Anyone can buy attention.
PR earns it.

Blaze is an LA-based PR agency that makes food and beverage brands impossible to ignore: restaurants, spirits brands, breweries and CPG.

See the work Start a conversation
5B+
Earned Media Impressions
$500M+
Publicity Value Delivered
100+
Brand Campaigns
20+
Years in Food & Bev
About Blaze

We build reputation, credibility and influence.

Blaze goes beyond generating coverage—we build strong brands through strategic storytelling, media relationships and cultural insight.

We're small by design. No layers, no hand-offs. The senior people who build your strategy are the same ones pitching editors, running your influencer and creator programs, and producing your events. And when challenges arise, we help you control the narrative.

Where We've Placed Clients
GQ
The Wall Street Journal
TODAY
Los Angeles Times
Eater
BuzzFeed
CNN
Food Network
E! News
Allure
CNBC
Zagat
HuffPost
BevNet
+ hundreds more
How We Work

Every campaign runs through four steps.

We’ve refined them over hundreds of campaigns, and we build each one around your brand.

01

Find the Angle

Every brand has a story, and it's often not the one you think. We find the narrative that makes media actually want to write about you. A heritage origin, a founder's obsession, a cultural moment you can own.

02

Build the Plan

Trade press for credibility, consumer outlets for reach, broadcast for authority, influencers for social proof. We sequence it so each placement amplifies the next.

03

Create the Moment

Journalists cover what they experience. We produce the tastings, launch events, media trips, and activations that give people something worth covering.

04

Measure & Compound

Impressions, publicity value, sentiment, coverage quality. We track what matters and use what's working to fuel the next wave.

Capabilities

What we actually do.

✍

Narrative-Driven Media Relations

We pitch stories, not products. Every outreach is tailored to what specific editors and producers are actually looking for.

🎈

Event & Experience Production

Media dinners, launch parties, hosted press trips, deskside tastings, festival activations. We produce the moments that generate the coverage.

🌟

Influencer & Creator Strategy

We work with creators the way we work with media: through relationships. Product seeding, hosted experiences, and creator-led content that actually drives engagement.

🚀

Launch Campaigns

Restaurant openings, product extensions, market expansions, brand repositions. We take a launch from zero to national attention.

👥

Founder & Executive Visibility

Podcast bookings, broadcast segments, speaking slots, bylined content. Brands are built by people, so we put your founders and executives out front where they belong.

📈

Measurement & Reporting

We track impressions, publicity value, sentiment and competitive benchmarks, then shift the plan toward what’s working.

Why It Matters Now

PR is more valuable in the AI era.

AI has made content abundant, but credibility is scarce. Earned media, expert voices and third-party validation create the authoritative information brands need to stand out with consumers—and increasingly, AI.

Earned > Paid

Paid stops when the budget does. A great story in the LA Times keeps working forever.

Coverage > Claims

Anyone can call their own brand the best. Credibility comes from other people saying it: editors, reviewers, creators.

Answers > Ads

Customers ask Google, TikTok and ChatGPT what to buy. Those answers are built from coverage and reviews, not ad spend.

Earned lasts longer, earned is more believable, and earned is what AI and search pull from.
Durability, trust, visibility.

The Work

Proof over promises.

A brand with a challenge, a strategy built on a real insight, results measured in coverage and business impact.

Chronic Tacos
Turned a franchise expansion into a national media event.
10M+Media Impressions
Chronic Tacos media coverage
Chronic Tacos media collage
Challenge
Chronic Tacos was expanding across North America but needed regional and national media to support new location openings and attract franchise interest.
Strategy
  • Recruited competitive eating champion Takeru Kobayashi — set the world taco-eating record at a Chronic Tacos event
  • Hosted media dinners with local influencers at each new location
  • Partnered with Yelp Elite program for reviews and positive sentiment
Coverage
OC Register OC Weekly Eater LA QSR Magazine CBS Los Angeles
Ono Hawaiian BBQ
Built a media engine for multi-market expansion.
100M+Media Impressions
Challenge
Ono Hawaiian BBQ needed to increase visibility for grand openings across multiple markets while establishing the brand as a serious player in fast casual.
Strategy
  • Developed tailored pitches targeting food, restaurant, and national publications simultaneously
  • Layered hyperlocal coverage of new openings with national trade press about growth
  • Connected influencers and media directly with brand leadership
Coverage
QSR Fast Casual OC Register KTLA Good Day LA LA Eater
Veggie Grill
Made plant-based fast casual a mainstream conversation.
$13MAnnual Publicity Value
Veggie Grill social media
Veggie Grill coverage
Challenge
Veggie Grill needed to create buzz around an entirely new fast-casual category and convince mainstream eaters that plant-based could be satisfying and craveable.
Strategy
  • Invited vegan and vegetarian media for press tours to establish credibility
  • Leveraged Earth Week to launch a culturally timed campaign
  • Hosted tastings with general foodie media and influencers beyond the vegan niche
Coverage
Good Day LA LA Weekly Vegetarian Times Ryan Seacrest
Blue C Sushi
Launched a Seattle concept into the LA market.
Top-TierMedia Placements
Blue C Sushi
Blue C Sushi restaurant
Challenge
Blue C Sushi's conveyor-belt format was established in Seattle but unknown in California. They needed credibility and consumer excitement in a new market.
Strategy
  • Created a "Sushi Selfie" promotion timed to International Sushi Day
  • Secured TV segments and editorial features explaining the conveyor belt format
Coverage
Eater National Zagat Los Angeles Times LA Weekly
MRG / Michael's Restaurants
Put Long Beach fine dining on the SoCal map.
Top-TierMedia Placements
MRG Press-Telegram
MRG media coverage
Challenge
Michael's restaurant group operated three concepts in Long Beach but needed coverage that reached greater Southern California.
Strategy
  • Built distinct PR campaigns highlighting what made each restaurant unique
  • Hosted top-tier influencers and media at each property
  • Partnered with California Tourism on farm-to-table Chianina beef story
Coverage
Los Angeles Magazine LA Times Zagat Thrillist Eater
Roy's Restaurants
Elevated Hawaiian-fusion from themed dining to fine dining.
$20MAnnual Publicity Value
Roy's fine dining
Roy's Restaurants dish
Challenge
Roy's needed to shed the "themed restaurant" perception and position as legitimate fine dining while launching a new Prix Fixe menu nationally.
Strategy
  • Hosted media tasting events and intimate dinners with Chef Roy
  • Created a social media ingredient contest with user-generated creative constraints
  • Secured placements on Food Network and Cooking Channel
Coverage
Food Network Cooking Channel Ryan Seacrest Food Fashionista
Daily Grill
Repositioned an established brand for a younger audience.
Top-TierMedia Placements
Daily Grill healthy menu
Daily Grill media coverage
Challenge
Daily Grill needed to attract a new generation of diners across five markets while launching healthier menu options without diluting the brand.
Strategy
  • Named the new menu "Simply 600" — creating a clear health-conscious hook
  • Ran proactive media campaigns proving eating out doesn't mean high calories
  • Hosted media experiences at multiple locations for first-hand verification
Coverage
Eater UrbanDaddy Zagat LA Times Hungry Girl
TCBY
Revived a legacy brand with a product that sold out on launch.
71MMedia Impressions
TCBY media collage
TCBY media coverage
Challenge
TCBY was perceived as aging. They needed to create excitement around a new Silk frozen yogurt line and drive actual retail traffic.
Strategy
  • Hosted in-store tastings with media to create first-person experience
  • Sent innovative gift card packages to influencers designed to drive store visits
  • Partnered with nutritionist Joy Bauer to build health credibility
Coverage
Redbook Good Housekeeping Ellen Real Simple Hungry Girl
Monster Energy
Debunked and demystified energy drinks.
800M+Media Impressions
Challenge
Change perceptions of energy drinks, and the Monster brand specifically.
Strategy
  • Moved caffeine out of the penalty box with tailored pitches to beverage, consumer and national publications
  • Activated endorsed athletes for key alignment with the Monster brand
  • Grew awareness of no-sugar, low-carb launches through brand and media conversations
  • Placed cans in the hands of influencers and media through product seeding
  • Created advertorial moments across fitness, workplace and leisure
Results
Generated more than 800 million media impressions.
Coverage
BuzzFeed InsideHook UrbanDaddy Us Weekly
NEFT Vodka
Used Austrian heritage and design-forward packaging to break through the premium vodka wall.
687MMedia Impressions
NEFT Vodka TV segment
NEFT Vodka coverage
Challenge
The premium vodka category is dominated by legacy brands and celebrity-backed competitors. NEFT needed to stand out with a story built on Austrian heritage, quality distillation, and distinctive packaging.
Strategy
  • Built narrative-driven pitches centered on heritage, design, and quality
  • Ran tiered media outreach targeting spirits trade and lifestyle outlets
  • Leveraged iconic barrel packaging as a visual-first strategy for editorial placements
Coverage
Swagger KTLA Spirits Trade Lifestyle Media
Stella Rosa
Launched a celebrity brandy partnership that exploded on day one.
1.2BImpressions in 2 Months
Stella Rosa with Brandy Norwood
Stella Rosa launch
Challenge
Stella Rosa — the #1 Italian wine import — needed to position a new brandy line as more than just a brand extension with a celebrity partnership.
Strategy
  • Established Stella Rosa's multi-generational family story through media and podcasts
  • Worked with iHeart Radio on VIP Meet & Greet contests
  • Produced Hollywood launch party and coordinated pitches across all media channels
Coverage
Yahoo! E! News BuzzFeed Allure KTLA
Markham Vineyards
Made Merlot relevant again by owning a cultural moment.
94MMedia Impressions
Markham Vineyards Merlot Moment
Markham Vineyards coverage
Challenge
Markham Vineyards needed to revitalize its press and social presence while championing Merlot — a varietal that had fallen out of fashion in popular culture.
Strategy
  • Activated an influencer roster to generate social media buzz and user-generated content
  • Partnered with complementary brands for cross-promotional giveaways
  • Timed campaign to #NationalDrinkWineDay for maximum cultural relevance
Coverage
Fox 4 San Francisco Magazine Lifestyle Media
HOP WTR
Defined the non-alcoholic beer category before it was crowded.
1.8BMedia Impressions
HOP WTR product
HOP WTR product box
Challenge
HOP WTR needed to establish itself as the first functional, delicious non-alcoholic beer alternative in a category that barely existed.
Strategy
  • Built the brand around the sober-curious movement with lifestyle campaign
  • Disrupted beverage media by submitting non-alcoholic product for beer reviews
  • Facilitated CEO interviews with podcasts and media for founder story
Coverage
TrendHunter BevNet Well+Good Craft Beer
Weihenstephan
Flew media to Munich and launched a collab that sold out everywhere.
59.8MMedia Reach
Weihenstephan Best Beer
Weihenstephan award
Challenge
Weihenstephan — the world's oldest brewery — was launching Braupakt with Sierra Nevada and needed to feel culturally current in the American craft beer market.
Strategy
  • Organized media fam trips to the Weihenstephan brewery in Munich
  • Managed the cross-continental collaboration narrative from Germany to California
  • Produced four influencer events across NYC, LA, Chicago, and SF
Coverage
Craft Beer & Brewing Beer Publications Lifestyle Media
Brewery Ommegang
Turned a chef competition into a national brand platform.
120+Top-Tier Placements
Brewery Ommegang HopChef
Brewery Ommegang HopChef event
Challenge
Brewery Ommegang wanted to relaunch its Hop Chef competition as a national event series that could build brand awareness in major cities.
Strategy
  • Scaled the HopChef series from small activation to grand-scale events in multiple cities
  • Built pre-event buzz through influencer tastings and giveaway promotions
  • Established media and Yelp partnerships for early and sustained coverage
Coverage
Eater Zagat CNN CNBC Boston Globe
Tequila Herradura
Changed how America thinks about tequila.
5MImpressions in One Day
Tequila Herradura GQ feature
Tequila Herradura GQ
Challenge
Tequila Herradura needed to be positioned as a top-shelf sipping spirit — not a shot — and change perception of tequila as a category.
Strategy
  • Educated editors through deskside tastings at top-tier publications
  • Organized Familiarity tours to Casa Herradura in Jalisco, Mexico
  • Partnered with a mixologist to create cocktail programs showcasing versatility
Coverage
GQ Wall Street Journal Huffington Post Fox News Latino TODAY
Newcastle Brown Ale
Built badge value through irreverence and relentless sampling.
100K+Consumers Sampled
Newcastle Brandweek
Newcastle Brown Ale coverage
Challenge
Newcastle Brown Ale needed to increase awareness and cultural cachet for an imported dark beer in markets dominated by domestic brands.
Strategy
  • Deployed "Ale Blazers" street team to sampling events in 30 cities
  • Secured celebrity sampling at DVD releases, awards shows, and music festivals
  • Created sports and lifestyle surveys for distribution to consumer media
Coverage
Maxim Los Angeles Times ESPN Radio Brandweek
Hangar 24
Turned an aviation backstory into a craft beer breakout.
20M+Media Impressions
Hangar 24 Orange Wheat
Hangar 24 bottle
Challenge
Hangar 24 was a growing regional brewery in a saturated craft beer market needing both regional credibility and national visibility.
Strategy
  • Developed strategic press materials leveraging unique aviation heritage and founder story
  • Flew media to the brewery for immersive tours connecting brand history to beer
  • Facilitated executive conversations and coordinated industry activations
Coverage
BeerReviews Brewbound The Full Pint Maxim
Boxed Water
Banded conscious brands together for Coastal Cleanup Month.
107MDelivered Impressions
Challenge
Rise above a media environment dominated by the pandemic and the 2020 election, and bridge like-minded brands to reach new consumers.
Strategy
  • Took over September’s Coastal Cleanup Month to underscore the brand’s environmental ethos
  • Built a partner program with large-platform brands, with prize packages for consumer and media engagement
  • Launched advertorial partnerships and influencer strategies for content-driven awareness
  • Pitched the story of conscious brands banding together for the environment
Results
Generated 107 million delivered impressions, 10,000 email registrants, and $13,500 raised for Ocean Blue Project.
Coverage
POPSUGAR Fitness NowThis Brit + Co
Electrolit
Positioned a hydration challenger as a category leader.
56M+Media Impressions
Challenge
Gain awareness as a leading brand in the fast-growing hydration category.
Strategy
  • Promoted brand news, product launches and a new CEO through beverage, health and national pitches
  • Facilitated conversations between the brand and media on launches and company growth
  • Placed product with influencers and media through seeding, plus sampling at health and wellness events
  • Submitted to beverage awards and honors
Results
Garnered more than 56 million media impressions.
Coverage
BevNET Beverage Digest LA Times Well+Good
Bushwick Kitchen
Launched a sauce-category disruptor into Walmart nationwide.
200M+Media Impressions
Challenge
Increase visibility for Bushwick Kitchen’s premium honey, maple and sriracha lines, and position the brand as the foodie’s essential ingredient.
Strategy
  • Secured national and regional coverage through tailored pitches and press releases
  • Pitched brand-created recipes to food and beverage publications
  • Secured local TV placements for hyper-targeted exposure
  • Entered category awards and seeded long-lead editors for holiday gift guides
Results
Generated more than 200 million media impressions, including national coverage of the brand’s Walmart launch.
Coverage
CNN Underscored Forbes The Strategist Town & Country
Mary’s Gone Crackers
Cracked the competitive cracker market.
120M+Media Impressions
Challenge
Secure national and international awareness for a gluten-free snack brand in a crowded consumer packaged goods category.
Strategy
  • Promoted brand news through tailored pitches to health and wellness, trade and national publications
  • Built category leadership by facilitating discussions between brand representatives, media and influencers
  • Implemented multi-tiered product seeding to build an authentic brand voice
  • Submitted for gluten-free awards and honors
Results
Generated more than 120 million media impressions.
Coverage
NOSH Hearst CBS Medium
NadaMoo!
Made dairy-free ice cream a category story.
150M+Media Impressions
Challenge
Position NadaMoo! as the dairy-free dessert pioneer and secure local and national press for the no-sugar-added line and seasonal flavor launches.
Strategy
  • Launched the no-sugar-added line through pitches targeting vegan, trade, consumer and national media
  • Facilitated CEO conversations with media and podcasts on the brand’s family-business roots
  • Put pints in the hands of media and influencers through multitiered seeding
  • Crafted award submissions and celebrated sustainable sourcing through brand partnerships
Results
Generated more than 150 million media impressions.
Coverage
VegNews Women’s Health LIVEKINDLY VegWorld Magazine
Nature’s Path
Turned one million donated bowls into an international story.
550M+Media Impressions
Challenge
Raise international awareness for Nature’s Path’s annual Eat Well Do Good giveback campaign and its mission to address food insecurity.
Strategy
  • Obtained national and international coverage through multiple announcements and pitch angles
  • Promoted one million bowls of organic food donated to food banks across the US and Canada
  • Commissioned an exclusive ceramicist-made Eat Well Do Good bowl and activated influencers to share the message
  • Connected brand executives with local, consumer and national media
Results
Generated more than 550 million media impressions.
Coverage
New York Magazine Medium
Ralphs & Food4Less
Positioned SoCal’s grocery anchors as community leaders under merger scrutiny.
~400MMedia Impressions
Challenge
Increase visibility for Ralphs and Food4Less during merger scrutiny, and position both banners as destinations for grocery staples and the center of the communities they call home.
Strategy
  • Obtained local, regional, industry and national coverage of key leaders, store operations and community engagement
  • Pitched Zero Hunger | Zero Waste sustainability campaigns to relevant media
  • Facilitated discussions between brand representatives, media and influencers
  • Secured hyper-targeted local TV placements and hosted store events, including the Food 4 Less 35th anniversary
  • Participated in Yelp Elite events to build credibility with key opinion leaders
Results
Generated nearly 400 million media impressions, with 100% of coverage showcasing the three target pillars of the business.
Coverage
Good Day LA The Mercury News Progressive Grocer NOSH The Shelby Report
Brands that have worked with Blaze
Matt Kovacs, President and Lead Strategist of Blaze PR
Leadership

Meet Matt Kovacs.in

I'm Blaze's president and lead strategist. At Blaze we partner with food and beverage brands that want a bigger share of their market, and I lead strategy on every account.

I built Blaze to work like a boutique because that's how the best work gets done. Good isn't good enough, so the team keeps pushing for the better idea, backs the work with data, and adjusts fast when the numbers say to.

I'd like to hear about your brand →

Get In Touch

We're picky. That's the point.

Limited roster, senior-level attention from day one. If you're a food, beverage, or restaurant brand with serious ambitions, we should talk.

📍
Santa Monica, California
✉
mkovacs@blazepr.com
📱
(310) 395-5050