G3 Spirits Group is one of the leading representatives and distributors of alcoholic beverages and global brands in the region. Could you share more about key factors that contributed your overall success?
Slavko: More than 20 years of successful entrepreneurship and management of a carefully selected and well-balanced portfolio in an efficient organisation enabled us to become and remain one of the leading companies in the region. Striving for constant progress, our goal was not to become the biggest, but to become the best, and we did it.
As leading marketers and distributors with focus on alcoholic beverages, our mission is to join forces of internationally well-known brands with our local expertise and consumer insights. The unique combination of established brands and the expertise of dedicated local teams, enable our company to operate successfully in its selected markets but always applying socially responsible practices and standards.
Our local management and their dedicated teams assure the best market insight, excellent customer relationship and effective route-to-market. Local expertise and flexibility to react independently is the key strength of our regional organisation.
As a long-time member and supporter of the British Serbian Chamber of Commerce, could you elaborate on how the collaboration with the BSCC assisted in the development of your business?
Slavko: The work of the BSCC in Serbia is extremely important for our business, as well as the function that this body performs. In the previous period, this cooperation gained additional importance and included extensive and frequent communication to understand the needs of group members, informing members about the status and progress of Brexit negotiations, as well as the role of the bridge that this organisation represents between the governments and regulations of two countries.
Cooperation with British Serbian Chamber of commerce is one of the key tools for our organisation to stay up to date with all relevant political, business and industry news, trends, and market insights. Based on highest international standards and procedures, our organisation benefits from a pool of know-how, experience, and best practices.
Now we're in a situation that we can say that we are very proud to what we have done together so far, and we are looking forward to 2023 and beyond, keeping our positive attitude and believing in ourselves and our devoted partner - BSCC.
Becoming a successful entrepreneur can be a complex process. Could you highlight what is your primary source of motivation? What persuaded you to choose the beverage industry when you were establishing your venture?
Slavko: I have always considered that in order to be a successful entrepreneur, one can never stand still. The way I see it, is that the best entrepreneurs enjoy the journey as much as the destination. They have a thirst for knowledge that helps them in their business in addition to the idea of creating something new, special and different from the ground up, that will take them to a path of own personal growth. Now, imagine the industry that provides all of that, but is also a ground that provides sustainable foundation to bring joy to the other people at the times of their special moments in life. The sensation is rewarding and fun. Spirits industry is rather specific one. It is stidoes buts business, that requires the approach that any other business does, but being that this is industry of fun and joy, the focus is more on substance and not form. Having said that, I think that the biggest difference between this industry and any other, is actually the human interactions. The communication and relationships in this industry are much direct, franc and open, and not burdened as much with formality and strict hierarchy. For me personally, freedom and passion have been always the key drivers that motivate me and I find the spirit industry as just the right one to pursue them.
As summer has officially started, could you briefly share g3 spirits' plans for the forthcoming period?
Slavko: Entrepreneur spirits always dictates big plans and aspirations. The challenge is to keep them attainable, meaning that they are still challenging and motivating, but possible to achieve.
As ever, we know that having a plan is crucial step in setting and organising any business, but having the ability to adapt to the circumstances and environment around you can be an even more important resource for achieving the long-term goals.
I do agree that summer has officially started but unfortunately, we have not seen so much of it yet, so we needed to realign some planned initiatives. For this season, our plan is to introduce few innovations to the market, as this is something at the core of our business. Some of the new brands and brand variants to our portfolio that we want to showcase to Serbian consumers this summer do include editions such as Hendrick’s Flora Adora, the latest release from Hendrick’s Cabinet of Curiosities, an unusual expression of an ephemeral moment of nature in caught in a bottle, or Old Pilot’s gin, voted World’s best London dry gin at IWSC 2019. As the gin category is the one with great momentum right now, and summer is the right time for gin, we intend to expend our Finsbury gin portfolio by adding more premium option such as Finsbury Platinum, for our more mature and experienced consumers, but as well some refreshing summer variants such as Finsbury Wild Strawberry or Blood Orange. Last but not least, we are bringing to Serbia first ever tequila that is based on fruity notes such as passion fruit, mango and chilli embodied in Sierra Tequila Tropical.
