C&C Pod - Raj De Datta, Founder & CEO of Bloomreach

This week Bill and I are joined by Raj De Datta, Founder and CEO of Bloomreach to mix up a Kir Royale cocktail and talk about Raj’s perspective on the market, his many lessons from founding and leading Bloomreach, and AI’s impact on the future of commerce experiences, digital marketing, and how merchants and marketers work going forward.

Many of you will know Raj, Co-Founder and CEO of Bloomreach, a significant player in commerce search, personalization, and marketing automation markets. What you may not know is that Raj is a multiple-time entrepreneur, investor, and very into tennis - including serving on the Council for Player Development at the US Tennis Association.

I have known and of course worked with Raj for many years, and always enjoy our conversations about the market and where things are headed. We cover a lot of ground, so please pour yourself something to sip along with us and enjoy the conversation.

Cheers!

Episode Chapters:

* Cocktail chat - the Kir Royale & Wimbledon

* Hey Kai, understanding Bloomreach

* Raj’s Bloomreach Founder’s Story

* Navigating challenges: Pivots and strategic shifts

* AI’s impact on consumer experiences

* The evolution of digital marketing: From workflow to data

* The impact of AI Search and aggregators on Digital Commerce

* The future skills needed for marketers and merchants

* The growing importance of business agility

* Lessons in category creation & evolving Bloomreach + The Exponea acquisition story

* Thoughts on the future of the Commerce Tech market

* Tennis as a metaphor for entrepreneurship

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This week’s cocktail - the Kir Royale

The Kir Royale is a variation on the Kir, a once popular French drink combining dry white Burgundian wine with crème de cassis that dates back to the 19th century and was further popularized after World War II. Crème de Cassis is a sweet, dark red liqueur made from macerated blackcurrants, traditionally from the Burgundy region of France. It originated in the mid-19th century, evolving from a medieval French medicinal elixir, and rose to prominence thanks largely to the Kir and Kir Royale.

You can use many sweet liqueurs in a Kir, and Brian used Crème Yvette in his. This is a violet liqueur originally produced in the late 19th century in the U.S., made with parma violets, berries, citrus peel, honey, and vanilla. After disappearing from the market for decades, it was revived in 2009. Slightly drier in flavor than Cassis it is perfect for classic cocktails like the Aviation or to make a Kir Yvette.

The Kir Royale sets itself apart by specifically calling for Champagne, while another variation, the Kir Imperial, calls for sparkling wine and raspberry liqueur rather than cassis.

Aside from being delicious, the best thing about the Kir Royale might be how easy it is to make. Great for brunches and large gatherings (Mother’s Day people!). The scant half ounce of crème de cassis permeates the Champagne, resulting in a gorgeous cocktail with a hint of berry sweetness. Be sure to pour the liqueur into the glass first, followed by the Champagne, which ensures the ingredients will mix naturally. A bit more or less cassis can fine tune the cocktail to one’s individual taste, turning any glass of bubbly into something a bit more special.

Cheers!

Cocktail spec: Kir Royale

Scant 1/2 ounce - Crème de Cassis or Crème Yvette (see note)

To top - Dry Champagne (or other dry sparkling wine or Prosecco)

Garnish: Lemon twist

The process:

Pour the creme de cassis into a Champagne flute. Top with the Champagne. Garnish with a lemon twist, and voilà!

Notes:

* “Scant” here means just a bit less than a ½ ounce, but make them to your taste.

* Use of Crème Yvette will add a violet note and lead to a slightly drier Kir. Also wonderful in an Aviation.

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Be well, be safe, and here is to good business! Cheers! - Brian & Bill

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