Since its 2020 launch, the virtual happy hour program has created temporary jobs for more than 300 bartenders
MIAMI (June 2021) – Overproof, the first and only business intelligence company that creates commercial planning, execution and tracking tools for the beverage alcohol and hospitality industries, is pleased to announce its not-for-profit virtual happy hour initiative, CompanyToast, generated $700,000 for the hospitality industry in its first year. Since May 2020, CompanyToast has worked with more than 300 bartenders, who have led virtual cocktail-making classes for more than 3,000 consumers.
CompanyToast was created to offer an interactive way for companies to boost morale and keep remote teams engaged, while providing job opportunities for bartenders. Bartenders handle all aspects of the execution, including sourcing, packaging and delivering kits with a full-sized liquor bottle, bar tools and cocktail ingredients, in partnership with Shaker & Spoon and Cocktail Kingdom. Employees log in to a video call, where the bartender teaches them about the history of the cocktail and featured brand, and how to make it. By sourcing alcoholic and non-alcoholic ingredients from bars and restaurants in the areas where the company is located, CompanyToast has contributed thousands of dollars to support small businesses.
"When hospitality closures began, Overproof immediately shifted efforts to support the bartender community," said Marc De Kuyper, Founder and CEO of Overproof. “It’s been great to see the positive reception the initiative has had among corporate teams, beverage alcohol suppliers and the hospitality community. We are thrilled to see bartenders return to work as bars and restaurants begin to reopen, and with the increase in popularity for virtual happy hours will continue to operate CompanyToast as an added avenue of support to them.”
For beverage alcohol suppliers, CompanyToast provides a unique direct-to-consumer channel, guaranteeing in-home consumer reach through highly experiential brand activations. The CompanyToast team is grateful to have received support from various suppliers, including Santa Teresa 1796, Bardstown, and Mahalo Spirits.
"CompanyToast has been a tremendous resource in allowing new consumers to taste our brand and portfolio," said Nick Doyle, Vice President of Mahalo Spirits. "This has been an excellent way for us to introduce people to our brands using a unique platform. Additionally, it has allowed us to support local hospitality workers and create jobs for bartenders out of work while building brand advocacy. There are a lot of options in the virtual tasting segment. The overall attention to detail and execution from CompanyToast is in, our opinion, the best to continue to work with."
"Since having to shift our intensive cybersecurity courses to online learning, we've booked nearly 20 CompanyToast experiences," said Ayal Stern, CEO of HackerUSA. "It's as simple as filling out a form and having a CompanyToast team member assigned to customize and carry out the virtual experience. We've received great feedback from our staff and university partners who appreciate the team bonding experience while learning how to create a craft cocktail."
