Let’s Build Your Brand
Fractional Sales and Marketing resources to help challenger and start-up drinks brands launch, grow & thrive in the UK market.
Let’s Build
Your Brand
Fractional Sales and Marketing resources to help drinks brands launch, grow & thrive in the UK market.
Welcome to The Drinks Guys…
Welcome to The Drinks Guys…
I’m Gordon Thompson, a drinks industry expert with 30 years’ experience, an unrivalled contact network, and a proven track record of building brands that last.
I combine blue-chip corporate disciplines with a small business attitude to create tailored strategies that open doors, grow distribution, deliver sales and protect margins. I don’t just sell drinks — I build brands.
Key Highlights…
Results driven and commercially focussed
Extensive multi-channel experience – Grocery / On-Trade / Coffee / HORECA / Route to Market / E-commerce / D2C
Unrivalled buyer network
Specialist in challenger brands, ambitious start-ups and established brands looking to scale
Let’s Build Your Brand
I’m Gordon Thompson, a drinks industry expert with 30 years’ experience, an unrivalled
contact network, and a proven track record of building brands that last.
I combine blue-chip
corporate disciplines with a small business attitude to create tailored strategies that open
doors, grow distribution, deliver sales and protect margins. I don’t just sell drinks — I build
brands.
Let’s Build Your Brand
Let’s Build Your Brand
I’m Gordon Thompson, a drinks industry expert with 30 years’ experience, an unrivalled
contact network, and a proven track record of building brands that last.
I combine blue-chip
corporate disciplines with a small business attitude to create tailored strategies that open doors, grow distribution, deliver sales and protect margins. I don’t just sell drinks — I build brands.
Key Highlights…
Results driven and commercially focussed
Extensive multi-channel experience – Grocery / On-Trade / Coffee / HORECA / Route to Market / E-commerce / D2C
Unrivalled buyer network
Specialist in challenger brands, ambitious start-ups and established brands looking to scale
Who We Work With
Who We
Work With
Challenger Drinks Brands | Ambitious Start-Ups | Established brands looking to scale
Challenger Drinks Brands | Ambitious Start-Ups | Established brands looking to scale
Challenger Drinks Brands | Ambitious Start-Ups | Established brands looking to scale
Spirits
Spirits
Beer & Cider
Beer & Cider
Cocktails
Cocktails
Soft Drinks
Alcohol-Free
Soft Drinks
Alcohol-Free
Wine
Brands We've Worked With
Brands
Customers We've Worked With
Customers We've Worked With
Customers
WHAT WE OFFER
WHAT WE OFFER
[02]
The Brand Building Cycle
The Brand Building Cycle
The Brand Building Cycle
©2025
At the Drinks Guys, we take you on a journey…and it’s a journey! Covering everything from the pre-sell preparation to activation and execution. The full brand building cycle or just a section of it – up to you…
At the Drinks Guys, we take you on a journey…and it’s a journey! Covering everything from the pre-sell preparation to activation and execution. The full brand building cycle or just a section of it – up to you…
1
Pre-sell planning and preparation
A critical stage in the journey, we help with everything from building the compelling selling story, range gap and competitor analysis, market insight, consumer targeting and developing creative buyer engagement ideas.
1
Pre-sell planning and preparation
A critical stage in the journey, we help with everything from building the compelling selling story, range gap and competitor analysis, market insight, consumer targeting and developing creative buyer engagement ideas.
2
Commercial Evaluation
Profitability is key for everyone. Full margin analysis, by brand and SKU including competitor benchmarking. Ensure we find the volume v. value balance.
2
Commercial Evaluation
Profitability is key for everyone. Full margin analysis, by brand and SKU including competitor benchmarking. Ensure we find the volume v. value balance.
3
Distribution Strategy
Right brand, right outlet. We connect you with key decision makers across your key targeted channels, opening sales opportunities faster.
3
Distribution Strategy
Right brand, right outlet. We connect you with key decision makers across your key targeted channels, opening sales opportunities faster.
4
The Sell-in
Engaging, structured and memorable pitches. Whether you want a joint approach, us to develop the team or just let us loose, we’ll always aim high to meet the buyers KPI’s, overcome objections and close the sale.
4
The Sell-in
Engaging, structured and memorable pitches. Whether you want a joint approach, us to develop the team or just let us loose, we’ll always aim high to meet the buyers KPI’s, overcome objections and close the sale.
5
Sell-Through
Activation and sell- through plans are essential for brand building success. Huge budgets not required, just creative and engaging brand initiatives to build consumer pull.
5
Sell-Through
Activation and sell- through plans are essential for brand building success. Huge budgets not required, just creative and engaging brand initiatives to build consumer pull.
6
Review, Adapt and Change
Continuous improvement. What’s working well, what’s not working so well and what can we do differently? Never be afraid of challenging the norms.
6
Review, Adapt and Change
Continuous improvement. What’s working well, what’s not working so well and what can we do differently? Never be afraid of challenging the norms.
WHAT WE OFFER
[02]
Why Fractional Brand Building with The Drinks Guys?
Why Fractional Brand Building with The Drinks Guys?
©2025
WHAT WE OFFER
[02]
Why Fractional Brand Building with The Drinks Guys?
©2025
Building a drinks brand is hard, fractional brand building gives you senior experience, at a fraction of the cost or commitment of a full-time team. It’s not about needing more people, it’s about the right people, doing the right things
Building a drinks brand is hard, fractional brand building gives you senior experience, at a fraction of the cost or commitment of a full-time team. It’s not about needing more people, it’s about the right people, doing the right things
1
Full time hires are expensive and a gamble
We provide flexible support to suit your needs and resources. 2-3 days per week or just a day a month, up to you?
2
Will I get a return on investment?
We focus on delivering commercial and profit led plans to create value v. volume sales
3
Access to the buyers can take years?
We open the doors to the real decision makers, actual conversations, with real people, that go somewhere
4
There's too many things to do!
We help you prioritise, so you stay focussed on the important tasks and leave the rest to us
5
We're growing faster than our internal resources?
We can scale our support to find the right level at the right time
6
I need sales now!
Building brand equitiy takes time, we're in this for the long-term and it takes time and patience
1
Full time hires are expensive and a gamble
We provide flexible support to suit your needs and resources. 2-3 days per week or just a day a month, up to you?
2
Will I get a return on investment?
We focus on delivering commercial and profit led plans to create value v. volume sales
3
Access to the buyers can take years?
We open the doors to the real decision makers, actual conversations, with real people, that go somewhere
4
There's too many things to do!
We help you prioritise, so you stay focussed on the important tasks and leave the rest to us
5
We're growing faster than our internal resources?
We can scale our support to find the right level at the right time
6
I need sales now!
Building brand equitiy takes time, we're in this for the long-term and it takes time and patience
1
Full time hires are expensive and a gamble
We provide flexible support to suit your needs and resources. 2-3 days per week or just a day a month, up to you?
2
Will I get a return on investment?
We focus on delivering commercial and profit led plans to create value v. volume sales
3
Access to the buyers can take years?
We open the doors to the real decision makers, actual conversations, with real people, that go somewhere
4
There's too many things to do!
We help you prioritise, so you stay focussed on the important tasks and leave the rest to us
5
We're growing faster than our internal resources?
We can scale our support to find the right level at the right time
6
I need sales now!
Building brand equitiy takes time, we're in this for the long-term and it takes time and patience
TESTIMONIALS
TESTIMONIALS
Things People Say About Us...
Things People Say About Us
I’ve worked with Gordon on and off for over 20 years in several companies. His understanding of pubs and family brewers in particular is second to none which means that conversations around promotions, new products and incentives is always relevant and well targeted. I can thoroughly recommend his approach and ways of working
David Bremner
Director of Marketing
I’ve worked with Gordon on and off for over 20 years in several companies. His understanding of pubs and family brewers in particular is second to none which means that conversations around promotions, new products and incentives is always relevant and well targeted. I can thoroughly recommend his approach and ways of working
David Bremner
Director of Marketing
I’ve worked with Gordon on and off for over 20 years in several companies. His understanding of pubs and family brewers in particular is second to none which means that conversations around promotions, new products and incentives is always relevant and well targeted. I can thoroughly recommend his approach and ways of working
David Bremner
Director of Marketing
I’ve worked with Gordon on and off for over 20 years in several companies. His understanding of pubs and family brewers in particular is second to none which means that conversations around promotions, new products and incentives is always relevant and well targeted. I can thoroughly recommend his approach and ways of working
David Bremner
Director of Marketing
I’ve worked with Gordon on and off for over 20 years in several companies. His understanding of pubs and family brewers in particular is second to none which means that conversations around promotions, new products and incentives is always relevant and well targeted. I can thoroughly recommend his approach and ways of working
David Bremner
Director of Marketing
I’ve worked with Gordon on and off for over 20 years in several companies. His understanding of pubs and family brewers in particular is second to none which means that conversations around promotions, new products and incentives is always relevant and well targeted. I can thoroughly recommend his approach and ways of working
David Bremner
Director of Marketing
I’ve worked with Gordon on and off for over 20 years in several companies. His understanding of pubs and family brewers in particular is second to none which means that conversations around promotions, new products and incentives is always relevant and well targeted. I can thoroughly recommend his approach and ways of working
David Bremner
Director of Marketing
I’ve worked with Gordon on and off for over 20 years in several companies. His understanding of pubs and family brewers in particular is second to none which means that conversations around promotions, new products and incentives is always relevant and well targeted. I can thoroughly recommend his approach and ways of working
David Bremner
Director of Marketing