73: How CEO Chris Watt Is Growing Branca USA in a Challenging Market - Business of Drinks

Branca USA may steward some of the most iconic names in spirits — Fernet-Branca, Carpano Antica, Borghetti — but under Chris Watt’s leadership, this 180-year-old company is showing how heritage can be a springboard for modern growth.

Since taking the helm as CEO in 2022, Chris has built a lean, data-focused team of just 48 people to deliver outsized results: Selling more than 3 million bottles annually and growing faster than the overall spirits category — showing an 8% increase in both volume and value so far this year.

In this episode, Chris shares how his team is using sharp analytics, disciplined focus, and creative execution to transform Branca’s brands for today’s consumers — while staying true to the bartender culture that built them.

We discuss:

• The strategic shift that turned Borghetti into the fastest-growing coffee liqueur in the U.S., up 81% in volume in 2024

• Why Fernet-Branca’s biggest growth now comes from college towns and neighborhood bars, and how the brand has expanded beyond its trade-darling origins

• How Carpano Antica Formula became the gold standard for home and bar Manhattans — and why that traction was largely organic

• The “pilot fish” strategy: How Branca partners with the biggest brands in its distributors’ portfolios to drive sales, creating a “win-win” for the distributor

• How a Total Wine March Madness display and on-premise activations worked hand-in-hand to deliver a 40% sales spike in that month

• Why Chris believes data and focus — not massive budgets — are the keys to smart brand building today
  

Chris also opens up about the challenges of executing at speed with a small team, why he sets aside daily time for strategic planning, and the mindset he brings to building culture and growth simultaneously.

If you’re a drinks founder or operator looking to understand how to modernize a heritage brand — or grow in a tough market with limited resources — this episode offers practical, actionable insights you won’t want to miss.

Last Call: 

Caroline Lamb, Erica Duecy, and Scott Rosenbaum dig into surprising data from Brightfield Group and Sightlines about THC beverage consumption — and why higher dosage drinks are on the rise. Did you know: Some 60% of hemp-derived THC drinkers now reach for the 10mg dose, up ~18% in just two years?

Don’t miss our next episode, dropping on July 23.

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Erica Duecy, co-host: Erica Duecy is founder and co-host of Business of Drinks and one of the drinks industry’s most accomplished digital and content strategists. She runs the consultancy and advisory arm of Business of Drinks and has built publishing and marketing programs for Drizly, VinePair, SevenFifty, and other hospitality and drinks tech companies.

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Instagram @ericaduecy

Scott Rosenbaum, co-host: Scott Rosenbaum is co-host of Business of Drinks and a veteran strategist and analyst with deep experience building drinks portfolios. He currently serves as Head of Search at Distill Ventures. He was formerly the Vice President of T. Edward Wines & Spirits, a New York-based importer and distributor.

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Caroline Lamb, contributor: Carol