Deutsch Family Wine & Spirits, a leading importer and marketer of wines and spirits, has unveiled a new framework for its marketing department that’s designed to better meet the needs of consumers, retailers, and distributors. The department will now be organized into three specialized areas—consumer, commercial, and innovation—with new leadership across these three business units to support ambitious corporate and brand-building objectives in the coming years. Moving forward, the consumer team will lead all consumer marketing communications, creative, and other activities, while the commercial marketing team will be responsible for all distributor, retail, and on-premise tools and activities. The innovation team will lead all new product creation and development.
“These changes reflect our obsession with becoming the foremost brand builders in our industry,” said Tom Steffanci, president of Deutsch Family Wine & Spirits. “Greater marketing specialization will enable our marketing teams to develop true expertise in serving the needs of each tier and channel of our industry, ultimately delighting our consumers.”
Along with the organizational shifts, Deutsch Family has announced newly appointed internal leaders to support the relevant divisions:
• Dan Kleinman, who joined the company in 2017, has been promoted to chief brand officer. Kleinman previously managed Josh Cellars, [ yellow tail ], and several other wines while also overseeing consumer insights, marketing services, and public relations. In his new role, Kleinman will lead the consumer marketing team, which is responsible for driving consumer-focused marketing and PR campaigns and activations. In addition to the brands previously under Kleinman’s purview including Josh Cellars, Josh Cellars Reserve, [ yellow tail ], and The Crossings, he now leads the company’s spirits portfolio—Redemption Whiskey, Cantera Negra tequila, Gray Whale Gin, and Bib & Tucker Bourbon—as well as consumer-oriented wines The Calling, Force & Grace, and Honest Thief. He will maintain responsibility for PR and consumer insights.
• Susan Kilgore, who has been with the company since 2011, has been promoted to senior vice president of commercial marketing and is now leading all channel programming and the management of our commercial brands. Kilgore will lead all aspects of commercial-facing marketing, including advocacy, marketing services, distribution management, and trade programming. Her team will concentrate on developing and executing trade programs that will help scale brands faster. In doing so, the company is shifting from a regional marketing approach to a channel marketing approach. Deutsch Family’s commercial brands include Beau Joie Champagne, Cave de Lugny, Clos de los Siete, Fleurs de Prairie, Barone Fini, Layer Cake, Villa Pozzi, Girard, Quinta do Vale Meao, Hob Nob, Sauvion, Luksusowa Vodka, and Masterson’s Rye.
• Renato Reyes, chief strategy and growth officer, will now lead all brand innovation in addition to his existing responsibilities managing the organization’s strategy and acquisition activities. In his expanded role, Reyes oversees the development of all new products and brands for Deutsch Family, a responsibility he is familiar with already, having been the chief marketing officer for Deutsch Family from 2010 to 2018. Reyes’ team will concentrate on innovation aimed at better meeting the needs and desires of modern consumers.
