Amanda Greenbaum and Olivera Markovic’s goal for the Millennial Competition is to bridge the producer and the new millennial consumer in adult beverages.
There are several competitions currently in the wine and spirits world that focus solely on the product’s quality pertaining to a specific category. The Millennial Competition provides insights from the consumer palate alongside the professional palate so that the scores of the products directly represent the entire consumer market.
Unlike ever before, this competition harnesses the power of social clout via celebrities, influencers, and social media and pairs it seamlessly with the power of the beverage professional to come up with a more inclusive and more accurate score to which the average consumer can relate.
Amanda & Olivera are taking a traditional industry and bringing it into the modern age.
Millennial Competition Interview
How does the Millennial Wine Beer & Spirits Competition disrupt the industry, and how does it encourage millennial education and entrepreneurship in this space?
Millennial Competition: Aside from the fact that we’re the only competition directly encouraging the participation of millennial consumers, we are changing the way the industry interacts with the customer.
We are inviting the customer to share this space that has belonged only to professionals for decades. The average customer doesn’t scrutinize a product. Putting ourselves in the consumer’s shoes, we want to learn more about the story behind the brand, the uniqueness of the flavor, and the general likeability of the product.
When we take the spirit apart too much, we lose sight of the bigger picture: would a millennial purchase and enjoy this product? Asking our professional judges to do this, we know they will never entirely lose sight of their knowledge and skills in the field; so knowledge of wine and spirits paired with consumer likeability creates the uniqueness behind our competition.
Through learning from professionals and providing a safe space to learn, educate, and taste, we encourage our consumer judges and consumers who learn about our competition to learn more about the products they purchase, the quality, and where they come from.
And through giving chances in the field for experimentation and uniqueness lets those interested in dipping their toes into the beverage industry know that there is a market for their product–so long as their product conveys quality, uniqueness, likeability, and great branding.
How can other Millennials in different industries use a similar approach to shift a narrative?
Millennial Competition: Learning how to think outside the box and analyze your market is key. Being open and available to innovation is even more key. In commodity-based industries, you need to know the demands of your market.
Simply put, open your eyes and find a way to open the eyes of those around you. The way millennials think and process the world is different than ever before, and the same with Gen-Z.
Being open to their ideas and asking for help to better understand how they think will put you on top. You cannot be set in your ways; you must continue accepting and seeking new knowledge. And by doing so, you’ll be well underway in shifting a narrative.
What words of encouragement would you give to the next generation that will follow in your footsteps?
Millennial Competition: Be passionate about what you do, and you will go far. You must be open and ready to receive information and advice. You’ll fail by not allowing for other opinions, viewpoints, and knowledge from friends, customers, teammates, etc. So be open and know that you can learn from all around you. Take in society’s information, analyze it and utilize what you can to help make a change.
Stay Connected With Millennial Competition
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