Sampling Success: Building Brands Locally

In this episode, I spoke to Nick Guerrieri, founder of Chelly, who shares how he crafted a modernized limoncello out of Arizona—a place few associate with classic Italian citrus liqueurs.

By reducing sugar and viscosity, Chelly repositions limoncello from a narrow digestif to a spirit capable of starring in cocktails or being served neatly.

Nick’s strategy relies on grassroots sampling at liquor stores and festivals, weaving a genuine “behind-the-scenes” brand narrative on social media, and balancing on-trade listings with hands-on retail demos.

Distinctive branding elements, like his signature lemon shirt and recipe lookbooks, help Chelly stand out.

Over five years, Chelly has built momentum by focusing on direct consumer feedback, turning local pride in Arizona’s citrus heritage into a marketing edge, and carefully expanding bar menu placements and off-trade distribution.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction and Podcast Overview

00:29 Meet Nick Guerrieri: The Limoncello Innovator

01:21 Crafting a Modernized Limoncello

02:05 Consumer Reactions and Market Penetration

03:06 Marketing Strategies and Visual Branding

06:42 On-Trade vs. Off-trade Sales Tactics

14:22 Sampling and Direct Consumer Feedback

22:45 The Importance of Small Wins and Persistence

26:30 Final Thoughts and Farewell