Dear Client:     Beer accounts for the bulk of Constellation's business, and their beer portfolio is performing well. As such, Bernstein analyst Nadine Sarwat asked Constellation chief Bill Newlands at Bernstein's annual Strategic Decisions Conference yesterday what strategic role wine and spirits play for the company.  Part of that answer is that it allows Constellation … Continue reading "There are “No Sacred Cows” in Constellation’s Portfolio"

Dear Client:     Today E&J Gallo Winery announced the acquisition of canned wine and spritzer brand Bev. No financial details were disclosed.  Bev was founded by Alix Peabody in California. The woman-led brand promotes empowerment and inclusivity with the mission: "Do it different, do it better. Break the glass," per release.   You may recall, in … Continue reading "Gallo Acquires Bev Canned Wine"

Dear Client:     This morning Brown-Forman announced plans to expand its Casa Herradura tequila distillery, investing about $200 million. This expansion will double the distillery's current capacity, a B-F spokesperson tells WSD.  "The world's growing taste for premium tequila is driving double-digit net sales growth of our Herradura and el Jimador brands. We believe strong … Continue reading "B-F Invests $200M to Expand Tequila Production"

Dear Client:     DoorDash, one of the most popular delivery apps on the market, recently took a look at consumers' beverage alcohol delivery behaviors in 2022 as part of its inaugural Alcohol Online Ordering Trends report.   The delivery platform surveyed 500 US consumers who had used on-demand delivery within the last six months. The vast … Continue reading "Bev Alc Orders Up 100%+ on DoorDash, Plus Other Trends"

Dear Client:     Bev alc control state regulators and other industry members gathered this week in Orlando for the 86th annual NABCA conference. There's a lot to unpack from the three-day event, so let's dig in.  SHIFTS IN LEGAL APPROACH. NABCA associate general counsel Buddy Buckner kicked off the alcohol regulatory and policy update session, … Continue reading "NABCA, TTB Delve into Current Regulatory and Policy Landscape"

Dear Client:     Overall, wine and spirits trends have been decelerating recently, but there are always bright spots.  As part of a presentation last week, SipSource analysts Danny Brager and Dale Stratton highlighted wine and spirits categories that have significant volume share and are growing consistently, i.e. two years of consecutive growth through March. For … Continue reading "These Wine and Spirits Categories are Big and Growing Consistently"

Dear Client:     Earlier this week we published the first part of our conversation with Coppa Cocktails leadership and MS Walker [see WSD 02-22-2023]. Today we'll pick up where we left off, digging into the supplier/importer relationship, and the company's ambitious future plans.  WORKING WITH MS WALKER: A "UNIQUE RELATIONSHIP." As previously reported, Coppa relaunched … Continue reading "Part II: Coppa Cocktails Bullish on Goal to Double Distribution & Sales"

Dear Client:     Today Foley Family Wines (FFW) announced an expansion into the spirits space by acquiring the Bently Heritage Estate Distillery facility in Minden, Nevada. No financial details were disclosed.  "It's a big strategic move for us in terms of getting our own resources to make spirits," Foley Family Wines president Shawn Schiffer tells … Continue reading "Foley Family Wines Makes “Big Strategic Move” into Spirits Biz"

Dear Client:     Coppa Cocktails is a brand with a long history, but has hit its stride in recent years. The ready-to-drink product got its start overseas and is quickly establishing itself as a player in the US, hitting over 30,000 cases within its first year in the market.   Your editor sat down with Jose … Continue reading "How Coppa Cocktails Found its Second Wind in the US"

Dear Client:     Last year a group of California retailers filed a class action suit against Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits over alleged price discrimination. The case is now closed and has been moved to arbitration.  HOW WE GOT HERE. In July 2022 several California-based independent liquor store owners filed a class action lawsuit against … Continue reading "SGWS Pricing Lawsuit Kicked to Arbitration"