London Competitions’ Post

This week, we were thrilled to have met and heard from some of the most influential leaders shaping the beverage industry at Imbibe Live 2024.   Here are our top three key takeaways on what’s driving the UK off-trade:   1. The Low-and-no category is a ‘red herring’: Despite the rise of the alcohol-free and low-alcohol space, consumers will continue to struggle with the high price point of these options.   2. Classic and emerging: Champagne and tequila remain the drinks of the moment for 2024, and consumers are willing to pay for quality over quantity.   3. The Rosé category is saturated: The rosé category remains strong, but with the influx of lower-priced brands (and the lack of sunshine this summer in the UK), the market is becoming saturated.   Exciting to see where the industry is heading!   #ImBibe2024 #BeverageIndustry #KeyTakeaways

In the UK a program by Distill Ventures & Be Inclusive Hospitality to host a "Meet the Buyer" event at a London location TBD on JUNE 21st FRIDAY, 2024 from 12-5pm local time. This program is to help ethnically diverse & underrepresented drink brands get in front of UK retail buyers & distributors. This is a great opportunity for new brands to get in front of decision makers as some of the UK's top retailers, hospitality groups, & distributors. Hope they do this in the US and see link below to see if you qualify to attend. Good luck to anyone that applies! And now my diatribe: As a small and minority owned company myself, similarly understand the challenges with trying to work with the big on and off premise retailers and hospitality groups. Many chains/groups while looking for minority and woman owned brands to bring in, many do NOT extend their diversity/inclusion programs toward distributors where in the US, probably less than 5% of food & beverage distributors that supply the major retail and hospitality groups are minority or woman owned. FYI, I couldn't find any statistics on this and more than likely none exist and just going off my over 25yrs in CPG--if some one knows of this stat, I'd be curious to what it is. Often times in the US (and assume this happens in other countries) if a non-alcoholic brand that is minority/woman owned or not does get into a major retail chain or hospitality group, it is not uncommon for the brand to be told to work with one of the large regional or national food service distributors that the retailer/hospitality group already works with as trying to onboard a one-three SKU company involves a lot of effort. The issue is that many of these food service distributors can be difficult and down right disastrous to work with. Its not uncommon for a brand to actually OWE the distributor money due to various tactics they employ like chargebacks, forced promotional spend, portal fees & other "charges" to work with them. Unfortunately, many small brands have been burned by working with these food service distributors so their foray into a mass chain or hospitality group early on seemed like a blessing, but it can turn out to be a curse. FYI the topic of the pitfalls or working with a food service distributor is a full topic by itself & at some point I'll expound on this on another post. Any case while I'm biased of course, but I also feel distributor diversity is just as important as brand/product diversity as distribution is still the "gate keeper" & "choke point" in how brands get on the shelf/bar. https://lnkd.in/enUgMfK6

White Gold Group: A Benchmark of Excellence in the Global Spirits Industry For over two decades, White Gold Group has been redefining what it means to offer premium spirits in a world driven by quality and distinction. From iconic vodkas to an expansive portfolio that includes whiskey, wine, gin, and tequila, we cater to the most discerning tastes worldwide. Our dedication to craftsmanship is unwavering. Every bottle reflects a rich heritage of tradition while embracing modern innovation. Our partners know that with White Gold, they’re not just distributing beverages – they’re distributing excellence. In today’s competitive market, aligning with a brand that consistently delivers superior quality is critical. Whether you're a distributor seeking to elevate your portfolio or an investor looking for a brand that leads with both tradition and innovation, White Gold Group offers an unparalleled opportunity. Ready to elevate your offerings? We invite you to explore a partnership with White Gold Group and reach out for distribution inquiries. Together, let’s set a new standard of luxury in the spirits industry. P.S. At White Gold Group, we don't just craft spirits. We craft experiences. Your clients deserve the best – why not offer them White Gold? ♻️ Repost if you believe in quality as much as we do.

The highlight of my first day at the Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America convention in Las Vegas was hearing a great live panel conversation between 5 industry giants: - Bennett Glazer – Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits, LLC - Charlie Merinoff – Breakthru Beverage Group - Stan Hastings – Moon Distributors, Inc. - Bobby Harmelin – Allied Beverage Group, LLC - Marc Sachs – Republic National Distributing Company Topics of conversation included: 1. Was 2023 potentially being a soft year for Beer, Wine and Spirits due to a 'whiplash" effect of demand dropping post covid vs longer term trend? 2. The huge improvement in data availability and quality plus the importance of speed - "if it's not real-time it's too late." 3. The ability of multi-generation family businesses being able to take a long term strategic view compared to the often shorter term view often taken by public companies on 90 day reporting cycles. 4. Even with 200 years of combined experience it's still very hard to predict which product will be the next Tito's or Fireball. There is no silver bullet as to what brands will work well in a specific market and what works in one market may not work in another. 5. The idea that a Distributors warehouse contains other people's dreams some or which come true and many of which do not. 6. The days of relationship based order takers are over and it's no longer enough just to have a strong relationship and making sure the customer gets their order. It's about delivering performance and consulting with the account to make sure they have the right brands merchandised in the right way at the right place and right time for their customers. #wswa

The plain fact is that if wine is going to expand and gather new consumers and champions in the United States, there must be significant regulatory changes that remove the shackles that the well-protected three-tier system locks on the legs of producers and, particularly, retailers. The National Association of Wine Retailers counts the best independent fine wine retailers in America as members and is the only trade organization in America saying what needs to be said and doing what needs to be done: challenging the three-tier system, the protectionist state laws that boost wholesalers interests over all others, and actually working to tear down many of those archaic laws that hamper consumer access to wine and retailer access to consumers.

Wine & Spirits leaders are you scrambling to change your team’s strategic initiatives due to the decline in the category? It would be reasonable if they were….because I'm sure you know by now... The Alcohol Beverage Industry is in Decline • 2023 was US Alcohol Industry's worst year since 1991 • Wine was down 8.9% • Spirits were down 9.1% • Premiumization is "dead" • Distributor inventory levels are lowering rapidly • And the the younger generation just isn't drinking as much We’ve got some solutions. Join our next Executive Forum and find out “3 Actions Every Wine & Spirits Leader can take in the next 60 Days to Boost Distributor Share of Mind.” At our upcoming invitation-only Executive Forum, Newborn Evolution will be sharing three areas that the VP's of the biggest Wine & Spirits distributors around the USA have shared as THE ways to get their attention and have them focusing on YOUR organization's portfolio. Join us on Friday, April 12, at 12:30pm ET for a robust discussion on this topic. If you’d like to find out more, click the link in the comments! A few reasons to join us: • Our Executive Forums are exclusive and by invitation only • You will have the opportunity to to have real-time conversations with high-level leaders like yourself in the Wine & Spirits Industry who are facing similar challenges • A fantastic opportunity to expand your industry network • Attendees will receive a high-level recap of the key takeaways and insights from the discussion after the Forum. If you would like to request an invitation for yourself or someone at your organization who may be interested please email us at Concierge@NewbornLeadershipEvolution.com and say “April 12th Executive Forum” and we will send you details. 

When America's best and most progressive retailers gather together in one place to discuss the state of the wine industry, that's when the tip of the spear gets polished. How is it that in 2024 retailers in most states can't buy directly from out-of-state producers? Why do most states bar out-of-state retailers from shipping wine directly to their consumers? Why do most retailers ignore their best interests and instead kowtow to the behemoth middlemen wholesalers who want to shove just the biggest brands onto their shelves? These are the issues that only the National Association of Wine Retailers discuss in detail at their annual Wine Retailer Summit. No other trade gathering in America gives wine retailers the tools to fight back and confront the ever-tightening regulatory controls states work to impose upon them. The NAWR Wine Retailer Summit is where America's best wine retailers discover the tools to fight back and to operate successfully in a changing wine market.

Wine & Spirits leaders are you scrambling to change your team’s strategic initiatives due to the decline in the category? It would be reasonable if you were….because I'm sure you know by now... The Alcohol Beverage Industry is in Decline • 2023 was US Alcohol Industry's worst year since 1991 • Wine was down 8.9% • Spirits were down 9.1% • Premiumization is "dead" • Distributor inventory levels are lowering rapidly • And the the younger generation just isn't drinking as much We’ve got some solutions. Join our next Executive Forum and find out “3 Actions Every Wine & Spirits Leader can take in the next 60 Days to Boost Distributor Share of Mind.” At our upcoming invitation-only Executive Forum, Newborn Evolution will be sharing three areas that the VP's of the biggest Wine & Spirits distributors around the USA have shared as THE ways to get their attention and have them focusing on YOUR organization's portfolio. Join us on Friday, April 12, at 12:30pm ET for a robust discussion on this topic. If you’d like to find out more, click the link in the comments! A few reasons to join us: • Our Executive Forums are exclusive and by invitation only • You will have the opportunity to to have real-time conversations with high-level leaders like yourself in the Wine & Spirits Industry who are facing similar challenges • A fantastic opportunity to expand your industry network • Attendees will receive a high-level recap of the key takeaways and insights from the discussion after the Forum. If you would like to request an invitation for yourself or someone at your organization who may be interested please email us at Concierge@NewbornLeadershipEvolution.com and say “April 12th Executive Forum” and we will send you details.

The South African Premium Spirits is showing strong growth with continued momentum. In 2023, the Premium Liquor market saw impressive growth of 12%, reaching a total of R14.5 billion. This momentum is set to continue, with the entire market projected to hit R55.6 billion by 2025! Here are a few key stats 🥃 • Whiskey sales up by 10.3% • Vodka sales up by 8.5% • Wine sales up by 7.2% For businesses looking to capitalize on this trend, it’s essential to focus on: • Creating unique experiences • Driving digital engagement • Prioritizing sustainability As consumer preferences shift, staying ahead of these trends will be key to thriving in this evolving market! ⤴️⤴️

Spirits Market Update - with all the weird & wonderful innovations, new products and acquisitions happening across the world Spirits, I thought I would summarise a few key highlights we've seen this year: • Ready-To-Serve Cocktails: Pernod Ricard, Diageo, Halewood Artisanal Spirits and Koninklijke De Kuyper are launching new lines, boosting cocktail popularity. • Ready-To-Drink (RTDs): Campari Group, Catalyst Spirits, Diageo and Coca-Cola Europacific Partners contribute to the dynamic RTD market with innovative products • Japanese Spirits Trend: Edrington UK and Halewood Artisanal Spirits introduce new products, reflecting the growing interest in Japanese spirits. • Celebrity Endorsements: Lewis Hamilton, Teremana Tequila (Dwayne Johnson), and Reyes Holdings (Kylie Jenner) join the spirits world, indicating a trend towards common celebrity endorsements. • Distribution Updates: Edrington UK, Beam Suntory, Global Brands Limited, Paragon Brands, Sazerac Company and Halewood Artisanal Spirits are updating distribution, showing changes in consumer product access. • Tesco Range Reset Opportunities: The recent Tesco range reset opens doors for challenger brands like Mangrove Global Ltd. (Bearface Whisky)., Halewood Artisanal Spirits (Berkshire Botanical), Sazerac UK (Trash & Treasure), Proof Drinks (Eljah Craig) and Treasury Wine Estates (19 Crimes Rum). Want the full deck? Give this post a like and send me a DM! #spirits #retail #CPG #dunnhumby #insights