Small Batch Learning

Launching new products in mature categories is difficult. Sovereign Brands is taking up the challenge by making shelf impact a big part of its strategy, as seen with both Luc Belaire and Bumbu. Whether it’s getting noticed by new audiences who may not have looked at French sparkling wine before (Luc Belaire), or encouraging spiced rum fans to switch from their regular brand (Bumbu), Sovereign’s statement bottles are achieving the desired effect – growth – and we’re stoked to have partnered with Sovereign twice this year, to train retail staff how to convert this attention into sales. 👀 ➡️ 💰 Our focused lessons on Luc Belaire and Bumbu cover why both products stand out in their sub-categories – not just the bottles, but the liquids inside – and include talking points on the details that might draw in potential buyers (here’s one: Bumbu’s naked cork meaning it can be pulled out with your teeth!). 🏴☠️ 🎉 🤣 Thanks to Justin Strzadala for bringing the project to life, and facilitating personalised videos from Luc Belaire’s partner, US music producer Rick Ross, to include in the training. It demonstrates that all-important commitment to not only motivate the consumer when it comes to sales, but retail teams too! #retail #alcoholindustry #sparklingwine #rum #learninganddevelopment #spirits #retailmanagement #onlinetraining #elearning 

The weather’s hotting up and drinks shoppers are seeking out sun-busting refreshment or inspiration to fill the Esky. For store teams weighing up what to recommend, there’s more than a stack of options… Among them is this 4% abv ginger beer from James Squire – the brewer’s pitch to beer fans who don’t quite fancy a beer, and flavoured premix drinkers who feel like something a bit less sweet. James Squire is keeping its category-leading product front of mind for retail teams this summer with bite-size training on Small Batch Learning, sharing essential brand knowledge, selling points and tasting notes – everything store teams need to support a sale. Thanks to Haedeun Kim and Kaitlyn Hargans at Lion for building out the training (and rustling up very welcome 6-pack prizes for 300 lucky learners! 🎁 🙌 😃). #gingerbeer #brewing #alcoholicbeverages #retail #learninganddevelopment #productenablement #productknowledge

Spirits sales in decline? Fewer young shoppers interested in the category? Love seeing how brands are fighting back against this macro trend with new products. And love getting these products up on Small Batch Learning! Here are two approaches from Pernod Ricard in Australia… First, the arrival (on these shores) of Skrewball, the peanut butter flavoured whiskey from Skrewball Spirits that singlehandedly built the subcategory in the US. How many other whiskies can claim its equal split between male and female consumers? Quite an achievement, and definitely bringing new drinkers to the category. Second, the introduction of new 4.8% abv RTDs from Jameson Irish whiskey, in a smaller 330ml can format – to match consumption preferences among younger premix fans (drinkers who might not regularly choose whisky RTDs, let alone 700ml bottles of whisky). Getting store teams up to speed with the customer benefits and key selling points is crucial for product launches, so it’s great to see Pernod Ricard extend its presence on Small Batch Learning with these new lines. Thanks to Austin Vella, Alli Donaghy and Caitlin Vickers for getting this training live! #alcoholindustry #spirits #retail #alcoholretail #whisky #learninganddevelopment #stafftraining #productenablement #customerservice #productknowledge

Huge news… Dan Murphy's teams have just passed the 1 million milestone for completed lessons on Small Batch Learning. Not only that, the achievement happened the same week as Endeavour Group as a whole, including teams from BWS and ALH Hotels, clocked up a massive 2 million lessons! Just love it! We’re so impressed by the teams' long-term engagement with the platform, and their continued eagerness to learn. More stats? Ok! • Over 6,000 Dan Murphy’s team members are registered on Small Batch Learning • 274 registered Dan Murphy’s stores • 1600 active learners in any given month • 32 hours of lessons (covering everything from in-store activations to specific product training on wines, beers, spirits and premix)  • Dan’s team members have completed on average nearly 160 lessons each! And what a moment to hear the milestone being acknowledged by Dan Murphy’s MD Agnieszka Pfeiffer: “It’s such a cool platform, and a great way for our teams to engage in learning. I encourage all our managers to get your teams involved.”  Agi spoke with Amanda McPhillips from the Dan Murphy’s L&D team. Here’s Amanda’s take: “The million lesson milestone, and the fact many of our stores have got 100% of their team signed up, is a true testament that they just love the Small Batch style of training. It’s allowed our teams to feel more comfortable talking about and recommending products, and helps them give our customers that great Dan Murphy’s experience.” To celebrate, Amanda and Agi gave out a bunch of prizes, starting with the lucky learner who completed the actual one millionth lesson – that was Guy Waterbury from Dan Murphy’s Bundaberg. Well played! There were further individual awards for highly engaged team members (Michael Emmett, Sally Smith, Rachael Amy and Mark Goss), plus team awards for the most engaged stores in each Dan Murphy’s State Group: • WA/SA: Bicton • VIC/TAS: Sale • NSW/ASW: Leichhardt  • QLD: Brisbane Airport But congratulations goes out to all Endeavour teams, including from BWS and ALH, for reaching these huge milestones. Thank you from us, and… Keep learning! 👩💻📈👏 #retail #drinksindustry #stafftraining #learninganddevelopment #onlinetraining #wineandspirits #customerexperience #alcoholretail

Bladnoch Distillery is a storied whisky producer from the Scottish Lowlands, founded in 1817. It might not be a household name, but it is one of Scotland’s oldest surviving distilleries, and its single malt typifies the grassy, approachable Lowlands style. Vinaya is the distillery’s entry-level expression – at least in price terms – but still comes with a couple of treats for malt fans: a portion of the whisky is sherry-finished, adding chocolate and sweeter fruit notes, and it’s bottled at a voluminous 46.7% abv. We love getting lesser-known malts like Bladnoch on Small Batch Learning, broadening retail teams’ repertoire of recommendations to share with curious whisky shoppers, and helping single malt fans find their next favourite dram. Thanks to Katrina Altman at Iconic Beverages for collaborating on this training. 🥃 🤝 #singlemalt #whisky #retail #drinksbusiness #spirits #learninganddevelopment #stafftraining #productknowledge

Double Malt whisky from Archie Rose Distilling Co. is a bit different on a few levels. First of all, it’s a sub-$80 Australian whisky. No, hold on, a sub-$80 Australian MALT whisky. Next, it's a blend of whisky made from (homegrown) malted barley together with whisky made from (homegrown) malted rye. Malted rye is pretty unusual in the whisky-sphere (US rye whiskeys don't use malted rye). We also like that its recommended serve is a mix with grapefruit soda (though your more conventional cola or dry ginger mixers are very welcome too). Bourbon has such a hold over the Australian whisky market when it comes to simple mixed drinks. And Scotch single malt dominates the luxury sipping market. So it’s great to see a local distiller thinking differently about what whisky can be – and then investing in training to make sure retail teams across Australia understand that difference. How about that design, too?! 😍 👏 Thanks to Ellen Burrow Simon F. and Nick Baxter for bringing this to life. #whisky #spirits #retail #wineandspirits #learninganddevelopment #productknowledge #stafftraining #drinksretail #cocktails

Huge night for brands and drinks retail in Australia as Endeavour Group hosted its third annual Supplier of the Year Awards. As product training partner for Endeavour, we get to see how much effort goes into building these brands, so we love seeing them get recognition for their contribution to the business's growth. And we especially loved seeing our own brand partners from the last 12 months named as finalists or winners in so many of the award categories! Lion, Brown-Forman, Pernod Ricard Australia, Campari Group, Carlton & United Breweries, SouthTrade International, Australian Vintage, Moët Hennessy, Archie Rose Distilling Co., Heads of Noosa Brewing Co., Ampersand Projects, Fever-Tree, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners, Accolade Wines, Coopers Brewery, Treasury Premium Brands. Congratulations to all the winners and finalists 🤩 🥂 🏆

We like big bets and we will not lie! And we love helping brands amplify a thorough go-to-market strategy for major NPD events – as we have done for Lion, with its launch of Ultra Zero Carb beer. 🍻 😋 For the arrival of not one, but four new zero-carb SKUs, from four different brands in its stable, Lion partnered with Small Batch Learning to make sure retail teams were fully versed on the products and confident selling them in stores. From understanding functional benefits, to identifying the differences between brands and handling questions around flavour, our training makes sure Lion’s goal to grow Ultra Zero Carb into Australia’s new favourite beer sub-category is properly supported by frontline staff at its major channel partners. Even better, as a little thank you, all staff who completed the training get to order a free Ultra t-shirt from Lion! Sweet! 👕 🙋♀️ Thanks to Emily Page, Nathan Forde and Amy Roberts for collaborating on (and in some cases starring in!) the training, and partnering with us for such an important launch. #retailindustry #newproductdevelopment #beer #zerocarb #onlinetraining #productknowledge #productenablement #learninganddevelopment #onlinetraining

Welcome aboard to 1800 Tequila, from Proximo Spirits, which has launched on Small Batch Learning with two lessons to train retail teams all about its 100% agave blanco and anejo expressions – and how to sell them. Tequila feels very now. The category is continually attracting celebrity owners and seeing new brands, and all because of unstoppable growth in the USA. It’s even expected to outsell vodka – vodka! – in the American on-premise within another year. Details here https://lnkd.in/ePWqAXr7 That sales energy is touching Australian retail, too. From a small base, it’s taking shelf space from long-time shopper favourites such as gin. And crucially it’s getting most of that traction among younger shoppers (the demographic everyone wants to win). Among all this agave action, 1800 is an elder statesman. The name refers to the year the family behind the brand first tried putting tequila into oak barrels, 11 generations ago! So, no celebrity name to lean on, but a finely-tuned product (and a great price).  Thanks to Dana Jean Rodrigues and Andrew Theodosi for collaborating on the project. #tequila #agavespirits #retail #spiritsindustry #retailbusiness #learninganddevelopment #productknowledge

With Australian Father’s Day coming up this Sunday (September 1st) feels right to flag up one of our most recent brand arrivals – Penfolds Father. We’re thrilled to be working with Treasury Wine Estates on one of its premium brands, and loved building the lesson for a product that’s – let’s face it – not always front of mind either for retail teams or customers. With its name, this 10-year tawny (what the Australian’s call their port-style fortified wine) is of course being recommended as a great gift for dads. And with its opulent flavour profile, fine wine credentials, and handsome packaging, why not? Certainly a lighter alternative to whisky. But what was interesting going through the content-creation process with Penfolds international brand ambassador Jamie Sach, was the opportunity to recommend tawny to fans of sweeter drinks in other categories – hello liqueur drinkers. Here’s a few thoughts: Bailey’s – category leader in liqueurs – around A$46/bottle (700ml)  Chambord – berry-driven flavour, like port – around A$64 (700ml) Penfolds Father – with average 10 years age – around A$32 (750ml)  (Ignoring promo prices) Per 100ml serving, port also has about half the calories of Bailey’s – may be of interest to some regular Bailey’s drinkers. Of course port has struggled with the modern drinker – it’s not just sweet and fruity; it’s also tannic and heavy. Penfolds, however, do things a bit differently than Portuguese versions for their tawny, purposefully selecting softer, lower-tannin fruit at the start of the winemaking process. Our lesson suggests lots of alternative serving & pairing ideas beyond the same-old “port & cheese”. Here’s another one (inspired by, yes, what a lot of people like to do with Bailey’s): equal parts espresso and port, as an after dinner sipper. ☕ 🍷 😋 Thanks to Jamie Sachs, Lisa Perkins & Lisa Di Benedetto for helping bring this training to life. #onlinetraining #producttraining #fortifiedwine #wine #drinksindustry #customerexperience #customerservice #retail #coffee #stafftraining #learninganddevelopment