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.
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