“The other thing that we’re able to do with the technology is extract different layers of flavor than other people are extracting right now,” he said. He cited the challenge of finding fresh juniper berries - hard to find in a market set up for dried berries used in gin. The past four years have yielded significant learnings on how to work with fresh ingredients - the company does not use flavorings, extracts or concentrates - that have encouraged Eberhardt to push further into bold flavor experiments, some of which require going further downstream in the supply chain. “We’re picking our spots for where we think we have a really strong brand voice and perspective, but going to also create it for others,” he said.Īs for what may come out of Hoplark Labs, Eberhardt said to expect drinks featuring “real ingredients brewed with craft techniques,” and created with patented tech IP and applications. The Hoplark brand will continue to run its own R&D department, but there will be some “overlap” between the two organizations, and Eberhardt didn’t rule out Hoplark Labs developing a product that “gets reinserted back” into its eponymous brand. Though the two subsidiaries will share the same parent company and ownership, he explained that Hoplark Labs plans to create its own brands and products in other beverage categories that will “probably” be separate from the Hoplark brand, in addition to designing and creating beverages for clients. In Eberhardt’s new role, creating “distractions” is unlikely to be an issue. “That cultural separation allows for, most importantly, the Hoplark brand to really finds its identity and lose a bit of some distracting elements of trying all the stuff that we try and different things that have been going on and really focus directly on this incredible market opportunity,” he said. But he also acknowledged that his “desire to push the envelope on stuff might be a bit distracting.” At the same time, promoting Frost, who joined the company in May, to the top job brings operational expertise at a time when Hoplark is doing “way more than we’ve ever done,” including onboarding 3,000 new doors in an eight-month period.Įberhardt will remain in his executive chairman role at Hoplark and continue to “support the team at the executive level and at the innovation level,” as well as tinkering with process engineering as needed. Over the years, Hoplark has built its identity around creative flavors, unique label designs and limited edition varieties like its “explorer” series, and Eberhardt remains committed to those as foundational elements. “It’s not a normal thing to do four and a half years into a crazy beverage startup, but I think it’s the right thing - clearly the right thing for me and I think clearly the right thing for the company.” “It’s a super exciting thing for me because it’s really my core passion and the thing I love more than anything,” Eberhart said.
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