Artificial intelligence is everywhere in business conversations right now, but for many beer wholesalers, the real challenge is simply knowing where to start. In this conversation with Bud Dunn from VxP , we cut through the hype and focus on practical ways AI can help wholesalers save time, improve decision-making, and support their teams. Instead of complicated technology projects, Bud shares how AI can assist with sales insights, forecasting, reporting, and everyday administrative work, while ...
Mar 11, 2026•1 hr
In this episode, we hear from Kim McKinnish SVP and COO of the National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA) to talk about the future of beer. Kim shares insights on the current state of the industry, the power of advocacy, and key NBWA initiatives including the BREW Initiative , the Next Generation of Leaders Group , and the Beer First Campaign . Our conversation explores how leadership, relationships, and culture drive stronger businesses — and what distributors can do right now to build a heal...
Jan 16, 2026•35 min
Today, I’m joined by Julie Rhodes , co-founder of Kick Beverages and industry consultant with Not Your Hobby Marketing Solutions . Julie and her team are making waves with Kick Fizz , a hemp-derived beverage that’s redefining how consumers think about social and functional drinks. In this conversation, we dig into: The inspiration behind Kick Fizz and how Julie identified an opening for a hemp-derived beverage in today’s evolving market. How Kick Beverages positions itself in the space between b...
Nov 11, 2025•48 min
Financial results shouldn’t live only in the accounting office, they belong to every department. In this podcast, I'll share how beer wholesalers can build a culture of financial accountability by giving managers the tools, training, and systems to understand and own their numbers. You’ll learn how to provide financial literacy education, involve department leaders in high-involvement planning, and run regular financial huddles that turn data into action. The result: smarter decisions, stronger ...
Nov 06, 2025•48 min
In today's episode, we hear from RJ Martucci, Partner and Co-Lead of the Food & Beverage Practice at PKF O’Connor Davies, to break down the latest tax rules and strategies affecting beer wholesalers. From entity structure and depreciation rules to credits, incentives, and estate planning, RJ shares practical guidance to help wholesalers reduce taxes, avoid surprises, and build long-term value. If you want to keep more cash in your business — both now and when it’s time to exit — this episode...
Oct 31, 2025•34 min
In today's podcast we dig into the "state of beer" with economist Lester Jones , separating structural shifts from cyclical noise and outlining a practical playbook to drive sales growth. From broken pricing elasticity to on-premise strategy and demographics, we share data and specific moves. Key Topics: • industry volumes down and dollars soft • structural vs cyclical drivers shaping demand • beer purchasers’ index sentiment and signals • pricing power fading and elasticity reset • on-premise m...
Oct 18, 2025•55 min
A CFO who became a head of marketing, eliminated millions in debt , and then built a company to fix distribution blind spots—Doug Veliky’s journey is a masterclass in making beer businesses sturdier and smarter. We dig into the decisions that actually move the needle : building an internal audit team at Reyes that focused on real compliance risk, redesigning systems at Revolution to produce market-level P&Ls, and consolidating a spaghetti bowl of loans into a revolving line that turned heavy...
Oct 11, 2025•54 min
In today's podcast you'll hear the audio version of our workshop on how to grow sales, increase gross profits and reduced finished product loss. In this session, you’ll learn how to: Increase gross profit using the powerful VxP tool Reduce finished product loss through more efficient inventory management Identify key opportunities to grow top-line sales Key Takeaways Gain actionable insights for boosting gross profit Learn how VxP can transform your business operations Get practical, real-world ...
Jul 14, 2025•56 min
Health insurance costs are spiraling out of control for many beer wholesalers, with annual increases of 5-10% that seem impossible to escape. But what if there was a better way? What if you could not only stop these relentless increases but actually reduce costs while improving benefits? Erin Butler from BevCap Management reveals how beer distributors across the country are doing exactly that through captive health insurance plans. This isn't just a minor cost adjustment – it's a fundamental rei...
Jun 19, 2025•1 hr 1 min
In this financial workshop with with RJ Martucci from PKF O’Connor Davies, we explore powerful and practical ways for beer wholesalers to get more value from their financial statements. Instead of just glancing at the P&L each month, RJ encourages a layered approach to financial analysis—using multiple tools and perspectives to uncover the full story behind the numbers . From trend analysis to dashboards, it’s all about building a clear picture of performance and spotting opportunities to im...
Jun 13, 2025•1 hr 12 min
In today's podcast you'll hear the audio version of our Wholesaler Financial Round Table meeting. This month's topic is on financial analysis techniques and wholesaler financial benchmarks. Summary of Key Points Financial analysis basics: How to focus on the most important numbers How to follow a financial month-end process to speed up production of the financial statements Standard set of reports and financial benchmarks Resources Connect with RJ Martucci at PKF O'Connor Davies, RMartucci@pkfod...
May 05, 2025•53 min
This podcast is all about how to reduce finished product loss (FPL) in your beer business. Bud Dunn from VxP shares best practices, training ideas, and a cool software tool to help you significantly reduce out of code beer in your business. Step 1: Calculate how much FPL costs your business each year (probably around 10cents/CE) Step 2: Reach out to Bud to see how you can reduce your FPL to 2-3cents/CE Step 3: Enjoy the savings! Summary Use VxP to grow volume, profit, and reduce finished product...
Apr 20, 2025•43 min
Today on the podcast we hear from Dan Lust, Beverage Industry Consultant with Pints, LLC. Dan and I review the top challenges facing the industry and share data analytics, business planning, and performance measurement tactics for distributors and breweries. Summary Hot topics: Tariffs, pricing, and the importance of sales training Strategic growth planning tactics for breweries Tools to make data-driven decisions Keys to brewery-wholesaler business relationships Resources Connect with Dan at Pi...
Apr 13, 2025•51 min
Today on the podcast we talk all-things truck leasing with Jenn King, Field Sales Manager from Penske. The lease vs. buy question is a big one when it comes to your truck fleet. Jenn gives us a high-level overview of how truck leasing works, what's included, and a tool to perform a cost analysis so you get the best scenario for your business. Key Points Lease vs. own analysis tool - how to make the best financial decision for fleet management How to remove risk, increase uptime, and improve budg...
Apr 07, 2025•31 min
In our beer wholesaler business we used a self-funded insurance plan to save millions of dollars over the cost of traditional fully funded health plan. In today's podcast, Erin Butler of BevCap Management will show you how to do the same in your beer business. Key Takeaways Wholesalers in the BevCap group save $640 per month, per employee compared to the average fully funded insurance premiums. This works out to a savings of $7,680 per year, per employee Example: Beer wholesaler A has 100 employ...
Mar 21, 2025•48 min
Today on the podcast we hear from Bob Higgins of P3 Cost Analysts. Bob and his team specialize in identifying and reducing over-spending in your business. We talk all things expense management, cost reduction strategies, and share ideas on how your wholesaler business can save money. Highlights Bob's process for identifying and eliminating unnecessary expenses Biggest cost-saving opportunities that companies commonly overlook The most surprising savings P3 has been able to secure for clients Tre...
Feb 23, 2025•36 min
Today on the podcast we hear from Dave Williams, the Analytics Czar from Bump Williams Consulting . Dave provides a recap of 2024 beer industry data, trends, and insights. We also cover “Dave’s Top 7”. These are the hot topics that he's been hearing about recently in the beer business. Key Points Growth in non-alcohol beer and ready-to-drink products On-premise results Health guidelines and the impact of tariffs Trends in cannabis and crossover brands Resources Connect with Dave, dave@bumpwillia...
Feb 11, 2025•53 min
Today on the podcast we hear from Rebecca Maisel from Gulf Distributing. Rebecca is the Senior VP of Legal and Governmental Affairs and recently elected Chair of the National Beer Wholesalers Association. Rebecca and I talk about how to become a world class beer wholesaler, her vision for wholesalers to adapt, grow, protect, and invest, and how to continue to innovate in the beer distribution space. Topic Summary Key focus areas for beer wholesalers in legal and governmental affairs Best practic...
Feb 03, 2025•49 min
Today on the podcast NBWA's Chief Economist Lester Jones breaks down beer sales data from 2024 and provides an outlook for 2025. Key Points How did beer do in 2024? What is the data telling us? Total beer sales / consumption On / Off premise trends Surprising trends and predictions for 2025 Tariffs, inflation, and interest rates...what does it mean for beer sales in 2025? Resources Connect with Lester Jones, ljones@nbwa.org Get the free beer business finance newsletter...
Jan 23, 2025•48 min
In today's podcast you'll get best practices, tools, and inspiration to build your 2025 beer wholesaler financial plan. Topics Covered: Open Q&A: What is your BIG budget challenge right now? 3 Steps to take right now to build a great budget Budget prep outline template to keep you organized 6 Budget questions you need to answer Sample wholesaler budget templates - sales, GP, OPEX, etc. Key Takeaways How to overcome analysis paralysis in the budget process Tactics to consolidate multiple bu...
Dec 20, 2024•1 hr 5 min
Today on the podcast we dive deep into the world of supplier incentives. What they are, how they work, and how to get alignment between these incentives and bottom line company goals. Summary How supplier incentives fit into the bigger picture of compensation The ideal compensation mix: Base, commissions, PFP, and supplier incentives The complexity of managing different categories of supplier incentives: Volume, placements, facing, displays, etc. The potential for misalignment of incentives: Is ...
Nov 06, 2024•42 min
Today on the podcast we hear from Sean McLaren and Adam Bush from OMAC Beverage Advisors. OMAC has worked on hundreds of transactions in the beverage industry, and understand the unique considerations for these types of deals. Sean and Adam share insights and analysis on the state of wholesaler consolidation, trends in valuation multiples, and best practices to make ready for a sale. Summary Multiples of EBITDA steadily rising from 7x-9x to 10x-15x Annual transactions remain consistent at 20-30/...
Oct 31, 2024•49 min
Tom DeMayo is a partner with PKF O'Connor Davies, specializes in cybersecurity, and is a self-described 'ethical hacker'. Cybercrime is a $10 trillion problem globally, and beer wholesalers are target. In today's podcast, Tom shares how these crimes occur, how to find out if your company is vulnerable, and what steps you can take right now to prevent a ransomware attack. Key Points Terms defined: Dark web, deep web, surface web, ransomware How hackers break in to your systems and what you can do...
Oct 22, 2024•49 min
Want smarter wholesaler analytics to get better results? Then you'll want to learn more about VxP , the best tool for guided selling strategies to increase sales and gross profits while decreasing finished product loss. A powerful 1-2-3 combo to supercharge your income statement. In this recorded workshop you'll learn how VxP provides the tools for real-time execution, automated workflows, and smarter analytics. Workshop Overview Review of VxP: Who it's for, why it's important, how it works, and...
Oct 18, 2024•46 min
Today on the podcast I'm joined by Orman Anderson, CFO from Glazer’s Beer and Beverage, and RJ Martucci, a partner with PKF O’Connor Davies. You'll hear the audio version of our NBWA presentation on A Practical Guide to Beer Wholesaler Mergers and Acquisitions. Our presentation covers four key issues - Target identification: Selling or buying, who are you valuable to, and who is valuable to you Due diligence: Research, homework, what you need to do Valuations and models: Current market, quantita...
Oct 04, 2024•1 hr 6 min
Today on the podcast we hear from Lester Jones, Chief Economist for the National Beer Wholesalers Association. Lester takes us through his 2024 U.S. Economic Outlook and Beer Industry Trends report. His bottom line: "The economy is resilient, people are spending money, just in different ways. We need to react to that in a dynamic way." Key Points How to make data driven decisions using macro economic and market data Consumer purchasing trends on-premise and off-premise (total spending away from ...
Aug 26, 2024•43 min
Today on the podcast we talk mergers and acquisitions and wholesaler consolidation with RJ Martucci from accounting firm PKF O'Connor Davies. Key Points How to generate the maximum return on a sale Strategies to make the sale tax efficient State of mergers and acquisitions in the beer industry Primary motivations for sellers Resources Learn more about PKF O'Connor Davies Get the free beer business finance newsletter...
Mar 24, 2024•40 min
Today on the podcast we talk wholesaler mergers and acquisitions with Orman Anderson, CFO for Glazer's Beer and Beverage. Orman is a former investment banker with Bear Stearns and JP Morgan, and has done multiple transactions as CFO for Glazers. So, this man knows his stuff. In our conversation, we dig in on how Glazer's conducts it's acquisition due diligence, establishes valuations, and considers financing options. If you're thinking of buying (or selling) your beer business, this podcast is f...
Mar 08, 2024•57 min
In today's podcast we talk about the beer distributor health insurance captive with Natalie Witmyer from Bernie Little Distributors and Lee Anne Klas from BevCap. Natalie shares how Bernie Little has benefitted from the captive with cost savings and improved benefits for employees. Lee Anne tells us what a captive health insurance is, how it all works, and how distributors can use this approach to save money. Key Topics Captive health insurance 101: Benefits, structure, keys to success Debunking...
Feb 23, 2024•44 min
Today on the podcast we hear from Scheppers Distributing President Joe Priesmeyer and Bud Dunn from VxP . In Joe's words, "We had a severe finished product loss issue in our business..." Joe shares Scheppers's challenges managing out of code and close to code product, and how VxP helped to significantly reduce this expense. Key Topics Incentive structures The volume x profit commission model Success stories from Scheppers using VxP Resources Connect with Joe Priesmeyer, jpriesmeyer@nhscheppers.c...
Dec 13, 2023•54 min
