Happy New Year!
2023 was an excellent year for Batch 22 and Downtime Cocktails. We made great progress in expanding our sales outlets—among many new accounts, we got onto the shelves at Total Wine & More throughout California and became available through Drizly, the nation's largest e-commerce alcohol retailer.
We also made substantial progress in our ongoing projects to partner with Delta Airlines and Viking Cruises. We still have a way to go on both fronts, but discussions are looking positive. (These things, as you may imagine, take time.)
2023 also marked a notable achievement from a distribution standpoint: Batch 22 officially became available in two more states. Earlier in the year, we set up distribution in New York and New Jersey, although, thus far, we are primarily focusing on the New York market.
A major factor in aiding this expansion was the inclusion of Batch 22 on the cocktail menu at Swift Hibernian Lounge in downtown Manhattan (34 E. 4th St.). Once named "The Absolute Best Pub in New York" by New York magazine, inclusion at this venue is a major coup for us. It didn't take long for owner Danny McDonald to taste Batch and give it the green light; Matthew sat down to pour for him one evening and, by the time they got up (4 hours later) Danny said he'd put Batch on the menu as soon as it was available.
Winning over Danny McDonald is no easy feat. He's generally regarded as one of America's top culinary business owners and one of New York City's best-known restaurateurs. He is the owner and designer of many of the city's most successful restaurants and pubs, including Swift Hibernian Lounge, Puck Fair, Ulysses' Folkhouse, and most recently Pier A Harbor House. He's also part owner in other iconic venues, including Dead Rabbit, named Best Bar in the World by 50 Best Bars in 2016 and consistently listed in the Top 50 (it's #44 this year). This is the kind of company we like to keep!
We'll be making a pilgrimage to New York City in a few weeks, during which time we'll discuss additional venues with Danny and follow up on a number of other accounts that said they wanted Batch as soon as it became available.
More reporting on that when we return.