Dan Walker Appointed CEO of True Believers
Proof & Company’s brand innovation unit, True Believers Spirits, is going global. Over the last two years, the True Believers craft spirits range has proven itself across Proof & Company’s Asia-Pacific markets, served as the official launch partner of the ecoSPIRITS low-carbon, low-waste distribution system, and begun to win acclaim, particularly in the trade. True Believers now has its sights set on broader distribution beyond its home markets.
True Believers craft pouring line up. Arquitecto Tequila, Widges London Dry Gin, Tried & True Straight Wheat Vodka and Mackintosh Blended Malt Whisky.
To spearhead this initiative, the Proof & Company board of directors has appointed Dan Walker CEO of True Believers. In something of a homecoming for Walker, he will build out True Believers from Melbourne with all bottling for the region taking place there, while True Believers will maintain its origin office in Singapore. He will report directly to the board of directors.
Says Walker, “Having the opportunity to focus exclusively on developing this fantastic portfolio of spirits is a dream come true for me. The team has already proven the viability of these brands within the Proof & Company distribution markets, so I know the brands work. I feel privileged to take over such a strong portfolio and to lead such a talented team. We’re excited to get out there and get building on the great work already achieved in Asia-Pacific.”
Walker co-founded and led Proof & Company’s Australian and New Zealand subsidiaries in 2012 under the Neat Spirits banner and joined the Proof & Company team when it acquired Neat Spirits in 2018. After acquisition, he served as COO of Proof & Company based in Singapore, tasked with scaling its operational capacity across Asia-Pacific, including navigating operations during the COVID-19 pandemic.
International Sales at True Believers will be headed up by one of Proof & Company’s founding team members and a much-loved name in bartending, Zdenek Kastanek. Kastanek, based in Miami, will lead the push into Europe and the Americas with the United Kingdom, France, and California launching in the coming quarter.
True Believers was conceived by Proof & Company co-founder Spencer Forhart as an innovation unit within the Proof & Company group. Its aim is to offer a range of craft spirits that bridges the gap between economical pouring brands, which often fall short in meeting modern consumer preferences for craft credibility, and super premium craft spirits, which are generally priced out of reach for house pouring programs.
To date, True Believers has released four spirits brands, including Tried & True Straight Wheat Vodka, Widges London Dry Gin, Arquitecto Blanco Tequila, and Mackintosh Blended Malt Whisky. Additional brands in further categories are expected to launch over the next two years. Forhart will stay on as a board director and advisor, but Walker will have full control over True Believers going forward.
Each of the True Believers brands was developed individually to serve as a versatile archetype of its category, suitable for cocktails and sipping alike. The spirits themselves are produced with authentic craft values by highly-regarded distillers. No additives are used in any of the brands and the team strives to steer away from gimmickry and questionable production practices. The range is price-positioned to be accessible to pouring programs for better bars and available in the ecoSPIRITS low-carbon, low-waste spirits distribution system.
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Jessica Slevin | Accela PR