On 9 and 10 June, the More than European Food and Drinks, Savoring Stories campaign participated in Bar Convent Brooklyn (BCB), one of North America's leading trade events for the bar and beverage industry. Bringing together bartenders, bar owners, beverage directors and hospitality professionals from across the sector, the event provided an ideal platform to showcase the quality, authenticity and diversity of European spirits and complementary food products.
Over the two days, the campaign welcomed thousands of visitors to its interactive booth while also hosting a dedicated seminar exploring how premium European ingredients can inspire contemporary cocktail creation.
Exploring Europe's spirits through tasting and education
At the booth, visitors discovered a curated selection of five GI-certified European spirit drinks: Irish Whiskey PGI, Jenever PGI, Polish Vodka PGI, Masticha of Chios PGI and Swedish Punch PGI. Guided by renowned mixologist Jonathan Pogash, "The Cocktail Guru", attendees sampled each spirit neat to appreciate its distinctive character before exploring how these products can be used in modern cocktail programs.
To demonstrate the versatility of European products beyond the glass, the spirits were paired with carefully selected European foods, including Marcona almonds from Spain, Cioccolato di Modica PGI from Italy, Danablu PGI from Denmark, and Organic Istra PDO extra virgin olive oil from Croatia served with French mini toasts.
The educational experience extended beyond the tastings. Visitors learned about EU quality schemes, including Protected Designation of Origin (PDO), Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) and the EU Organic label, while interactive displays and conversations with campaign experts highlighted the stories, traditions and craftsmanship behind Europe's food and drink products.
A study in flavors: European ingredients in cocktails
A highlight of the program was the seminar A Study in Flavors: An Exploration of European Ingredients in Cocktails, led by New York cocktail expert Tim Maroz.
After an introduction from Silke Boger, the Agricultural Counselor of the European Union Delegation to the United States, the session explored how carefully selected ingredients shape flavor and demonstrated how authentic European products can elevate cocktail creation. Rather than focusing solely on finished drinks, attendees sampled individual ingredients alongside the completed cocktails, allowing them to better understand how each component contributed to the final flavor profile.
Strong engagement from the hospitality industry
The activation generated strong interest throughout the two-day event. The campaign engaged directly with more than 2,500 hospitality professionals through guided tastings and educational conversations, while the seminar welcomed attendees representing restaurants, bars, hotels, importers, distributors and other beverage professionals.
Visitor feedback highlighted both the educational value of the experience and the appeal of the featured products. Many attendees commented that the concept of PGI-certified spirits was new to them, while others praised the diversity of the spirit selection, the quality of the food pairings and the opportunity to discover lesser-known European products.
Building on the success of Bar Convent Brooklyn, the campaign will continue introducing food and beverage professionals across the United States to the diversity, quality and authenticity that make European products truly More than Food and Drinks.
To delve deeper into the world of European food & beverages and discover upcoming events, follow us at @morethanfoodus and More than Food US.
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