Zebra-Striping Between Categories to Elevate Occasions with Filiberto Amati | 104

Join The Maffeo Drinks Substack for Episode Analysis!Filiberto Amati, Founder of ‪AmatiAssociates‬ and Head of Partnerships at MAFFEO DRINKS, is a veteran of major spirits companies, including Campari and Di Saronno.He dissects the post-COVID reality facing the spirits industry, revealing how the pandemic created a temporary "shock" that artificially inflated off-trade volumes while disrupting traditional brand-building pathways.Drawing from his deep beverage industry expertise, Filiberto explains how consumption patterns are realigning to pre-pandemic trends—exposing brands that gained artificial traction during lockdowns without building genuine on-trade education or loyalty.The conversation explores how consumers increasingly practice "zebra-striping"—switching between categories within the same occasion—why cultural movements drive successful brand rituals from Aperol's orange visual cue to Corona's lime mythology, and how route-to-market consolidation is reshaping competitive dynamics across the fragmented spirits landscape.Timestamps:00:00 Introduction and COVID Impact Context03:45 Post-Pandemic Volume Normalization09:20 On-Trade Education Crisis Analysis16:15 Off-Trade vs On-Trade Dynamics23:30 Category Blurification and Zebra Striping Occasions28:45 Route-to-Market Consolidation Trends This Episode is hosted by Chris Maffeo and brought to you by MAFFEO DRINKS.MAFFEO DRINKS is a leading drinks business podcast, listened to in 120 countries with 130+ episodes. How the industry actually works, from the bar and what it means for the boardroom.Wanna know what the conversation above means for your team? It's in the paid section.You get access to Maffeo Confidential (Private Podcast), this analysis, and the full catalog of 130+ episodes, each one translating industry conversation into the commercial decisions underneath it. Find out more at maffeodrinks.com or on Substack.