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We’re excited to welcome MKD Collective to the FIVE x 5 Distillery Consulting Partner network!
If you haven’t met her yet, MKD Collective is led by Katie Gezon, who brings more than a decade of experience in the alcohol and beverage industry. She’s managed operations at Coca-Cola, Anheuser-Busch, and Pepsi, leading large production teams and building systems that kept efficiency, compliance, and growth all moving forward.
But Katie will tell you herself, the work that energizes her most isn’t at the corporate level. It’s working side by side with smaller distilleries and co-packers, where every improvement shows up immediately on the floor.
“With craft distilleries, I get to bring all that big-company knowledge and see the impact immediately. We put in the right systems, and suddenly the team has the bandwidth to grow. That’s what keeps me motivated.”
WHY KATIE STARTED MKD COLLECTIVE
Katie saw a gap in the industry: smaller producers need the same level of structure and compliance discipline as large operations, but they often can’t afford or justify hiring full-time operations leaders. That’s where she steps in — bringing her background as a fractional COO and operations consultant to distilleries in growth mode.
Her approach blends technical know-how with a roll-up-your-sleeves mentality. One day she might be guiding a founder through regulatory reporting, the next she’s working with staff to tighten up production workflows. It’s this mix of strategy and hands-on leadership that sets her apart.
WHERE SHE BRINGS THE MOST VALUE
Helping a start-up DSP (Distilled Spirits Plant) put systems in place so compliance doesn’t become a stumbling block.
Supporting a distillery that’s adding new SKUs or entering new channels and needs stronger operational structure to keep pace.
Working with co-packers balancing multiple clients and needing clear SOPs and staff training to reduce bottlenecks.
Her clients aren’t looking for someone to hand them a checklist — they’re looking for a distillery consulting partner who can design scalable systems and stand alongside them as those systems take root.
HOW THIS CONNECTS WITH FIVE x 5
Katie’s philosophy lines up naturally with what we’ve built at FIVE x 5. She helps distilleries design the structure and processes they need to run smoothly, and our distillery management software gives them the visibility and tools to keep it all connected. From compliance and reporting to production planning and inventory tracking, the software makes those systems easier to run day to day.
Together, it’s a combination that means fewer surprises, more confidence, and more time back for the craft itself!
LOOKING AHEAD
We’re thrilled to have MKD Collective in our distillery consulting network because it expands the kind of support we can connect you with. For small to mid-sized teams navigating growth, Katie is the kind of partner who helps turn that growth from potential into a plan.
Want to learn more about MKD Collective? Reach out here and we’ll connect you.
