Exclusive Interview with Mr. Luca Pirola
Q: What is your full name, title and location?
Good day to all of “Got Rum?” readers. I’m Luca Pirola and I’m from Monza (you know, the city where the Formula 1 Italy GP takes place!). I’m the founder of the Bartender.it network (http://www.bartender.it /), the first Italian Web Magazine dedicated to the mixology world and international bartending.
With Bartender.it, in the last 5 years I’ve created five events that cover all the beverage sectors: Aperitivi &Co Experience (http:// www.aperitiviexperience.com/), Agave Experience (http://www. agaveexperience.com/), The Gin Day (http://english.ginday.it/), The Whisky Day (http://www.thewhiskyday.it/ ) and…The Rum Day (http://www.therumday.com/), obviously.
I’m also the owner of Cinc - Food & Drink, located in Brera, the physical and figurative heart of the city where I work, Milan.
Q: You organized the first “The Rum Day” in 2014, what inspired you to hold a rum event in Italy and why in Milan?
As I told you, The Rum Day is part of a series of five events covering all the existing beverage macro-categories. Talking about the Sugarcane Experience, I noticed here in Italy the lack of a format like mine: a great tasting room able to put the products in the middle, with all of the present companies presented on the same level.
We do our events throughout Italy, and we feel good everywhere in the Country. Milan is the Italian city which is most easily accessible from all over Europe. That’s why we decided to set our main business over here.
So, why in Italy? Because the Italian market still lived in that kind of “confusion” generated by the advertising claims of the big brands, that often left out the main aspects of product tasting format, the big brand has conferred the necessary authority to the small one for existing, and the smaller brand, put into this virtuous circle, had the opportunity to “contaminate” the market with new pushes and incitement, so as to be known better.
Q: In comparison to the first year’s event, did last year’s event fulfill your expectations?
We have grown by 30% in participant companies and brands, and by 35% in visitors. Keeping in consideration just last 2015 Edition, we counted about 3900 admissions, settling ourselves as the biggest Italian event dedicated only to the Sugarcane Experience. Remember that with the two days of The Rum Day we’re talking just about trade public, made up for 90% by operators of the sector, and with a 10% of enthusiasts present in the dedicated day (that is Sunday). So, basically, yes, I’m talking about more than fulfilled expectations.
Q: What are some of the changes people can look forward to in this year’s event?
Never change a winning team! In every Edition our goal is to improve organization and details, as you do it in ever y other type of experience. Luckily, others are trying to change their formats to come closer to ours, symptom that, after all, we are not moving too badly.
Q: Where and when will your event take place this year?
Sunday 13th and Monday 14th, November 2016. As usual, in Milan!
Q: Is the event geared primarily to promote rum brands that already have distribution in Italy or are you hoping to at tract new brands too?
Obviously it’s easier and more immediate to work with rum imported and distributed in Italy, but the presence of companies and brands not already distributed here has been really important, for us and for companies too: through The Rum Day they have had the opportunity to close deals with Italian companies - in some cases with their very “neighbors of stand” too! But you can imagine, we’re Italians, we find the way to manage things all the time.
Q: I am not familiar with the rum industry in Italy. Can you tell me your perspective of rums in Italy? Do you think consumers are looking for young unaged rums? Aged rums for sipping? Or more as an ingredient in cocktails?
Italy is the Country of Taste, where people like good stuff - and I’m not talking just about food! In the wide variety of brands, the “new” generation of unaged white rums and the aged rums to taste neat represent by now two faces of the same coin: what matters is the quality of the product, mixed with the professionalism and the “vocation” of the one who dispenses it. With this perspective, both can be served neat as well as mixed in cocktails. One of the greatest values of our events is precisely the fact that the knowledge of the product can bring to the optimal “management” of its use, in terms of trade, marketing and, above all, in a sensorial and organoleptic way.
Q: There are rum events in several European countries, why should a rum brand choose to participate in your event in Milan over others?
I really don’t know how many events have grown by 30% in participant companies and brands. The Italian rum market is not that big in absolute numbers compared with other European markets, but it’s for sure a market that represents a commercial and marketing key positioning.
Italian growth is in everyone’s eyes in this field, and in our event you can see how quality has an impact both in the parterre of the exhibitors and by the patrons. Rumors about us are good, and you can investigate with everyone who came in the previous two Editions of The Rum Day. We are pretty sure about the points of strength of our concept and we won’t stop it. I’m totally not that one who feels to force your hand: come at least once… and you’ll decide!
Q: Where can people go to find out more information about your event? If people want to reach you directly, how may they contact you?
We work in an active way on social networks, with almost 90.000 likers on Bartender.it Facebook Fan page (https://www.facebook.com/bartender.it /?fref=ts) and with a good feedback also in the (just opened!) The Rum Day Fan page (https://www.facebook. com/theRumDay/?fref=ts), and we are located on the Web with Italian and English websites. Info@rumday.it is the email for logistic information and questions. Here you can see the video recap of the last The Rum Day Edition in 2015: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=-hXP9fwNz1w
Q: Is there anything else you would like to share with our readers?
I hope you will all come to Milan at the next Rum Day. Big thanks to you, Margaret Ayala, for the opportunity you gave me. I know that our common friend, Marco Pierini, made this meeting happen, and a big thanks goes also to him. I hope you’ve in mind to come to Italy and I hope to find you at The Rum Day: it may be a good occasion to take you for a tour of the city’s bars!
Margaret: Again Mr. Pirola, thank you so much for this interview. I wish you and your team much success.
Cheers!
Margaret Ayala, Publisher