AN ALLIANCE of Brazilian steak and Irish stout has arisen in Edinburgh, where the newly-opened RIO Steakhouse has become the first venue in the city to sell MMA fighter Conor McGregor’s challenger stout brand, Forged, on draught.
Launched to market last October, Forged’s national roll out into both bars and off-trade has reportedly exceeded the ‘wildest expectations’ of its creators.
There was a synergy, then, with the RIO Steakhouse brand’s first move into Scotland with its Edinburgh opening earlier this month, in the Assembly Rooms venue space that was formerly a Jamie’s Italian, where the restaurant’s launch party saw the stout served in the city for the first time.
In a show of support for the restaurant group, McGregor lent his UFC Championship belt to RIO for the opening night for guests to admire and pose with for photos. McGregor later reposted the announcement of the Forged and RIO partnership to no less than 47.2 million followers on his personal Instagram, @thenotoriousmma. The stout is now the top draught seller in the venue.
Co-owner of RIO Brazilian Steakhouse, Rodrigo Grassi, said: “RIO and Forged are both brands that share a strong sense of heritage. We are proud to partner with Forged Irish Stout as their flagship seller within the Scottish capital, and we know our guests will be happy to experience the stout that pairs perfectly with our exquisite range of meats and Brazilian bites.”
Chief marketing officer at Forged Irish Stout, Doug Leddin, said: “At Forged, our commitment to quality is unquestionable, as is the team at RIO’s. Setting up a collaboration when both are entering the Edinburgh market for the first time was a no brainer.
“To see our stout as the top selling draught is just fantastic,” added Leddin. “The response has exceeded expectations and confirms the RIO and Forged partnership as a solid success, one which we are incredibly proud to be a part of and hope to be longstanding.”
