We talked to José Cabanas, Chief Marketing Offer in Children of Riverajust a few hours after Galicia Starits flagship brand, has received the Grand Prix at the National Marketing Awards 2025. Recognition that adds to those who had already endorsing the successful trajectory, not only of the brand, but from the company.

Cabanas ensures that what has been achieved – and does not refer only to the awards – is the fruit, among other things, of the work of the team, a defined culture, a clear purpose and the commitment to differentiation. In spite of everything, he considers that there is still a way to go to turn the company into “the most loved global big craft and generating positive impact”On marketing, teams, media and international ambition revolves our conversation with him.

RW. What does this award mean for the team?

It is a bestial recognition, both internal and external. We have a deluxe team that have been working together for many years and they know each other very well. We believe a lot in people’s talent and there is freedom to create and execute. Normally, in our areas, we seem firefighters running from one place to another turning off fires. Having time to think or be able to enable people, teams, partners, leaves margin to make a brilliant execution.

RW. And you have time to think?

Nor too, but we try to provoke physical and temporal spaces, to think with people, so that the teams can dedicate the necessary time. Because if not, the execution does not go well.

RW. One of the aspects of the awards is the validation of the market. Do you feel that after a prize there is a boost within the team?

I do not know if it is Galician character or character of Estrella Galicia, but the outside is valued a lot and the inside sometimes, less. Within our own team, it even happens to me, when you see things that appear in the market, you say “How have they come to this? How good!” And when you look inside you really realize that you have a team that is able to do that and more.
But sometimes he does not stand out or get brightness. I think there comes a time when, at least in our house, We need to be proud. And everyone likes to be given a palmadita on the back because it means a step forward.

RW. You are closely linked to the world of sponsorship and alliances. Are they profitable at the business level? Are they more demanding than before?

I like to talk about sponsorships. For us They represent content axes Because in our model, the content is critical. There are not so many people in Spain interested in talking about beer, hops or elaboration processes. But there are a vast majority of people for whom beer is a nearby, very social product, linked to drinking reeds, disconnecting and freeing themselves. To be able to tell them why we are different from the rest of the options, pushes us to those contents. That is why we sponsor MotoGP, music concerts, festivals, rooms, gastronomy … represent those axes that give us the opportunity to be relevant in what interests people. They give us brand tangibility.

On whether it is profitable or not, I would tell you that in the short term it is difficult. We must have a mentality, which we fail a lot in our environment, which is medium or long term. In this industry we have to Improve the longevity of positions and actionsof the purposes we have. It is not the same to think that in two years you will be making a leap to another place, than if you are thinking at 15 or 20 years seen. I am lucky to have been in the house for 20 years with marketing responsibilities, but my boss pays me for being different, for how we express ourselves, and for that there are a series of tools that are used, whether marketing, communication or innovation, which allow us to offer a different value proposition with a long -term medium mentality. And there I can assure you that it is profitable.

RW. But you play with marked cards. Because your CEO trusts marketing. And that is not normal …

It is not that it trusts marketing, but in everything that offers differentiation to the company and allow a different proposal to be taken from the rest of the industry. Trust your marketing department as you do with operations or your beer teacher, capable of making a different beer. Here first bets on beer, and then for the brand. But it is also committed to the distributive network or commercial partners.

We have a mantra, which is born from our idiosyncrasy and trajectory: first we are, then we do and finally we say. It is rare that you see us say something we are going to do and that we are not. The trip is one direction.

RW. From “The theft of the year”, “The Cabo Lasto Plan” and, in general, everything done with Netflix, what have you learned?

That travel companions are very important. The alliances They seem to me a superpower. The thought of 12 people united to achieve a goal is something that one does not have. And develop ideas in an environment where you are comfortable working, leads you to unexplored places.

RW. So, is the intention to continue with alliances for every time as possible?

The lone llanero exists in a book. I don’t see lonely llaneros out there. I think things happen because there is talent that meets and makes them happen. So alliances are a superpower for those who have the ability to use them.

RW. As for talent collection, being Galicia Estrella, isn’t it?

We have a handicap-life, and we are in a corner of Spain. But we are still A competitive company. Our Headquarter is in Galicia, and that is a consensual, oriented and dear decision. For us the origin is critical, something that determines from our way of doing business to our Flagship product. And I think Galicia falls nice.

RW. Let’s talk about communication and bridges to achieve goals. One of those bridges you use is television. To what extent is it relevant to Estrella Galicia?

In our business we have to take into account how to entertain who you have to tell something. If you do not enter, do not capture the attention. And TV is a medium that has numbers, which gives you coverage, a presence and a scope that other media still does not give you, because of the fragmentation that exists. I predict that, just as the radio has not disappeared, the TV will continue to be there doing its role.

RW. Speaking of the media, a curious concept is that of new audiences, because they are not new. Should we talk rather emotions?

I would tell you to talk about moments. You are not the same today, on Tuesday, that the one that is going to be in a month and a half when you are making your suitcase to go on vacation. It is not the same to look at the mobile in public transport than to see a late night on television. Each one has its space, and has a place for your brand or not. I I believe in omnichannel and in the moments of entertainment consumption, media consumption, not so linked to our product consumption.

RW. Children of Rivera is much more than star Galicia. How do you carry that brand coexistence? How do you wear hat changes and what would you like to enhance other brands?

Estrella Galicia is approximately 70% of the company’s business. But we do many more things and our ambition is to be an agri -food corporation. To do this, the innovation area works in three great verticals. One of them are raw materials of beer that support our portfolio. As part of this we launched Lupia two years, a hops harvest whose benefits are destined to continue planting more hops.

Another vertical is the food, food and packaging. All linked to the feeding of the future, what helps us to live more healthy and the way we offer it. Here we have developed compostable materials, returnable, recyclable containers, which we apply in our brands.

And the third would encompass everything that is the Route to the market. And there it goes from logistics transport to hospitality or payment media. We make developments, both own and external, and we have a network of more than 70 partners.

RW. I am surprised by the depth of your conversation. You are how part of product, innovation. Do not limit yourself to promotion. To what extent do you think that should be a reference for the market?

The first thing is that I have a super team. Below me there are two people who control the area perfectly. The second, because Ignacio Rivera, who is now the president, was Marketing Director.
The bulk of our work do not dedicate it to the promotion, but to be with the team, kicking the street, watching the commercial network, investigating insights … to fight with the boss you have to go armed, with equipment, with data, because if not, there is no battle.

RW. What costs you the most or where do you think you have the challenge still to improve?

What requires more effort is to manage talent, or rather incorporate it. And also find the balance between Keep DNA and integrate talent with new ways of doing things. We try to mark some untouchable basics, and from there incorporate talent. But sometimes we pass and sometimes, the wall is very high and you have to lower the level.

RW. Is Galicia Estrella where you want to be? And if not, where do you want me to be?

Estrella Galicia has a constant fight with departing from all who try to stick to us. They look at us, and it is a sign that the team is doing a good job, but I think we have a lot. We always try to do so looking at the purpose, which is be the most loved global big craft and generate positive impact.

This means continuing to do things as until now, without perverting the basics. But we want to be global and we have the pending subject of become an international company. We have taken star Galicia throughout Spain, but taking it internationally is not a copy-pass. On that trip you have to bring talent that knows how to enrich, that you understand who you are and how to project it in different countries. That is one of the great challenges we have in the next six or seven years.

The part of being more loved is the one that has to do with relevancewith staying on the first line. It is the challenge of continuing to be, reaching people’s hearts. That is what will really lead to the results account. We think about strategies and results are a consequence of them.

In positive impact, Last year they gave us the B-Corp seal because we guided ourselves for the OPPA concept: or of origin, P planet, p of people and allies. Everything we do, in terms of culture, investment and raw material, has to do with this.
Specifically in the part of people We have a very powerful internal promotion policy. All my team has grown with me since 2000. So the commitment to talent from below has always accompanied us. It is seen, for example, in the sponsorship part. We support Marc Marquéz OA Carlos Sainz from the beginning.

And the part of Allies It is critical. We want to reach 300,000 hospitality points, and this is done with shoulder alliances, with help, tools and training, developing projects and sharing Know-How today, but tomorrow too.

RW. This way of seeing things, is it what makes star Galicia different from others?

Probably. In this house, not only for Ignacio, I think the family has a lot to do with this because he has let us do. Without that, it would not have been possible.