Fortune Favors’ Post

Here's just some of the reasons why you should enter your beer or cider into this year’s International Brewing & Cider Awards:  ✅ Gain global recognition  ✅ Raise your brand’s profile and credibility  ✅ Receive valuable feedback from professional peers  ✅ Provide talkability with buyers, importers and distributors   ✅ Great to add to marketing material   ✅ Boosts team morale     https://lnkd.in/dKt-T_3 

Fireball Paces Whisk(e)y Category, Continuing Its Growth Run While RTDs and Tequila have boomed the past few years, the whisk(e)y category has continued to churn forward, with overall volume nearing 59 million cases in 2023, excluding flavored offerings, up from 50 million cases in 2018, according to Impact Databank. Last year, however, many of the brand leaders saw declining volumes after several years of solid gains. Top player Fireball was the exception, gaining 1.4% to 7.3 million cases, up from 5.2 million cases five years ago. Still, the cinnamon whisky’s growth rate slowed from its five-year average of 7% in 2023—a year in which parent company Sazerac revamped its distribution footprint, parting ways with RNDC in favor of a diversified profile featuring Breakthru, Johnson Brothers, Martignetti, Southern Glazer’s, and beer distribution giant Reyes. Sazerac also saw a leadership change at mid-year as company veteran Jake Wenz succeeded Mark Brown as CEO in June. By volume, Sazerac is second only to Diageo in the U.S. spirits market, with volume of approximately 33 million cases. #liquor #fireball #nips

I read this in an email from @smallbatchstandard this morning, and I could not agree more. While most craft beverage brands are focusing their attention on their taprooms and tasting rooms (rightly so because the margins are lovely), that doesn't mean you get to ignore your wholesale channel. And you will never move the needle in wholesale unless your team is adequately trained to handle industry-specific challenges. You can't get away with just tossing one of your bartenders out in the field anymore- they need to know how to navigate our ultra-competitive marketplace. I have specialized in sales rep training since day one of Not Your Hobby Marketing. Very few (affordable) sales training programs for beer, cider, spirits, FMB, TCH, CBD, and wine sales teams exist. Summer is a great time to optimize your sales team! Contact me today to discuss my sales training programs, consulting services, and customized workshops. Learn from someone who spent 12+ years on the supplier sales side of the industry. Click here to book a no-BS call with me to get started: https://lnkd.in/duJYnGkw - https://lnkd.in/eziPDxZ #CraftBeverages #NotYourHobbyMarketing #BeerBusiness #BeverageMarketing #BeverageSales #BeverageDistribution #BeverageBusiness #Consultant #Cider #BevAlc #AlcBev

Here's what's on my radar next week in the #BoozeAndBiceps beat. Monday, Feb 12: Wrapping up any ads we see at the Super Bowl in the Alcohol or Fitness business. Molson Coors Beverage Company already pushing its "Chill Train" ad. The company advertising for the second year after Anheuser-Busch ended its decades long exclusive sponsorship of the game. Tuesday, Feb 13: Speaking of Molson Coors Earnings ($TAP). Earnings are out on Tuesday. In the last 4-weeks Nielsen says sales performance for combined beer & core beer slowed. Curious to get a deeper look into outlook for beer performance in 2024, especially since we heard this week from Distilled Spirits Council of the United States that spirits sales outperformed beer for the second year in a row. Also on the radar, The Coca-Cola Company reports earnings on Tuesday. I'll be listening in for any comments on performance of ready-to-drink Jack & Coke product in partnership with Brown-Forman. Thursday, Feb 15: Retail Sales Data: Breaking out 'Beer, Wine, Liquor store' sales. Until then, have a great weekend all! #Spirits #SpiritsIndustry #Fitness #FitnessIndustry

Company acquisitions can be seen as opportunities for growth, innovation, and expansion. They allow companies to reach new markets, acquire talented teams, and access valuable resources, ultimately paving the way for greater success and impact. Each acquisition represents a milestone in the company's journey, demonstrating resilience, vision, and the willingness to adapt to changing landscapes. Embracing acquisitions with enthusiasm and a forward-thinking mindset can inspire employees, stakeholders, and the broader community, fostering a culture of progress and achievement.

Guess who just made Thursday night a whole lot bubblier? That's right, yours truly! 🌟 Huge thanks to BK SEARCH for this unexpected treat! Landing this bottle of bubbly was as effortless as finding your dream job with BK SEARCH! 🌟 Ben Karnezos and his team make recruitment a breeze. So if you're ready to toast to success in your career or hire some new talent, why not raise a glass and give them a follow? 🚀 #RecruitmentGoals #CheersToSuccess #BKSEARCH

The NIQ BWS team recently conducted some thought leadership work looking at the impact of the recent change in ABV duty on the BWS category. The answer to the question has the BWS market changed as a result of the duty change is both yes and no. In spirits, changes have been negligeable. Where movement appears to have occurred, this is typically driven by the popularity of a brand rather than a big trend. However, in beer and wine trends suggest that shoppers are showing a preference for lower alcohol varieties. But is this driven by manufacturer push or shopper pull? If you would like to see the entire document, please reach out to your NIQ client service team who will be happy to share it with you. #NIQthoughtleadershipUK #NIQinsights #ABVduty #BWSmarkettrends #BWSshopper

I read this in an email from @smallbatchstandard this morning, and I could not agree more. While most craft beverage brands are focusing their attention on their taprooms and tasting rooms (rightly so because the margins are lovely), that doesn't mean you get to ignore your wholesale channel. And you will never move the needle in wholesale unless your team is adequately trained to handle industry-specific challenges. You can't get away with just tossing one of your bartenders out in the field anymore- they need to know how to navigate our ultra-competitive marketplace. I have specialized in sales rep training since day one of Not Your Hobby Marketing. Very few (affordable) sales training programs for beer, cider, spirits, FMB, TCH, CBD, and wine sales teams exist. Summer is a great time to optimize your sales team! Contact me today to discuss my sales training programs, consulting services, and customized workshops. Learn from someone who spent 12+ years on the supplier sales side of the industry. Click here to book a no-BS call with me to get started: https://lnkd.in/de_3r4fH

As an entrepreneur, you always have to be ready and willing to pivot as necessary.

I do not post a lot on social anything anymore but I had to share. A local NC craft brewery that I did advisory work over the summer with on there sales strategies contact me and wanted me to look over the Q3 performance. When I asked them to send me the sales team KPI tracker they responded they had not been using it. Shockingly the sales team use flying by the seat of there pants and no growth had been achieved over Q3. Long story short is that if your sales team is just dropping of samples and sales sheets, your business will lose. Following up with customers and closing sales are how to win in a tough market. Being able to win because of good fortune or the swipe of a credit card is not going to be a pathway to growth and success. Craft beer particularly needs to refocus the lens and stop buying into the trends that craft beer is in a slump. Currently, national craft brands that have opened new market after new market and are not preforming are driving craft beer sales down. The lack of accountable for territories is what most likely is causing slumps for local breweries. #craftbeer #saleseffectiveness