Javier Marín & Toni Gila – BeDrinks, 5 years working with Pityusic Island hotel owners

Since Bedrinks was launched in 2015, the drinks distribution company for the hospitality sector  has been on an impressive journey. Bedrinks was initially known for its work as a distributor of soft drinks, beer, and other products for the hospitality sector in Ibiza. However, over the past three years the company has focused on creating a varied and select portfolio of wines with exclusive distribution rights for luxury brands such as the Moet Hennessy group, among others. Bedrinks stands out for one thing in particular: the consultation service it provides to all its clients. Toni Gila (sales director) and Javier Marín (general manager) share the latest news from Bedrinks, which now also has a base in Formentera. 

 

What would you say are the highlights from Bedrinks’ five-year history? 
We’d highlight the huge evolution the company has experienced; despite being just 5 years old it’s one of the most important drinks distribution companies on the island. Although we’re a young company, we can boast of having over 250 years’ experience in the sector thanks to our 20-person sales team, which is split into two teams that specialise by product and client profile.

“We offer a new distribution model based on total dedication to the client”

What would you say makes Bedrinks different?
We focus on developing categories, such as wines and spirits, and strengthening commercialization by training our teams and our clients. Another difference is that, compared to other companies on the island with a longer track-record than us, our sales team is young and very enthusiastic. We’ve tried to find new work and client consultation formulas, adapt ourselves and be flexible to new business models that emerge on the islands, focus on business consultation services, provide added value and act like a ‘partner’ to our clients, not just a distributor.

“We want to add value and act like a ‘partner’ to our clients, not just a distributor”

How many items are in the Bedrinks catalogue and which are the best-selling categories?
Our portfolio has over 3,000 items. Sales of categories such as spirits, wine and champagne represent 75% of our sales. 

What added value does the Bedrinks wine catalogue provide?

The main added value we aim to provide is bringing over new, top class wines that aren’t currently distributed on the islands so they can have a presence on the wine lists of clients in Ibiza and Formentera. It means we can let people discover new producers and excellent wines both from Spain and overseas. We want people to explore the wide range of producers and brands that are available in the market.

And what about spirits?
In the spirits category, our team is backed by the main gin, rum, vodka, and whisky brands, plus other types of spirits; their brand ambassadors provide top level training and organise endless events and brand activation campaigns to boost sales for all our clients.

Showroom  © ffmag

What brands do you have in your catalogue?
We’re official distributors for the Heineken Group in the beer category, Cafés Baqué, Vichy Catalán, Grupo Pascual, and leading brands in the spirits category such as Maxxium, Diageo, Global Premium Brands, Wkyregal... We’re also exclusive distributor for the Moet Hennessy Group (Moet & Chandon, Veuve Clicquot, Ruinart, Krug, Dom Perignon, national wines such as Numanthia, from the Toro denomination of origin, and New World wines, including Argentine wines such as Terrazas de los Andes or New Zealand whites such as Cloudy Bay.) In terms of spirits, we have Glenmorangie whisky, Hennessy cognac, Vodka Belvedere and a new brand, tequila from the ‘Volcán de Mi Tierra’ distillery. We’re also official distributors of Primeras Marcas which includes champagne house Louis Roederer, its Domaines Ott winery in Provence, Spanish wines such as Pujanza, Anima Negra, Viña Sastre, Fernando de Castilla and international wines, including Louis Latour, Chapoutier, Gaja, Livio Felluga and a wide range of wines by the great châteaux in Bordeaux.

Which Spanish wines would you highlight from your portfolio?
We like to highlight Spanish wines such as Abadía Retuerta, Artadi, Grupo Chivite, Baigorri, Gran Bazán, Do Ferreiro, Cillar de Silos, Godeval, Javier Sanz, Pago de Arínzano, Gómez Cruzado, Vega Sicilia, among many others.

What type of campaigns do you run to boost sales of your clients’ products?
We have a showroom at our facilities for wine-tasting events, training sessions and master classes. We also collaborate in lots of brand activation projects with our clients, and participate in local events, activities in our own show rooms, our yearly BEday event, food events related to the sector, We Are Facefood, sporting and musical events... To be honest, we never stop!

“We hold wine-tasting events, training sessions and master classes at our facilities. We also collaborate on lots of brand activation projects with our clients”

And now you also have a Bedrinks headquarters in Formentera. 
Yes, by opening a base in Formentera we wanted to strengthen our position on the island in recognition of the level of food there and the great potential of its hotel sector. We’ve been working on the island since 2017; the purpose of opening the new headquarters is to provide a better distribution service, be more consistent during the week and guarantee immediate availability of products for clients, totally adapting to their needs.