Luxe Beat Exclusive: Interview with Broken Shed Vodka’s President Steve Bellini [INTERVIEW]

With the recent celebration of Earth Day (shouldn’t everyday be Earth Day?) my inbox was flooded with inquiries from PR firms promoting their sustainable and Earth-friendly products. One New Zealand spirit company piqued my interest, it was Broken Shed Vodka. In our household we typically drink another vodka that promotes its gluten-free standing, but it looks like there might be some competition after tasting Broken Shed.

Based out in New Zealand, Broken Shed Vodka believes in using locally sourced ingredients and environmentally sustainable methods when crafting their vodka (SRP: $29.99 for 750ml; purchase here). In using two proprietary blends of two waters located in a geothermal system to the northern region and a natural filtration source to the southern region of the island, combined with grass-fed whey protein being used within the distillate process three times, the company is able to produce a great tasting vodka that has no additives or added sugars/sweeteners and is certified naturally gluten-free. Using whey protein in the distillation process is great for the environment, because whey is considered a by-product from producing milk that typically gets discarded into the rivers causing algae bloom that hurts the ecosystem.

Broken Shed is led by spirits industry rock star, Steve Bellini. He’s an alcohol industry veteran with over 40 years in the industry. Working with brands such as Jägermeister, Captain Morgan, Crown Royal, Maker’s Mark and Absolut Vodka. This industry executive’s middle name is “success” and when you have an opportunity to connect with someone of this stature, you take it. Steve was gracious enough to spend some time to share with me why he choose to work with Broken Shed and why he feels this product has what it takes to be the next “name brand” in Vodka. 

Sherrie Wilkolaski: You’ve worked with some of the leading spirits brands in the world. What attracted you to Broken Shed?

Steve Bellini: Throughout my career I always enjoyed the challenge of working with new brands. When Broken Shed was first introduced to me, I wanted to fairly evaluate the opportunity. So, I showed Broken Shed to a number of trusted and respected industry veterans, whom I had worked with previously and asked for their opinions. They all came back to me with positive comments on the brand, specifically relating to the name, the backstory, the packaging and how the product came from New Zealand. In the last two years that I have been working with Broken Shed, consumer reactions today after sampling hundreds of people is as exciting as in the early days when I sampled just a few friends – they all love it!

SW: What are some of the biggest changes you’ve seen in the industry since you started?

SB: Let me answer your question in a different way. While there are many changes that could be noted, one common tread remains – it’s still a people’s business. The onset of technology, chains, equivalence, new products, premiumization and consolidation are all part of the everyday changing landscape in the spirits industry. Yet, today there is still a large percentage of businesses controlled by the independent retailer. That’s where the relationships come into play. Growing up, I observed the importance of relationships firsthand while working in my father’s liquor store. I am glad that one pillar of our business has not changed.

SW: What is key to developing a new spirits brand?

SB: I think that the key to making your brand or business a success is your passion behind your product. You need to make sure that each person you bring on board in your company has that same passion and appetite for success within your product. At Broken Shed, we are fortunate to be working with individuals that believe in our product and have a passion to be working in the spirits industry. 

SW: How important is it in today’s spirits market that the product be gluten free, additive free, GMO free and sugar free?

SB: Today’s consumers are smart. More than any other time in the history of civilization, they know what they want and how to get it. This will lead to a steady erosion of mainstay products, which don’t have a sophisticated point of differentiation. In our case, our product will gain support over time if we continue to focus on building the message that our vodka uses New Zealand’s pure water sources, is gluten free, additive free, GMO free and sugar free. Honestly, without drinking the company Kool-Aid here, you couldn’t ask for a better story to tell consumers.

SW: What is your favorite cocktail and in what setting do you prefer to enjoy it?

SB: My favorite cocktail is the deliciously made Broken Shed Bloody Mary. I have enjoyed Bloody Mary’s most of my adult life, but have never tasted a better one than one using fresh ingredients combined with Broken Shed Vodka. Give me this cocktail during a Sunday barbecue with family and friends and a Yankee game on the radio in the background and that my friend is as good as it gets.

SW: What is your favorite pastime?

SB: Hands down it’s playing with my grandson’s Jackson (9) and Max (8). I can cope with most of the restrictions we’ve had to live with during this horrific crisis, but not being with Jackson and Max is by far the worst part. My daughter Toni came up with a great way for us to engage — it’s called Grandpa math. The idea of this game is that I come up with a math problem and send it to them by email. When they figure out the answer, we then FaceTime and discuss how they got their answers. It’s working out great and I encourage anyone trying to find a way to stay involved with their grandchildren to try it. 

SW: What book are you currently reading?

SB: I am enjoying Shoe Dog by Phil Knight. A good friend of mine who I worked with for many years at Seagram sent it to me and told me it was one of his favorite books of all time. I have to agree that it’s up there. Apropos to this article, the book tells of Mr. Knight’s plight in shaping his vision to ultimately build a little company called Nike. I see this story relating to one of my earlier answers that you need passion to succeed. 

SW: How do you define luxury?

SB: Luxury is one of those words that means something different to each person. To me, luxury is something that makes you feel a little better about yourself than you would otherwise. I believe it’s part of human nature to want something that is considered a step up from the ordinary. In our business, luxury and price have gone hand in hand. The trick is that after you pay the price, the product or the experience has to deliver. I believe Broken Shed melds our price and the experience of our brand in a way that delivers to the consumer. 

SW: What is next for Broken Shed?

SB: We are blending the challenge of “going deep and going wide.” We have excellent programs in place that are getting us great attention in markets where we are currently in distribution. My friends at Badger Liquor have done a great job introducing our new 1.75L size into the market. CDI in Connecticut, Lipman Brothers in Tennessee are all following suit. Our overall brand performance with RNDC in North Carolina and in California is starting to gain traction. We are also excited about our progress in several exciting markets and are now planning for launch in new U.S. markets as well as Duty Free, Canada and Europe. The increase from four to eighteen markets since April 2018 is helping us make smarter decisions as we go forward in new markets.

Thank you Steve for the interview! Here are some Broken Shed Vodka recipes (including Steve’s favorite Broken Shed Bloody Mary) to enjoy during happy hour, or whenever vodka is required. Cheers!

 

Broken Shed Bloody Mary

2 parts Broken Shed Vodka

4 parts Tomato Juice or (Clamato®)

5 Second Shake of Worcestershire Sauce®

2 Second Shake of Tabasco®

Sherry

Lemon

Celery

Salt

Ground Black Pepper

 

Pour ingredients together.

Add a hint of dry sherry.

Add generous squeeze of lemon.

Shake with ice.

Garnish with celery, sale & ground black pepper.

 

World’s Cleanest Dirty Martini

3 parts Broken Shed Vodka.

Splash of Olive Brine.

 

Just add Broken Shed Vodka, and a splash of olive brine to shaker with ice.

Shake or stir, and strain into a chilled martini glass.

Garnish with three olives.

 

Broken Madras

1 1/2 parts Broken Shed Vodka.

3 parts cranberry juice

1 parts orange juice

Garnish: orange peel

 

To view more Broken Shed recipes visit brokenshed.com.

 

Please drink responsibly.