MSA Pure Spirits 2018 Q2 - 40

its, which has allowed us to carry products not found
in most grocery chains. We are aiming squarely at an
experience you would more likely see in a fine wine/
spirits shop, where you will see displays with cocktail
ideas and a spirit mixer section that is one of the best
in the industry. Rather than several feet of bottles
lined up on the shelf, you'll see interactive displays
and new fixtures that invite you to walk our floor and
build cocktail ideas for your next occasion.
What do you do at Meijer?
Currently the wine and spirits buyer, building the
strategies that support our vision to be the best spirits retailer in the Midwest.
What do you enjoy about the job?
Meijer as a company has a great entrepreneurial
spirit. I don't face the roadblocks many do in the industry when it comes to scaling a great idea quickly.
The company culture allows us to take risks and move
fast, keeping the customer first in all of our decisions.
As a family company, our strength is our people and
the family culture. Meijer's entrepreneurial freedom
and the great group of people we work with every day
to build our business are the two things I enjoy most.

40 PURE SPIRITS

COURTESY OF JOHN BOGEMA

Jon Bogema, Wine and Spirits Buyer, Meijer

What do you enjoy about the industry?
For such a large industry, it feels small. Our supplier and distributor community are terrific partners for
us. You can build great relationships in this industry
with the people involved.
What are the current industry trends and how do
you keep up with them?
I feel like the spirits industry has gone from zero to
60 in just the last couple of years. The growth of whiskey, craft spirits and mixology have taken off. We've
kept up by adding space, assortment and clear floor
layouts to bring these ideas to life. If a retailer hasn't
significantly increased their space, they can't keep up
with the customer demands for more products, especially the premium spirits.
Are there trends that you are especially excited
about? Any you don't particularly like?
We think helping the customer to create great,
simple drinks is very exciting. We want to help our
customers create really fun new drinks for the next
occasion. We are excited to move beyond selling them
that fifth of vodka to building great drinks for their occasions with new mixers, garnishes and to be able to
do it all easily.
While we see the message of responsible drinking
improving, we have no interest in trends or products
that we feel emphasize the overuse of alcohol. We will
purposely walk away from any product that doesn't
meet that test.
Have you seen changes in what your customers
are looking for and in their knowledge of beer, wine
and spirits?
Technology is breaking down many of the walls in
educating the customer, and we are moving quickly to
ensure we can provide that information for them. We
realize that customers can educate themselves very
quickly while standing on our sales floor, and we want
to ensure they can get what they need in that moment.
Are there some recommendations you find yourself making often to customers?
We really emphasize for people to try new things
and have fun doing it. Our premium minibar section of
small sizes allows the customer to try new spirits easily and at a much lower cost. Many of our spirit mixer
drink solutions are easy and fun to try.
What's your favorite spirit?
Just like our customers, I'm in a phase where trying
new bourbons is a lot of fun. The category has exploded,
and there are so many great new products out there. I'm
also fascinated by the explosion of local craft spirits and
the stories of the entrepreneurs behind them.

MSA Pure Spirits 2018 Q2

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