LEADERSHIP & STRATEGY
a mandate to : “ Build the Mega Brands of Tomorrow , Today .”
The Bogart Spirits partnership is the perfect marriage , de Klerk says , as ROK ’ s liquor market know-how and clout is matched by the worldwide recognition of Bogart ’ s image . And yet he is aware that “ quality is paramount ,” as sell-through is key to the effort to build a successful liquor brand . “ Many people will pick up a Bogart bottle , but they ’ ll only pick up their second bottle if they loved drinking the first one ,” de Klerk says , “ and that is why we have invested in our own craft distillery helmed by a master distiller .” A three-tier distribution system , paired with state-by-state registration , means that launching a nationwide liquor brand in the US can take some time . However , Bogart Spirits is off to a very fast start . Bogart ’ s is already available in big box retailers in its home state of California , has just partnered with one of the nation ’ s largest distributors in Humphrey Bogart ’ s birthplace of New York , and has signed distribution agreements in states ranging from Colorado to Louisiana just in the first month of 2018 . It seems de Klerk is well on his way to delivering on his promise that “ the majority of Americans will be able to get their hands on a bottle of Bogart ’ s in 2018 .” The rest of the world may also not be three drinks behind for much longer , because de Klerk explained that Bogart Spirits fields regular distribution inquiries “ ranging from Brazil to Australia to Japan to Italy ”.
As for price , the Bogart Estate was resolute from the outset that their product would sit in what de Klerk characterizes as “ affordable luxury .” Bogart ’ s Gin , Rum , Vodka , and Whiskey are retailing at prices that are neither cheap nor extortionate , and this perfectly captures the man whose image is on the bottles .
“ Humphrey Bogart was someone who looked like , sounded like and came across like an average guy made good ,” beams de Klerk . “ Despite his upper-class New York roots , he was never snobbish , he was never elitist and it was important to him that everything he did was accessible to everyone . He would not have been the guy to put his name on a $ 100 bottle of liquor , so that ’ s not what we want to do either .”
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