Strategic Partners
About Us
Brand Evolution LLC offers the comprehensive capabilities and deep industry knowledge necessary to help you take your beverage brand to the next level.
Meet our team, Rob Garafalo, Brian Rieke, Amanda Becklin Newell and Ryan Oliver.
Rob Garafalo
Rob Garafalo brings 20+ years’ experience in adult beverage across the beer, wine and spirits categories. Following positions as a regional manager, Rob focused on the national accounts arena working with companies like Diageo, Terlato Wines and Palm Bay International in the on-premise and retail channels from coast to coast. In his final role at Taub Family Selections, Rob navigated the company launch, directing a broad wholesaler network, national and local teams to a more nimble and seamless way of working.
Brian Rieke
Brian Rieke brings a tremendous amount of national sales and management experience with both distributor (18 years with RNDC) and supplier (4.5 years with Francis Ford Coppola Winery). Brian held strategic national account positions with both companies (RNDC – Safeway Corporate National Account Manager and Corporate Vice President National Accounts & FFCW – Director of National Accounts and Senior Director of Retail Strategy).
Amanda Becklin Newell
Amanda brings over 12 years of sales and marketing experience in the alcohol beverage industry across
beer, wine, and spirits. She has extensive experience working with independent/regional retailers, on-premise and retail national accounts as well as distributor management. She is passionate about connecting brands to consumers on a more meaningful level and being creative with go-to market
strategies.
Ryan Oliver
Ryan Oliver brings 22 years of experience in the adult beverage industry across wine, spirits, and beer. His experience ranges from distributor sales management (10 years SGWS) to supplier team and divisional management (12 years Palm Bay International). At PBI, Ryan worked in various roles expanding over time and most recently ran a team and division in the Midwest across six states while simaltaneously managing regional and national chains. He has worked with multiple distributors across the region and has built lasting partnerships through brand building with strategic planning and execution. He has a talent for team leadership, developing and growing relationships and markets, and creative problem solving through strategy and analysis.
Together our Brand Evolution Team
Has 50+ years of experience in adult beverage / CPG
Beverage Category Experience:
Wine, Beer, Spirits, Non-Alcohol, Energy & Water
Industry leading supplier experience focused on National Accounts:
Gallo, Diageo, Terlato, Palm Bay, Allied Domecq, Remy Cointreau & Francis Coppola
Extensive National Distributor experience & relationships
RNDC, YMCO, SGWS & Breakthru
35+ years in Chain Account management
Including the Nations Largest National, Super-Regional & Regional Accounts.
Off-Premise, On-Premise, Hotels, Transportation & E-Commerce
Services include Marketing, Analytics, Trade Marketing & Category Management Core Competencies
Our Strategic Approach
Brand Evolution collaboratively assumes management of all facets of National Accounts for our clients. More than just bringing “relationships”; Our deep understanding of the stress points within the 3-Tier System allows us to streamline the gap between our clients, distributors & buyers; Resulting in a more efficient/productive way of working
Eliminate Noise
To improve Efficiency