Become a Partner

If you are in the business of adult beverages, you know we are navigating through unprecedented times. These challenging yet transformative moments demand our attention. 

What does this mean? It is crucial to prioritize: 

* Trust 

* Reliable information 

* Well-designed strategy 

* A vision that extends beyond short-term sales objectives 

In today's competitive environment, ignoring these factors can result in losing ground to those who prioritize them, especially in adult beverage marketing. 

Execution remains critical, but execution alone is not enough. Understanding the broader market landscape—the 'lay of the land'—is equally vital, particularly if your goals include wine brand expansion and sustaining long-term growth. 

Earlier this week, I encountered a client frustrated by their inability to secure a key meeting. Instead of seeking to understand the challenges and adjusting their strategy, they reacted emotionally without asking questions or evaluating the situation. This kind of approach often leads to avoidable failures. 

The lesson is clear: Success today requires a relentless focus on customers—understanding where they are, what they need, and how to support them effectively. Customers are the only path forward in navigating the current industry landscape. 

Here are three guiding principles I emphasize when working with clients and their customers: 

1. Adopt a collaborative approach. 

Presenting what you offer without considering the customer’s ecosystem is shortsighted. Success requires integrating into their world, aligning with their priorities, and creating value together. If you don't, your competitors will. This is particularly important when you partner with wine brokers to ensure alignment. 

2. Build win–win–win outcomes. 

Too often, brands focus solely on their gain, neglecting that all stakeholders must benefit. True, sustainable success comes from creating aligned outcomes where the customer, the partner, and the brand all win. Collaboration is the foundation. 

3. Prioritize time compression. 

Time and money are the two primary commodities in business. Money can be replaced; time cannot. Strategic investments that accelerate speed-to-market and reduce execution barriers are invaluable. If your product or brand can achieve traction quickly, the return—in both revenue and momentum—multiplies. 

With over 40 years of experience in Consumer Packaged Goods and a deep understanding of consumer behavior, I offer much more than these three principles. That is why engaging with Curato Advisory Group and Preston-Layne & Partners, Inc. can make the difference between simply surviving and truly thriving in the adult beverages sector. 

The distinction is clear: survival depends on execution; growth relies on understanding ecosystems and building strategies that position you to excel. 

I welcome the opportunity to discuss how our team can help you navigate today’s challenges—and achieve sustainable success. 

Van Potts 

President 

Preston-Layne & Partners Inc 

+01 401.203.9463 

van@preston-layne.com

When we formed Preston-Layne & Partners, we knew we didn't want to be just another wine and spirits broker. Our vision was to partner with wine brokers and work collaboratively with our clients and customers to build the brands we chose to represent. 

Through these unique partnerships, we strive to gain share of mind in the marketplace for our brands. The key difference between us and other professional sales agents lies in our commitment to understanding your “30,000 ft” wants, needs, and desires for your adult beverage marketing strategy, ensuring that we align with your goals for wine brand expansion. It’s more than simply achieving a “case goal”; it’s about establishing a market management goal with objectives designed for long-term growth. 

Today, gaining share of mind in the marketplace and on consumers’ dinner tables is more challenging than ever. The landscape of adult beverage marketing has shifted with consolidations, enabling large corporations with substantial resources to enter the scene, often alongside businesses in unrelated sectors such as cannabis products. Large distributors manage numerous brands and a vast selection of wine and spirits while facing intense pressure to deliver cases, supported by a flurry of tools from big corporations focused on gaining “share of shelf” instead of promoting the unique qualities of wine or spirits. 

At Preston-Layne, we work closely with our partner wineries, distilleries, and distributors to expertly place, position, and market your lovingly crafted products. We are dedicated to creating the best opportunities for you to gain and maintain that crucial share of mind. Our goal is for your wine, winery, spirit, distillery, distributorship, shop, or restaurant—no matter how large or small—to thrive, because when you succeed, we succeed.