In what was a difficult year for spirits, Brown-Forman has managed to retain its strong positioning via product innovations, innovative partnerships, and strong brand values.
Here, Eveline Albarracin reflects on her final year in Sydney as the Senior Vice President, Managing Director of Brown-Forman ANZPI ahead of starting her new role in Singapore as Senior Vice President, Managing Director of the Brown-Forman’s new APAC region.
Brown-Forman has since named Brad Madigan as Albarracin’s successor. In his new role, Madigan will operate as a key part of Albarracin’s leadership team, both leading the ANZPI Leadership Team and playing a key role on the Asia Pacific Leadership Team.
Here, Eveline Albarracin reflects on the year gone by:
“In the past year, we have navigated economic uncertainties and challenges with remarkable resilience and teamwork, and in the words of Jack Daniel’s, “Every day we make it, we’ll make it the best we can.” This spirit was embodied by our people, partners, and customers, and I am extremely thankful for all their support.
This year, in Australia we celebrated our position as the leading Super Premium North American Whiskey supplier, led through the strength of the Jack Daniel's portfolio, the No.1 Spirits Trademark. What’s been really exciting is the acceleration of our emerging brands, with el Jimador Tequila recently crowned Australia's No.1 Tequila. Both these brilliant accolades are further supported by our ongoing commitment to people and culture, as recognized by our ‘Great Place to Work’ certification for the third consecutive year.
This is a bitter-sweet moment for me, having spent five fantastic years leading Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands (ANZPI) region, I am now extending my remit to Asia-Pacific (APAC) and will be relocating to Singapore in the new year. I have great confidence that the entire team, which will be led by Brad Madigan, joining the organization in late November this year, will continue to bring passion, collaboration, and partnership to take Brown-Forman to the next horizon of growth. I am truly thankful for all the support from the wonderful colleagues, customers, and partners I have had the pleasure of working with for the last five years in the region.
Company Overview
Brown-Forman has been building exceptional spirits brands for more than 150 years, responsibly upholding our founding promise of “Nothing Better in the Market.” Our portfolio of premium+ brands includes the Jack Daniel’s Family of Brands, Woodford Reserve, Herradura, el Jimador, The Glendronach, Glenglassaugh, Benriach, Diplomático Rum, Chambord, and Gin Mare.
Despite some of the trading challenges of the last 12 months, our local team remains committed to building brands for the future, having maintained or grown share across key segments we play in. It has been amazing to see that alongside our more established portfolio, our latest acquisitions to include Diplomático Rum and Gin Mare has strengthened Brown Forman’s footprint in the super premium spirits segment, and we are excited to further scale these brands in the years to come.
Spirit of Commitment
Brown-Forman is proud of its commitment to alcohol responsibility, environmental sustainability, and community involvement. We believe this commitment, that we call a Spirit of Commitment, helps us generate strong business results and supports the long-term health and prosperity of our shareholders, consumers, employees, and communities. We believe that “what we build now, we build to pass on”, and this means for Brown‑Forman, for our employees, for our brands, and our partners, today is a pivotal chapter in a story the next generation will continue to write.
Great people build great brands, and we are committed to putting our employees and our values at the forefront of our decisions and actions, ensuring our employees feel safe and supported to make, market, and sell our products with the finest craftsmanship, quality, and care.
Innovation
First seen in our founding brand Old Forester, our founder George Garvin Brown had a relentless focus on quality and innovation. Today, we honor his legacy by prioritizing quality over quantity. Our brands are crafted through a blend of traditional methods and modern innovation, celebrating the places and people who bring our spirits to life. Brown-Forman prides itself on every brand in our portfolio having its own story and roots. Every product innovation and new product launch must meet our high-quality requirements and fit into our premium portfolio.
This August in Australia, we launched Jack Daniel's and Cola MINI 250ml RTD with the same tasting greatest formulation as our core offering, designed to promote moderation. In September, we relaunched Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey and Lemonade RTD cans in a new packaging supported by dedicated media and in store activity to strengthen our No.1 RTD position in the Australian market.
Following the successful launch of Jack Daniel’s Bonded Series in 2022, Triple Mash, the second installment in the Bonded Series, was launched this October. With its blend of three straight bottled-in-bond whiskeys, the result is a well-rounded whiskey with a bold and complex flavour profile of honey sweetness, grain spice and dry oak, and it can now be found in premium stockists across the country.
As we look to close out the calendar year, I could not be more proud of what has been achieved over the last 12 months to make 2024 another memorable year. I will be raising a glass to all of you this Christmas, perhaps with a dram of Glenglassaugh Sandend, which recently won a double gold medal at the 2024 San Francisco World Spirits competition.”
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This article was written by Eveline Albarracin for Drinks Guide 2025, which will be distributed nationwide soon. If you would like a copy and are not currently on the Drinks Trade/Guide magazine mailing list, get in touch with the team now.
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