Manager, Taste The Difference

Mark Anthony Group is an entrepreneurial drinks company, built from the ground up by thinking differently, innovating and doing the unexpected. Our company is rooted in family values, a bold vision and relentless determination to continuously raise the bar and make a positive difference in consumers' lives. Founded in 1972, we’ve grown organically from a one-person import wine business into an international drinks company whose hallmarks include a portfolio of luxury wineries and iconic beverage brands, including White Claw® Hard Seltzer, Mike’s Hard Lemonade, and Cayman Jack.

The Manager, Taste the Difference supports the execution of MABI’s sampling and liquid-superiority agenda, ambassadorship, and retailer/distributor engagement. This role helps bring tasting strategy to life by executing sampling plans, supporting training tools, and partnering with the Sr. Manager, Taste the Difference on tasting notes and education materials.

Accountabilities:

• Execute Mark Anthony portfolio sampling plans across key consumer, distributor, and retailer touchpoints.
• Support brand ambassadorship efforts to ensure consistent, high-quality product storytelling.
• Assist with development and rollout of sampling training tools across total MABI.
• Partner with the Sr. Manager, Taste the Difference on tasting notes and product education materials.
• Capture sampling feedback and share insights to strengthen future training and tasting execution.
• Ensure all sampling activities are executed in compliance with company policies, responsible serving practices, and brand standards.
• Support cross-functional marketing initiatives that leverage sampling as a key driver of brand growth and awareness.

Key Metrics & Financial Targets:

• Total consumers sampled
• Sampling plan execution
• Trial rate and conversion feedback
• Brand growth and health
• Retailer/distributor engagement

Own:

• Day-to-day execution of Mark Anthony sampling plans
• Sampling tools, training support, and ambassador readiness
• Coordination of retailer and distributor tasting opportunities

Influence:

• Consistency and quality of total MABI sampling execution
• Consumer and trade understanding of MABI product superiority
• Feedback loops between sampling activity and brand

Veto:

• Sampling activity that does not align with approved brand/product messaging
• Training or tasting materials that are incomplete, inaccurate, or off-strategy

Critical Relationships & Stakeholders:

• Sr. Manager, Taste the Difference
• Brand and Marketing teams
• Sales and Commercial teams
• Brand Ambassador Agencies
• Distributors and retail partners
• Liquid & Development team

Qualifications, Education, Experience:

• Bachelor’s Degree & 4–6 years of experience in Sales, Marketing, Field Marketing, Events, or CPG/alcohol beverage preferred
• Experience executing sampling, ambassador, retail, or distributor-facing programs

Skills Needed To Be Successful:

• Strong execution, project coordination, communication and storytelling skills
• Detail-oriented with ability to manage training tools and sampling Collaborative partner across internal and external partners
• Comfortable gathering feedback and translating insights into action

Compensation:

Compensation offered to prospective Team Members has taken internal equity into consideration and can vary depending on a positions’ location. The final agreed upon wage may vary based on the job-related knowledge, skills, and experience of the individual.

• Competitive annual salary $100,000 - $125,000 in Chicago, IL
• Bonus plan designed to recognize company performance and individual contributions
• Comprehensive health and welfare benefits
• Company matching 401(k) contributions
• Paid time off including annual leave, paid sick time and holidays
• Extensive opportunities for training, development, and career growth

At Mark Anthony, we exist to Unearth the Extraordinary:

Our Purpose is not just a statement; it is a call to action that binds us together and ignites our passion for making a difference. It is the driving force behind why we do what we do every single day, connecting our global organization across all business units, roles, and locations. We are:

Best in Our Craft
We set the standard with a pursuit of excellence that can be found in everything from our products and processes to our plants and people.​

Ambitiously Curious
We stay curious, dreaming big and navigating the unknown with an enduring belief in better.​​

Made With Humility
We bring humility, authenticity, fun, and support to every collaboration and celebrate wins as a team.

Daringly Disruptive
We disrupt the status quo, moving fast to seize opportunities and acting scrappy ​to stay ahead of industry giants.​