Beverage Wholesaler - January 22, 2018 To view this email as a web page, click here.
 
 
 
   
 
Cheers Weekly
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Imported Whisky Trends
to Watch in 2018
 

While all the talk the past few years has been about the astounding rebirth of the American whiskey category, producers of many of the world’s best- known imported whiskeys are similarly counting their lucky stars.
In fact, most marketers no longer think of whiskey in terms of discrete national styles but rather as one giant category, with consumers shifting back and forth on a journey of discovery of the various qualities of the spirits (from wherever they are made).
“We see that consumers aren’t following a traditional whiskey journey anymore, but instead they are experimenting among all the whiskeys – Scotch, Irish, American. They’re not category-loyal at all,” says Sona Bajaria, vice president, Glenlivet and high-end Irish Whiskey at Pernod Ricard USA.
That mode of experimentation has opened the doors for distillers all over the world to find new ways to innovate and enhance core brands, with limited-time offerings as well as new line extensions that appeal to newcomers to the category and create broader brand understanding and interest.
“The single malts category is gaining momentum and shares since there is a growing consumer interest in ‘craft’ products,” says Sandhya Padmanabhan, senior brand manager, Johnnie Walker for Diageo. “This has caused a shift in experimentation when it comes to consumer purchase habits, as they are curious to seek out what’s new or seemingly trendy in the spirits space. Consumers are looking to enjoy more quality, craft cocktails featuring specialty ingredients, and we see Single Malt Scotch whisky being used as a key ingredient in combination (not substitution) with bourbon and Irish whiskey.”
Both the growth in bourbon and rye, and the fascination with small distiller wares, are fueling new interest in whiskeys. “All whiskey categories are seeing growth correlated with the popularity of American whiskey, as well as the boom of craft whiskey,” says Heather Howell, brand director, Emerging Brands for Brown-Forman. “Consumer palates are continually changing, which has led to exploration across all categories. The consumer profile for Irish whiskey and single malt Scotch is evolving, with an increase in female drinkers and younger drinkers.”
Recruiting new consumers to whiskey had been hard during the explosive flavored vodka years at the turn of the century, but now the action is found in whiskeys, and more innovation can be expected, especially as American consumers turn to premium spirits.
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Optimizing POS Materials and Other Sales Collateral
 
Sales collateral is another responsibility of wholesalers and distributors. Handling these in-store displays, POS material, branded merchandise, shelf hangers, tap handles and case cards takes time and energy.
Recently I spoke with Brian Onufrychuk, VP of commercial capabilities at Breakthru Beverage Group, about how the company deals with sales collateral.
Beverage Wholesaler: How does Breakthru Beverage get materials from suppliers?
Brian Onufrychuk: Normally we collaborate with our suppliers during a normal planning cycle (annually, quarterly) and decide materials needed on a brand-by-brand basis for particular customer channels and segments.
BW: Do you make some materials yourself?
BO: We do produce some customized/localized POS using third party vendors such as BrandMuscle for market- or segment-specific needs, in partnership with our suppliers.
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ONE MORE THING

Constellation Brands calls marijuana legalization in California a “nonevent” and says its impact on beverage alcohol sales will be limited, since the drug has been widely available for medicinal use. It should be noted that Constellation recently invested $191 million in a Canadian cannabis grower.
– Source: Wall Street Journal
  JOBS BOARD

Assistant Division Manager
Wholesaler: Young’s Market Company
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Requirements: Bachelor’s degree and 3-5 years of beverage industry experience.
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