- We started off two college kids and a goat farmer selling ginger beer on Cape Cod, and we were using fresh ginger and using 75% less sugar.

- But we as a company realized that we're not only real ingredients and low sugar, ginger with soul, we also have this entire arena where we can ferment natural ingredients and make something so wonderful and delicious, and so that's kind of where Willie's Superbrew evolved from.

- We're gonna have to do a lot to educate the customer, get in the liquor stores, and take advantage of this opportunity, this very short window of opportunity before we start to see more and more of these seltzers coming in and so forth.

So they've gotta work hard, and they've gotta work fast.

(exciting music) - We started off telling that story with a bit of soul, and that's really where the video came in.

But it's the same thing that happened to the company, it was like let's just make this fun and see what happens.

All of a sudden it started being its own momentum and own thing rolling downhill.

Now we're here with seven employees (laughing), which is crazy.

Ellen started it a couple of months to basically build out our Brand Ambassador Program.

What she's doing is key to getting the message out there.

- Right now we're still gonna be Farmer Willie's for the next six weeks, and then after that it's like we're Willie's Superbrew.

It's a huge change, especially for people that have been drinking it for so long and following along with the story and the journey of Farmer Willie's for the last three years, so that's something that really all of us are working on.

- Ellen identified me because I have a long background and experience in the hospitality industry.

So she was looking for someone who could really understand what they were trying to do.

So even though Farmer Willie was the inspiration, you know, the original recipe, they needed to evolve in terms of what their can looked like, the image, because it wasn't, people were expecting something different from it than what it actually tasted like.

- We went through do we call it Willie's Superbrew, Willie's Brew?

All these combinations.

- Spritzers, seltzers.

- Yes, if it's a spritzer, if it's sparkling, but is seltzer non-alcoholic?

Is spritzer like too sugary sweet wine suburban mom?

(laughing) - Hey, there's nothing wrong with suburban moms.

- There's not, but most of the world is not a suburban mom.

It's like how do we appeal to a larger audience?

- We like our Chardonnays.

- So until this is on the shelves, what can you do to make sure that people walk away with this image?

- Right, so this has been around for three years, right, and it's still like we're still pouring it, but I think it's just getting people familiar with this and this together, so like that combination.

The good thing is that a lot-- - Are you still gonna be selling these, or you're-- - We're selling them until May 18th.

- That's not long.

- That's like the tricky thing, I know, so I think that having this here and kind of walking them through the rebrand will be helpful.

But that is something that we have to figure out.

- One thing I'm really trying to help Ellen with with the Brand Ambassador Program is the consistency in the image and the message.

People need to right away see a visual and be able to identify somehow what it is.

So we need to make sure, obviously we have the cans, and they worked really hard, and they used a professional to help them with the new logo and the look and the colors, but that image has to be very, very consistent so that when people aren't at an event and don't have a person there who's selling to them individually, when they go into a liquor store they need to be able to identify it.

- I want them to fall in love with this one.

- True.

- Or even if you're serving this, I hate to say it, but I want them to still thing it's this and think they're falling in love with this, 'cause it's similar enough.

- Well so, yeah, this one drink, this one and this one are basically the same.

- Similar.

- It's just instead of nutmeg it has tumeric.

- And they're gonna love it even more.

- Exactly, it tastes so good.

- Exactly, and I would say that.

But I get, yeah, 'cause this is such a different look, and who's attracted to this might not be attracted to this.

- Right, but how do you do that transition when you're doing so many events, but you want to be transparent and real with people?

Like I don't wanna give this to people and tell them that it's this because it's not.

- No, I would have all the visual cues this though, and I don't think I'd show this can.

- Okay.

- And then tell them, you love this?

Oh just wait until next month.

- Okay.

- We have a new and improved recipe.

If you love this, wait till next month.

- So, lots of thinking, lots of talking, lots of hours on end.

- I know, I think it's coming through, and I think it's really important for you and your company.

What I'm always so impressed about is the fact that you listen and learn.

Your company's evolving, so you're learning from what works, what doesn't work, and so you're going from here to here, and it seems like everyone is 110% onboard and excited.

- It's a really exciting time because it's like Farmer Willie's grew into seven people, and now we're all the foundation of this company, and it's an amazing place to be.

(fun electronic music)