Created by Oisin Davis of Great Irish Beverages and Danil Nevsky of Indie Bartender, ARC is a non-profit set up to help the global bar industry during its time of need
Established in September, ARC (Ambassador Residency Club) is all about getting brand ambassadors back behind the bar to give some assistance to our good friends in the hospitality community. According to Danil Nevsky of Indie Bartender and Oisin Davis of Great Irish Beverages, the one universal issue facing so many bars and restaurants around the world today is a lack of staff. When the entire global hospitality sector closed during lockdown, a lot of people were forced to find employment elsewhere. Those same people are now working in other areas, leaving many vacant positions in the bar and restaurant industry. This is just one of the many reasons why the hospitality sector is facing a staffing crisis.
But there is a way to help. Hundreds of able-bodied and fully experienced individuals are ready and waiting. They are brand ambassadors and ARC wants to get them back to where they first started – behind the bar.
What is ARC?
Drinks brands have recruited many of the world’s best and most capable bartenders and turned them into brand ambassadors. ARC wants these brands to help alleviate the staffing crisis by letting their ambassadors work some shifts in the bars again.
In order for brands to participate in ARC, they have to allow one of their brand ambassadors to work for four shifts in one month in a bar of their choice. The rotation of brands and bars taking part will change every month and any brand or bar can request to come on board. There’s no charge, but final say on brands and bars is down to the ARC team.
The first month’s edition of ARC featured Ben Curtis of Hendrick’s Gin working in The Exchequer in Dublin and Andrei Korobov of Tselovalnik vodka working in El Copitas Bar in St Petersburg. The second included Maksim Shirokov, Jameson Brand Ambassador for Russia at Zhuravli Bar, Moscow and Miguel Fajardo, Thomas Henry Ambassador for Spain at maría bonita taco bar.
If you are a brand ambassador/manager/owner and want to get involved with ARC, email oisin@greatirishbeverages.com or dan@indiebartender.com
