Marketing On-trade

Doing it Rhino-style

Dave Magrogan is a man who divides people up into Rhinos or cows. You’re either a go-getting ‘Rhino’ or you’re a passively observing ‘cow’.

There’s little doubt which species he considers himself after the owner and Managing Director of The Magrogan Group in the US had spoken on ‘Do it Rhino style: the philosophy that build a successful pub empire’ at this year’s Alltech Craft Brewing and Food Fair in the National Convention Centre.

With 14 operating restaurants in the US and four more in the construction phase, The Magrogan Group acts as the parent company for the Kildare group of pubs as well as the Harvest group of restaurants (where the menu changes every season) and now the Oyster House chain of outlets.

Latest addition to The Group, the Stella Rose Italian café, is a seasonal grill and wine bar which also features Italian craft beers as well as local and organic ones.

Dave pointed out to those attending the Pubs Educational Programme that the back of his Stella Rose menu contains a beer list which changes every month to provide the consumer with a rotating selection of draught and bottled beers.

He emphasised the importance of attitude in serving customers and motivates his staff by getting them to write down their objectives and goals in life. He also emphasises to them the importance of marketing within the pub and of pushing premium so that the outlet can sell ‘layered pints’ – beer/beer or beer/spirit or beer/cider mixtures – for $8 where ‘normal’ pints would cost $5 or $6.

His pubs also sell a 22oz ‘Big Arse pint’ for an extra dollar or so and these are always pushed by the staff who get rewarded via a daily sales contest to win dinner at one of his outlets.

Some of his pubs have 30 draughts while others have “just 20” but all carry 80 to 100 beers in draught or bottled format and he keeps in mind that seasonal beers can command a higher price margin.

The pub’s  ‘Beer Dinner’ offer consists of four courses and four matching beers for $30. The promotional pictures require the pub manager to ensure that beer and food are always paired together in the shot which even extends to pairing the appropriate beer with stews.

Every month the pub has a facebook competition for ‘Beer Dinner’ tickets and there’s also a Perfect Pint pouring night for customers.

The pub picks a ‘Brewery of the Month’ and negotiates a deal with that brewery for a “tap takeover”.


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