Bar boss denies barmen should push new drinks

The notion that bartenders should encourage consumers to try new drinks or trade up within categories has been dismissed by Grand Union managing director Adam Marshall.

Speaking to the drinks business at Grand Union’s latest venue in Farringdon, London, Marshall said it would be “arrogant” of his company to try to direct consumers towards new drinks.

“It’s not what Grand Union is about,” he said. “We get asked by spirit companies all the time to recommend different drinks to our customers, but we don’t want to come across as being an arrogant brand.

“We want to be easy-going and let people do what they want. We’re not going to force anyone, and we’re not even going to try to persuade anyone.

“If they want cocktails, we have a great list, if they want wines, we again have a great list.

“I see no point in trying to change the mind of a customer once they have placed their order.”

His views are in contrast to many spirits producers, who believe that the on-trade is the ideal platform for brand-building and pushing more top-end products to consumers.

Neil McDonald, brand director for malts at Chivas Brothers, recently told the drinks business: "The on-trade allows people to be introduced to great brands and displaying in bars allows exposure. The way the brand can be served can really enhance a brand experience. It can be infectious.”

Yet the strategy Marshall has adopted is evidently bearing fruit. The opening of the Farringdon site last week was the company’s 11th in London since the first venue opened in Camden in 2006. The 12th Grand Union is due to launch in the newly-revived area of Paddington Basin in April this year.

With plans for a raft of further London openings over the next couple of years, Marshall’s ultimate aim is to take the brand national.

He admits, however, that while it might be relatively easy to attract punters through the doors of new venues in the capital, opening in other cities across the country will provide a different challenge.

“Grand Union is very well established now in London and there are thousands of people who know about us and are our customers on a regular basis, so if we were to open up in the likes of Kensington or Crouch End we would hit the ground running.

“However, I also feel that by the time we get around to our national expansion plans, there will be quite a lot of people in cities such as Manchester, Bath, Leeds, Bristol and Nottingham who will know of Grand Union through having been to London themselves or having visited friends here.

“We’re not going to take big risks and will only go to places we will be recognised.”

See the March edition of the drinks business for a full profile of the Grand Union Group.

Alan Lodge, 15.02.2011