Extending over half a century and many generations. Forty different spirits. Sixteen different countries (and counting). That’s Preiss Imports.
A family-run company from the start, there’s no doubt that the Preiss family are pioneers in the spirit industry. This niche import company is behind some of the most invigorating artisanal beverages on the market.
Henry Preiss, CEO and founder of Preiss Imports, fondly remembers how their family import business found its footing. It all began in Germany over 60 years ago.
“My father brought our family over from Germany to the USA in 1961. My father had a sales territory in Germany where he sold food, wines, and spirits,” explains Preiss. “He proposed to his suppliers for some sponsorship funds to help him start his company in the states. With a few dollars in his pocket, some sponsorships, we packed up and immigrated.”
Preiss was still very young, but from the beginning, he admired his father. “It’s hard for me to imagine how hard it was for him to pull this off.” This admiration urged Preiss to quickly join the family company. But don’t be fooled. The owner’s son had to start at the bottom. “When I started, I was a delivery driver,” says Preiss, “that soon morphed into a dual role of delivery boy—salesman.”
Preiss fell in love with the world of wine and spirits, making his entrance a turning point in the trajectory of the family business. “As I delivered, I saw opportunities for my father’s brands and started offering them. Soon I was carrying a suit in the van and switched from jeans when delivering to a suit for sales.”
Chilled chats with Preiss about Preiss Imports, growing up in the spirits biz, and bringing in his daughter, Nikki.
You have a long and interesting backstory in the industry. Give us some of the highlights.
I started full time in the business with my father who owned the Erich Preiss Company.
When I started it was as a delivery driver and that soon morphed into a dual role of delivery boy, salesman. As I delivered, I saw opportunities for my father’s brands and started offering them. Soon I was carrying a suit in the van and switched from jeans when delivering to a suit for sales. I quickly was drawn into fine wines and spirits. My father’s company had brands like Jägermeister and others along with wines that are today sold nationally.
You come from a family of folks involved in the spirits industry. Tell us a bit about your family in the business.
My father brought our family over from Germany to the USA in 1961 and founded his company. In Germany my father had a sales territory where he sold food, wines, and spirits. He proposed to his suppliers if they would do some sponsorship funds to help him start his company in the USA. With a few dollars in his pocket, some sponsorships, we packed up and immigrated. Hard for me to imagine how hard it had to have been for him to pull this off.
As a multi-generational, family-owned company, focused on the artisanal side of spirits, tell us what sets your brands apart.
What really sets us apart is our sheer selection that our portfolio offers the trade. We have a saying “if we like the people behind the brand and we like the brand itself”, there may just be a fit for it in our portfolio. Not having investors allows us to act as we wish and carry what we wish. We are the go-to and we are easy for our distributors to do business with us because of our vast selection of premium brands. This makes it easy to build orders without overloading on any single brand. This method allows products such as Eau de Vie which always struggle to find a path to market.
What should bartenders know about Preiss Imports and its brands?
We are a bartender’s dream. Our selection offers the kind of brands and products that can set an establishment apart. We know the brands that are on every bar and ours are not. Creativity using products from the Preiss Imports portfolio of brands build a standout cocktail program.
As a company with multiple brands found around the world, talk to us about your brands. What about your involvement with domestic brands?
Funny you should ask. We are just getting started with adding domestic brands to our portfolio.
Tell us more about Preiss Imports evolution and growth through the years.
The current Preiss Imports is in its 10th year now. Of course, we fall back on the historical of the various Preiss Family businesses that preceded the current company. From the beginning of this company Nikki and I have been on a global quest for brands that resonate for us. That journey has taken through the last 10 years where we now have 40 suppliers from around the USA, Mexico, Peru, UK, Ireland, the EU, New Zealand and with brands using fair trade ingredients form Sri Lanka, Uzbekistan, Bolivia and so on.
What inspires the company’s culture of dedication to the artisanal spirits segment?
What drives us the passion of working with our diverse group of suppliers. People who we are honored to share the passion they pour into their brands.
What do you see coming down the pike for Preiss?
Exponential growth as people discover that a little of something is so much better than a lot of low quality spirits and vermouth. We have many new projects ahead of us as our portfolio continues to expand. A world of brands at your fingertips.
