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Going from strategy to action isn’t always as smooth ride. Especially when it comes to making major sustainability-changes in an organization. But for Vanessa Wright, Group VP Sustainability & Responsibility at Pernod Ricard, making a real difference has been a strong driving force to getting people enthusiastic about reaching the ambitious goals. And the road was in fact less bumpy than anticipated.

You’ve been heading the Sustainability work for Pernod Ricard since 2017. How has your work changed in during this time?

–  A lot, I’d say. When I joined the team at HQ, progress had already been made on some key sustainability issues. Responsible consumption was a key focus then and there was also a 2020 environmental roadmap in place. However, I thought that a more comprehensive strategy for a broader scope of our sustainability work was missing, so that was what I wanted to start with. In order to do that, I first had to do due diligence on better understanding the material issues of the business, followed by articulating the vision and then building a strategy so that the entire organization felt onboarded and included. For me, involving all parts of the business and getting engagement and support from all levels was fundamental in making such big changes. In April last year, we launched our strategic 10-year plan – our 2030 S&R Good Times from a Good Place roadmap – a strategy that addresses every aspect of our business from grain to glass.  So now our focus is on making the strategy come alive. From an outside perspective of the organization the whole view of sustainability has also changed a lot. It’s gone from being in the philanthropy box to being fully embedded in the business s. The level of maturity has increased and with that comes the notion to address broader topics.

What was most important when you started?

– Responsible drinking was the key focus in 2017. Today, all our four pillars (Nurturing Terroir, Valuing People, Circular Making and Responsible Hosting) are equally important. But key for us is of course terroir – all our products come from nature and are rooted in the countries where they originate from. So, it’s very important that we maintain and build good relationships with all the farmers and producers we work with and that we nurture nature and its ecosystems. Otherwise we simply won’t have a business for the future.

Corona, climate and changing the world: how do you see that the industry and business must change in order to help create a new, more sustainable society?

–  I think it’s a matter of looking at the bigger picture. Nature, climate and people are all interlinked. That means we must strengthen what we rely on. Conviviality is all about sharing and that goes beyond people. We need to take social responsibility and do what we can to help, both during this imminent crisis, but also in the longer run. Sustainability takes forever and that’s the point. We need to balance all elements, from raw materials to finished product. From people to business.

We need to balance all elements, from raw materials to finished product. From people to business.

2025 is an important year for Pernod Ricard in terms of sustainability, with some high set goals: 100% recyclable, compostable, reusable, or bio-based packaging and no single-use plastic in point-of-sale materials. How will this be achieved?

–  By hard work and a change of our mindset. By exploring different materials, by altering our marketing briefs to our agencies so that including eco-design principles is mandatory in execution. By working even closer with all our suppliers on how we, as a joint team, we can reach even further. And by making sure all our affiliates adhere to our guidelines. And by investing in innovations that we’ll enable us to impose change quicker.

Good Times from a Good Place is an initiative to be fully implemented by 2030, from what I understand. What can you tell me about this ambitious program?

– Our roadmap is for 10 years, so most of our targets are 2030 but some are 2025. However, we need to go step by step on this journey with our affiliates so that we help each other and learn collectively.  We’re all in this together and it is a long-term plan, fully aligned with the UN SDGs global agenda and timeline as well. The strategy was built like a pyramid, where the bottom is the fundamentals, the middle is more focused on business strategies and the top the most ambitious, where areas of leadership is addressed. The framework is key to ensuring that we all work in a consistent way towards the same goals.

What motivates you?

– I loved my job in communications. It was interesting, it was varied, I got to travel the world and do extraordinary things. But when I got the opportunity to take on this role, I felt a strong calling to be able to make a real difference. We are lucky at Pernod Ricard, we’ve got a young CEO (Alexandre Ricard, editors note) with his name on the door and that, for me, ensures a long-term commitment and a continuation of a great legacy started by his grandfather. We’re doing something valuable and that’s something I feel very passionate about. It feels good to do something that matters, driving change and working with others to achieve it.

It feels good to do something that matters, driving change and working with others to achieve it

What do you consider your biggest achievement so far?

– Launching the Good Times from a Good Place strategy. We’re a small team in a large, global organization and I’m very proud of the way we’ve galvanized our affiliates internationally and engaged them to build and drive their own local actions. Only eight weeks after launching the strategy, some 76 percent of the people working at Pernod Ricard said they were aware of the new strategy. The awareness of the importance of what we’re doing is very high and we’re also started to be seen as global leaders in within the industry.

Which sustainability issue is closest to your heart?

– All our four pillars are equally important, but for me, terroir is the closest to my heart. I am a scuba diver, so I have very strong affiliations with nature. I’ve seen the negative impact on our oceans firsthand, and that really motivates me to make a change. At Pernod Ricard all our products come from nature and I think this is a very important topic for us to address and help improve globally – nature, people and climate are all linked.

Reconsider, redo and always rethink what you do. Those three mantras can perhaps summarize Absolut’s CEO Anna Malmhake’s view on how to stay on top in an industry where traditions and heritage constantly must be balanced against having the courage to stick your neck out and take a stand. We had the opportunity to sit down with her and talk about the importance of innovation, how to best nurture a centuries old cultural heritage and why you no longer need to go to New York to know what the next big food trend will be.

You have worked for Absolut previously, but was away on another assignment within Pernod Ricard for a few years. What has been most fun and challenging so far?

–  I would say globalization. To me, it’s a privilege to so often to be able to meet and interact with people I would never have come into contact with otherwise – both inside and outside of the company and the group. But of course, there are also some challenges due to us being present at so many diverse markets at the same time. As a company, we’re always at different phases on different markets, which is something we always need to take into careful considerations. In some markets, we are a clear challenger, while we are the leading brand and mature in others.

To me, it’s a privilege to so often to be able to meet and interact with people I would never have come into contact with otherwise

In which ways have TACs developed itself to keep up with innovation, globalization and digitalization that have been the driving trends lately?

– We’ve always had to realize that we must be agile. When we started exporting Absolut Vodka in 1979, we were the “underdog” in the market. We had no experience of exporting – Vin and Sprit, which previously had a monopoly, was a fully state-owned company operating solely in Sweden. So, we had no established distributors overseas. We had no experience in markets where alcohol advertising was allowed. We were the challengers, simply, and meant we always had to think like challengers. It made us entrepreneurs. Later, when we had transitioned into market leaders in the US, we were still new to other markets at the same time – so the culture of being fast-paced and entrepreneurial lies in our DNA.

How do you and TAC act to create and maintain an open and inclusive organization?

–  I think it’s about having a good balance. For a while everyone said it was cool and good to fail. But it is not at all always cool to fail; there is a big difference between for example failing because you did not spend enough time and effort or failing because there were unknown factors you couldn’t have foreseen before you started. When you do fail because of something unknown and you learn something – great! What you learn from that situation can probably be applied to lots of projects in the future. In an organization as big as TAC, there is room for several different types of entrepreneurship and innovations. We have those who like to sit by themselves and twist and turn a problem, throwing a solid solution on my table later. Then there are intrapreneurs who love the power and collaboration opportunities that exist in large companies. Absolut art.com is a good example of this type of intrapreneurial initiative. Here you have all the power from TAC summoned behind an initiative – with financial muscles and amazing contacts in many countries – but the project is run by a small group of committed and initiated people who themselves have a mandate to influence, in an entrepreneurial way, everything they do and want to do.

Is development constantly required or are there still some old truths that always apply?

–  I’m very conservative with everything that has to do with safety in product development, manufacturing and transport, for example”. I think it’s great to be able to lean on practices that have been tested and evaluated for a long period of time. However, there are always people in the organization who are a little more uncomfortable with innovation, but you have to remember that within such a large company as TAC there are a lot of positions where this is considered a strength. Not everyone needs to be creative or innovative.

What do you think TAC’s Swedish heritage means for how you act when it comes to innovation?

– I am convinced that Sweden’s long and successful engineering tradition is very important. It’s always been at the forefront of finding new and creative ways of doing things. We are used to rolling up our sleeves when it comes problem solving. There are, among other things, clear examples of this in our own industry’s history. When Eva de la Gardie came up with how to make vodka on potatoes and was elected to the Academy of Sciences, or when L.O. Smith presented the best way to make absolutely pure alcohol in Paris 1878. What he created back then has over decades become the company we are today. Our industrial heritage is deeply rooted in the values of our company.

When Eva de la Gardie came up with how to make vodka on potatoes and was elected to the Academy of Sciences, or when L.O. Smith presented the best way to make absolutely pure alcohol in Paris 1878

What other innovative companies or entrepreneurs inspire you?

– Many of the companies I am inspired by are in a completely different place or sector compared to TAC. They’re usually smaller and more highly specialized. For example, I am very impressed by a L.A based company called Wave. I met the founders in February and was completely fascinated by their product. They do virtual concerts. What was most inspiring was that they, themselves, fully understood the power of their product. Their unique selling point revolves around design and creativity of what they do. Their approach to building and producing concerts and making them accessible – it is so much more than simply just another virtual experience. They work with creating different types of worlds, tailored for the musician and the music being played. For me, it was very visionary – not just the technology itself, because I’ve seen it before – but how they use and build around it. It is the kind of company inspires me very much.

How do you and TAC work to avoid being blamed for different types of communicative “washings”?

– When you are as big as we are, it is inevitable that sometimes people disagree with what you do or say. And as we sometimes talk about issues that are sensitive to some – LGBT rights for example – sometimes people assume we use do this for some kind of opportunistic reason only. But the truth is – all things we talk about are in our heritage and in the brand DNA. Of course, there are “trends” in which issues that are currently on the agenda. If you don’t genuinely have an authentic point of view or commitment to a particular question, it is better to stay away. After all, brands have no general public mission to work with activism. There are plenty of things that are right or worth fighting for, which is nevertheless inappropriate for us as a company or brand to begin to communicate around.

Which values do you think TAC brings to the table?

– First of all, I think Absolut vodka is an excellent product. Of course, alcohol has its pros and cons like everything on earth, but I genuinely think the world is a better place when people have the opportunity to go out and have a drink with their friends. I’m convinced that we can contribute a lot to Sweden’s reputation and how us Swedes are being perceived, as we at TAC are so international. Especially within the world of foods and drinks. TAC is a company that demonstrates that you can create a strong, idea-driven world around a brand that can live through the centuries. We show that communication can be both contemporary and relevant, but in a timeless manner: We’re timeless in a timely way, as my colleague Ann Mukherjee who is CEO in the US, so nicely puts it.

TAC is a company that demonstrates that you can create a strong, idea-driven world around a brand that can live through the centuries

What do you see as your greatest opportunities going forward?

– A continued globalization is a huge opportunity for us. There are countries where we are beginners as a brand, where we have a great opportunity to talk through our products. We have been working in “stealth mode” for a long time with things that are very important and valued today: environment, sustainability, ethical business, communities and partners. These are all subjects that are becoming increasingly relevant and modern in all markets. We know that we are at the forefront in many areas here in Sweden, but the world is catching up.

And the biggest challenges?

– It is extremely important to know what is really relevant to people in different countries and it is obviously difficult to constantly keep track of it. It’s not possible for us to just sit in Stockholm and think that it is the center of the world and that all external monitoring can be done from HQ in Liljeholmen, Stockholm. Sweden is not the whole world and it is easy to overestimate what we have here on our home turf and believe that it is the benchmark for everything.

For many, at least in Sweden, Absolut has a strong connection to our cultural heritage. How is that reflected in TAC:s business?

– We are always very attentive to the fact that we are the heirs to the entire Swedish aquavit heritage. After all, LO Smith’s creation did evolve into State-owned Vin & Sprit, which was then sold off and became TAC. I think it’s an interesting circle that has been closed – that the company that was created to make absolutely pure spirits then became The Absolut Company. And given that Vin & Sprit was a monopoly in Sweden for decades, we are now sitting on the whole cultural heritage, which we care for and nourish very tenderly with the help of our archivist Lovisa. Among many things, we have a fully functional distillery from the 1920’s. Talk about cultural heritage! It’s also visible in our products. Take Åhus Akvavit for example, here, we’ve worked with Swedish craft throughout the product. Absolut was also the company that started and led the trend with flavored vodka and it ties back to our history with aquavit – pure spirits with added flavors. We find lots of inspiration for our products in the unique heritage that we have access to.

What impact does Swedish food and beverage heritage have on your business?

– It has a huge impact! We have amazing flavors and ingredients here in Sweden that’s also greatly appreciated internationally. And we have fantastic chefs and restauranteurs who know how to make the best of the best. This means that we have a unique situation when it comes to product development. Our team in Åhus have access to our entire cultural heritage and then add to that the fact that we have a domestic gastronomy that can give us fantastic inspiration about what is happening here and now. Today we have access to so many talented and creative people close to us. In the 1980’s and 1990’s, it was obvious that you had to go to New York or London to learn from the top chefs and foodies. But that’s simply not the case anymore. Today we have everything right here at home and people comes to us instead. Working with Swedish food and drink today is incredibly fun and rewarding. We’re also avid supporters of Swedish gastronomy through our initiative Tomorrow´s Table.

What do you look forward to the most if you gaze into the future?

– To see the continuation of developments on the US market. With Ann Mukherjee coming in, I’m sure a lot of exciting things will happen. She is exceptional when it comes to product marketing. I think a good example of this is that campaigns such as SexResponsibly have already been launched. It’s a more challenging way of communicating than what’ve done in a long time in the US, but the reactions from consumers has been very positive. It will be fun to see how we can continue down this chosen path. I generally think that we recently have done things that are more in line with what we used to do historically, where we dared to take a stand and stick our chin out way more often. I look forward to doing more of this in the future. My vision is for TAC is to become Northern Europe’s most innovative company and for Absolut vodka to become the largest spirits brand in the world. We will achieve this within the next 15 years. I am sure of that.

My vision is for TAC is to become Northern Europe’s most innovative company and for Absolut vodka to become the largest spirits brand in the world

Paul Ricard had a motto to “make a friend every day” which is still a guiding principle within the group. What is your best practice for achieving this?

– If you are curious, it is easy to make friends! This can be exemplified by realizing that this chef you just met at a restaurant probably knows a lot of things I don’t know, and that I can learn something. Or that the bar owner I meet knows a lot about what it’s like to start a new business and work at this particular place. For me, it’s important to try and absorb all the knowledge that is around me all the time. Regardless if it’s while traveling or back home at the office. And when you listen to people, learn from them and share your own knowledge – then you make friends.

If you weren’t the CEO for TAC, what alternative career do you wish you would have pursued?

– I probably would have wanted to become an engineer. Astrophysicists for example – but of course it is only a daydream that I would be sufficiently talented for that kind of work.

This is an interview series where several members of TAC’s management team will participate. Next in line is Vice President of Corporate Affairs & Communications Paula Eriksson. What question would you like to ask her?

– Wow, how fun. Then I wonder how Paula Eriksson would describe that people outside the organization is viewing TAC today? I’m sure she can give a good answer to that.

Desperate times call for desperate measures, or so they say. And for Ann Mukherjee, Chairman and CEO for Pernod Ricard North America, business in the US, as well as in the rest of the world, is indeed looking grave at the moment. But if you manage to gaze beyond the current corona-crisis, there’s brighter times ahead. We had a chat with her on all the great things she’s bringing to the table at Pernod Ricard, but also on some of the challenges of being a noob in the spirits business and why that’s so alluring to her, both professionally and personally.

You’ve been with the company for less than half a year, but long enough to get to up to speed a bit. Would you say it’s all that you expected?

– For starters, when I joined, nobody had corona on top of their mind. This crisis wasn’t at all part of the job description. But, apart from that, I’d say that working here has by far exceeded all my expectations. There’s such a strong entrepreneurial side to the organization that I didn’t expect. All the affiliates are having a say around how to build their business and there’s an incredible amount of trust in the leaders, in the teams and in the brands. I can confess that I had a little apprehension coming in, since I knew that this was a tight organization. People have worked here for ages and it was nervous being the new kid on the block. But the way everyone has put their arms around me and trusted me so early in my tenure have both empowered me and surprised me. I got a few warnings about joining the spirit business since I don’t have a background in it. People said it’s a very male dominated industry, and if you don’t know spirits or the US market, you’ll have a hard time fitting in. But this has by no means been an issue for me.

What has been the biggest challenges for you personally so far?

– I have a clear mandate from Pernod Ricard’s CEO Alexandre Ricard that we need to beat the market here in the US. The goal is to become the no 1 spirits company in the world. To accomplish this, the US market is critical. So, we need to deliver great results – which I truly believe we can. However, there’s a fine balance the need for speed, with the need for making change in a sustainable way that doesn’t overwhelm or intimidate people. So, we’ll grow our business, but we’ll do it in a sane and balanced way. That means prioritizing the right things at the right time. Walking that fine line can be a challenge sometimes.

One of the first things you initiated as CEO was to launch an Absolut Vodka campaign called SexResponsibly, which deals with the subject of consent. One might say that’s sticking your neck out a bit. How come this was your first initiative?

– Right after I’d joined Pernod Ricard, one of the first persons who reached out to me was Anna Malmhake at The Absolut Company. For me, Absolut has always been a great inspiration. It’s such a strong brand that transcends its category – a brand that has become an icon in itself. But I felt that it had been marketed in the US in a way that didn’t resonate with the brands true identity. It used to be a brand that always took a stand on issues no one else wanted to talk about. To give an example: in the 80’s it helped give voice to gay men by actively being part of their culture, especially at the legendary Studio 54 in New York. Absolut enabled people to be better and to be heard. So, I wanted to bring back the brand, so to speak, to the US market by once again connecting it to a timeless story in a contemporary way.

For me, Absolut has always been a great inspiration. It’s such a strong brand that transcends its category – a brand that has become an icon in itself.

How did the campaign come about?

– The first company visit I did after joining Pernod Ricard was to The Absolut Company in Stockholm. Luckily for me, I happened to be there when Anna Malmhake was presenting ideas on how Absolut could instigate in culture. One of her propositions was based on the notion on sex responsible and consent. For me, it was a no brainer. I just said “Let’s do this. And let’s do it now!” Three weeks later the campaign was off the ground and I couldn’t be more proud of it.

What effect do you wish the campaign will have?

– I hope it’ll have a human impact. That it creates conversation. That it creates change. Consent is a grey area in many cases. As a women, when it comes to consent, the aggressor is in charge. So, people will likely side with the aggressor, saying that that the victim is responsible for creating the impression that this is ok. And that’s just wrong! I hope that the campaign can and will help create a conversation so that people stops and thinks “Wait a minute! That’s not ok!” In many ways, society has pressured people to behave in a certain way and I believe this needs to change. People needs to do what they deep down feel is right. To be in total control of their own lives. In my opinion, this is a timeless story that’s been twisted to suit a contemporary world. As I mentioned earlier, for me Absolut is a brand that can take a stand on this issue and speak to the target group in their language. That’s important.

What are you passionate about?

– I have three things that guide me in life. Well, they started from a business point of view, but they’ve become personal as well now.

First; my job as a leader is to create a roadmap for sustainable growth. That means having the right portfolio in place and the right strategy for optimizing the portfolio – both short and long term.

Second; we live in a VUCA world. There’s just a lot of uncertainty and volatility and adversity is the only constant that we kow of. So, we need to be agile and risk taking as an organization, so we’re able to adapt quickly. That means we have to have a culture and a mindset that can cope with the constant changes. And this is super motivating for me as a leader. I’ve gone through a lot of changes in my life, both professionally and personally, so this is close to heart for me.

Third; I’m all about people. Great business come from quality of the people working. I love to help unlock potential in the organization. To give people the freedom and encouragement to achieve what they didn’t think they could do. And all these three motivations are the same for me on a personal level. I live by them as a wife and as a mother. It’s part of my job as a parent and family member to create sustainable growth for my children. To give them a future and help them navigate in life. To teach them the value to see adversity and help the accelerate as persons.

We’re all facing and fighting this crisis at the moment and I think it’s just astonishing how people can come together in times like these

How are you dealing with the current Corona-crisis in the US operations?

– We’re all facing and fighting this crisis at the moment and I think it’s just astonishing how people can come together in times like these. And I’m so grateful and proud of my organization for keeping such a high level of positive energy. And I’m truly amazed by the compassion and creativity that I’m witnessing every day. We’re really focused on keeping our people safe at the moment. Our offices’ are closed, we have an crisis committee summoned, and we have a lot of initiatives ongoing to offer what we can to help ease the situation society is facing. For instance, we’re producing hand sanitizers for the government, we’re donating to help bartenders with their livelihood, we’re supporting hospitality workers through charitable organizations with free meals and we’re setting up tutorials to help laid off workers in our business increase their skills and capabilities. And these things are done all over the country. I really think that times of crisis reveals your character – it just doesn’t build it. And I can honestly say that the character of this organization is beyond belief.

How do you think this crisis will affect you long-term?

– We’re going to come out of this eventually, and when we do, I’m sure that the shape of our business and how we do things will change. I’m certain that new ways of working will emerge. Especially online. This has been a pressure test and the organization is definitely build strong enough to withstand it. Working in a new, virtual way has given us time and opportunity to really take a stand back and reflect on all kinds of changes that needs to happen – in a positive way. I think we’ll find many new ways to both grow our business and ourselves.

How do you envision future?

– As I mentioned before, we have a clear goal that we’re working hard to achieve and that is Pernod Ricard US needs to beat the market growth. The American operations is very important as it is an engine for growth for the entire group. We build great brands. We build great people and we do this both on our own soil and as exports to the rest of the group. We are a company that doesn’t just adapt best practices, we invent them.

Ever since the black-ops initiative Our/Vodka opened its first distillery in the German capital Berlin in 2013, the outspoken ambition has been to build a global business through local relevance. But it takes a lot of commitment, courage and dedication to walk the walk and talk the talk. Specially if you strive to be an independent player like Our/Vodka in a major team such as The Absolut Company. Meet David Mizrahi, captain of a ship with the ambition to become a small fleet.

During the American prohibition period that lasted between 1920 and 1933, alcohol was completely banned in the US. No manufacturing, transportation, importing, exporting orselling of spirits were allowed. Of course, that didn’t stop thirsty Americans from drinking. Instead, a black market for moonshine spirits, speakeasy-bars and mob-controlled establishments blossomed in all the major cities. When the ban was lifted, things went back to business as usual in most parts of the country, except for in one location: New York City. The complicated zoning regulations in Manhattan made it (almost) impossible to open and run any local distilleries. The dry-spell lasted for a good 85 years until a bunch of Swedes decided a change was due. But the struggle was real. It took the passionate people behind the brand Our/Vodka 5 years, some 200 meetings with city officials and a change in the zoning law to be able to finally fire up the distillery pots.

And the very same passion that could impact local legislation and pave the way for artisanal spirits manufacturing in the borough of Manhattan, runs as pure as New York City tap water through the entire Our/Vodka organisation. And at the very top, CEO David Mizrahi is in control of the flow.

Could you give an elevator pitch on the story of Our/Vodka?

– Our/Vodka is an intrapreneurial venture funded by Pernod Ricard. We make spirits in our micro-distilleries located in the heart of cities, by partnering with local individuals and organization that love their city as much as we do. Currently we are operating in New York and Los Angeles with a Miami facility to open soon.

How do you find the right people to collaborate with?

– We aim to find people that have a similar set of values as we have. People that view the world in a similar way. That care about similar things. Like developing the community. Helping the environment, making the neighborhood more inclusive and better for all. This is a key element for Our/Vodkas success: to develop authentic, long lasting relationships with the community. From our neighbors, suppliers, customers and consumers to city officials and other stakeholders. We strive to make everyone in our communities feel proud of having us around. Our way of doing this is to always try to connect and interact with those around us in our “mutual love for the cities we are in”.

We strive to make everyone in our communities feel proud of having us around

How do you work with creating a sense of loyalty and companionship within the organisation? There must be some specific challenges heading a company with so many operations in different countries, with different languages and different cultures?

– To begin with, at Our/Vodka I get to work with a phenomenal group of diverse people who love being entrepreneurs. I truly believe that this is the source of our resilience and cohesiveness. On my side, it’s my priority to instill a strong entrepreneurial culture in everything we do, where people feel encouraged to experiment while knowing that someone has their back. This, together with keeping our communication channels constantly open, has helped us overcome the challenges of running businesses located in different regions.

David himself is no stranger to be the odd one out in a foreign culture. Being a native Venezuelan, he is now residing with his family in the Big Apple, but his professional career has taken him from the warm Caribbean beaches of South America to the icy cold shores of northern Scandinavia.

My application was accepted, so I packed up my life and boarded a plane to Sweden

– While completing my MBA in 2008, I asked a former colleague who worked for Absolut if I could have an internship. My application was accepted, so I packed up my life and boarded a plane to Sweden. Lucky for me, it was in the middle of the summer so, of course, I fell instantly in love with Stockholm.

Since David first joined The Absolut Company, Pernod-Ricard has acquired the business and things are now, at least partly, run from Paris, France. 

But Our/Vodka has HQ’s set up in the US and is currently operating distilleries in New York and L.A on US soil.

Our/Vodka started as a black-ops within the Absolut family – how have you been supported throughout the journey of building a brand from scratch?

– We remain a black ops set up, as we are slightly removed from the corporate grid that our “sister” brands are in. I say “slightly” because we still keep ties to the larger corporation, specially when it comes to oversight and governance. For example, we have a Board of Directors with senior executives of the Pernod-Ricard organization.

How do you strategize being a small company with big financial muscles?

– We are part of Pernod Ricard group of course. But every start-up has a financial backer. Ours just happens to be Pernod Ricard. That does not mean that we have big financial muscles. It just means that we are likely never going to be late in paying therent, our suppliers or paying our team’s salaries. But that does not mean that we have the power to spend more than what our start-up business can afford.

The concept of Our/Vodka is to market small-batch spirits made in close collaboration with the local neighborhoods, nearby suppliers and produce sourced locally. This means that the location of the distillery is a key element for success. There needs to be a strong sense of community and local pride at every new destination that Our/Vodka is opening up at.

What characteristics are you looking for when deciding on expanding business into new markets in new cities?

– We are of course always looking into new possibilities to expand the business. However, our strategy is first and foremost focused on making sure the ones that are open are working well and meeting the high expectations that we have for them. We are looking for “new partners” but not for opening new cities but rather to engage in smart and interesting programs that can bring to life what our brand is all about. For example, we are partnering to launch a new product in New York in March 2020. It’s a Basil Infused Vodka produced in partnership with an organization that has a beautiful mission called Rethink NYC. We use “excess basil leaves” that are harvested in an urban farm in Brooklyn. Excess leaves means that if we had not used them, they would have very likely gone to waste. It really is a great product with a big mission –to avoid food waste. We are also exploring plans to move into other vodka infusions and perhaps even other spirts such as gin and tequila.

The Culinary Olympics is one of the world’s most prestigious cooking competitions with traditions dating back to the last turn of the century. After months of hard work, everything that the National Culinary Teams have been practicing is put to the test in one big battle of pots and pans. And in the midst of it all, at the heart of the Swedish National team, you’ll find three newcomers fighting to keep their heads cool in the heat of the kitchen.

The Culinary Olympics isn’t perhaps the worlds’ most renowned competition. But for chefs, it’s about as prestigious as it gets. This is where, since the year 1900, the best culinary teams in the world go head to head in a cook-off designed to test both individual skills, and the ability to function as a team. Singapore is defending champion, but Sweden has avictorious past, with wins in 2000, 2004 and 2012. 

For me, curiosity, the willingness to learn and the notion to constantly ask questions like: What are we doing? Why are we doing this? How can I help?

This year, the competition is held in Stuttgart on 15 to 18 February and chefs from about 70 nations are traveling to Bavaria to join the battle. The objective for the participants is to gain as many points as possible from the three course meals that are being prepared in the kitchens. Everything they do is scrutinized by the rigorous eyes of the competition jury who values perfection. Adding to the drama is the fact that every plate needs to be equally perfect in execution, since the chefs don’t know which plate that’s going to be judged. 

At the heart of the Swedish competition-kitchen, you’ll find three aspiring young female chefs who have been granted a scholarship to join the Swedish National Culinary team as interns. The young trio; Matilda Ewaldh, 22 years old, Hanna Claesson, 20 years old, and Matilda Pylkköö, 19 years old, are all newly graduates from different culinary schools in Sweden. They are also all winnersof the Malin Söderström scholarship, which has enabled them the hot spot in the team.

The Swedish National Culinary team has been very successful over the years so there’s a lot of talent and experience combined in the kitchen when the team practice and compete. What are you hoping that youcan bring to the chef’s table, so to speak?

 “For me, curiosity, the willingness to learn and the notion to constantly ask questions like: What are we doing? Why are we doing this? How can I help?” Hanna says.

“I also think that we bring a youthfulness and an ability to help out with the tasks that needs to be done, but that’s perhaps not everyone’s favourite thing to do” Matilda Pylkköö adds.

For some years now, the Swedish National Culinary team has struggled with getting women on the roster. And, of course, this is no good. That’s why initiatives like the Malin Söderström scholarship has come about. But for Matilda, Hanna and Matilda, the male dominance in the restaurant kitchens, has never been an issue. And that includes getting accepted into the all-male National Culinary team. 

Would you say that a professional kitchen is a man’s world?

“I’ve never encountered any issues nor ever been treated unfairly in the kitchen. Sure, the environment can be tough and the jargon a bit harsh sometimes. But I’ve never experienced sexism or jokes on my behalf because I’m a woman” Matilda Ewaldh explains.

“I have the same experience. I guess that it in most cases comes down to your own type of personality – how you’re able to cope with certain issues – and I don’t necessary mean gender-related incidents. If you’re clear on where you’ve set your own boundaries, then it’s also easier to communicate if they’re about to be crossed” Matilda Pylkköö concludes.

Roughly half-an-hour drive north of Stockholm lies a special farm, Torsåker Farm. What makes it special is that besides being a farm it’s also a research and development centre aimed at transforming the whole chain in food production into becoming more sustainable.

Torsåker Farm is run by Axfoundation, an independent, non-profit organization whose objective is to establish venues and conditions for real change that propel us toward a sustainable society. At Torsåker, farmers, scientists, food producers, cooks and contractors meet in order to come up with creative solutions that speed up that process. Involved in the projects that are initiated at Torsåker is Anna Henning Moberg. We were given the opportunity to meet with her to discuss some of the things they are currently exploring. 

Early in our interview, it becomes clear that several of the ongoing projects at Torsåker relates to the fact that we’re so heavily dependent on soybeans in our food production. Sweden imports huge quantities each year – around 200,000 tons – of which roughly 90 percent is used only to feed animal in food production. 

“That’s a shame”, says Anna Henning Moberg, continuing “because it’s not sustainable to import so much of what’s considered perfectly fine food for us and instead feed it to what we later end up consuming. That goes without saying, so we base many of our projects on the idea that our food should not eat our food. That’s also why we’re looking at alternatives to soybeans.”

Sweet lupine – a Swedish answer to soybean?

One of the alternatives Anna Henning Moberg is referring to is sweet lupine, a legume that shares many of the benefits of the soybean. Like soybean, sweet lupine is full of nutrition and proteins, and needs less nitrogen fertilizers because of its ability to fixate nitrogen from the air. However, the sweet lupine outshines the soybean in one crucial aspect: it’s much better suited to the Swedish climate.

Large-scale soybean farming in Sweden will probably never be efficient enough, so instead it gets imported. However, shipping those quantities of soybeans across the globe puts a heavy burden on the environment. That’s why we have such high hopes for the sweet lupine.

Anna Henning Moberg’s optimism is underpinned by the fact that of one of Sweden’s more progressive grocery chains, Urban Deli, recently decided to replace the minced meat in their ready-to-eat lasagnas and bolognaises with a plant-based mince containing sweet lupines. 

Although the plant-based mince is a product developed at Torsåker, Anna Henning Moberg says that product development isn’t part of their core business. However, if we are to significantly reduce our meat consumption, we really need to find more good alternatives to meat in addition to soybean.

“We try to be creative in every way we can and to stimulate the industry to make a change. To do that, we have to rely on companies to show courage and test what we come up with, which is exactly what has happened with the plant-based mince.”

Bugs as part of the solution

Another alternative to soybeans explored by Torsåker is insects. Together with the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SLU, they are looking at the possibility to scale up the use of insects as feed for fish. 

“Half of all fish we consume comes from fish farms. That in itself is not bad, but when you consider the fact that they’re usually fed fishmeal from wild caught fish, fish oil and soy, you realize the negative effect it can have on global fish stocks.”

To help ease the burden on our ocean resources, Torsåker has teamed up with a large vegetable wholesaler (Sorunda), grocery stores (Axfood) and a salmon farmer (Älvdalslax). With leftovers, such as peeling and bread from Sorunda and Axfood, they feed and breed insects that are in turn are used as feed in Älvdalslax’ salmon farms.

“Feeding insects in fish farms has only been legal for two years, but we’re already seeing some great results. We already work with a few companies, but now we’re looking at involving far more,” says Anna Henning Moberg.

Taking a deep dig into perennial crops

When asked which of Torsåker’s projects that could help the beverage industry become more sustainable, Anna Henning Moberg says their ongoing studies of perennial crops might be a game-changer. Most beverage companies use large quantities of various sorts of grain in the production. The Absolut Company is no different; they’re one of the largest purchasers of winter wheat in southern Sweden.

Today though, almost all grain crops are so-called annuals. This means that farmers each year need to buy new seed, plow and harrow the soil, sow new seeds and fertilize the ground – year after year. Annuals also have shallow roots, which makes it harder to capture carbon from the air. In a perennial crop, the roots are allowed to grow deeper, which makes carbon capture significantly easier. And since there’s no need for plowing the soil each year, the carbon also stays underground.

“The switch to perennial crops will take several years, but it’s easy to see the benefits. We’re looking both at what type of perennial crops are best suited for the Swedish conditions and what we need in terms of infrastructure to speed up the transition,” says Anna Henning Moberg.

Inspired by wine makers

Anna Henning Moberg’s interest in food and sustainability goes way back. Before she was asked to work at one of Sweden’s most innovative farms, she was a food and wine journalist.

“Back then, I often travelled to French vineyards. I think that some of my passion for sustainable food production actually comes from the French winegrowers. They know how to take care of the soil and they know how to value their terroir. The same goes for the whole beverage industry. Sustainability and quality go hand in hand, and everyone knows that the winery with the best grapes gets paid more. In the food industry, a lot is about volume, and not quality. If we could value food the same way as we value, say, a good wine, I think we would come a long way.”

Bill Mehleisen started his career at Wall Street as a high-achieving young man seeking success and growth. Today, his life looks a lot different, focusing his work around a more holistic approach to life, spanning from self-development at Burning Man to helping organisations create regenerative business models.

In many ways, Bill’s personal journey mimics the journey our modern society is now embarking on. As Bill explains it, ”we face real problems that our existing models aren’t equipped to handle, including many catastrophic issues such as global warming, ecological resource collapse, water shortages, food waste and wealth disparity. Business is one of our tools to design a better future, but we won’t succeed in that as long as the dominate business story is one about pursuing infinite growth”.

We face real problems that our existing models aren’t equipped to handle, including many catastrophic issues such as global warming, ecological resource collapse, water shortages, food waste and wealth disparity

We meet up with Bill in Almedalen, where he has been invited by Anna Malmhake and The Absolut Company as the guest speaker for Tomorrow’s Thought Leaders – an event for some of Sweden’s most prominent change makers. He shares the story about how is own life took a turn when he started exploring the work of Buckminster Fuller – the American architect, inventor and futurist. Bill began understanding the problems of the world’s current capitalistic system, which promotes growth at any cost, and learn about alternative perspectives on how to grow a healthy new world. The problem, as he explains it, is that never-ending linear growth of any structure will eventually become a cancer on the ecosystem it inhabits, and that’s what we now see happening in our capitalistic society. The eternal pursuit of increasing revenue and profit is draining the resources of our world, and that is the result of our narrow-minded storytelling about business.

Bill is working to change this narrative into one that includes not only financial profit, but also qualitative factors of wealth and well-being. ”We now have an opportunity to live a new story – one that moves beyond linear growth to circularity or balanced flow economy. For companies, this new story offers a more sustainable, long-term profitable and human way to cooperate, and in that lies a competitive advantage. For consumers, this new story of balance allows us to move from disposable consumerism to a well-being-based economy”, he explains.

The key is create a more responsible culture among both companies and consumers, and circularity is only the starting point. In order for humanity to thrive in the future, businesses must apply regenerative thinking to its operations. That entails moving beyond just ”sustainability” to create production and distribution systems which will regenerate value for its ecosystem, making it stronger over time. Regenerative thinking imagines business as a force to revitalise both environment, community and human flourishing.

We need to stop looking at our operations and staff as machines we can control, and instead start treating them as a garden that can grow freely under our gentle care

A good analogy for this approach comes from nature, where a monoculture (i.e. only one organism taking control of an ecosystem) will drain the resources over time, while a permaculture (biological diversity and balance) thrives over time. As Bill puts it, ”A permaculture mindset changes how we look at business. Profit still matters but it’s not the point. The point is to build creative and generative capacity, resilience and diversity, making the ecosystem stronger. We need to stop looking at our operations and staff as machines we can control, and instead start treating them as a garden that can grow freely under our gentle care.” 

This shift in business storytelling and mindset is starting to take hold in many parts of the world, and there are many examples to be inspired by. One is the startup Ecovative, which turns mushroom mycelium into packaging, and has recently started collaborating with furniture giant IKEA. Another is Loop, a TerraCycle company that reimagines fully circular delivery of home goods. General Mills are committing to bringing regenerative agriculture practice to one million acres of farmland by 2030, making it a pioneer in environmental regeneration. A pioneer of community regeneration can be found in Juno – the car service competitor to Uber and Lyft, which is designed as a cooperation platform sharing value with its drivers. With this mindset shift happening at an increasing speed – which is also what’s needed if we are to leave a healthy society for the next generation – the attitude on the stock market will have to change too. And maybe, Bill Mehleisen will find himself back at Wall Street, as one of pioneers who are changing the story about what business is all about. In any case, we are grateful for the important work that he does – whether in Almedalen, at Burning Man or at Wall Street.

Johan Swahn is one of Sweden’s most sought-after sensory designers and holds a PhD in sensory marketing. However, instead of working with car doors, he specializes in culinary experiences. Together with his wife, Charlotte, he runs a culinary sensory agency since 2017 and is also Head of Sense Lab at Örebro University, Department of Culinary Arts and Meal Science.

When experiencing something new, there is almost always more to it than meets the eye. The same can be said about what we eat and drink; there’s always a combination of senses at play. The art of designing this combination is called sensory design. Basically, it’s the idea of considering all human senses – vision, hearing, taste, smell and touch – when creating an experience. Think of the ‘exclusive sound’ when you close the door of a brand-new car. That sound is no coincidence; it’s part of a well-designed experience. 

Earlier in his life Johan had a promising career as a chef, with gold and silver medals at the Culinary World Cup, and worked in some of the most renowned restaurants in the world including The Fat Duck. There he worked under head chef Heston Blumenthal, who has spearheaded the so-called ‘molecular gastronomy’ movement for over a decade now and is world-famous for his scientific approach to food.

Think of the ‘exclusive sound’ when you close the door of a brand-new car. That sound is no coincidence; it’s part of a well-designed experience.

It must have taken some convincing for you to leave the world of fine-dining and enter the world of science?

“Honestly, it didn’t. In a way, it was already in the back of my mind when I went to London to work. I was studying at that time and was already extremely interested in the theory of taste and in science in general. So, as I was working at The Fat Duck, I realized what a great opportunity I suddenly had to put my ideas to the test and combine theory with practice. I was of course very lucky to have great professors at home in Sweden that backed me. And not long after I went back to Sweden and finished studying, I was offered to enroll as a PhD candidate within the field of sensory marketing, which I gladly accepted.”

How do you apply sensory design to food and beverages?

“One of the best examples I use is an experiment which was conducted by the pioneer in psychology and sensory marketing, Louis Cheskin. His experiment showed that once 7UP added 15 percent more yellow color to the brand logo, the consumers perceived a higher intensity of citrus flavor. This is something I work with today, creating sensory design of food and beverages that will make a difference to the greater sensory experience.”

When it comes to taste, how much is ‘built-in’ and how much is acquired by our experiences?

“It’s hard to determine, but let me give you another example to illustrate. The sensory field is basically about the concepts of sensation and perception. If we take coffee for instance – let’s say you’ve never heard of coffee and have no idea what it is. When you take a sip, the sensation in your mouth tells you that it’s hot, it’s bitter and it’s most likely disgusting. Because you know, most people don’t enjoy coffee the first time they drink it – at least not without a ton of sugar. Anyway, the thing is that you teach your brain what coffee is. There’s a ritual, a social context around coffee – we drink our coffee in the morning and start the day with an energy boost. That’s the perception part – what we teach our brains to accept and enjoy. So, all of a sudden, once you’ve grown accustomed to and made to understand the ritual of having a cup of coffee, you begin to love it.”

So how do you use this in your research?

“We have lots of ongoing research studies within areas like digital media, sound and music, product design, as well as newer science like augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR). Our VR study is very interesting, where we’re looking at what happens if you tell your perception parts of your brain something entirely different from what your sensation parts are telling you. Say for instance that you’re chewing on a piece of black radish, while you’re inside a virtual reality that tells both your eyes and ears that you’re in a fishing boat out to sea – what will the black radish taste like? There’s a real chance that it at least comes close to the taste of fresh fish. I think this is really interesting, because if we can alter our experience like that, we might be able to move away from many ‘bad habits’, like using overexploited produce or eating unhealthy food without the feeling of missing out.”

It was never Andreas Sundgren Graniti’s plan to produce ice cider – not even traditional cider. Instead, he was looking to combine his two separate desires of making wine and living in the northern parts of Sweden. However, in this business you quickly learn that geographical circumstances are everything. It proved to be true in this case too, and today Brännland is one of the rising stars in the Swedish spirits and beverage industry, thanks to its renowned ice cider.

Brännland Cider was founded only a few years ago, in 2011. At that time, Andreas had spent a few years in the music industry and was enjoying a successful career as a software entrepreneur in Stockholm. But as his increasing desire to leave the city for the relative calm up north was becoming too tangible, he moved to Umeå. 

Soon however, he would realize that his initial dream of producing wine would need to remain somewhat unfulfilled. The climate in Umeå simply didn’t lend itself for growing grapes. 

“I soon realized that it wasn’t really my decision to make. If I wanted to combine making wine with living in Umeå, I had to compromise. So, I decided to start working with apples instead of grapes,” Andreas says.

Despite the fact that he seems very satisfied with that decision, Andreas was faced with further obstacles – perhaps opportunities – before he could set up production. He not only had to discard grapes, he also had to discard the typical Swedish winter apples, as they were too sweet to use for a traditional dry cider. That prompted Andreas to embark on a journey to explore what options he had left. He found the answer in Canada, where he stumbled across ice cider. 

People have only been making ice cider since 1994, so in the world of alcoholic drinks it’s still a novelty

Ice cider is best compared to a sweet dessert wine, rather than a traditional dry cider most people might think of when they hear the word cider. It’s made from the juice of frozen apples and was first produced in Quebec, Canada, thanks to the region’s naturally cold temperature. The frozen apples concentrate the natural sugars in the fruit and gives the ice cider a natural sweetness and higher alcohol content than cider made using more traditional methods. 

“People have only been making ice cider since 1994, so in the world of alcoholic drinks it’s still a novelty. It’s growing though, when we started about a decade ago, we were the only artisanal small-scale cider producer in Sweden.”

Today, there are a handful producers, and according to Andreas interest is growing exponentially. He says the small-scale artisanal producers are leading the development of the industry. 

Although the small-scale producers might be the trendsetters, it is still an industry that requires utmost perseverance if you’re to succeed financially. The first few years typically consist entirely of expenses, and once production is up and running it often takes years before becoming profitable.

“In this industry, it’s often the most passionate people that succeed. You need to be guided by enthusiasm and passion, and not by making a quick buck,” Andreas says. “It’s pretty easy to tell who’ll survive in this industry, though. It’s the people who still – after five years – operate in a dull warehouse and regularly clean their equipment by hand,” he says.

Just look at the craft beer trend, few of the biggest beverage companies anticipated that. Today, all of the big players have their own version.

So, for smaller producers like Brännland, the decade-long ongoing consumer trend of preferring premium products has been very welcome. As people are prepared to pay more for high-quality craftmanship behind the products, Brännland’s high-end products gets noticed and the premium price-tag gives Andreas leeway to improve the products.

According to Andreas Sundgren Graniti, the typical ice cider drinker is someone who enjoys and is knowledgeable in high-end dessert wines, as they share much of the vocabulary used to describe the products.

“You typically drink ice cider like a sauternes, so for wine nerds it’s pretty easy to embrace ice cider. But we’ve also managed to attract the traditional ‘beer hipsters’. They have grown up and have moved on to more sophisticated things”, Andreas explains.

Compared to a decade ago, people now tend to go for high-quality products in lesser quantities rather than large volumes of cheaper, low-quality products. According to Andreas, the premium trend has helped Brännlands grow. 

“Since we’re transparent in what we do – which methods we use and the craftmanship that go with producing a high-quality ice cider – and since consumers are better than ever at recognizing high quality, we’re avoiding the discussion if our products really are worth their price-tags. They know they are.”

Rebecca León and Rico Dynan started working together in 2014, when they joined Absolut’s Brand Advocacy team. Thanks to their distinct backgrounds – Rebecca studied law and went through Pernod Ricard’s graduate program, while Rico worked as a bartender for over a decade – they’re bringing their own set of ideas to the team’s effort of raising awareness of Absolut’s products and understanding of the brand’s values within the bartending community. 

One of the team’s latest projects, The Green Hustle, launched last fall and Rebecca’s and Rico’s contribution has been essential in making it a reality and an instant success.

What is The Green Hustle?

Rico: The idea of The Green Hustle was born when my colleague Bex Almqvist, Trash Tiki and I locked ourselves in a room for two days to hatch out ideas. We went in with just one thing on the agenda: to come up with an idea that could inspire bartenders into becoming more sustainable in their day-to-day job. What we finally arrived at was The Green Hustle. To start with, we created a 90-minute seminar – “The Rally” – to explain our message and claims to sustainability. This was launched through Absolut Invite, our Global bartender competition. 

Now, a few months later, the rally is gathering hundreds of bartenders all over the world in search for inspiration and wanting to become more sustainable in their jobs. One thing which is central to the rally is encouraging people to try out our easy-to-use sustainable ‘hacks’ – like for instance making lime stock made from leftover limes, which saves both ingredients and money. 

Now, a few months later, the rally is gathering hundreds of bartenders all over the world in search for inspiration and wanting to become more sustainable in their jobs

Why do you call it a rally?

Rico: We wanted to show what our brand is really about, and present something that is true to the rebelliousness of the brand. If we wanted, we could have called it a sustainability seminar – but to be honest, it just sounds a little boring. For most people, sustainability is just boring. It turns people off. So, we call it a rally instead, because we want to inspire and generate some energy around these issues. And we also want show that by implementing these hacks, you’re not only doing something good for the environment, it’s also a fun way to experiment with the ingredients you have available – and a way to save money.

But sustainability must surely play a big part?

Rebecca: Yes, definitely. When Rico first told me about this idea, I knew we had to make this a big deal. The main reason is because of Absolut’s credibility when it comes to sustainability. We have one of the most energy-efficient distilleries in the world, we work closely with farmers to create sustainable farming practices and we’re closely knit with the local community in Åhus. What the guys in Åhus are doing is way ahead of anyone else in the industry in terms of sustainability. 

What would constitute a success for The Green Hustle?

Rebecca: We’re not pointing any fingers or telling anyone what to do or how to do it. The Green Hustle is simply a way to highlight that it’s easy to make small changes towards the better. We’re saying that whatever you do is good, no matter how big or small, it’s all about small changes making a big impact. And if you want to be part of that change you should share your experiences and we will broadcast it. You want to get rid of plastic straws once a week? Good, you’re saving the environment. You want to make full use of your pineapples by having three pineapple drinks on your menu rather than just one? Even better! That’s the change of mindset we’re trying to instigate. 

What the guys in Åhus are doing is way ahead of anyone else in the industry in terms of sustainability

What’s the next step?

Rico: This is all about building a knowledge hub for sustainable techniques, hacks and skills in the bartender community. But this movement has just started. A decade ago, nobody was talking about sustainability in bars, but the last few years we’ve seen other industries – like the food industry – take that step. Now, it’s time for our industry to also show that we care. And so far, the response has been great. Just take the lime stock, which is one of the big hits. I receive texts and photos all the time from people who attended the rallies and now are cooking their own stock.

Rebecca: Yeah, and let’s not forget what The Green Hustle also does, which is reminding people why you go to bars. You do it to have a good time, to enjoy your drinks and cocktails and to meet new interesting people. That’s why we’re emphasizing words like experimentation and inspiration, and why we never compromise on having fun. It’s also the reason why all the knowledge and the experiences shared within The Green Hustle is treated as an open source. You just pick what you enjoy and go from there.