Amsterdam · London · New York · Nairobi · Mumbai · Singapore
Ian Matthews. 20+ years across four continents — Brown-Forman, Proof Strength, 70+ markets. He knows the buyers, the bartenders, and the markets that are actually ready for your brand.
The spirits industry has no shortage of people willing to take a retainer and hand the work to a junior team. Barrels Matter is built on the opposite model. When you engage Ian, you get Ian — someone with direct relationships in the markets you're targeting, who can tell you in the first conversation whether your brand is ready and which markets are actually open.
The difference shows in the outcomes. Producers who work with Ian don't burn budget on markets that aren't ready. They don't get locked into distributor agreements that don't hold up commercially. They know before they invest whether the timing is right — and if it isn't, they know what to fix first.
Six distinct engagements — all delivered personally. Each one designed to answer a specific question your brand is facing right now.
Know before you invest. A clear read on which markets are actually ready for your liquid — and which ones will waste your budget.
The right importer changes everything. Ian's network across 70+ markets means qualified introductions, not a list of names and a good-luck email.
Listings mean nothing without presence. Bartender advocacy, menu placement, and local storytelling that makes your brand mean something in the room.
Where does your brand actually stand in a given market? Positioning, pricing, and expression gaps assessed without the flattery.
Entry costs, margin stacks, volume projections. The financial reality of a new market, before you commit to it.
Programmes that build genuine advocates — not just people who've heard a presentation. Adapted for the market, not copied from the last one.
Ian has lived and worked across four continents. He's activated brands in India, rolled out distribution across Latin America, taken American single malts to European whisky shows, and built portfolios that reached 90 countries. The connections are real — and so is the understanding of what each market actually needs.
Most producers are closer than they think. A single conversation with Ian usually makes the path clearer — whether that means moving now, waiting six months, or approaching a different market first.
ian@barrelsmatter.com