tag your favourite distilleries and brands! 👇 Who deserves to be recognized at the 2027 London Spirits Competition? I think that spirits competitions are so fun and it's a great way to be globally recognized. The London Spirits Competition evaluates entrants on quality, value, and packaging. I’ve always admired thoughtful label design and eye candy on the shelf so I love that they are taking it into consideration. For my distillery and brand friends: Use code Julie10 for 10% off your registration entry. #whisky #wine #bourbon #scotch @londoncompetitions [ad]

Non-Alcoholic Spirit of the Year 2026🎖 And they're just getting started. @malvika.btn VP at @londoncompetitions , caught up with Hamilton Lowe, Co-Founder of @smilingwolfdrinks at @barconventlondon and this one hit differently. Hamilton made a point that we think every brand in the low and no space needs to hear. Until someone tastes your product, convincing them of quality is almost impossible. That's the wall every new non-alc brand hits. Winning London Spirits Competition broke that wall for Smiling Wolf. What's also fascinating is where Hamilton sees the category going next. Functional beverages are making their move into the sophisticated cocktail scene and that's new territory. For years functional drinks lived in the wellness aisle. Now they're on cocktail menus next to some of the best spirits in the world. Smiling Wolf sits right at that intersection, a non-alc botanical that takes the edge off while delivering a genuinely premium drinking experience. That's a hard thing to pull off and they've done it. Conversations like this are exactly why we come to these events. More of this on the floor at London Wine Fair, come find us 18–20 May. 🇬🇧 London Competition 2027 entries are now open. If your product deserves to be recognised, this is your moment. Link in bio. 🥃 @sidpatelbtn | @beveragetradenetwork

Winning in Singapore 🇸🇬🍷 . What does it really take for wine brands to succeed in one of Asia’s most dynamic and competitive wine markets? In this episode, I chat with Richard Hemming MW — judge at Asia Wine Ratings (Asia Ratings), current Head of Creative, Asia at JancisRobinson.com, and formerly Head of Wine, APAC for 67 Pall Mall — to discuss: • The realities of selling wine in Singapore • How Asian consumers are evolving • Why storytelling and positioning matter more than ever • The future of premium wine in Asia Richard Hemming MW is a Singapore-based Master of Wine, wine writer, educator, and consultant with extensive experience across the Asian wine trade. As Head of Creative, Asia at JancisRobinson.com, he plays a key role in shaping wine communication and education across the region. Previously Head of Wine, APAC for 67 Pall Mall, Richard is widely respected for his commercial understanding of Asia’s evolving wine market and his ability to connect producers with the realities of consumer behavior and trade dynamics across the region. A must-watch conversation for wineries, importers, and drinks professionals looking to grow across Asia. Full video link is in the story. @asiaratings @richardhemming @beveragetradenetwork #AsiaWineRatings #RichardHemmingMW #SingaporeWine #WineBusiness #AsianWineMarket #WineIndustry #WineMarketing #MasterOfWine #WineTrade

Chamando todos os entusiastas de bebida! @londoncompetitions @sidpatelbtn #whiskey #whisky #competition #drinks #reels

Entries for the London Competitions 2027 are now OPEN. If your wine, spirit, or beer deserves shelf space, back bar attention, and main character energy - this is your sign to enter. Register via: 🍷londonwinecompetition.com 🍸londonspiritscompetition.com 🍺londonbeercompetition.com Coming to London Wine Fair? Catch us there from 18-20 May and submit your entries at the show to save those shipping costs. Also yes - Super Early Bird pricing is live right now, so this is basically the smartest time to enter. Head to link in our bio to register! @sidpatelbtn | @beveragetradenetwork

Read & Swipe ⏮️‼️ . Small brands. Big flavors. Real passion. 🥃 . I’ve been lucky to discover some incredible craft spirits — and I want more people to know about them. That’s the whole reason I said yes to partnering with USA Spirits Ratings 2026. Swipe through to see what’s caught my eye lately. And if you’re a craft distillery ready to take the next step — registration closes May 22. Go for it. 🙌 . #usaspiritsratings #craftspiritslovers #supportsmalldistilleries #armandrinksss

Another fantastic moment from the floor at Bar Convent London 🍸 Sam and Anna caught up with the team behind Salicorn London Dry Gin by Dioscuri S.r.l., fresh off their big win at the London Spirits Competition 2026. Their excitement around the recognition - and the kind words they shared about the competition - truly made the conversation special. Their beautifully crafted Italian gin took home a Gold Medal with 92 points, impressing judges with its distinctive profile of fennel, juniper, liquorice, and a smooth, coastal-inspired finish. 📍Meet the team at Stand GG-24 at BCB London. 👏 Give the team a well-deserved congratulations below. @londoncompetitions | @beveragetradenetwork

Big wins for Mallorca Distillery at the London Spirits Competition 2026 🍸 While speaking with the team at Bar Convent London, you could truly feel the excitement around their results this year and rightly so. Their standout performer, Palma Vodka, took home an incredible Double Gold with 97 points and was also named Spirit of the Year Spain. Alongside that, the distillery also secured multiple medals across its gin range, including Gold and Silver wins for Palma Citrus Gin, Palma Gin, Palma Rosé Gin, Palma Monastrell Gin, and Palma Spiced Gin. It’s always great seeing brands use these wins not just as recognition, but as momentum for what comes next. 📍Meet them at Stand QS7 at BCB London. 👏 Drop a congratulations for the team below and show them some love. @mallorcadistillery | @jbeimports | @londoncompetitions | @beveragetradenetwork